The five mistakes you’re making in your investment banking cover letter
Most cover letters are poorly written.
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And if yours is one of them, you’re already giving recruiters a reason to bin your application before they even get to your CV or consider putting you through to the next round of the hiring process.
Here are five things that instantly make a cover letter bad – and how to avoid them.
Your cover letter is too generic
A great cover letter should sound personal, like you’ve actually researched the company and role. The more specific, the better. The more touchpoints or affiliations you can include between you and the firm, the better. Name-drop specific projects, reference the company's values, and make it clear why they matter to you.
You’re just repeating Your CV in your cover letter
A cover letter isn’t a CV summary, it’s your chance to add context to your experience. If you’re just rehashing your work history, what’s the point? Use this space to tell a compelling story about a challenge you tackled, a skill you mastered, or why you’re genuinely excited about the role.
Your cover letter is too long and too boring
Recruiters, whether internal or external, don’t have time to read an essay. Anything longer than one page is overkill. Keep it tight, impactful, and engaging. Every sentence should earn its place. No fluff, no filler. If you wouldn’t read it yourself, why would they?
Your cover letter has no personality
If your cover letter sounds robotic, it’s game over. The best ones feel human. Show a bit of personality; be enthusiastic, confident, and authentic. If the company culture is fun and dynamic, don’t be afraid to inject some of that same energy into your writing.
Your cover letter closes badly
Ending with “I look forward to your response” is weak. Drive action instead. Say something like “I’d love to discuss how I can contribute to the team/division/firm.” Be direct, be confident, and make it easier for them to say yes.
Bonus: Your cover letter has no structure
The fastest way to annoy the person reviewing your cover letter is to lack a clear structure to your writing. Either go for the three-paragraph structure (why the firm, why the division, why you) if you're on a tight word count, or the five-paragraph structure (intro, why the firm, why the division, why you, and conclusion).
Afzal Hussein is the founder of Finance Fast Track Academy, a finance industry careers coach with a popular YouTube channel.
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