CAREER TIP

Prepare a compelling CV for success in private markets

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Make it through the shortlisting process with a concise & relevant CV

The goal of your CV is simple: to secure an interview. It should clearly communicate the essentials - your education, career history, and visa status - without turning into an autobiography.

Landing a job in private equity starts with being shortlisted for an interview, and your CV plays a pivotal role in that selection process.



Here are some top tips for making sure you get through to the shortlist

Keep the prospective employer in mind; include information they will be interested in and ensure that your CV describes your relevant experience.

Ideally, your CV will be one page long, and certainly no more than two. Don’t think you can hide a high word count with a small font; use 11pt throughout. 90 percent of our applicants have CVs of less than 1,000 words.

There are two major benefits to a short CV. Firstly, if done well, the fund will conclude that you will be able to present your thoughts succinctly at an investment committee. Secondly, working out what is important and relevant will help you to articulate your thinking verbally when in an interview.
What to focus on

Transactions and projects

Bullets outlining work you have done should take up the bulk of your CV. The information required includes:

  • Size of the project
  • Name or description of the company
  • Type of company
  • Industry and geography
  • Your responsibilities
Include three big wins

Readers want to know that you’ve got the right competitive spirit for the industry. Show three times that you are a winner, wins may include:

  • Getting the internship 1,000 people applied for
  • Being the fastest-promoted member of your cohort
  • Receiving the largest bonus in your analyst class
    Get to the point

    Most people have decided whether to invite you for an interview by two-thirds of the way down the first page, so the order of your information is very important. Other than your name, all personal details should be at the end.

    Never include a postal address, only your email and mobile number. Start with your academic and professional qualifications and follow with your career history, placing your most recent role first.

    Check the timeline

    Use months and years to illustrate the time periods and leave no time gaps.

    It is fine if you have been out of work, travelling, taking a career break, or on parental leave – just make sure this is portrayed in the timeline. A gap may lead your reader to jump to the wrong conclusions.

    Avoid anything unnecessary

    Don’t use graphics, unusual fonts, logos, web links or complicated formats. Too much noise can be seen as concealing poor content.

    Long sections of text will not be read; use bullets to get your points across.
    The final checks

    You now have all the tips you need, but always make sure you do a final read-through:

    • Items in capital letters aren’t always picked up by spell check, so make sure they are spelled correctly
    • Common errors to look out for include ‘from’ becoming ‘form’ and ‘manage’ becoming ‘mange’
    • Read every word of your CV aloud to ensure you have checked it thoroughly

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