Before you consider stepping into the career search scene, a well-crafted resume should be your top priority.
Your resume is your first impression!
It is a one-page advertisement that reflects who you are based on your experience, skill set, and interests. Recruiters will assess how well you can reflect and package this information and make a judgment of you based on your choices. It’s a company’s first indicator of your work output.
Are you organized and styled intentionally? Or are you messy and haphazardly placed?
Moreover, as AI is an undeniably present and growing part of the recruiting landscape, resumes have become the most essential and, if not crafted wisely, potentially detrimental tool during your career search. Companies are increasingly relying on AI software to identify strong candidates and present a select few. A poorly designed resume can, and will, overshadow your expertise in this landscape.
The best thing you can do is put care and effort into the content and layout of your resume. Make this first impression count, and don’t give recruiters or AI a reason to reject you at first glance.
Our recruiters at Pinnacle Group review hundreds of resumes daily and feel passionate about providing you with the tools to build a reliable resume that stands out in the investment banking field. Remember, your resume is your story to tell. Our advice is simply a tool to help you shape it. Trust your own judgement and make choices that present your story in the best way possible.
Components of a Winning Resume
Header (Required): The header must include your name, email, phone number, and LinkedIn profile (especially for individuals with more common names) centered at the top of the page.
Tips
- Ensure that your name is the largest font size on the resume.
Professional Summary (Optional): A brief paragraph summary of your professional experience and goals moving forward can be crucial in the AI landscape. This is an area where you can tailor your resume for AI by using words that target the jobs you are applying for (see sample resume #4).
Tips
- Select words directly from the job description, as this will increase the likelihood that AI will identify your resume.
Experience (Required): When crafting the explanation of your job skills and responsibilities, consider these five overarching areas: 1) Analytical Ability, 2) Intellect, 3) Leadership Potential, 4) Communication Skills, and 5) Results. Always phrase your job responsibilities and duties in a results-oriented manner, emphasizing accomplishments with actionable starting words. It is the key to creating a winning resume. If appropriate, include transaction experience and quantify your results with numbers, percentages, dollar signs, and before-and-after comparisons (see sample resumes 1 and 2).
Example
- Good: Decreased customer complaints by 10%
- Better: Implemented a customer service program that decreased customer complaints by 10%, a decrease of 5% more than during any of the previous 24 months
Tips
- List the skills you excel at and, more importantly, the skills that are relevant to the jobs you are applying for.
- If your current job experience or department is niche and may not be easily understood, consider adding a brief 1-2 line summary of your company and its place in the professional landscape (see sample resume 2).
- Remove internships after 1-2 years of professional experience.
Education (Required): Include your school name, degree(s) awarded, and graduation year.
Tips
- If you have more than two years of professional experience, list your education after the experience section. If you are within two years of your graduation date, education can be listed first.
- If you are within one year of graduation, you may list relevant courses that you have taken. After the first year, remove them.
- If you are hesitant about your GPA, you may choose not to include it; however, be prepared for this question to arise and have a thoughtful response ready.
Skills, Qualifications, and/or Certifications (One Required): Arrange these sections in a way that best emphasizes your attributes. This section can be formatted uniquely. List skills, qualifications, and/or certifications that distinguish you from other candidates, such as a unique computer skill or fluency in non-native languages.
Tips
- The information in this section should be relevant to the position you are seeking.
Personal Interests and/or Extracurriculars (Optional, but Highly Recommended): Although this section is often overlooked, it is one of the few places where you can identify yourself outside of a professional landscape. Provide four to six interests or extracurricular achievements and specify as acutely as possible. In this section, you can include membership in student or professional organizations, community-related activities, awards, and/of volunteer activities.
Example
- Good: Reading
- Better: Literary Fiction
Stylistic Recommendations
- Limit your resume to 1 page, unless you have 10+ years of relevant experience
- Create and submit your resume in a PDF format
- Ensure your resume maintains the same organizational style
- Headers, subheaders, and body text must each be consistent in size and format
- Dates and locations should be listed in the same place per experience
- Separate sections by a line break
- Columns and tables may be used for organizational purposes, but make them invisible when you are finished
- Use a common font (Times New Roman, Arial, Courier)
- Avoid colored text, even if it is to emphasize your name
Resume Samples
Click each resume to view. Scroll to the bottom to download the complete PDF.
