If you’re applying for a job in financial consultancy, you’ll most likely be asked to provide some academic samples of your writing. The more you can get these samples to reflect your actual work, the better. This post will advise you on how to write a superb writing sample for investors and bankers, which will help you land your dream job. It’s also vital that you prepare the perfect answer to the most common question interviewers ask – ‘Please tell me more about yourself’.
Focus On Specific Markets
It is important that your academic writing is tailored toward a specific audience. For instance, if you are applying for a job in fund management, it would be wise to focus your research on the market trends in this particular area. In the same manner, if you are applying for a job in corporate debt advisory, you should tailor your research to analyze the current state of the corporate debt market. Researching on a general topic like ‘Research Methods’ will not cut it if you are applying for a job in economic consultancies. Your academic qualifications are important, but so is your professional experience. Make sure you highlight the specific expertise that sets you apart from other candidates. Once you have completed your sample, go through it multiple times to make sure you have not missed out on anything important.
Be Selective Of The Topics You Choose
When you are picking your topic for your research, it is of paramount importance to be selective of the issues you choose. These issues should be of interest to the reader and they should contribute to your case studies. Moreover, you should pick topics that are either current or have the possibility of becoming so. Trying to analyze the state of the world’s economy centuries ago is not going to cut it if you want to impress the readers of a top tier business school. Stay away from picking unpopular or more specific topics for your case studies. The last thing you want is to have your work dismissed as an opinion piece or a political agenda. The majority of business schools will not even consider your application if you have selected an unpopular topic for your research.
Be Comprehensive In Your Research
When you are writing your case studies, it is essential that you go the extra mile and include every single detail. Even the smallest element, such as a quote or a statistic, can make or break your credibility as an academic. You should not leave any stone unturned in your quest for completeness. If you have selected an area of research that you are unfamiliar with, do some online research beforehand and make sure you have not overlooked any vital sources. Being comprehensive means going beyond the minimum expectations of a project and including every single aspect of it. While some might argue that being comprehensive is an unnecessary trait in a candidate, these people would be mistaken. It is vital that your research is flawless and you have addressed all the key points in your case study. Even if you have chosen an area of research that you are extremely familiar with, making sure you have not overlooked any important details is still critical. This is the difference between being a good researcher and a great researcher – the former simply checks off the boxes on a to-do list while the latter goes that extra mile and makes sure everything is perfect.
Organize Your Work
Whether you are applying for a job in investment banking or you are just seeking a new challenge, applying for a job in finance is a lot harder than it seems. The competition for the best talent is fierce and there are hundreds of applicants competing for every single academic position. These applicants come from all over the world and they are all jostling for the best position, which means you have to do everything you can to stand out. One of the best things you can do for yourself is to organize and prioritize your work. It is a good idea to start with a list of all the key people and the roles they play in the decision-making process. Next, you should identify the problem you are solving and the objectives you are aiming for. It is also useful to know what is the current accepted methodology in your industry. Once you have completed your research and written your case study, go through it again to verify that everything is in order and that you have not missed anything important. This step is important because you can never be too sure; mistakes happen even to the most meticulous researchers. Checking your work is the best way to ensure you have not omitted or misinterpreted any vital information.
Include Everything
While it is great that you have highlighted your key areas of expertise, including these areas in your resume is not sufficient. In your cover letter, you should provide some additional information about the project you have been working on, its importance, and how it relates to the position you are applying for. In the same manner, in your sample academic work, you should not merely list your key skills and experience – instead, you should go into detail about the actual project you have been working on. Including everything, even the little things, makes you come across as more authentic. Even though your cover letter and resume are important, your academic sample is what will truly determine your candidacy. In the same way, including a little personal anecdote here and there will not hurt your case study, but it will certainly make it more realistic. For example, if you are applying for a job in investment banking, it would be great to include an anecdote about your previous work experience in a small startup. These details will make your academic sample more authentic and help you connect with the reader on a personal level. This type of connection is important – after all, your professor is not going to read your work after all; this is your opportunity to show them what you’re made of.
Format Your Paper Correctly
When you receive your final copy of your sample academic work, make sure you format it correctly. If you are writing your paper in Microsoft Word, make sure you follow the appropriate guides and formatting templates. For instance, if you are writing for a business school, you should format your paper accordingly for a business school audience. The last thing you want is to go through the whole paper editing process only to discover that the formatting does not fit the academic standards of the institution you are applying to. Be careful with the way you format your work and make sure everything matches the required style and tone. The more you proofread and edit your paper, the better. This is an opportunity to polish your English skills, so be sure to correct any errors you might have made. If you have included references, make sure you cite them correctly and appropriately.
Proofread And Edit Your Paper
Before submitting your paper for examination, it is of great importance to go through it and verify that all the information is accurate and that the logic follows. Although you might have used spell check and grammar check on your Microsoft Word document, there is still no substitute for a human being when it comes to proofreading and editing. After all, no algorithm can detect spelling errors and grammatical mistakes. Simply look at your paper from a fresh set of eyes and make sure you have not missed out on any crucial information or any logical fallacies. Once you have verified that everything is correct, you can send your paper to be examined. Remember: this is your final draft, so be sure to strike while the iron is hot!
As you can see, writing a perfect academic sample is not as difficult as it seems. With a little bit of luck and exceptional writing skills, you can land yourself the dream job you have been seeking. Just make sure you have prepared the perfect answer to the most common question interviewers ask – ‘Please tell me more about yourself’!