How to write the perfect corporate banking CV

If you’re looking for a job as a relationship manager within corporate banking, you need to get your resume right – no matter how stellar your sales track record may be.

A corporate banking CV that’s too generic risks being rejected because banks want details of your revenue history and clients. But if you only focus on the numbers, you’ll come across as just another salesman when banks are increasingly demanding product-development and team-working skills.

Here are some expert tips on writing a resume for a relationship manager job at a corporate bank.

The perfect corporate banking CV will highlight your coverage sectors at the top

Don’t leave employers in any doubt that your client coverage matches that of the job description – include a client summary in a key-skills section at the top of your CV. “Highlight experience of the corporate sizes, industries, countries and region you cover,” says Cheryl Koh, a principal consultant at recruitment firm Selby Jennings. “A targeted CV stands a much better chance of catching the attention of recruiters and employers than that of a generic coverage banker.”

You will need to name or describe your clients

For each job on your resume, list who your main clients were. If confidentiality agreements mean you can’t mention names, you still need to describe the clients and the sector they’re in, says Christine Wright, a regional managing director at recruiters Hays. “Give a breakdown of your client portfolio – whether they’re MNCs, local conglomerates etc – and how much of your revenue comes from each segment,” adds John Mullally, director, financial services, at recruiters Robert Walters.

It’s important to demonstrate the length and strengths of your relationships

If you’ve successfully managed any clients over a comparatively long period, make the timescale clear on your CV. “Ultimately, a new employer expects you to be able to develop and retain relationships with high-value corporate clients, so a strong track record speaks for itself,” says Koh.

The perfect corporate banking CV will contain concrete sales figures

“One of the most important aspects of an RM job is delivering bottom-line results, so be specific about your sales record on your resume,” says Mullally. Koh from Selby Jennings provides the following example: “Produced annual income of $X for the bank, representing an X% growth from the year X.”

And also show your figures against your targets

New employers like to look at your revenue in context, so include your targets – it will raise concerns if you don’t. “It’s also a good idea to list down how much of the revenue was generated by your own effort, as opposed to revenue from normal business flow in a bank,” advises Mullally.

You will point out all your product strengths

Don’t try to make out that you’re an all-round product guru, but do hone in on particular products you’re an expert in. “Relationship manager candidates should provide a clear list on their CVs of what banking products they’ve had a good exposure to and which of these they have the most knowledge about,” says Wright from Hays.

Product development is an increasingly important skill-set

If you’ve gone beyond merely learning about and selling products to actually having input into how they’re structured, don’t wait for a job interview to shout about this. Banks are now prioritising CVs that show how candidates have contributed to product development, says Adam Jeffes, manager of banking, finance and operations at recruiters Morgan McKinley. “There’s an increasing need for relationship managers to be technically savvy and create bespoke solutions for clients rather than standard ones,” adds Mullally from Robert Walters.

But you will also demonstrate softer qualities like teamwork and managing risk

Another way to show that you have skills beyond pulling in clients is to include examples of internal co-operation on your resume. Corporate banks want to hire revenue generators who know how to manage risk and work with other departments. “One of the top qualities that hiring managers are always looking for on CVs is an explanation of how you worked with the product team, ensuring proper risk management implementation and making sure that the whole sales process ran smoothly,” says Koh from Selby Jennings

The perfect corporate banking CV will provide proof of managerial achievements

Sale may be mostly about individual results and relationships, but if you’re also a line manager you need to mention your team’s sales numbers on your resume. “And use your CV to show how you’ve personally had a demonstrable impact on the team’s P&L, or the expansion of its overall client portfolio,” says Jeffes.