Sample cover letter for Full Time position at Ballie Gifford

Dear Mr. Barry,

I am writing to covey my intentions of working within the Investments Operations Graduate Programme, advertised on the Baillie Gifford Website. The position interest me for several reasons, the first of which is the exposure to senior members of staff from the first day. As a graduate, being exposed to the wealth of knowledge these staff members have obtained, would allow me to learn from all their mistakes and experiences, providing me with the foundations to grow within Baillie Gifford.

To be more specific, the fact that Baillie Gifford is has no external shareholders has furthered my motivation to apply. In a world of countless mergers and acquisitions, the commitment to remaining independent, is nothing short of spectacular. For a graduate, like myself, this can have numerous advantages; given all the 40 partners work full time, it shows the graduates that an impressive career trajectory is within reach. Additionally, this puts clients at the forefront of the business, due to the consistent long term vision of Baillie Gifford. Moreover, what separates your firm form your competitors are your results driven nature and the commitment to client satisfaction. This is shown in your global presence and your total assets under management. Working as a Brand Manager within Harrods has taught me to consistently meet and exceed the Josephine Homes. As a result, sales increased by 25% since I started, and have been regularly awarded with ‘100% mystery shopper’ accolade by the managing director Michael Ward.

I believe Investment Operations to be the perfect career path for me; having achieved a Distinction in my MSc, with the highest marks in my Investment Management and Risk Management modules. Throughout, I found genuine pleasure in valuing risky securities, assessing the risk of an investment (using VAR, the Greeks and the Sharpe Ratio), and managing portfolios. However, it is diversity of companies analysed and the depth of this analysis that driven me to apply to be an Investment Operations analyst. Analysing with such depth, the ability to communicate ideas and challenge consensuses cannot be disregarded. During my BSc, Pharmacology and Molecular Genetics, I perfected my ability to communicate concisely and coherently due to the numerous scientific presentations to non-science professors. Requiring me to simplify complex scientific processes to level that’s universally understood.

Outside academia, I formed and lead a team within my church community, and have consistently raised our yearly target of 2K for Coptic Orphans and built houses and schools for the families in El Minya. In doing so, I found great happiness in having the responsibility to coordinate fundraising activities and thrived in being decisive at times of pressure. Furthermore, I believe my work ethic would fit hand in hand with your results driven nature; having worked throughout my masters to help pay my fees, I learnt the value of time management and resilience. I am certain this fits hand in hand with the values held by the staff members at Baillie Gifford.

Once again thank you for your time and look forward to the chance of having an interview with you to share my experiences.

Kindest regards,