Overview
Graduate financial analyst roles attract sharp, numerate candidates from across finance, economics, and accounting programmes. The competition is fierce, and most applicants look similar on paper. A 2:1 in finance, some Excel skills, and an interest in markets. The ones who get interviews are those who can show they have already done the work, whether in an internship, a university project, or a personal initiative.
This resume belongs to Charlotte Webb, a finance and economics graduate from the University of Exeter. She completed a summer internship at an asset management firm and built a stock screening model as her dissertation project. Her resume works because it shows practical financial analysis, not just theoretical knowledge.
What Makes This Resume Work
The internship section is analytically specific. Charlotte assisted with quarterly earnings analysis for a portfolio of 30 UK mid cap equities. She built comparison spreadsheets that tracked revenue growth, margin trends, and EPS estimates against consensus forecasts. She also drafted briefing notes for two fund managers summarising her findings. These tasks map directly to what a junior analyst does in their first year.
The dissertation is treated as a professional project. She developed a multi factor stock screening model in Excel that ranked FTSE 350 companies based on value, momentum, and quality metrics. She backtested the model over five years of historical data and presented results showing a 3.2% annual outperformance versus the benchmark. This is the kind of independent analytical work that impresses hiring managers, especially when it is quantified.
Excel skills go beyond the basics. Charlotte lists INDEX/MATCH, pivot tables, VLOOKUP, conditional formatting, and data validation. She also built macros to automate parts of her screening model. For financial analyst roles, advanced Excel is not optional. Listing specific functions and automation experience shows she is well beyond the "proficient in Excel" level.
Financial certifications are in progress. She has passed CFA Level 1 and mentions that she is preparing for Level 2. She also holds an IMC qualification. These credentials signal serious career commitment and give her a clear edge over candidates who have not started any professional qualifications yet.
Key Takeaways
Describe your internship in terms of what you analysed, how many companies or data points you covered, and what output you produced. "Assisted the team" is invisible. "Analysed quarterly earnings for 30 UK equities and drafted briefing notes for fund managers" is memorable.
Turn your dissertation or final year project into an analytical showcase. If you built a model, ran a backtest, or analysed a dataset, present the methodology and the result. Numbers and percentages make your work feel real.
Start professional qualifications early. CFA, IMC, or CISI exams show you are investing in your career. Even listing "CFA Level 1 candidate" gives you a measurable advantage in the application pile.
