Sample cover letter for Internship position at FB

The application form for a graduate scheme or an internship at Deutsche Bank consists of heavy-laden questions with a small word limit – usually a mere 50 to 100 words per question. Compressing a collection of ideas into 100 words will not only require you to be very careful with your selection of ideas and words, but also force you to pare down your response to its very basics.

Don’t make the mistake of cramming too much and detailing too little in your response as this often gives little to no useful information to the recruiters at the bank. As an applicant, it falls upon you to be selective of the information that you wish to convey to the bank, and to express it as succinctly as possible. Here are some tips to help you with your application process.

Deutsche Bank application form tip: structure your answer

Deutsche Bank’s application form contains a number of competency-based questions, such as “Please include any additional information to support your application, for example: leadership experience, academic awards, professional qualifications, personal circumstances.”

Questions like these generally require you to describe a distinct set of events that showcase the range of your soft skills.You will need to provide a detailed explanation of said event, including examples of leadership experiences and personal circumstances, in order to prove your abilities to the bank.

Due to the tight word limit, you don’t want to run the risk of veering off on a tangent while describing these examples. This can be easily prevented through structuring your answers as you write them. Two of the more well-known structures are the CAR (Context, Action, and Results) and STAR (Situation, Task, Action, and Results)techniques.

In the case of Deutsche Bank’s application, you only have 100 words to work with, so it is better to use the CAR technique instead of the STAR technique, as the latter tends to be lengthier and more comprehensive in terms of elaboration.

As an example, if you were to answer the question by describing an instance of leadership experience with the CAR technique, then you will first have to provide a description of the situation as context (e.g. the people that you were working with, and the conflicts that you had to face). Then, identify your actions– the steps that you took to resolve the situation. End with the subsequent consequences – the results of your actions.

Structuring your answers this way will help keep your word count down and still give Deutsche Bank’s recruiters sufficient insight into how you demonstrated leadership skills when the situation called for it.

Deutsche Bank application form tip: relate your answer to the business

One other criteria that Deutsche Bank looks out for in applicants is their ability to relate their responses to the industry and to the company specifically. Consider this question: “What makes you a strong candidate for this division, considering the key attributes that would make someone successful in this business?” As you answer this, you will need to always make sure that your points are relevant to their hiring criteria and to the position that you are applying for.

Take, for instance, the bank’s group technology division, where a solution-oriented approach to problems is an essential skill. You’ll want to highlight instances where you demonstrated problem-solving ability. Perhaps you found a deficiency in a financial modelling process during a previous internship, and approached your supervisor with a suggested workaround. This showcases your ability to think out of the box – a trait the bank genuinely values – instead of just sitting by, waiting for someone to fix the issue.

Also, customise your answers to the bank’s visions, goals, and culture to indicate a similarity between your personal aspirations and the bank’s wants. Deutsche Bank places quite a bit of emphasis on diversity, a shared spirit towards a common goal, and the dynamic culture of its people, so you may want to tailor your response according to these elements. Note also that they are a client-centric bank, so incorporate people-facing soft skills into your attitude and responses.

If possible, mention some personal interests that are related to the banking industry. This may help indicate your genuine interest in exploring the industry, as opposed to some students who are applying for the position just for the sake of doing so. When the bank asks questions such as “What extra-curricular activities do you participate in?”, they may actually be subtly assessing the extent of your interest in the industry by seeing if you will quote a finance-related non-academic activity.

Deutsche Bank application form tip: be specific

Being specific is essential in answering Deutsche Bank’s application form. A question such as “Briefly explain the main role of your division of choice, how it contributes to the Bank and why you are interested in working in this division” explicitly requests for you to discuss only the main role of your applied position instead of a number of them.

Don’t give a general answer like: “I’m passionate about finance, and my keen communication and analytical skills could be put to use in ‘X’ division.” That won’t win you any points. Find a few things about the division that truly interest you, and relate those to your career aspirations, values, or ethics. For instance, did you develop an interest in their global transaction banking division during one of their on-campus talks, and wanted to be a part of finding innovative solutions to improving online transaction processes?

Another example of questions where specificity matters is when you are asked for examples and facts that are exact and definite. When Deutsche Bank asks about industrial hard facts, like “In your opinion, what are the main challenges for the Financial Services industry and what are the opportunities for Deutsche Bank in the current economic climate?”, make it a point to be as unambiguous as possible in your assessment as this will help showcase your knowledge and understanding of the current industry.