The IB resume format has not meaningfully changed in 20 years. These are the rules that apply to Goldman Sachs, JPMorgan, Evercore, and every other firm worth targeting. They are not guidelines — they are the standard.
One page. Always.
No exceptions until you're a VP or above with 10+ years of experience. Every GS, JPM, and Evercore analyst resume is one page. If you need to cut content to make it fit, that's the editing process working correctly. The constraint forces you to include only what matters.
Font: Times New Roman or Garamond, 10.5–11pt
Not Arial. Not Calibri. Not any sans-serif font. IB resumes use a serif font — specifically Times New Roman or Garamond. The size is 10.5–11pt for body text. This is a convention that has been consistent for decades, and deviating from it signals you don't know the culture.
Margins: 0.5 inches on all sides
This gives you maximum usable space without looking cramped. Some prefer 0.6-0.7 inch margins — fine. Do not go below 0.5 or the page looks cluttered. Do not go above 1 inch or you'll have too much white space and struggle to fill the page.
Header: Name, phone, email, LinkedIn, location
Your name should be in a slightly larger, bold font (12-14pt). Under it: phone, email (professional — not from 2012), LinkedIn URL (shortened if possible), and city/state. Do not include a photo, a headshot, or your street address. Do not include an "objective" statement.
Education section comes first — every time
In banking, Education is always the first section. Format: University name (bold), Degree and Major, Graduation date, GPA (include if 3.5 or above — omit if below 3.3), relevant honors, relevant coursework (optional, only if it's finance-specific). If you have a CFA Level 1, it goes here.
Bullet point formula: Action verb + task + quantified result
Every bullet point follows this structure. "Managed" → too vague. "Built a 3-statement LBO model for a $450M target company, informing the client's $500M acquisition bid" → correct. The verbs matter: use specific, active verbs — "structured," "analyzed," "built," "executed," "advised," "identified," "negotiated." Avoid: "responsible for," "helped," "assisted," "participated in."
Quantify everything you possibly can
If you ran a club, how many members? If you raised money, how much? If you built a model, how many companies? If you led a project, what was the outcome? Specific numbers outperform adjectives in every case. "Led a team of 8 volunteers to raise $42K for the student food pantry" beats "Led fundraising efforts for local nonprofit" — even though they might describe the same thing.
Three things every IB resume must have — that most don't
(1) A deal, transaction, or financial project with a dollar amount attached — even if you built the model independently or analyzed a fictional case. Shows you understand what bankers actually do. (2) An academic or professional metric that demonstrates analytical strength — GPA, test score, competition placement, quantified project outcome. (3) Evidence that you've studied how to break into finance specifically — coursework, certifications, competitions, or roles that required financial analysis.
Common Mistakes That Get Resumes Rejected
Using "References available upon request" — never do this, everyone knows
Listing every job since high school — only include roles that add credibility
Using passive voice: "was responsible for" instead of the action verb directly
Putting a GPA below 3.3 — omit it and be prepared to explain in interviews
Including an "Objective" statement — wastes prime real estate
Generic bullets: "Worked with team to complete projects on time" — meaningless
Inconsistent formatting — different fonts, inconsistent date formats, uneven margins
Listing roles without context — what did the firm do? What was your role specifically?
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A session includes line-by-line resume review, bullet point rewrites, and a positioning strategy for non-traditional backgrounds — including exactly how to frame your experience for the groups you're targeting.
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