As we reported in October, several big banks have built out their online career centers over the last year as they face increased competition for top young talent. J.P. Morgan and Goldman Sachs have been particularly diligent, offering a host of information about the company as well as a few bits of advice for prospective candidates.
Previously, we combed through the material on the two sites to pull out some unique interview tips. Now, we’re talking resumes. The information below was taken from the career sites of Goldman Sachs and J.P. Morgan as well as recent interviews we’ve done with the two banks.
- For undergraduate and MBA students, your resume should never be longer than one page.
- That said, a concise resume is no excuse for leaving out critical information. “For example, if you took a year off to focus on other personal goals, you should include that experience in your resume,” Joanna Lee, an investment banking MBA recruiter at J.P. Morgan, told us earlier this year. Also, avoid unexplained employment gaps and missing GMAT scores.
- Quantify whenever possible.
- One size doesn’t fit all. Structure your resume to highlight skills and experiences that fit the job in question.
- Don’t just write your resume – know your resume. Come in prepared to talk intelligently about everything on your resume.
- As for cover letters, don’t send in the stock “To Whom it May Concern” note that could be aimed at any bank. Show you’ve done research on J.P. Morgan and explain why your experience and background is a fit for the bank and how you would apply it in the role in question. And, again, brevity isn’t a bad thing.
- While surely Goldman recruiters aren’t interested in reading novels, they do stress the importance of including all pertinent information, even if it may not be directly related to financial services. “We want to see school and work experience, but we also want to see what you are passionate about outside of work and academia,” said Kate Martuscello, head of MBA recruiting for Goldman’s private wealth management division.
- It seems extracurricular activities are particularly important. They can even trump terrific grades for entry-level candidates. “If we look at someone with a 4.0 GPA but with no extracurricular activities and compare that person to someone with a 3.6 GPA but who has other skills and commitments, to me, that is a more well-rounded candidate,” said Sandra Hurse, global co-head of campus recruiting at Goldman Sachs.
- Don’t just list your responsibilities. It’s more important to document your achievements. This is the number one mistakes candidates make on their resume, according to a CV expert.
- Formatting matters. Your resume should appear as a “professional business document,” with sections clearly defined with proper bolding, fonts and capitalization.
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