Does tax work bring any value to my resume for obtaining an investment banking internship?

Question

I am currently working in taxes, doing corporate and individual tax returns.

Does my current job add any value to my resume when I apply for an investment banking internship?

If not, what can I do to enhance my resume, in hope of landing an ibanking internship?

Answer 1

I dont think it hurts.  Be careful what you put in your resume.  Ive hired for many large companies.  My secretary knew one rule.  Nothing hits my desk more then 2 pages.  I think its that way in most companies that hire interns.  My girlfriend is a VP at a large bank.  She is looking to move to another company that is in a fortune 50.  She has multiple masters degrees and tons of experience.  She was able to keep her resume under 2 pages.  She actually made one under 1 page.

Make it simple so it gets read.  Then sale yourself in person.  Just my suggestion.  Email me if you have any other questions or thoughts.  Im more then happy to check out your resume if you want and give suggestions.

Good Luck

Answer 2

Not to offend, but don't listen to the first answer. It may help you if you're volunteering at a hospital, but for an I-banking job will throw you under the bus. I find it's best to be honest when it comes to the cut-through world of being an I-banker, so without further delay...

Fact is, you can't hope to "impress" in person because about 92% of applicants don't get an interview (sounds high, but is accurate). Also, if it is just "simple" such as "familiarization with tax code", it will be discarded. You need to impress enough on paper for them to want to meet you. And remember, almost everyone applying for the job has relevant experience, so be as unique yet relevant as possible. Sell them right away on what you have that they might be missing or need.

Yes, the tax work could help. The knowledge must have come from somewhere (likely accounting work or financial analysis)--that of which is one of your selling points. A big ticket item in banking is your accounting strength more so than anything. (well that and a type A personality that oozes with confidence)

The other answer is right though--leave it to 1 page. Anymore and it won't be looked at. Feel free to email it over. I've helped a number of friends prepare resumes for their I-banking interviews, and I wouldn't mind taking a minute. And they were hired (Morgan Stanley, UBS, and JP Morgan).

Answer 3

It definitely adds value to your resume.  So expand on it, highlight it, do whatever it takes to get it out there in front of prospective readers.

Actually, every job that you have, or had. is a help in a resume even though it may be from a different industry,   It show that you have enough ambition to go there and try to accomplish something,

Banks are a strange breed, they want the resume to look good, cover a lot of ground and be filled with many different areas.   Brokerage firms on the other hand want meat and don't care about fluff.

Bankers will make you go through the whole Human Resources thing which has no idea what most of the jobs they interview you for are all about, brokerage firms don't mind if you just go and get in their face.

Regardless, keep the resume brief, but make sure you have real meat in it, no cares if you earned badges for being a good scout, or you won the grade school suck up award.  Keep the resume all business, the more meat the better and don't lie.

Good luck, fill the resume