Every 20-minute Zoom call or coffee is an audition. If they like you, they’ll ask for your resume at the end. 4. Craft Your Story You will be asked: "Walk me through your resume." The Pitch:
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Writing a strong "Breaking Into Wall Street" essay—typically for a cover letter or a personal statement—requires shifting from a general "interest in finance" to a specific "fit for the role". In investment banking, essays are often used more to than to select them; therefore, clarity and precision are more important than literary flair. The Winning 3-Paragraph Structure Every 20-minute Zoom call or coffee is an audition
"Wall Street" is a catch-all term for the financial services industry. Before you apply, you must understand the distinct career tracks available. The recruitment process for each is vastly different. Craft Your Story You will be asked: "Walk
| Role | What you do | Typical hours | |------|-------------|---------------| | | M&A, raising capital, financial modeling | 80–100 hrs/week | | Sales & Trading (S&T) | Execute/manage trades for clients | 60–80 hrs/week | | Equity Research | Write reports on stocks for institutional investors | 60–75 hrs/week | | Private Equity (PE) | Buy/improve/sell companies (requires prior IB) | 70–90 hrs/week | | Hedge Funds (HF) | Long/short strategies, analysis (top tier only) | 60–80+ hrs/week |
If you can’t get a big bank early on, take a "no-name" internship at a local boutique or a wealth management firm to build your resume. 6. Technical vs. Behavioral Technicals: Prove you can do the work (the "can he/she do it" test). Behaviorals:
