Private equity firms rely on networking, personability and finance savvy to raise funds and invest in or buy other companies. To succeed in this arm of the financial world, you need to be able to spot value and predict business trends. To write a private equity cover letter that impresses, you need to demonstrate all those qualities in just a few terse paragraphs.
Private equity firms and funds hold assets worth a net of almost $14 billion, according to the Securities and Exchange Commission. In this high-stakes industry, you need to be on your game at all times.
So how do you project that you know how to spot a money-maker and manage multimillion dollar funds in a private equity cover letter? You craft a thoughtful document to express how your combination of intuition and hard analysis makes you a winner.
In this writing guide, along with the corresponding private equity cover letter example, we’ll cover the following topics to help you write the best cover letter possible:
What are some of the key considerations for a private equity investor when they sit down to write their cover letter? What will set them apart from the other candidates? Let’s dive into the guide below to analyze the details. You can also check out our library of 180+ cover letter examples.
While we said above that you should let go of the tight formatting of your resume, your private equity cover letter should still follow a framework within which you can get creative.
The format of a private equity cover letter sample should contain the following elements:
Your private equity cover letter should explain your investment philosophy, how you manage a fund and how you grow the fund. Definitely include any impressive numbers or investments you made that beat the market, but do more than tout the percentage growth of funds you have worked on — detail how you made it happen.
The comprehensive cover letter guide gives general information about building a great cover letter. Below, this guide breaks down each area of a private equity cover letter and offers advice on how to make it shine.
This private equity cover letter example is a good foundation to develop your own professional application:
Dear Mrs. Franchilly,
Having worked as an investment analyst during and after my MBA from Wharton, the Private Equity Associate role at Cahill Inc. would merge my experience in consumer goods and my talent for financial modelling.
As the lead financial modeler for 50+ deals over three years, I harnessed my mathematical prowess and learned how to work with technology to coax the most subtle insights to the surface. I am now a proficient user of all main modeling software and was training new recruits towards the end of my three years. Colleagues have estimated that my analytical insights and reports have saved / gained an additional $24m in revenue.
I am also used to doing the bulk of the leg work in a private equity deal, preparing due diligence, creating profitability models and completing all aspects of deal administration. Although I aspire to the more strategic analyst role, I understand that there is still much to learn at an associate level and that your private equity associates are given particular freedom to spread their wings. I worked in small teams of 4-5 previously and am aware that there is a similar structure at Cahill – growing under the mentorship of seasoned investment professionals is a key motivator for me.
I enclose a mix of nonconfidential proposals and deals that I have previously worked on to demonstrate how I build a case for investment. I have received many plaudits for my powerful writing style – when words and numbers hit home, the right decisions are made.
I would welcome the opportunity to learn more about the investment priorities over the coming years and am sure that my consumer good knowledge will make me a great asset in the moves that you are about to make in that market.
Sincerely,
Simon Lancerwith
If you’re looking for more inspiration for cover letter writing, you can check out our related accounting & finance cover letter examples here:
The cover letter header adds a little flourish to your document, but its real purpose is to make it easy for recruiters to remember you and find your contact information. This section should include your name, email and phone number so that when your letter puts your candidacy over the top, the recruiter doesn’t have to open another document to figure out how to reach you.
Match the style of your cover letter to that of your resume to make a complete package. This method also helps in case your documents are printed and get separated while making their way around an office. Check out the header in our cover letter sample for an idea of how to format your own.
The aim of the cover letter header: Make it easy for recruiters to contact you by clearly listing all your information in eye-catching, but readable, form.
You are applying to manage hundreds of thousands or even millions of dollars. Begin with an air of professionalism. While the world is getting more informal, you need to err on the side of formality with your private equity cover letter greeting unless you know the hiring manager.
Our cover letter example sticks to “Dear Mr./Ms./Dr.,” Be sure you are spelling the person’s name correctly and have the right salutation. There’s no quicker way to lower your chances at an interview than making an error here. People like to be addressed personally, but they may also take offense if you get it wrong.
Start by researching the name of the person who will receive your cover letter. Personalization always beats a generic “Dear Hiring Manager,” but if you absolutely can’t find an individual’s name, you may go with “Dear Financial Team,” or a similar greeting. Avoid the staid “ to whom it may concern.”
The aim of letter greeting / salutation: Present a professional image right from the start with a formal greeting that addresses the hiring manager directly.
Part of your job as a private equity investor is to garner new funding. You do that through introductions to potential funders and investors. How do you gain their confidence and pique their interest? You need to use the same technique to start your private equity cover letter.
A cover letter intro jumps to the heart of the matter: Why should the company hire you? What are you going to bring to the firm that makes you stand out among candidates? What experience do you have that makes you the best person for the position? What specific industry do you focus on? Your intro is a mere one or two sentences, so don’t mince words.
Offer a summary that shows you already know how to do the job and are ready to take the fund even higher. Your analytical abilities play a large role in your private equity work, so consider adding a pertinent detail about them. You can find a model introduction in our cover letter sample below.
The aim of the cover letter intro: Get started with a bang by telling the hiring manager how you will bring the fund to ever-higher levels. Pique their interest so they want to read on.
Dear Mrs. Franchilly,
Having worked as an investment analyst during and after my MBA from Wharton, the Private Equity Associate role at Cahill Inc. would merge my experience in consumer goods and my talent for financial modelling.
You’ve jolted their interest, now it’s time to get into the details that make your career special. The middle part, or body, of your private equity cover letter may use bullet points to highlight several achievements and as a visual break from a large block of text.
This is a field where you need to be highly ambitious and competitive as well as detail-oriented and quantitative. “Private equity is one of the most competitive jobs to get – period,” says finance career trainer Mike Hinkley. “Not just in finance, but across the board. Private equity firms have very specific requirements for their hire candidates, both for entry-level analyst positions and for higher-level job openings.”
Pick an anecdote that illustrates how you approached a problem with a unique lens and show off your results. Consider whether it also shows off any of those attributes. Think of yourself as an asset and explain why the company needs to add that asset.
You have two or three paragraphs, so aim for a couple of succinct stories that provide a well-rounded picture of your professional personality and drive to succeed. See how to do this in the adaptable paragraph from our cover letter example below.
The aim of the body of your cover letter: Illustrate the qualities that make you successful in this highly driven field. Show what it’s like to work with you and your approach to investing
As the lead financial modeler for 50+ deals over three years, I harnessed my mathematical prowess and learned how to work with technology to coax the most subtle insights to the surface. I am now a proficient user of all main modeling software and was training new recruits towards the end of my three years. Colleagues have estimated that my analytical insights and reports have saved / gained an additional $24m in revenue.
I am also used to doing the bulk of the leg work in a private equity deal, preparing due diligence, creating profitability models and completing all aspects of deal administration. Although I aspire to the more strategic analyst role, I understand that there is still much to learn at an associate level and that your private equity associates are given particular freedom to spread their wings. I worked in small teams of 4-5 previously and am aware that there is a similar structure at Cahill – growing under the mentorship of seasoned investment professionals is a key motivator for me.
I enclose a mix of nonconfidential proposals and deals that I have previously worked on to demonstrate how I build a case for investment. I have received many plaudits for my powerful writing style – when words and numbers hit home, the right decisions are made.
Close with confidence! Remind the hiring manager what an asset you are and how your style fits well with the company. No need to resort to bragging, but do point out why you would make a great addition to the fund.
This last paragraph is the perfect spot to show off your competitive nature with a glimpse of something personal. It’s a great sign that the hiring manager has made it to the end of your private equity cover letter so reward them with an extra insight into who you are. Leave them with a question they can follow up with on your interview.
Your final task is a call to action. The goal of your entire letter is to end up with an interview, so let them know you want it! Keep it formal and don’t make presumptions such as “I will explain more when we meet,” but do request a meeting at the hiring manager’s convenience. See a call to action in our cover letter sample below.
The aim of this part: Finish by telling your future employer why they should employ you and justify your request for an interview.
I would welcome the opportunity to learn more about the investment priorities over the coming years and am sure that my consumer good knowledge will make me a great asset in the moves that you are about to make in that market.
Sincerely,
Simon Lancerwith
You’re in an industry that expects you to be hard-charging, so make sure your private equity cover letter expresses your Type A nature. While you need to assure the firm that you are competitive, you don’t want to come off as cutthroat. Try to find a balance.
You have room for a personal touch, so soften your high ambition by discussing your interpersonal skills as well.
The aim of your application letter is to:
No matter how great of a spreadsheet guru you are, if you can’t demonstrate that you can pump up the fund’s assets, you aren’t of any value to a private equity firm. You’re a numbers person, so use those numbers to make a great case for yourself.
At times, you may be stepping in to help a company grow in value by offering management advice. What management problems have you solved? What results did you garner? Could you apply that experience at your prospective new firm? Make sure that information gets into your cover letter.
Applicant Tracking Systems scan more than just your resume. Those same algorithms that can drop you out of contention may be at play on your private equity cover letter. Make sure you analyze the job description and insert high-use keywords and phrases (in appropriate places, of course), to improve your chances of getting into the hiring manager’s hands.
All this advice is great, if you already have private equity experience, but what do you do if you are trying to break into this highly competitive field?
If you have experience in investment banking, lean on that. Otherwise, if you are just out of undergraduate school and want to land a private equity analyst role, here are some tips:
You can stand out from the crowd by researching the company and focusing your cover letter more on how your philosophy and work style mesh with that of the company. Tout your attributes and how they will make you a great private equity analyst.
You can increase your chances of getting your first private equity job by researching the questions hiring managers ask of entry-level candidates. Don’t wait for the interview; instead, answer one or two of them in your cover letter. Familiarize yourself with industry terminology and add them into your cover letter.
Our cover letter example has offered up many tips for writing a letter that helps you reach the goal of an interview. Now we’ll tell you what not to do.
With Resume.io, writing your cover letter is as easy. Click on one of our ready-made and carefully market-researched cover letter templates and simply start writing. OK, maybe it’s not simple to start writing, but we hope the ideas in this guide get you going!