Cover Letters & Resumes

Cover letters and resumes are as much an art as they are a science. There is no right way to write them, but there definitely is a wrong way, and a way to move along the spectrum towards right. Remember that since human beings will read these documents, you shouldn't be surprised if one person thinks your resume is a masterpiece, while another dismisses it instantly. People look for different things, and have different assessment criteria.

Resume

A resume should be constantly evolving, and never complete, even when there is no immediate need for it. Gather feedback from people, do resume reviews, post your resume online and gauge responses -- make sure it is up to date and consciously think about how you can improve it. Rotman has many great resources for this: formal resume review sessions, daily CCC drop-in sessions, and second-years who are willing to help. To provide a geeky analogy, a resume should be like a stock price: millions of shareholders provide the supply and demand for a stock which dictates its price. In similar terms, the more people who provide feedback about your resume, the more likelihood there is that it's the most "correct" and will appeal to a random person reviewing it.

In terms of content, I will avoid the obvious in this post. Rotman has a strict template to use, which takes the guesswork out of formatting. Similarly, plenty of online resources suggest what content should be included. I want to offer a few useful tips for the general tone of a resume. These are in no particular order.

The lower section of the resume has an "Interests" section. Do not underestimate this section, especially by making it overly generic. Nobody cares if you read books or like travelling; there aren't many people who don't. Mention that you participate in sailing regattas or have started a business selling adult diapers. Anything which will differentiate you, is not related to the industry in which you wish to work, and something which shows initiative, creativity or competitive spirit. I have had entire interviews discuss only the hobbies which I include in this section. They show that a candidate is successful and motivated in all facets of life, is a well-rounded individual, and will have something interested to talk about while being at work for 16 hours a day.

The general tone of a resume should be very execution-oriented. Potential employers wish to hire candidates who will make their lives easier. They want to see that you were able to do this for a previous employer. "Saved firm $X by promoting idea Y". "Maintained relationship with client who contributed $Z of annual revenue". Try your best to quantify results without lying (exaggeration isn't necessarily bad though). As well, cater your experience, education, awards, etc., to the job at hand. If it's an investment banking role, try to focus on more deal-oriented work you have done and client relationships, versus a sales & trading role where it may be better to mention the results of your personal trading portfolio. This goes along with the idea that a resume is never "complete". Include anything which may set you apart: GPA, GMAT, awards, etc. Finally, make sure that keywords stand out. Most people will not spend more than a minute on a resume so make sure its impact is quick. Being proficient in Microsoft Office is redundant to say; rather mention that you are able to program macros while building valuation models in Excel.

Cover Letter

A cover letter needs to include all of the information online sources will tell you it should include, however, should contain a flavor of yourself. It should bring across your brand, your personality and what makes you different from other candidates. I don't believe there is one strict rule as to what a cover letter should look like, or any perfect template which works. Find what works for you.

I like short and to-the-point cover letters which cover three main points: (1) why you want to work for that particular firm, (2) an extremely brief summary of work and education (without repeating too much what is in your resume), and (3) which skills and interests you possess which make you a good candidate for the role. I like keeping my cover letters between half a page and 2/3rds of a page long, consisting of three short paragraphs which cover the above. I think that the biggest mistake a candidate can make is to create a generic cover letter template and then search-and-replace the firm name. It's a lot of work to customize every cover letter, however, recruiting is extremely competitive, and something you go through once your entire life. Create an advantage for yourself versus hundreds of other applicants by devoting a few extra hours to write specifically about what makes you a better candidate for that role, and why you are attracted to that firm. It seems like a no-brainer. I think you have to be extremely smart about how to put together the section which describes why you want to work for a particular firm. Ideally, you had spoken to somebody from that firm at an info session or a coffee meeting, and have their permission to include their name and quote them. For example "I am impressed by Firm X's efforts to expand to Latin America and take risks in areas where other firms will not. A discussion with Mr. Smith has confirmed this goal to take educated risks".

That's all for now. As always, feel free to ask questions in the comments.

Studying for Technicals

I admit it: my posts aren't in any particular order; I simply write about what I feel like writing about in that particular moment. Without further ado, here is a quick overview of how to prepare for the technical component of an interview.

Before going into too much detail, I want to mention the importance of being technically sound in interviews. I don't think that knowing technicals has ever gotten anybody a job, however, it's the easiest way to blow your chances. The technical part of an interview serves more as a test of whether you have the analytical aptitude to learn the everyday components of the job, whether you have taken the initiative to learn on your own, and whether you have a genuine interest in the role. As well, these questions test how well you perform under pressure.


No matter how well you know the material, the interviewer always knows more! The more questions you answer correctly, the more questions you will get asked, until you can no longer answer. The correct approach is to answer those questions which you know correctly and efficiently. This means that you shouldn't offer any additional information above and beyond what is asked. For example, if you are asked to describe a DCF, your answer should be no longer than "it is the discounting of the future cash flows of a firm or project to the present in order to obtain a value for that entity". Do not talk about discount rates, growth rates, terminal value, or anything in addition to what was asked. By offering all of the information you know, you almost guarantee that the next question asked will be one you will not know. By keeping extra information in your back pocket, you are able to answer follow-up questions. Be concise and be confident.

Questions which you do not know the answers to are handled in two ways. For those which you think you can make an educated guess, prefix your answer with "I do not know, however, if I had to make a guess it would be...". For questions which you have no clue, be honest and say that you do not know. Sometimes part of the reason the interviewer asked that question is to see how honest you can be when you do not know an answer. If you begin making up an answer which is completely wrong, expect followup questions -- the interviewer knows that you are BSing and wants to see you squirm! I have seen less technically sound individuals ace interviews because they are honest and concise than some people who may know a lot more.

Each candidate should know inside out the role which they are interviewing for. For exmaple, if you are interviewing for an investment banking role, you should be aware of what investment bankers do, how they are structured into industry groups, the hours they work, the salaries they receive, what a first-year associate does, how career progression works, etc. All of this information can be easily obtained from Vault guides which are free to obtain via RWorld and the BIC library. As well, for each company you interview for, you should have an idea of which market that firm specifically focuses on, how their industry groups are structured, who the key individuals at the firm are, and so on. This can be found on CapitalIQ, a tool each student has access to.

Investment banking interviews are generally more rigorous in terms of testing technical skills than other roles. Since the profession requires certain sacrifices of work-life balance, this approach is justifiable. I will leave the behavioral questions for another post and only cover technical questions here. IB questions only ever cover a few topics: Valuation, M&A, LBO, and general accounting questions. I wont go into specific details regarding these topics, I will just say that the Vault guides are not enough to cover these topics. Look to Google, or online guides such as Breaking into Wall Street (BiWS), which is a great $100 investment. As well, do lots and lots of mock interviews with second-year students and your study team. I cannot emphasize this enough.

For sales and trading jobs, having more of a global / macro view is important. Most questions will revolve around where you think the economy is headed and your ability to pitch a stock. Unlike IB interviews, which you can cram for in two weeks time, it takes a few months to form an opinion of the markets and get a sense for what makes them move. This means reading the newspaper every day and sharing your ideas and refining your view months in advance. Start doing this now! It is extremely important to have an opinion. Sure, even the world's top economists are torn as to where the markets will be in six months. It is still important for you to pick a side and be able to defend it. Again, concise answers are key. If you think that markets are going down, simply say it is because you believe that the credit market is still frozen for small and medium sized businesses, which is where all new job creation will come from, and without job creation, the economy is headed downhill. There -- the economy in one sentence! This question is the keystone of your entire interview since it is extremely important that you can construct one contiguous story. For example, if you argue that we will enter another recession, and then insist you want to invest in a cyclical stock, you start to contradict yourself. Conversely, if you say that you want to invest in utilities because they are defensive, and go on to pitch a particular name in the industry, you are signaling to the interviewer that you actually make sense of the economy and are telling one consistent story.

Pitching a stock is an art -- it needs to be done concisely and effectively. I think the best approach is to start with a top-down analysis. Keep it max two minutes and begin by saying where you think the economy is headed, therefore why you feel some industries will perform better than others, which name in that particular industry you think will outperform its peers, why you think that name is undervalued, and use some rudimentary valuation to back up your analysis with numbers. This last part means "it's trading at a [P/E] multiple of 12 compared to an industry average of 18", and not "I spent a week doing my own DCF at home and...". Keep it simple. Have two long pitches and two short pitches on hand and you should be fine. Like all interviews, practice makes perfect, so form a study group and practice pitching stocks to your classmates.

I can answer any specific questions in the comments. Good luck!

More on Networking

I was asked by a student earlier this week whether it was too early to start networking. There is no straightforward answer to this question. It is never too early to begin reaching out to people and developing a network, however, you should at least have some ability to carry on an intelligent conversation before you do. The bar is set low during these meetings as people will not expect you to know about complex finance theory (yet). Still, you should have at least a basic understanding of what that person does (understand their role at their firm), and have a clear idea of what you will focus on during recruiting season. This doesn't mean that you have to specifically know which jobs you will apply for, just that you are interested in finance and in hearing what that industry professional has to say. In short, if you have to ask questions like "What do investment bankers do?", "How much do you make?", or "What are your hours like?", you probably shouldn't be there. This is information you can google, and asking it will not only embarrass you, but will also make the rest of us look bad.

When you do decide that you are comfortable enough to meet with people for coffee or drinks, start considering who exactly to meet with. If you have a clear idea of which job you will focus on, contact people who will recruit for those roles. If you are undecided, consider casting a wider net. Great resources for finding individuals include the online alumni directory (rworld), asking second year students, the CCC, and RFA events. Remember, always ask "who else can I meet with?" as a final question when meeting someone. As well, the best way to attack a role is from all angles -- associates to directors -- so make sure that you target the entire spectrum.

I want to make this post specifically about how to compose an email to ask a person for a meeting. I generally believe in two rules: be specific, and be genuine. The first rule means that you should put something really specific in your email to show evidence that you are serious about meeting and that you have done your research. For example "We had a chance to meet at the RFA Speaker Series event last week and spoke briefly about how high-yield is becoming a big part of the corporate bond issuance business". If you haven't met them, perhaps mention something like "I would like to find out how Firm Z's expanding presence in Latin America affects the xyz department for which you work".

The second rule, be genuine, means that you should keep your communication concise and honest. Do not try to impress the recipient with your credentials or knowledge of the market.  Introduce yourself, say something specific and politely request a meeting. Here is an example of an email:

"Dear Ms. X,
I am a first-year student at Rotman interested in becoming involved in Sales and Trading. We had a chance to speak last week at the RFA speaker series event where we discussed the dynamics of corporate bond yields. I would value the opportunity to continue our discussion over coffee, and perhaps to learn more about Firm Y. I understand that you are busy and am able to work around your schedule over the next few weeks.
Thank you, Me."

Finally, when sending these emails, be cognizant of the time. Do not email a trader at 9:30am or 4:00pm when the markets are abuzz. You wont get an answer.

Super Networking: Information Sessions

I want to thank everyone who came to the RFA and RAMA kick-off meetings. A common question asked at these meetings concerns approaching industry professionals and networking. I'm going to try to describe some tactics which I used and some general guidelines. I want to emphasize the importance of networking. Even if it doesn't translate to a job in the industry immediately, the financial scene in Toronto is small, and starting to develop relationships early will pay immense future dividends. There will be many opportunities to meet industry professionals: information sessions, club industry events, and case competitions. As well, cold-calls and emails are good methods.

At events such as information sessions and industry events, candidates face the challenge of speaking with industry professionals alongside dozens of other students. It's almost impossible to stand out, however, there are a few things I believe can improve your chances. Before I even begin, I want to discuss business cards. Though some people may not agree, it is my belief that one should never ask for a business card and never offer one. I cannot stress this enough. Always have them handy, however, consider it a privilege to be asked for one. You do not need a business card to contact a person. If you cannot glance at a person's name tag and remember it for five minutes until you can write it down, you probably don't deserve to be there in the first place. Once you have a name, it's easy to work backwards and figure out that person's email. More on emailing later. As I wrap up a conversation in this setting, I say something like "Well Joe, it was very informative talking to you, and thank you for answering my questions. I hope it is okay that I reach out to you in the next few weeks if I have any other questions about firm X". At this point, if the professional offers an exchange of contact information, you know that you have made a good impression.

This sort of dialogue should be the tone of the entire conversation. The most common mistake I see people making is that they come on too strong. Professionals do not want to hear a play-by-play of your personal history. They spend 12 hours a day at the office and don't care to discuss what's going on in the economy. Don't try to impress them with what you read in the Globe and Mail that morning; chances are, they know more than you do. Instead, wait for a convenient break in the conversation and ask an educated question. "What is your background, and when did you develop an interest in finance?". "Which industry group are you involved with and what are some of the challenges you face these days?". Or my all-time favorite, when somebody is making an ass out of themselves, ask "I see that your beer is running low, want to walk over to the bar and grab another one?". Your goal is to not stand out in any way. Be reactive to the situation around you, try to make your questions timely and fit into the context of the conversation. Be relaxed, be yourself, and don't be afraid to show that you are human, can make a joke, talk about sports, and become excited by what they are saying. If you can do this successfully, don't be surprised if the professional begins asking you what your interests are, work experience, etc. This is when you know you've made an impression and can begin marketing yourself.

A quick rundown of common-sense things: don't crowd other people out of the conversation, know when to move on, keep things short and sweet, introduce other people to the guest, and be polite. It isn't rocket science.

After one of these sessions, remember the names of a few individuals which you have really had a great conversation with. Wait a few days and email them. I will go into the exact details of what these emails should look like in my following post.

Finding a Job 101

Finding a summer internship is an extremely fragile process. Job hunting is a numbers game and every part of the process should be taken seriously and executed well. Consider that for each position hundreds of individuals apply. Every incremental advantage you create over other candidates can get you to the next phase of what is a very linear process: Submitting an application - Getting an Interview - Getting a Job. I will try to break down the key factors to succeeding at each step.

I cannot stress enough the importance for first years to ignore the job hunt for the first few months of the program and instead focus on school and developing a network with classmates. For the first two months students should only worry about joining the right clubs, learning about a target industry and deciding which roles to pursue.

Over the next few weeks I will put together a series of posts to guide candidates in becoming successful in their job search:

• Learning the Industry (Second Years and Professors)
• Networking (Info sessions, Second Years, Cold Emailing/Calling, Coffee)
• Preparing an Application (Resume, Cover Letter)
• Studying for Interviews (Behavioral, Technical, Mock Interviews, CCC Resources, News)
• Interviewing (Common Questions, Being Remembered)

New students and cheap textbooks.

I admit it: this blog has not been a priority over the past year. Despite creating it with guns blazing, it has taken a back seat to school, work and travel. A recent interaction with incoming students has shown me the importance of resources such as these and allowed me to understand some of the common questions that students have.

Next Thursday at 3pm I will be participating on a panel made up of second year students answering questions from first year students. I encourage all of the incoming class to attend, and I will try to stick around after the session in order to answer any questions which require more candid answers.

I'd like to offer some advice on buying textbooks. Most people ask where to get them, and whether older editions be used for certain courses. The answer to the first question is: get them online. Most textbooks are sold for one price in North America and a deeply discounted price (ex. $50 versus $200) in other geographies (example: India). These "international" editions may not have a shiny cover, nor be hardcover, however, consist of the exact same content as their North American counterparts. A quick Google search can yield retailers that are willing to ship international editions to any Canadian address. My fav: http://www.abebooks.com/. Textbook arbitrage. Go figure.

The answer to the second question regarding older editions should involve asking the professor. Though a used book on Amazon or Rworld may cost half as much as a new book, it may be an older edition, and I've seen many cases where the content varies too much to be relevent for Rotman courses. Again, ask the professor to see whether an older edition is valid, or better yet, sign the book out at the Rotman library and take a look for yourself. All textbooks are on reserve at the BIC and can be borrowed for 3 hours.

International Opportunities

Rotman is arguably the best MBA school in Canada, however, may not open as many doors internationally as domestically. For those with international aspirations, not all hope is lost. The school offers two exceptional opportunities to travel abroad while studying: the International Study Tour, and the International Exchange program.

The International Study Tour

This subsidized trip allows a student two weeks of travel to a foreign country and meet with executives of firms based in those countries. This year's opportunities include chances to travel to Latin America (Brazil / Argentina), China and India amongst other countries. All of the applicants are interviewed, however, only those who best express their purpose for participating in the program are selected. I was personally disappointed by the lack an option to travel to Europe, where I intend to settle, but this seems to be consistent for most school endeavors (ex. there is little European representation in the classroom). The school subsidizes roughly $1500 to cover the costs of this trip, and it is estimated that a student will have to contribute roughly $3500 out of pocket.

The International Exchange Program

Rotman has established partnerships with other business schools worldwide. Students are given an opportunity to spend one term in the second year taking courses at schools the likes of London Business School (LBS), St. Gallen (Switzerland), etc. A complete list is available on the Rotman site. The application process is similar to that of the International Study Tour where applicants interview to be accepted for study at these other schools.