Investment Banking Cover Letter - Examples, Template, & Tips

Be sure you use the proper cover letter format to make your cover letter readable and professional.

Investment banking cover letter template (text format)

(Today’s Date)

(Contact Person’s Name)
(Company Name)
(123 Company Address)
(Town)
(Postcode)
(xxx xxx xxxx)
(hiring.manager@gmail.com)

Dear (Mr/Mrs/Mx)(Contact Person’s Surname),

My name is (Your Name), and I am an investment banker with 8+ years’ experience analysing and coordinating mergers and acquisitions, managing risk, and developing fruitful client relationships. When I read your job advert on LinkedIn, I knew I had discovered the perfect fit for my skills and career aspirations. You’re looking for an investment banking veteran to oversee mergers and acquisitions and attract new high-value clients — and that’s what I do best.

For the past two years in my current role, I have successfully coordinated multiple multi-billion pound deals, including a private equity firm’s £3.5 billion acquisition of a public organisation. I’ve also reeled in 100+ new corporate clients, generating £20 million in revenue.

My further relevant expertise includes:

Developing accurate financial modelling that resulted in 40+ capital and equity transactions
Analysing and mitigating market risk to guide client investment strategies
Issuing securities for multiple nine-figure capital-raising ventures
Ensuring 100% compliance with government regulations on all domestic and international mergers and acquisitions

I have admired your commitment to ESG from afar for years, and I know I can immediately contribute to your firm’s continued success. I look forward to meeting with you in person to discuss my qualifications further. You can reach me by phone at 07325 664 890 or email at your.name@gmail.com.

Thank you for your time and consideration.

Sincerely,

(Your Name)

How to write an investment banker cover letter

Investment bankers must be able to think on their feet, manage multiple projects simultaneously, and make decisions under pressure.

So if you’re applying to an investment banking job, you’ll need to make a cover letter that highlights your industry-relevant experience and skills. Here are three cover letter writing tips to put you in the lead for that investment banking role:

1. Use the proper format for your investment banking cover letter

When you apply for an investment banking job, it’s essential to format your cover letter correctly. Your cover letter is usually the first part of your application a potential employer will read, so it’s important to make a good impression with professional formatting.

Here’s how to format your investment banking cover letter:

Start with your contact information by including your name, address, phone number, and email address in a cover letter header
Write the date you’re submitting your application (right-align the date if you’re making a cover letter from scratch or put it in the designated spot on your cover letter template)
Include the contact person’s name and contact information in a left-aligned list
Greet the contact person by name in a professional salutation like ‘Dear Mr Sanchez,’ (it’s typically best to avoid coming off as impersonal by using generic greetings such as ‘Dear Sir or Madam,’ and ‘To Whom It May Concern,’)
Write 4–5 paragraphs explaining your reasons for applying
End with a professional sign-off (‘Yours sincerely,’ for example)

Remember that your cover letter should be no more than one page long. If it’s too long, the bank’s recruiter may not bother reading it.

And be sure to proofread your cover letter carefully before sending it off — any spelling or grammar mistakes will reflect poorly on you. Try using a cover letter builder and CV maker that check your documents for errors to ensure you submit an error-free job application.

2. Lead with your most valuable investment banking skills and achievements

When it comes to writing a cover letter, the opening is key. You want to make sure that your cover letter instantly grabs the reader’s attention and gives them a reason to keep reading.

This is how to start your cover letter for an investment banking job:

State why you’re interested in working for the investment banking firm: This can be something personal, such as how you’ve always been fascinated by the financial industry, or how you admire the company’s track record
Highlight your most relevant qualifications and experience: If you’ve worked in finance before, or if you’ve got any particular skills or knowledge related to your target investment banking job, make sure to mention that here
Explain what you can offer the investment banking team: A cover letter is an opportunity to sell your investment banker skills, so focus on what value you can bring to the organisation

Here’s an example of an opening paragraph from a job-winning investment banking cover letter:

An investment banking cover letter opening paragraph written to grab the reader — Tailor your investment banking cover letter’s opening paragraph to the job advert.

3. Quantify your investment banking experience

Your investment banking cover letter is an important opportunity to demonstrate your quantitative skills. Hard numbers are the language of investment banking, and your cover letter is a chance to show that you can use them to make persuasive arguments.

So when you write your cover letter, focus on results rather than descriptions of your investment banking job duties. Include concrete details like percentage increases and dollar amounts. For instance, if you led a team that generated $10 million in new business, that’s the number you should highlight.

Here’s another example of how to quantify your experience in your investment banking cover letter:

For the past two years in my current role, I have successfully coordinated multiple multi-billion pound deals, including a private equity firm’s £3.5 billion acquisition of a public organisation. I’ve also reeled in 100+ new corporate clients, generating £20 million in revenue.