Here’s a consolidated take on some of the resume advice I’ve shared recently. While much of it is tailored for BD professionals, junior candidates, and those transitioning into private equity, the insights can apply across roles. With countless resumes crossing my desk, a few consistent patterns stand out—small changes can go a long way in setting candidates apart.
It's beneficial to anticipate and address potential questions about job transitions directly on your resume, where possible
- Formatting: First off, I recommend the standard format. There’s a good free template here: https://lnkd.in/ebu-eqhk
- Clarity: Depending on the context, It may be helpful to briefly describe previous employers, as not all firms may recognize the name of your company. For example: Coastal Partners - boutique recruiting firm for private equity firms.
- Narrative: Firms are curious about your career progression. It's beneficial to anticipate and address potential questions about job transitions directly on your resume, where possible. While it may not always be appropriate or possible to give this context on your resume, it’s helpful to predict the questions that will likely arise. Why did you leave this job? Why did you stay at this job for so long? Why didn’t your title change during that time?
- Successes & Achievements: Highlight your successes and milestones clearly—quick promotions, notable GPAs, or being recruited by a former manager or client are all noteworthy. Really good firms are looking for really good candidates. Is there a way that your high achiever status can come across on your résumé? For example, if you’ve been promoted from Analyst to Senior Analyst, make sure to indicate that versus replacing / updating with the current title.
- Skills & Interests: I definitely recommend including this section! For skills, include the tools / programs you’re intimately familiar with. Interests are a great place to give interviewers areas to ask about so you can built rapport. (The reverse way for you to do this in an interview is research the interviewer’s bio / LinkedIn page.)
- BD specific: For BD roles, detail quantifiable achievements like deals sourced, management meetings arranged, LOIs submitted or signed, especially if you contributed significantly to a deal's closure. If any anecdotes surrounding how you contributed to the deal closing, it may be worth trying to find a way to include.
- Proofreading: Typos or inconsistent formatting can disqualify candidates in competitive processes. Firms often seek reasons to narrow down the applicant pool.
