Worst Cover Letter?

Got rejected in two days from x bank with this cover letter. Are there any glaring problems?


[My details]

[Address]

September 24th, 2020

Dear Sir/Madam,

For 9-weeks this summer, your team may benefit from my work as a capital markets intern. There will be no friction within the team and no deterioration in results as, for the reasons below, my transition into the culture of X bank will be smooth.

Highly Motivated

I want to play a role in allowing innovators to pursue their ideas. Innovation is at the heart of our economy, it’s the driving force that has given society so much since the industrial revolution. Therefore, I am motivated to join X ’s Financial Solutions team and be a part of the process that drives innovation. It is deals like the one between X and Y to set Qatar’s largest solar photovoltaic power project, deals that can bring about change through innovation.

Ambitious and Hard Working

When it comes to what I am passionate about, I seek out relevant opportunities to learn more. For example, I took my eagerness to learn about how to innovate further, joining the Enterprise course at my university. 30 students and I developed 5 different start-ups; an interesting learning experience which taught me a lot about how business works. The entrepreneurial culture at X is something I am very much looking forward to.

Innovative thinker

Finding new, creative solutions to difficult problems is something I have done this summer. As a part of my scholarship, I had to propose my own research question and spend 6-weeks researching this question. Throughout this process I had to find solutions via innovative routes. For example, I had to imagine what certain government responses might be and why such responses might be effective.

Excellent communication skills

Whether it be organising finance for a company, scanning documents for errors or judging risk, if you cannot communicate your findings, the valuable knowledge you have learnt cannot be shared. Whilst working for start-up Z, I delivered presentations to other founders and tech-workers in places like Shoreditch, London. It was vital I learnt how to communicate in a concise and clear manner, to ensure my presentations retained attention by being entertaining and interesting.

Team Spirit

When undergoing hard tasks, a good, positive team can make all the difference. I am excited to join X ’s small, ambitious and tight-knit network not only to learn lessons from such big deals as the Saudi Aramco IPO, but to bring enthusiasm and hopefully make a difference, too. When we were tired and struggling on the hills in Wales on our DofE Gold expedition, it was team spirit that kept us moving. Patience with each other and positivity pushed us forward and was a key reason why we were successful.

I am excited to hear back from your investment team at X .

Yours Faithfully,

Chimp


Edit: I think i've seen the error in my ways, thanks for the mirror

 
Most Helpful

First off - respect for posting this and being willing to take shit. Feedback is a massive component to progression.

1. The opening statement assumes that by hiring an intern that there is potential for friction in the team and deterioration of results. Immediately a bad feeling going forward. 

2. Format - I've never seen a cover letter sectioned out like this. It may make it easier for people to glance through, but you don't want them glancing you want them reading. Revisit the opening line and say something compelling enough for them to keep reading. 

3. Voice - A lot of this has information is useless to them. 

"Innovation is at the heart of our economy, it’s the driving force that has given society so much since the industrial revolution."

"Whether it be organising finance for a company, scanning documents for errors or judging risk, if you cannot communicate your findings, the valuable knowledge you have learnt cannot be shared."

"When undergoing hard tasks, a good, positive team can make all the difference."

You're not writing an essay about innovation, team nor organizational operations. Keep it about you and the role.

4. Quantify relevant experience where possible.

5. Keep is interesting and succinct. 

Final comments - everyone is going to say they're highly motivated, innovative, great with communication and are a team player. I'd try to simplify it to the one thing you think potential employers will value most and then drive that point home. You may need different drafts depending on the role you're applying for.

This is just my $0.02. I've read a handful of CVs and the best ones incorporated the things I wrote above.

"Out the garage is how you end up in charge It's how you end up in penthouses, end up in cars, it's how you Start off a curb servin', end up a boss"
 

Good on you for being willing to take criticism. Here are my 2 cents.

Writing a cover letter is just checking a box. I doubt anyone's read a cover letter that made them go "holy fuck this kids got the job" but plenty of people have screened a letter and gone "geez this kids a squid".

Unfortunately, your letter is in that second category. It sounds way too academic and formal, even for a component of a banking job application. People above have posted templates. Just copy those - check the boxes, move on, get your foot in the door, and kill it in the interview.

 

Sorry but writing a cover letter is not a tick box exercise. It certainly doesn't make people scream hire this kid now but you can certainly be dinged straight away. Writing is such a core skill in banking, but candidates / analysts are getting worse and worse each year. Covering letter is a great first test here in the UK. (An example of the above OP would be the repetition of wording:

When it comes to what I am passionate about, I seek out relevant opportunities to learn more. For example, I took my eagerness to learn about how to innovate further, joining the Enterprise course at my university. 30 students and I developed 5 different start-ups; an interesting learning experience

You have the word learn/learning 3 times in 3 sentences. This is poor and you wouldn't be able to write an IM in this manner.) 

As for the content in OP's covering letter, I don't know if you are trying to be overly clever/smart and make yourself stand out but the whole thing is woeful (sorry to be blunt but kudos for asking). As others have said just follow a standard template!

 

Sit explicabo sint est dolor dolore. Odit et impedit quae fuga. Adipisci quis et rerum quia sed sed. Illum ut recusandae tempore beatae ullam fugit totam. Et quod consequatur omnis libero quo perspiciatis. Sed eos quam a earum beatae quo. Tempora rerum aut dolor et tempora recusandae eum hic. Dolor ducimus dicta velit odit sit quia vero voluptatum.

Odio dolorem quisquam necessitatibus maiores. Et neque qui sed assumenda. Eum dignissimos et laborum consequatur iusto. Et autem sit dolor commodi impedit.

Odio quod aut minus eos vero. Aut necessitatibus ea similique soluta nemo maxime. Consequatur nihil commodi ab nulla possimus eveniet sit.

Omnis iusto quia velit nemo. Laborum alias esse molestiae quos nostrum. Libero fugiat error commodi cumque delectus. Est numquam aut repellendus mollitia deserunt. Dolorem et aut consequatur dolores repudiandae aut quisquam. Omnis tempore qui quis sint repellat neque. Accusantium quibusdam vitae esse qui quia inventore quis.

 

Voluptatibus ducimus exercitationem recusandae exercitationem. Hic fugit molestiae nemo enim voluptatem. Vitae consequatur quis saepe omnis est praesentium dolor. Sed at aut illum eius.

Est voluptatibus aperiam autem quisquam est. Architecto reprehenderit eligendi nisi accusantium molestiae.

Inventore eveniet harum et. Ea sapiente minima placeat quaerat est officia est.

Career Advancement Opportunities

June 2024 Investment Banking

  • Jefferies & Company 02 99.4%
  • Perella Weinberg Partners New 98.9%
  • Lazard Freres 01 98.3%
  • Harris Williams & Co. 24 97.7%
  • Goldman Sachs 16 97.1%

Overall Employee Satisfaction

June 2024 Investment Banking

  • Harris Williams & Co. 18 99.4%
  • JPMorgan Chase 10 98.9%
  • Lazard Freres 05 98.3%
  • Morgan Stanley 05 97.7%
  • Moelis & Company 01 97.1%

Professional Growth Opportunities

June 2024 Investment Banking

  • Lazard Freres 01 99.4%
  • Jefferies & Company 02 98.9%
  • Perella Weinberg Partners 18 98.3%
  • Goldman Sachs 16 97.7%
  • Moelis & Company 05 97.1%

Total Avg Compensation

June 2024 Investment Banking

  • Director/MD (5) $648
  • Vice President (21) $373
  • Associates (92) $259
  • 3rd+ Year Analyst (14) $181
  • Intern/Summer Associate (33) $170
  • 2nd Year Analyst (68) $168
  • 1st Year Analyst (206) $159
  • Intern/Summer Analyst (148) $101
notes
16 IB Interviews Notes

“... there’s no excuse to not take advantage of the resources out there available to you. Best value for your $ are the...”

Leaderboard

1
redever's picture
redever
99.2
2
Betsy Massar's picture
Betsy Massar
99.0
3
BankonBanking's picture
BankonBanking
99.0
4
Secyh62's picture
Secyh62
99.0
5
GameTheory's picture
GameTheory
98.9
6
dosk17's picture
dosk17
98.9
7
CompBanker's picture
CompBanker
98.9
8
kanon's picture
kanon
98.9
9
numi's picture
numi
98.8
10
Jamoldo's picture
Jamoldo
98.8
success
From 10 rejections to 1 dream investment banking internship

“... I believe it was the single biggest reason why I ended up with an offer...”