Sample cover letter for Internship position at Lazard

Dear Sir/Madam,

I am currently in my first year reading BSc Economics at University College London and would like to apply for a place on the 2016 London Spring Insight Programme.

The Spring Insight Programme is an ideal gateway into Investment Banking, and to immerse myself in the culture at Lazard. Having completed an online course about short-term money markets, I am exceedingly interested to explore their impact on debt and equity capital markets through Lazard’s world-class Capital Markets and Capital Structure Advisory group. In addition, while at the Rational Capital Investment Fund I enjoyed analysing the underlying strategies of mergers and acquisitions such as the Heinz and Kraft Foods deal. 

The corporate culture at Lazard resonates with my background. Having expanded a charity, I have devoted substantial effort to a cause I admire. I hope to bring this initiative to Lazard, where the flat organizational structure fosters active contribution by all to encourage the flow of new ideas. My intellectual curiosity about the financial markets will drive me to engage with and learn from professionals at Lazard, thereby enabling me to fully utilize my time at your institution.

I believe that my entrepreneurial spirit positions me well to thrive at Lazard. As former Vice-Captain of a rugby team I honed my problem-solving skills whilst working under pressure by organizing the team during defensive play in dynamic situations. As an inclusive leader in a tightly-knit team, I developed my listening skills and ability to incorporate criticism. This ability to work with integrity in a team is crucial at your team-driven institution, where global scale is uniquely juxtaposed with intimacy.

I would be thrilled to learn, contribute, and excel at Lazard. Thank you for your time and consideration.

Yours sincerely,

Hamdi Al-Pachachi