Do I Need a Cover Letter? Are Cover Letters Necessary in 2023
Do I need a cover letter? Is it important? What if the job offer doesn’t require a cover letter? Read this guide to find out all you need to know.
You’re about to compose a job-winning investment banking cover letter.
Whether you want to become a boutique investment analyst or get a lucrative JP Morgan internship, you’re a high-value commodity.
But first—
They need proof.
To get them to invest in you, you must write a perfect finance cover letter you can bank on.
Don’t worry.
This investment banking cover letter guide will show you:
- Investment banking cover letter examples better than 9 out of 10 others.
- How to write a perfect cover letter investment banking institutions love.
- Tips on how to grab their attention with a professional finance cover letter.
- How to sell yourself on a cover letter to get the investment bank jobs you want.
Want to write your cover letter fast? Use our cover letter builder. Choose from 20+ professional cover letter templates that match your resume. See actionable examples and get expert tips along the way.
Sample cover letter for a resume—See more cover letter examples and create your cover letter here.
Want to double-check your investment banking resume to be certain that’s on point? Here’s our guide on that: Investment Banker Resume: Sample & Complete Guide
Maybe you're looking for another positions? See other cover letter examples for jobs in your industry:
- Business Analyst Cover Letter
- Business Cover Letter
- Consulting Cover Letter
- Data Analyst Cover Letter
- Data Entry Cover Letter
- Data Scientist Cover Letter
- Executive Cover Letter
- Financial Analyst Cover Letter
- Manager Cover Letter
- McKinsey Cover Letter
- Project Manager Cover Letter
- Retail Cover Letter Examples
- Sales Cover Letter
- Law Firm Cover Letter
- Formal Cover Letter
Want to explore your options further? See our full selection of cover letter examples for every career: Best Cover Letter Examples
First, here’s our take on the perfect cover letter for investment banking analyst jobs:
Investment Banking Cover Letter Sample
Carmen Villanueva
1234 35th St, #6
Astoria, NY 11106
March 1, 2019
Blythe Summers
IB Hiring Manager
Goldman Sachs
200 West St, 7th Floor
New York, NY 10282
Dear Blythe,
As the recent acquirer of an MBA from the Columbia Business School, I was excited to see the junior investment analyst opening. My previous JP Morgan internship experience has honed my accounting, risk, international markets, financial statement analysis, and financial modeling skills, and I know I have the knowledge required to take Goldman Sachs to the next level.
During my JP Morgan internship, I further developed the investment strategy and finance skills I learned in my MBA program. My experience researching for foreign direct investment and up-and-coming tech companies make me an excellent prospect.
At JPM, I’ve had several proud achievements:
- Instrumental in research and analysis for a $5B software firm acquisition.
- Supported IPO initialization for 10+ startups onto NYSE and Nasdaq.
- Researched and captured data for 35 companies, successfully obtaining investment for 32 of them.
As my wins clearly demonstrate, I am very capable with the workings for investment banking, whether it’s for foreign investment or finding funds for domestic startup capital. If given the chance to join Goldman Sachs, I would bring that same passion for success.
I would welcome the opportunity to discuss your investment plans for the coming year and show you how my wins at JP Morgan can easily translate to the same at Goldman Sachs.
Sincerely,
Carmen Villanueva
P.S. I’d love to explain my formula for achieving 95% valuation recommendations and how I believe I can do even better with the vast resources available at Goldman Sachs. Perhaps over a coffee at that diner on 57th Street?
How about that?
It’s solid and only just over 250 words.
Writing a strong investment analyst cover letter that Warren Buffet would drool over is easier than you think. Read on to learn more!
1
What’s the Best Format for an Investment Banking Cover Letter?
Preceding investment in the next unicorn, you’ll research, analyze risk, and do due diligence.
Same here—
Before you start writing, you need to make sure your cover letter is properly formatted like the final draft of a 10-K filing.
Here’s a sample investment banking cover letter outline to use as a guide:
Investment Banking Cover Letter Template—Format Sample
- Your personal contact details
- The date of writing
- The investment bank’s details in a business letter format
- An opening salutation (e.g., Dear Blythe,)
- An introductory statement that grabs their attention
- A paragraph on how you’re the perfect banker for the job
- Several investment wins to prove you’re more than capable
- A paragraph on why this specific financial firm is perfect for you
- A closing statement with a strong call to action
- A complimentary close (e.g., Sincerely) and your name
If you stick to this cover letter format, they’ll see all alpha and no beta.
How long should a cover letter be for investment banking jobs?
Keep your investment letter of application to between 200–300 words, depending on your previous experience.
That’s plenty of space to talk up your work history and achievements.
To read more about choosing the best investment advisor cover letter components, see this article: What to Put in a Cover Letter?
2
An Investment Banking Cover Letter Intro Finance Managers Love
Securities, commodities, and financial service jobs are projected to increase 6% between 2016 and 2026 in the US alone, adding more than 23,000 jobs.
What does that mean for you?
You need to stand out like Jamie Dimon on a trading floor.
For that to happen, write a Wall Street cover letter opening that’ll put dollar signs in their eyes.
Open with the hiring manager’s name.
People respond best when hearing their name, according to MRI scans—their first name, in particular.
Here’s how convoluted that is:
Investment Banking Cover Letter Examples—Salutation
| wrong |
|---|
| Dear sir or madam, |
| right |
|---|
| Dear Blythe, |
Easy as dollar cost averaging.
Search the bank’s website and do some LinkedIn research to locate the hiring manager’s name.
If you want to hedge and be more formal, their last name beats no name: Dear Ms. Summers.
Can’t find their name?
No worries.
Dear Hiring Manager is still much better than To whom it may concern!
Don’t care for the Dear part? Not able to find a name? We’ve got other options for various scenarios: How to Start a Cover Letter: Sample & Guide [20+ Examples]
What’s next?
Like the after-hours earnings announcement for Morgan Stanley, they’ll be focused on your introductory statement.
So you need to hook them. Otherwise, they won’t read the rest.
Here’s how to start a cover letter for investment banking right:
Cover Letter for Investment Banking Job Examples—Introduction
| wrong |
|---|
| My name is Carmen, and I’d like to apply for the position that I found on Monster. I am a data-driven, results-oriented, passionate individual seeking to take me career to the next level. |
| right |
|---|
| As the recent acquirer of an MBA from the Columbia Business School, I was excited to see the junior investment analyst opening. My previous JP Morgan internship experience has honed my accounting, risk, international markets, financial statement analysis, and financial modeling skills, and I know I have the knowledge required to take Goldman Sachs to the next level. |
That first one is awful—
It’s all about you, greedy as Gordon Gekko, and full of gag-inducing cliches.
The next one, though, starts with your background, segues cleanly into banking skills, and compels them to continue to the next paragraph.
That’s a solid, blue chip investment!
Pro Tip: Don’t make a general cover letter for investment banking jobs. Tailor it specifically to this one bank and specific position to achieve the most impact. Want to apply at a second investment bank? Spend 10 minutes writing a new cover letter.
There are other ways to go about your investment banker cover letter introduction. For more ideas, see: How to Write a Cover Letter: Sample & Guide [20+ Examples]
3
Write a Great Middle for Your Cover Letter for Investment Banking
Now, the main body of your cover letter—
Like banks wooing the next startup IPO during a beauty contest, you’ve got to sell yourself as the best investment bank candidate for the position.
How?
In the following 2 or 3 paragraphs, here’s what you need to include:
- Explain why you’re the best investment banking analyst candidate.
- Add numbers to prove a few impressive past achievements.
- Describe how the finance and research skills you have match what they need.
- Show them they’re the only investment bank you want to work for.
Here’s an investment banking cover letter sample body:
Investment Bank Cover Letter Example—Body Paragraphs
During my JP Morgan internship, I further developed the investment strategy and finance skills I learned in my MBA program. My experience researching for foreign direct investment and up-and-coming tech companies make me an excellent prospect.
At JPM, I’ve had several proud achievements:
- Instrumental in research and analysis for a $5B software firm acquisition.
- Supported IPO initialization for 10+ startups onto NYSE and Nasdaq.
- Researched and captured data for 35 companies, successfully obtaining investment for 32 of them.
As my wins clearly demonstrate, I am very capable with the workings for investment banking, whether it’s for foreign investment or finding funds for domestic startup capital. If given the chance to join Goldman Sachs, I would bring that same passion for success.
These three paragraphs are brief, but they are detailed and super impactful. It paints a clear picture for them like a perfect prospectus so they can easily see you as the next great investment analyst at their firm.
You’ll be making bank in no time!
Pro Tip: Use keywords on your cover letter just as you did on your investment banking resume. Also, keep it legible by using the best cover letter fonts.
Need more ideas on how to tweak these middle bits? We’ve got all the cover letter dos and don’ts here: 35+ Professional Cover Letter Tips and Advice
When making a resume in our builder, drag & drop bullet points, skills, and auto-fill the boring stuff. Spell check? Check. Start building a professional resume template here for free.
When you’re done, Zety’s resume builder will score your resume and tell you exactly how to make it better.
4
How to Close Investment Banker Cover Letters Like a Boss
A transaction isn’t finalized until you have that tombstone framed and a deal toy on your desk.
Same here—
A buy-side analyst cover letter isn’t ready to send until you close it off and sign your name.
First, let’s look at a good closing paragraph:
Investment Banking Cover Letter Examples—Closing Paragraph
| wrong |
|---|
| I look forward to speaking to you about my candidacy for the banking position at your earliest possible convenience. |
| right |
|---|
| I would welcome the opportunity to discuss your investment plans for the coming year and show you how my wins at JP Morgan can easily translate to the same at Goldman Sachs. |
The first example is curt and robotic—
They’ll want you like they want negative carry.
The second example, however, is just right. You are professional yet polite, and you close it off with a call to action—but leave the decision to them.
It attracts them like a great ROI.
Now—
The closing sentiment and your full name:
Cover Letter Investment Banking Valediction—Example
Sincerely,
Carmen Villanueva
Easy as the Rule of 72!
And lastly, a postscript.
A P.S. below your name isn’t necessary on a cover letter for investment banking.
But—
It’s a great after the bell hack to steal their attention once more before they put your cover letter down.
Here’s an example postscript:
Investment Analyst Cover Letter Samples—Postscript
P.S. I’d love to explain my formula for achieving 95% valuation recommendations and how I believe I can do even better with the vast resources available at Goldman Sachs. Perhaps over a coffee at that diner on 57th Street?
See?
You add one more accomplishment here in case they weren’t sold before, and you entice them by promising them similar results.
Finally, you add a nice personal touch and a friendly nudge for them to discuss.
That’s as hard to ignore as an SEC investigation, but in a good way.
Pro Tip: Are you writing a cover letter for investment banking internships? Keep the same advice in mind. Use the job description to assist you in writing your cover letter, and use wins and skills from your education and past jobs to make the deal happen.
Looking for more ideas on how to end a cover letter for investment advisors and analysts? We’ve a great guide right here: How to End a Cover Letter: Sample & Complete Guide [+20 Examples]
Key Takeaway
Now you know that writing an investment banking cover letter that lands more job interviews isn’t that hard.
Let’s put it all together.
Here’s how to write a perfect cover letter for investment banking jobs:
- Follow the right cover letter format.
- Address the bank hiring manager directly.
- Start with a compelling intro statement.
- Explain why you are the best candidate.
- Give some key achievements to stand out.
- Show them why you want to work at this bank.
- Close with a powerful ending statement.
- Use a postscript to grab attention, optionally.
Now THAT’S an investment banking cover letter that everyone agrees has a solid BUY rating!
Have any questions on how to write a cover letter for investment banking jobs? Not sure how to talk up your finance skills or relate your trading achievements? Get at us in the comments below, and we’ll answer your questions. Thanks for reading!
