IB Resume Bullet Points: The Formula That Gets You Interviews

The Formula

Every strong resume bullet follows this structure: Action + Method + Result + Scale.

• Action: What did you do? Use a strong verb (built, analysed, executed, led).
• Method: How did you do it? What tools, frameworks, or approaches?
• Result: What was the outcome? Quantify wherever possible.
• Scale: How big was it? Deal size, team size, number of deliverables.

Before and After Examples

Before: "Helped with financial modelling for various projects."

After: "Built 5 three-statement financial models for mid-market consumer companies, supporting sell-side advisory mandates totalling £200M in aggregate transaction value."

Before: "Assisted in preparing pitch books."

After: "Constructed 12 sector pitch books for TMT coverage team, including comparable company analysis, precedent transaction screening, and preliminary valuation ranges."

Before: "Worked on a research project about ESG."

After: "Analysed ESG disclosure practices across 40 FTSE 250 companies, producing a 30-page report that was presented to the faculty board and published in the university research journal."

How to Quantify When You Don't Have Numbers

Most students say "I don't have impressive numbers." You do — you just need to find them:

• How many slides, pages, or models did you produce?
• How many companies did you screen or analyse?
• What was the size of the portfolio, budget, or team you worked with?
• What was the timeline? (Delivering something in 2 weeks is more impressive than in 2 months.)
• What was the outcome? Did your analysis inform a decision, win a pitch, or change a recommendation?

Even academic projects can be quantified: "Analysed 40 companies across 3 sectors" is better than "Did a research project."

How to Structure Deal Experience on a Resume

If you have worked on live transactions (even at a small firm), use a nested format that highlights specific deals under your role description:

This format works because it gives the reviewer a headline summary (4 mandates, £600M) and lets them drill into specifics if interested. It also sets up your interview: every deal listed becomes a potential "walk me through a deal" question, so only list deals you can discuss in depth.

Your Resume Is Your Interview Script

Bankers spend 15-20 seconds on a resume screen. But the resume that gets you into the interview room then becomes the script for the interview itself. Interviewers scan it before you sit down and base their first impression on what they see. The rest of the interview is largely a search for evidence that confirms or contradicts that impression.

The practical implication: every bullet on your resume should be something you can expand into a 2-minute discussion. If a bullet says "Built a DCF model for a £500M mid-cap company," you need to be able to explain the key assumptions, what drove the valuation, and what you learned. If you cannot, the bullet should not be on the resume. Vague bullets produce vague interview answers, which produce rejections.

The Three Most Common Resume Mistakes

1. Weak opening verbs: "Assisted," "Helped," "Supported" — these signal you were a passenger, not a contributor. Replace with "Built," "Analysed," "Executed," "Led."

2. Job descriptions instead of achievements: "Responsible for preparing pitch books" tells the reader what your job was, not what you accomplished. Reframe as what you delivered and the impact it had.

3. No quantification: A bullet without numbers is a bullet without proof. Even approximate figures ("£200M+ in transaction value," "12 pitch books," "5 financial models") add credibility.

ATS Keywords

Large banks use applicant tracking systems to screen resumes before a human sees them. Include these terms naturally: financial modelling, DCF, LBO, M&A, due diligence, valuation, pitch book, Excel, PowerPoint, Bloomberg, Capital IQ, FactSet. Do not stuff keywords — integrate them into your bullet points where they naturally fit.

Take Your Preparation Further

Download our free IB Resume Writing Guide with the complete formula, action verb reference, and formatting rules. For application materials, see our Cover Letter Templates.

Ready for personalised feedback? Book a 1-on-1 mentoring session with an experienced IB/PE professional.