Wednesday, November 12, 2008

Resume Critique – Value Added Elements

Let’s call the author of this investment banking resume David. David has only two years full time experience, but his resume looks very rich. I have simplified his job descriptions which were also very well written.

David has cleverly embedded many value added elements in his resume without over emphasizing them however present him as a unique outstanding young individual.


David’s Valued Added Elements
I have highlighted these elements in his resume. Scroll down, review my previous post and you’ll see them.

Geography – David has worked in Hong Kong, New York and Singapore. All are financial hubs. Excellent geographies for investment banks. The value of his resume might decrease if he doesn’t mention these locations.

Deal List – David obviously doesn’t have a long list due to his limited experience. However he has cleverly included a couple of selected transactions into his resume. He has also described precisely the deal size, nature and his role in it. The Redtree deal is very well written.

Outstanding Achievements – David won the Warren Buffet Award. Not many people have these, so they can remain on his resume forever. Even at his later career, these will demonstrate that he is not only outstanding now, but ever since he’s very young.


Other Mini but Clever Elements
1. Add a line of short description about the division or department you are working for. This can give a quick and general idea of your job scope. Make sure to write sensible ones. If you work for Morgan Stanley, never write ‘a leading Wall Street investment bank with $$$ turnover and XXX employees worldwide’ – everyone in the banking world should know this. But ‘US$15 billion hedge fund affiliate of Texas Pacific Group’ will help to illustrate where you work.


2. Language. David has only indicated Spanish, as he understands that English is the default language for any English resume. You don’t have to specify your English level, unless you are not fluent. Spanish is a strong asset if David wants to develop in the emerging markets, such as Latin America.

3. Hobbies. I personally do not think that hobbies should be included on resumes. But if you want to, be selective. David might have a lot of hobbies, but he only outlined two – bungee jumping and wreck diving. Not many people do these. So it is easier for him to attract the interviewer’s attention and remember him. During an interview, he can even lead the conversation if the interviewer touches this topic. One important thing is you have to be honest. If have only do bungee jump and wreck diving once in life, don’t mention it. It is better to prove that you are an expert in what you do than lying.


Anna Maria’s Thoughts on Value Added Elements
A sensible short list is always better than a comprehensive long list.

Amazing Resume Creator

Resume Writing

1 comment:

erik.nelson said...
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