Cover Letter - What does it cover?
Can anyone explain to me what exactly a cover letter is and what it covers...basically how should it be made..like format and stuff....Help will be highly appreciated..
I'm confused at why you don't have the resources or the competence to do this yourself... but start with this.
http://www.resume-resource.com/coverwriting.html
Vault? Go to vault.com and you can find a whole lot of information on it.
Disclaimer: The post above has been made by someone who is not currently employed in IBD, and has not had an interview yet...
Don't bother applying...you're not gonna get the job with this attitude.
You should be asking advice on how to tailor your cover letter to an IB recruiter, instead of being a baby and asking us to hold your hands.
the reason i asked this on this forum is because things usually work differently in IB i guess...because in all resume writing sessions i have attended i was told that Objective line should be clear and precise...now here on this forum i read people threw out resumes with objective lines...so was just making sure what people in IB expect in a cover letter....thanks for the help in anycase....
There's an existing thread on stupid things people in finance see from applicants - mainly mistakes on their resumes and cover letters. You should probably take a quick glance through it to make sure you don't make common mistakes on your cover. Don't be too overly eager and or use very corny expressions.
http://www.ibankingoasis.com/node/1421
^^ thanks
What are good websites to look for internships?
I realize there are lots of CV templates on the net, but would someone post a Cover Letter that actually got them at job with an IB?
So what the hell am I supposed to put on my cover letter? (Originally Posted: 08/17/2012)
Can someone please help me?
I am currently going into my senior year undergrad and have been taking the advice of the "career services" advisor in regards to my cover letter. Advisor states that I should not make my cover letter personal. I happen to disagree.
Let me explain and I apologize if I bore you.
I started a very small business after graduating high school. I built it into an operation that allowed me to pay bills, save money, start a family, purchase house. (no liar loan!!) Lost business in 2008, like so many, and yes lost the house. I didn't cry and start looking for Obama to bail my ass out ( I signed on the dotted line) I found a job in retail after trying to save my business and ended up being promoted to general manager. While all of this was occuring, I went back to school, full time nights, and worked 65hrs a week.
I do not have any experience working in the industry. I want to explain through my cover letter what has happened to me and show that I got my face ripped off but kept going and am now a better man than I was when I lost everything.
By the way, I am not looking for a trophy, I did was I was supposed to do. My resume however does not fully explain my story however.
Any thoughts?
GPA 3.5 Major (finance) GPA 3.2
Do not make it personal. Do not include politics. No one reads cover letters (hell, I barely skimmed over yours). Make it generic and free of mistakes. Also, why include your major GPA when it's worse than your overall?
if you really want to explain your story, go network. no one is going to waste their time on a wall of text. bankers are exhausted and miserable people. even your resume only gets 10-15 seconds.
What to Include in a Cover Letter (Originally Posted: 12/01/2015)
I may have missed a previous post about this, but I was just wondering what I should be putting in my Cover Letter. Any advice is greatly appreciated
Just google investment banking cover letter or use the search box in the top right. This has been covered many times on this site and others.
A cover letter is most important part of almost every job application
what to include in cover letter?
1.Your name and contact details 2.List of your relevant skills 3.Summary of why you're right for the job 4.Add the job title 5.Introduce your CV in two or three short paragraphs 6.At the end sign your letter
Mention poker in cover letter? (Originally Posted: 12/29/2007)
Poker's not on my resume, but is it okay to write in a cover letter to a trading position for a BB summer analyst position? There are obviously similarities, and I made a good killing (over 5 digits) a couple of years ago. I'm familiar with using mental math, expected values, decision making...etc.
Hmm... could be touchy. If I were you I MIGHT put it in my resume under "interests." Some people wouldn't agree with me about the necessity of this section on your resume, however, I've aced many interviews talking to VPs about some of the things I list in this section. Definitely worth the space.
i agree with bankerchic - if anything, put it on resume
I interviewed for HFs and was actually asked several times if I played poker, video poker, did online gambling, etc. The skillsets are very similar and if you've actually won a substantial amount of money, sure, go ahead and write it. I wouldn't make it the focus of your cover letter but you can mention it in there.
I am a member of the 2+2 poker forums and there are a lot of people there that also have a big interest in trading. The consensus on 2+2 is to actually leave it OFF the resume because the your interviewer may perceive it as gambling opposed to calculated risk. As far as the actual traders I have never met a trader that believed poker to be irrelevent experience.
To answer your question.... it depends on your audience, i think the interests section is the most appropriate. If it is ever brought up in an interview then by all means explain your accomplishments.
LOL Donkaments! Hmm... maybe I should go visit 2+2 again; never really read the trading section there. thanks for the tip
Yeah; I'm thinking I'll mention it just as an afterthought in the cover letter, and might put it under interests in my resume, though I'll definitely mention it as an aside if my interviewer asks for my interests... and hopefully poker will be all we talk about
thanks guys!
Yeah there are quite a few big names from the 2+2 forums interested in trading careers. For the most part they go to non targets. Most of them realize making 100k playing poker in college is not the answer in life. They all seem to fit the persona's of the chicago style prop traders. Definitely do not fit the New York sell side BB persona.
and ah yes, DONKAMENTS!
I agree with keeping this in the interests section. Out of curiosity, was the five-figure sum won in live or online games? If the answer is online, it's probably the case that a player of the same skill would not win nearly as much today (the online games are tougher now than they were a few years back).
Should I mention family and friends in my cover letter? (Originally Posted: 09/17/2015)
I'm currently applying to a BB and have friends and family working there who have all recommended it as a workplace to me. I was wondering whether it was worth mentioning this in my cover letter as part of my motivation for applying to the bank.
Yes.
You can definitely mention friends, but I would be a little hesitant about mentioning family members, particularly with the same last name as yours.
Should I mention reasons for switching banks in cover letter? (Originally Posted: 10/16/2013)
Hi forum,
I wonder if I should mention some reasons why I want to switch jobs in my cover letter? Is that common to do? Especially in my situation?
My situation is that I started working in a MM bank ca. half a year ago but I am now applying to other banks. It is not a terrible job, but I just want to achieve a little more and want to switch functions (currently real estate, want to move to M&A, LevFin or highly analytical Struct.Fin role).
So, I am just wondering how or if I should address this issue at all in my cover letter, or leave it out as I will be asked about it anyway if I get interviewed.
For background purposes: I work in Europe.
Help is much appreciated. Best
Include a reason for why you want to make the switch. Otherwise, when reading applications, why should they interview you (someone in real estate) over someone who is already working in the business division they are recruiting for?
I included a reason in my cover letter for why I wanted to switch from ER to IB and it worked.
Include a reason, or it looks like you're just about to get shitcanned because you suck
Should I mention Citi's current situation in Cover Letter ? (Originally Posted: 03/04/2009)
Ok so citi Asia is still hiring ... wondering if I should BRIEFLY mention citi's recent trouble in the Cover Leter(then move on saying it will revive so it's a good opportunity to join at the bottom blah blah blah)
Or should I just pretend nothing is happening and keep on praising citi's history and culture?
I'd rather not. I brought it up during the interview and MDs didn't like it. That was months ago.
no
Avoid!
ummm, you should absolutely avoid it
yeah, I would strongly suggest you pretend everything is hunky-dory. Your prospective interviewers have to be desperately worried about their own jobs... no need to mention the elephant in the room.
dude, why would someone who actually bothers to read your cover letter want to hear a college student's assessment of his job prospects? they're looking for your naked idealism, layer it on
Why do you want to work there?
Don't know where you are hearing this from but citi is most def not hiring.
I have an interview with CITI MD in London tomorrow. So they are hiring. I know it's early but if offred position should I ask for guarantee, in case they fold, if so how much is standard. The postion is for VP rank.
Having an interview does not mean they are hiring. Plenty of firms interview to keep their image up with no intention of actually hiring.
Citi is NOT hiring. There is a hiring freeze right now. Seriously, ask someone who knows. If you are interviewing its probably for an intern position
rubine: if you're interviewing for a vp/director & up spot, ask for that guarantee. if they're interviewing you, apparently, you're of great value to them. i had friends who asked for this guarantee. as you go higher up (based on opinions of friends in higher ups), they don't fuck around in playing games with you.
if you're interviewing for associate level or lower, don't ask for that guarantee. you can't bring something to the table that they REALLY REALLY need. analysts and associates are abundant.
Leggomygekko, this guy clearly isn't a VP or higher. You think he would be on some annonymous forum asking a bunch of college kids for their advice?
hope it helps rubine
I think this forum is incredibly useful - I just don't believe that a VP/senior associate who works for a European bank would ask for such basic career advice on an anonymous forum and also have such poor grammar and spelling.
Avoid. Absolutely no.
Keep in mind:
"Don't be an idiot changed my life. Whenever I’m about to do something, I think, 'Would an idiot do that?', and if they would, I do not do that thing."
-Dwight, "The Office"-
If that's true - ideating: pwned
Mentioning long-term plans in ibanking cover letter/interview (Originally Posted: 06/06/2011)
I will be applying for post-mba associate summer internships and jobs. I know that unlike analyst programs, most banks hire associates with a view that they will stay for the long term. Conversely, isn't it true that most associates do not make it to VP, Director, MD levels?
Therefore, is it unwise to mention that my long-term plans include corporate development roles in the tech sector?
Or should I be putting forth the message that I will die as an ibanker?
thanks
i usually say pursing a career in investment banking with "company name".
you will die as an ibanker
^^ good advice. most want to hear you've wanted to be a banker your whole life even if it's complete BS.
Mentioning your IB offers in a consulting cover letter? (Originally Posted: 08/29/2013)
I have hear cover letters are basically just real estate for name dropping. That being said, will it be douchey to mention that one has a full time IBD offer from a GS/MS? I interned at a different BB, so they won't be able to see it on my resume and I feel the GS/MS name will definitely improve my odds of getting an interview with MBB.
It screams douchey. If I saw it on a cover letter, I'd probably red flag the person. Mention it while you're networking and leverage it to speed up your recruiting process.
Yeah that's what I figured. Although I heard this is a well used tactic. I am guessing my intel is wrong
thinking about applying for US IB positions, and I have an offer for IB overseas (in home country) with a well-known bank. Same rules apply, or would this still be negative/douchey? Also, given how there has been a lot of talk on here about positions filling fast/how banks mostly fill analyst classes from the internship program etc, is there any point in applying for US IB when my upcoming IB experience is the first I'll have (I have ER experience that I was able to use to get an IB offer) and I'm an exchange student in the US for the semester who will need visa sponsorship? Or am I wasting my time trying for a FT IB spot in the US this year?
Douchy, which may ding you on that basis alone. If the offer expires quickly, you may want to tell HR to see if you can get an expedited interview (be prepared to show the offer letter with the decision date). That's definitely OK if it is a consulting offer (e.g., the place you interned at, where one is typically given a short time to make a decision), not sure about offers in other industries
Here are some important things that you should put in your CV:
Your name and contact details
Put your name and contact details at the top of your cover letter. You don't have to give your postal address, but you do need to include your email and phone number. Make sure you'll be able to answer the number you give. Don't give your landline number if you're not going to be home to answer it.
The name of the job you're going for
At the start of your cover letter you need to explain which job you're applying for.
You can either do this on a line by itself (for example, "Re: Application for Stock Controller position") or in the opening paragraph (for example, "I am writing to apply for the recently advertised Stock Controller position.")
A list of your relevant skills
Your letter should include a brief summary that matches your skills and experiences to the job description. A short bullet-pointed list is fine.
A summary of why you're right for the job
After listing your skills and experience you should explain why these mean you're suited to the job
Read More:- http://careerfunda.info/career-guidance-tips-write-cv/</a">How to write a effective cover letter
Always remember never to mention unnecessary mentions or too much detailing about your achievements. Here a crisp idea about what to include:
Mention the skill you’re highlighting.
Explain a situation where your skill was of help. This would show rather prove your character. It must relate to the job profile
You mustn’t write anything different from the tangent. You should know what you are applying for and your cover letter must be relevant to that.
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