Investment Banker resume template & examples

Resume guide for an investment banker resume

Fitly here to help. Our resume builder and field-tested resume examples for over 500 professions will arm you with the edge needed to pursue your dream role as an investment banker. This resume guide and associated investment banker resume example will explore key aspects, including:

• Choosing the ideal resume format for investment banking
• Properly presenting your contact information
• Using a compelling professional summary
• Highlighting your investment banking work experience
• Listing relevant technical and interpersonal skills
• Displaying your education and certifications properly
• Selecting the best resume layout and design

Let’s get started!

How to write an investment banker resume

Before diving in, it’s important to know which sections an investment banker resume must include. The essentials are:

• Profile
• Work Experience
• Education
• Skills

Your resume should showcase your unique strengths as an investment banker. Start by researching the company and role to tailor your application. Understand their strategic goals and demonstrate how your expertise can drive deal success and financial growth. To achieve this, use the following approach:

• Focus on accomplishments and measurable outcomes instead of just listing responsibilities.
• Customize your resume for each opportunity to reflect the employer’s values and priorities.
• Project a professional, sleek image through a resume template that’s polished yet approachable.
• Incorporate pertinent keywords to ensure that applicant tracking systems and hiring managers can easily identify your competencies.

Choosing the right resume format for investment banking

Your investment banker resume should be clear, highly professional, and easy to navigate—reflecting the precision and rigor of the industry.

The reverse chronological format is usually the best choice, placing your most recent and relevant deals and roles upfront.

If you’re transitioning into investment banking or have eclectic experiences, a functional format focusing on skills may be beneficial. Alternatively, a hybrid format blends both chronological and skills-based elements effectively.

Explore our resume builder for templates to find the format that best highlights your background and accomplishments.

Remember to adopt a sleek, modern design that aligns with the high-stakes nature of investment banking and your professional brand.

Include your contact information

The header of your resume is crucial as it immediately informs the reader who you are and how to reach you. Present this information cleanly and professionally to encourage contact.

Make sure to include:

• Your full name
• A professional email address
• Your phone number
• Your LinkedIn profile URL (if relevant)

Avoid including:

• Your full home address
• Personal details unrelated to the job

Utilize a compelling summary

Investment banking is a high-pressure, analytical profession, but your resume summary offers a chance to reveal the dynamic and strategic thinker behind the numbers. This section provides a snapshot of your expertise, leadership, and drive.

Think of your summary as a concise narrative that showcases your skills, accomplishments, and professional approach. It allows some creativity unlike other resume sections, which are typically bullet points.

Use dynamic language, action verbs, and positive phrasing to communicate impact, professionalism, and ambition. Rather than reiterating your resume, highlight what distinguishes you as an investment banking professional.

Below are adaptable summary/profile examples tailored to various experience levels:

Detail your investment banking work experience

Using a reverse chronological format, list your most current or recent investment banking roles at the top. Limit your employment history to the past 10–15 years to maintain relevance and avoid unintended bias.

Include only experience that relates to investment banking or regulation-heavy finance roles. Other positions can be briefly captured in a separate section if necessary.

Under each role, detail your contributions and accomplishments in concise bullet points, beginning with powerful action verbs such as led, structured, executed, analyzed, or negotiated.

Move beyond describing duties—focus on quantifiable results like deal sizes, revenue growth, cost savings, or efficiencies you drove.

Examples of vague bullet points include:

• Performed financial analysis for clients
• Assisted in preparing reports and presentations
• Monitored market trends

Now, compare these enhanced, results-oriented statements:

• Led financial modeling and valuation for $500M+ M&A transactions, accelerating deal closure by 15%
• Developed pitch decks that secured $200M in new client investments
• Identified market trends that optimized portfolio allocation, boosting ROI by 10%

Review the investment banker employment history example shown below for further inspiration:

Showcase your key technical and interpersonal skills

Investment banking relies heavily on both hard skills like financial modeling, valuation, and regulatory knowledge, as well as soft skills such as communication, negotiation, and stress management.

Your resume should strategically emphasize the skills most relevant to the position and your experience level. To stay focused, maintain a master list of your competencies that you can tailor for each application.

Our resume builder provides a selection of commonly required investment banking skills, but you can also add personalized skills to better reflect your expertise.

Here is an example skills section from an investment banker resume template:

Highlight your education & certifications

The education section of your resume is essential to demonstrate your academic qualifications supporting your investment banking career. Employers typically expect at least an undergraduate degree in finance, economics, business, or a closely related field.

If you hold advanced degrees such as an MBA or relevant certifications, be sure to list these prominently as well.

Common credentials to highlight include:

• Relevant degrees (Bachelor’s, Master’s, MBA) in finance, economics, or business administration
• Professional designations like Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA), Financial Risk Manager (FRM), or Certified Investment Banking Professional (CIBPTM)
• Specialized training, workshops, and memberships in financial organizations
• Internships in investment banks or related financial institutions, especially for early-career candidates

Choose an effective resume layout and design

Layout, formatting, and design play a key role in drawing recruiters’ eyes to your investment banking resume’s most impactful content. They create the crucial first impression.

Adopt a clean, organized design that communicates professionalism, precision, and sophistication—traits synonymous with investment bankers.

Consider a classic layout that delivers clarity and hierarchy, but don’t hesitate to tailor the presentation to fit the culture of the firms you target, which can range from conservative to somewhat innovative.

Explore our collection of tested resume templates that simplify the formatting process for you and help you highlight your strengths effectively.

Investment banker job market and outlook

The investment banking sector remains highly competitive, yet it offers substantial career growth opportunities. The demand for skilled investment bankers is projected to expand steadily over the next decade due to increasing deal activity and financial innovation.

Global capital markets continue to require expert advisors for mergers, acquisitions, capital raising, and asset management, driving the need for qualified professionals.

Salaries in investment banking are often lucrative, with entry-level analysts earning competitive base pay and bonuses, and senior bankers commanding substantial compensation tied to deal success.

The long-term outlook for investment bankers remains positive, especially for those who adapt to evolving market conditions and expand their technical and client relationship skills.

Key takeaways

Investment banking is a dynamic profession that demands precision, analytical skills, and effective communication. Crafting a resume that highlights your achievements and industry knowledge sets you apart.

The reverse chronological format generally works best, allowing you to showcase your recent impactful deals and responsibilities.

Carefully tailor each resume to the firm and position by emphasizing relevant skills and measurable accomplishments.

A clean, professional resume layout combined with a compelling summary will engage recruiters and help you progress through competitive selection processes.

Staying informed about market trends and continuously building your expertise are vital for long-term success in investment banking.