Desk Verification Filters
What an IB / Equity Research job description screens for
Understanding each one tells you what your resume has to prove for that specific role.
Investment banking and equity research overlap in technical skill but differ in focus — IB on deals and transactions, equity research on coverage and recommendations — and JDs are written around one. A resume matched to the wrong focus under-matches, so the JD's desk and emphasis have to be reflected in your resume.
The Modelling Filter
Valuation and modelling
Valuation and modelling is the core, non-negotiable filter. DCF, comparable company analysis, precedent transactions, LBO, and three-statement modelling are the technical baseline, and a resume that names the valuation methods the JD expects matches far more strongly than a generic finance claim.
The Coverage Gateway
Deal or coverage experience
Deal or coverage experience signals real exposure. IB JDs reward deal experience — M&A, IPO, capital raising; equity research JDs reward coverage — sectors followed, reports authored, models maintained. Matching the JD's transaction or coverage language is decisive.
The Sector Matcher
Sector and product fit
Sector and product fit is heavily weighted at the analyst level and above. A JD covering technology, BFSI, or consumer expects relevant sector exposure, and a resume that proves the right sector can out-match a generalist.
The Shortlist Converter
Analytical-output evidence
Analytical-output evidence converts a match into a shortlist. The strongest IB and research resumes show concrete output — models built, valuations performed, pitch books or research notes produced, recommendations made — rather than describing aspiration.