Investment Banking Associate

I think any good application needs to answer three questions very clearly:

Why you are interested in the company, why are you interested in the industry and why are you the right person for the job.

This was the recipe I followed for my application. Let me dive a bit deeper into how I think about each of these aspects. On the first: why are you interested in the company?

A good application should highlight your knowledge of the firm you are applying to in detail. Do your research! What divisions does the company have, what do they do, and which are you particularly interested in? Has the company been in the news recently for an intriguing reason? If so, mention that. And for investment banking in particular, has the company recently made any acquisitions? What do the acquired companies do, and what does that tell you about the company’s strategy? Thinking about these types of questions—demonstrating on your application that you have done your research and have thought about the future of the business you are applying to—can be a real differentiator. 

Second, why are you interested in the industry? A good answer to this question will connect to your own personal experiences and interests. Is it simply because it is prestigious, or is it because the type of work that you would do in the industry is something that will interest you? Not only does providing a well-thought-out answer to this question help you show your commercial acumen, but it also shows that you’re intellectually curious, which is a key part of being successful in finance. 

Third, why are you the right person for the job? This is where your past experiences will really shine. Of course, internships or jobs in a related field will be helpful. But that isn’t the only way to stand out; you’ll want to show that you are a team player, detailed orientated and able to deal with complex issues and can provide numeric evidence to support your achievements—all of these can be demonstrated without necessarily having a finance background.

The key here is to ‘show, don’t tell’. Don’t just assert that you are a team player or are very driven. Provide some proof points that will show the reader of your application that you can excel if given the chance.