Wall Street bosses hail 'best cover letter ever' from humble student at 'average' university with no 'special' skills
By Snejana Farberov
|
When it comes to cover letters, self-aggrandizement is the prevailing attitude among young, ambitious job seekers, but one applicant bucked the trend, going instead for brutal, unflinching honesty.
An undergraduate finance student penned a refreshingly sincere cover letter this week asking for an internship at a boutique investment bank on Wall Street.
Rather than inflating his qualifications and bragging about his grades or past job experiences, the humble applicant simply stated his case and matter-of-factly asked for a position.
Scroll down to read the full letter
Shockingly candid: An undergraduate finance student surprised the investment banking community by sending a cover letter to a boutique bank in which he admits that he comes from an average college and has no special skills
The unpretentious applicant goes on to say: 'I have no qualms about fetching coffee, shining shoes or picking up laundry, and will work for next to nothing.
'In all honestly, I just want to be around professionals in the industry and gain as much knowledge as I can.'
And it appears that the student’s bold approach has paid off, reaffirming the old adage that honesty is indeed the best policy.
The clear-eyed, candid letter instantly went viral, being forwarded to other investment firms, some as far as Houston, Texas.
Business Insider shared a list of promising replies, among them: ‘This might be the best letter I've ever received.’
Without dropping names and boasting of his smarts, the student managed to pique the interest of the jaded finance community, which is likely going to land him an interview or two.
One of the recipients wrote: ‘I wouldn't be surprised if this guy gets at least a call from every bank out there.’
FULL TEXT OF COVER LETTER SENT TO INVESTMENT BANK:
From: *******
Sent: Monday, January 14, 2013 1:14PM
To: ******
Subject: Summer Internship
Dear ***
My name is **** ***** and I am an undergraduate finance student at ****** ********* I met you the summer before last at Smith & Wollensky's in New York when I was touring the east coast with my uncle, ***** ****** I just wanted thank you for taking the time to talk to me that night.
I am writing you to inquire about a possible summer internship in your office. I am aware it is highly unusual for undergraduates from average universities like ***** to intern at ******, but nevertheless I was hoping you might make an exception. I am extremely interested in investment banking and would love nothing more than to learn under your tutelage. I have no qualms about fetching coffee, shining shoes or picking up laundry, and will work for next to nothing. In all honesty, I just want to be around professionals in the industry and gain as much knowledge as I can.
I won't waste your time inflating my credentials, throwing around exaggerated job titles, or feeding you a line of crapp about how my past experiences and skill set align perfectly for an investment banking internship. The truth is I have no unbelievably special skills or genius eccentricities, but I do have a near perfect GPA and will work hard for you. I've interned for Merrill Lynch in the Wealth Management Division and taken an investment banking class at *** for whatever that is worth.
I am currently awaiting admission for *** Masters of Science in Accountability program, which I would begin this fall if admitted. I am also planning on attending law school after my master's program, which we spoke about in New York. I apologize for the blunt nature of my letter, but I hope you seriously consider taking me under your wing this summer. I have attached my resume for your review. Feel free to call me at ****** or email at ******. Thank you for your time.
Sincerely,
**** ********
Sent: Monday, January 14, 2013 1:14PM
To: ******
Subject: Summer Internship
Dear ***
My name is **** ***** and I am an undergraduate finance student at ****** ********* I met you the summer before last at Smith & Wollensky's in New York when I was touring the east coast with my uncle, ***** ****** I just wanted thank you for taking the time to talk to me that night.
I am writing you to inquire about a possible summer internship in your office. I am aware it is highly unusual for undergraduates from average universities like ***** to intern at ******, but nevertheless I was hoping you might make an exception. I am extremely interested in investment banking and would love nothing more than to learn under your tutelage. I have no qualms about fetching coffee, shining shoes or picking up laundry, and will work for next to nothing. In all honesty, I just want to be around professionals in the industry and gain as much knowledge as I can.
I won't waste your time inflating my credentials, throwing around exaggerated job titles, or feeding you a line of crapp about how my past experiences and skill set align perfectly for an investment banking internship. The truth is I have no unbelievably special skills or genius eccentricities, but I do have a near perfect GPA and will work hard for you. I've interned for Merrill Lynch in the Wealth Management Division and taken an investment banking class at *** for whatever that is worth.
I am currently awaiting admission for *** Masters of Science in Accountability program, which I would begin this fall if admitted. I am also planning on attending law school after my master's program, which we spoke about in New York. I apologize for the blunt nature of my letter, but I hope you seriously consider taking me under your wing this summer. I have attached my resume for your review. Feel free to call me at ****** or email at ******. Thank you for your time.
Sincerely,
**** ********
No comments:
Post a Comment