Hey {{first_name}} 👋!
Most candidates apply to 20 banks, then wonder why they hear nothing.
No calls. No interviews. Nothing.
That’s why I tell people inside Finance Fast Track that breaking into banking is a numbers game. You need a lot of luck, but you can increase your luck by submitting a high number of high quality applications. As a result, tons of them are receiving HireVue invites and interviews.
Here’s where most people go wrong:
1. Generic CVs (the kiss of death).
Recruiters scan 200+ CVs in one sitting. They’re not reading line by line, they’re skimming for signals. And most CVs scream lazy. Same template, same buzzwords, same “teamwork, leadership, communication.”
You know what that tells them? This candidate has no idea what this division actually does.
Your CV has to feel like it was built for that role. If it’s investment banking — I want to see transactions, valuations, deal flow, analytical rigour. If it’s sales & trading — I want evidence you follow markets, you can make decisions with risk, you’re commercial.
Most candidates write one “catch-all” CV and spray it across 30 firms. That’s why they get binned in 10 seconds.
2. Weak storytelling (your cover letter kills you).
Let’s be honest: most cover letters sound like ChatGPT v1.
“I am a motivated student passionate about finance…”
Do you know how many recruiters have read that same line this week? Hundreds.
What they rarely see: an authentic story that connects who you are to why you’re applying.
For example: “I grew up watching my family’s small business balance survival with expansion — that’s where I learned how capital allocation decisions shape real lives. That’s why I’m drawn to investment banking.”
That’s personal. That’s memorable. That makes a recruiter stop.
It shares a pivotal moment in your life that dictated your future career interests. It’s intriguing and makes the reader want to meet you in order to find out more.
This, typically results in an interview invite.
If your cover letter doesn’t tell a story, it’s forgettable.
3. No commercial edge (and it shows instantly).
So many candidates think good grades are enough. Newsflash: they’re not.
You can be a genius at maths, but if you can’t talk about markets, clients, or deals with energy, you look flat. How you speak matters too.
Interviewers don’t want to drag passion out of you. They want to feel like you live and breathe this stuff.
Here’s the difference:
Weak candidate: “Yeah, I read the FT headlines every morning.”
Strong candidate: “I was tracking the Nvidia earnings call last week — the way management framed forward guidance around AI infrastructure tells me this is still early innings.”
See the difference? One sounds like a robot. The other sounds like someone who actually enjoys the game.
Most people have zero commercial voice. That’s why they get cut early. Build the habit over time, and you’ll become an expert in weeks let alone months.
4. Late starters (the silent killer).
This one hurts because it’s so common.
Most people wait until applications open to start prepping. By then, they’re already behind.
Here’s the reality: candidates who crush recruiting start months earlier. They build relationships with analysts. They’ve had coffee chats. They’ve polished their CVs and cover letters, run 10+ mock interviews, tracked their progress.
So when apps open, they’re not scrambling — they’re executing.
If you’re only starting prep when everyone else is submitting, you’re playing catch-up. And in this industry, catch-up = rejection.
5. No volume (your pipeline is too thin).
This process is brutal. Even the strongest candidates face 20+ rejections. That’s normal.
But most people treat recruiting like buying a lottery ticket. They apply to 3 firms, then sit and wait.
That’s like sending 3 cold emails and expecting your dream client to say yes. It doesn’t happen.
The top candidates treat applications like a sales funnel. 30-50+ quality applications. Ongoing networking. Multiple processes moving at once. If one falls through, they’ve got 5 more in play.
Instead of sitting around after applying to their preferred division, they’re sending out applications to backup divisions/industries/roles.
Volume creates leverage. Leverage creates options.
Without it? You’re at the mercy of luck.
Here’s the brutal truth:
You don’t rise to the level of your ambition. You fall to the level of your preparation.
Similarly, as James Clear says in Atomic Habits, “you do not rise to the level of your goals. You fall to the level of your systems”.
That’s why most people fail.
Generic CVs. Forgettable stories. No commercial voice. Late starts. Tiny pipelines.
The fix isn’t rocket science. You need:
A CV and cover letter that actually stop recruiters scrolling.
A pipeline system that keeps you in the game across multiple firms.
A commercial voice that proves you belong.
Accountability and structure so you don’t burn out halfway.
That’s all for today.
If you’ve got a spare minute, check out this new landing page I’ve designed for Finance Fast Track. If it resonates, join – there’s a 7-day refund guarantee so you practically have nothing to lose and everything to gain.
Peace!
Afzal
Founder, Finance Fast Track
Author, Breaking Into Banking