Expert Resume Strategies for Breaking Into Investment Banking
Episode 38 | December 22, 2025
In this episode of The Coffee Chat Podcast, host Ben welcomes back Stephanie Hockman, a veteran of the finance industry who has reviewed, rewritten, or coached candidates on more than 5,000 resumes throughout her 35-year career. Having recruited and trained analysts at Arthur Andersen, Bank of America, and BNP Paribas, and later serving as Program Director for Careers in Finance at Amherst College, Stephanie brings unparalleled insight into what makes an investment banking resume rise to the top.
From the start, Stephanie emphasizes a simple truth students often overlook: your resume is a marketing document. As she puts it, it must “advertise You, Inc.” The purpose isn’t to share everything you’ve ever done, but to convince a banker to pick up the phone and invite you to interview. And because bankers review hundreds of resumes at a time, the bar is high. Small errors can quickly put candidates “in the bottom 10%,” Stephanie notes, because they signal a lack of attention to detail, an immediate red flag in an industry where precision drives outcomes.
To build a strong resume, Stephanie advises students to adopt four mindsets:
Sales-oriented: “You have to sell yourself,” even if it feels uncomfortable.
Results-oriented: Every bullet should communicate impact.
Positive and professional: Tone matters, even in concise statements.
Adaptable: Your resume should be a “living, breathing document” tailored to each role.
Ben reinforces this with a valuable reminder: your resume is not meant to be a comprehensive autobiography. Instead, it’s a targeted pitch, designed for a specific audience with specific expectations.
The episode also breaks down practical formatting guidance. For undergraduates and early-career candidates, Stephanie is unequivocal: “It needs to be one page.” Margins should be no smaller than 0.5”, font should remain simple and readable, and color—no matter how well-designed—has no place in a finance resume. As she notes, “This isn’t People Magazine.”
Bankers want clarity, not creativity.
When it comes to content, quantification is king. Stephanie encourages students to use metrics, percentages, rankings, or even qualitative results such as being “commended by a managing director.” Ben echoes this, reminding listeners that results don’t require extraordinary achievements: demonstrating high-quality work or influencing a decision is meaningful and legitimate.
A common challenge for students is showcasing experience when they lack direct finance roles. Stephanie offers reassurance: nearly every job teaches skills relevant to investment banking. Whether you worked in landscaping, retail, or food service, you likely built communication skills, attention to detail, grit, and teamwork. “Don’t shy away from that experience,” Ben adds, bankers know those roles build discipline and resilience.
Finally, the episode addresses pitfalls: embellishing contributions, using inconsistent formatting, relying on tables that ATS systems can’t read, and overcrowding the page. As Stephanie summarizes, white space is not wasted space, it makes your resume easier to digest, which increases your chances of being noticed.
For anyone preparing to break into investment banking, this episode offers clear, actionable guidance straight from a seasoned recruiter’s perspective.
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