Goldman Sachs Cover Letter Example & How-To

Lloyd Blankfein walked away from the CEO’s chair with a $50 million bonus in 2018. You have 300 words in your Goldman Sachs cover letter to secure the first path towards that chair. 6 words per 1$ million. They better be the right ones. 

What you need, and will receive in this article, is the tried-and-tested formula for the best Goldman Sachs cover letter.

Save time and have a cover letter ready in no time. Pick a cover letter template, use pre-written suggestions, and have your cover letter ready in minutes.

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Need a different cover letter? Check our other cover letter samples:

• Administrative Assistant Cover Letter
• Administrator Cover Letter
• Business Analyst Cover Letter
• Consulting Cover Letter
• Investment Banking Cover Letter
• Legal Cover Letter
• Paralegal Cover Letter
• Project Manager Cover Letter

Haven't found your job? Check our full list of professional cover letter examples.

Goldman Sachs cover letter example

Now you know what to include in a Goldman Sachs cover letter. Here's how to create your own cover letter, step by step.

1. Start with a professional header and salutation

The header is the same as for any business letter, your contact details aligned on the right (don’t forget your LinkedIn and email), and the hiring person’s details below aligned to the left. Write down the date and the subject (i.e. the position you’re applying for).

Use the job ad, LinkedIn, or if need be—even a phone to determine who will be handling your application. Address your cover letter by first name, unless you don’t think it’s appropriate for the more traditional companies. 

Reference against this example:

Goldman Sachs cover letter example—Header

You can adjust every cover letter created in the builder to meet the job requirements. Choose the name of your profession and the company to which you’re applying, and the builder will automatically adapt the content for you. Create a cover letter faster than you ever thought possible and apply for the job in record time.

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2. Open your Goldman Sachs cover letter with a hook

Whether you’re applying to Goldman Sachs, or to a small, boutique consultancy, one thing is for sure. There are piles of applications yours could get lost in. This is why you need to capture their attention immediately by right away stating your biggest selling point.

Respect their attention span and lead with something they’re really interested in, that’s really relevant to them and their business. Something that will keep them reading for more. The fewer words you use before getting to your first achievement, the higher your chances of success. 

The opening section of your cover letter should be somewhere between 40 and 80 words.

Goldman Sachs cover letter sample—Opening paragraph

3. Discuss experience in the body of your Goldman Sachs cover letter

Once you have determined the list of prerequisite skills and experiences for this particular position (they’re in the job advert), think about what evidence would prove that you can handle it better than anyone else. Are there any particular projects or results that come to mind?

The more quantitative you are, the better, you can discuss the details in the interview. The cold, hard results you present in your consultant cover letter will get you there. Of course, the Goldman Sachs world is a small one, so dropping the names of prestigious places you studied and worked can be advantageous. 

Names of elite universities or employers give perspective, and numbers and achievements give context. Don’t go tooting your own horn for no reason—it all needs to match the list of requirements your employer has given in the ad. This part of a cover letter could be between 120 and 200 words.

Goldman Sachs cover letter example—Main paragraph

You don’t have to create any content yourself. The LiveCareer cover letter maker will automatically suggest the best content for your cover letter with ready-made examples and expert tips.

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4. Broker a meeting with a call to action

The third paragraph is for summing up exactly what you can do for your prospective employer, and to reiterate why you think you can manage to do that. Devote 60-80 words for your closing argument, and below, add a call to action.

Seal the deal by asking for a call or a meeting to elaborate on a particular achievement, project, or something that’s important to your prospective employer. Make it interesting and you will stand out. Most people will end their cover letter in a passive, ‘Thank you’ way. 

Always sign off formally with ‘Best Regards’ or a suitable alternative. 

Goldman Sachs cover letter example—Closing paragraph

5. Apply a proper Goldman Sachs cover letter format

You now know what to include in your cover letter. Now, let’s worry about how. Your letter needs to be organised and polished, to not only give an impression of professionalism, but also to be easily readable. 

Brevity is the soul of wit, and here are some cover letter format rules:

Length

Write a short cover letter which consists of:

• 1st paragraph—40-80 words
• 2nd paragraph—120-200 words
• Closing paragraph—60-80 words
• Total—200 to 350 words
• No more than 1 page of A4

Font

Choose an easily readable font between size 10 and 12. Opt for a classic like Calibri or Arial, or try one of Palatino, Garamond or Didot for an outside pick with an increased dose of elegance.

Even margins and white space

For a neat cover letter layout, use 1-inch margins on all sides  Add white space between sections and paragraphs to guide the reader’s eyes. If you are struggling for space to list your achievements, think about using bullet points for your most relevant achievements.

File format

With large corporations, many use Applicant Tracking Systems to manage the applications. Check each job posting carefully for what format they would like to receive documents in, as some are not compatible with certain ATS software.

Target keywords

You have heard the rumours of blacklists, and you probably know how easy it is to have your consultant cover letter end up in a bin. Research each position description you’re applying to thoroughly, so that you can adequately focus on their priorities and requirements when discussing your strengths in the cover letter.

This process will not only help you craft better applications, but also understand where you would be a good fit, and where you’d rather not invest any of your career.

Although remuneration in Goldman Sachs is seldom transparent, the difference between a junior and senior consultant could be as much as 20 thousand pounds, so it’s worth spending the extra time on your cover letter.

Matching CV format

Lastly, make sure that your CV and Goldman Sachs cover letter match in style. They are two segments of the same document, and they will be more happily read if there is continuity and a professional look.

A cover letter alone simply won’t be enough—you need an impactful CV, too. Create your CV in minutes. Choose a professional CV template and quickly fill in every CV section using ready-made content and expert advice.

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Does this answer how to write a cover letter for Goldman Sachs? Got any more questions on what to include? Did you find the Goldman Sachs cover letter example helpful? Let us know in a comment!

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