morgan stanley cover letter wso

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http://tinypic.com/view.php?pic=13z92sx&s=5

The title speaks for itself.

This got chain mailed around to most of the major BB 's on Friday. This is a great example of what not to do if you ever want to work on Wall Street.

As much of a douche bag I know this kid must be, I still feel kinda bad for these college kids who basically get black listed on Wall Street for life because of one stupid mistake.

What was that bit about Morgan Stanley when he wants to work at JP Morgan ?

This guy shot himself in the foot, unfortunately. What a terrible cover letter.

Haha, my friend at JEF sent me this the other day. Priceless. The version she sent me wasn't redacted, so this kid's name was all over that email chain. Although he did bring this on himself, I still feel pretty bad for him because this is something that he might never recover from...

even if he got the names correct, the letter it self made him sound like a tool. if this letter fell on my desk the first thing I would say is "if hes so damn perfect why couldnt he get the names right...maybe I will call him in just to see the 35 pull-ups"

damn.analyst: even if he got the names correct, the letter it self made him sound like a tool. if this letter fell on my desk the first thing I would say is "if hes so damn perfect why couldnt he get the names right...maybe I will call him in just to see the 35 pull-ups"

So you never made a mistake in your cover letter. What an achievement in life... Maybe you should try triple majoring in math, econ and CS and achieve a perfect GPA .

theTroll: So you never made a mistake in your cover letter. What an achievement in life... Maybe you should try triple majoring in math, econ and CS and achieve a perfect GPA .

If he is indeed a triple math, econ and CS major, I just don\'t see the desire of going into investment banking. There\'s so much else he could be doing. I\'m sure he could get into a top notch econ or math phd program, become a quant, ... All of which sound a lot more appealing than IB .

haha sucks to be him

I don't get why people think bragging about pull-ups and a desire for difficult work will make employers pick them. Kid just sounds like a douche. If he doesn't realize that, then I can't really feel bad for him. Blacklisted haha.

I actually feel sorry for this kid. He does have some very impressive accomplishments and seems extremely dedicated and hard working, unfortunately he just clearly has a completely warped view of what is socially acceptable.

I loved the line about "being able to peform basic office functions with TERRIFYING PROFICIENCY." Classic.

Can he not sue JP Morgan for making this public?

JamesHetfield: I loved the line about "being able to peform basic office functions with TERRIFYING PROFICIENCY." Classic. Can he not sue JP Morgan for making this public?

Good luck finding the leak on this one. Plus, he's probably too embarrassed.

Just one more reason to keep your cover letters short and sweet.

SECfinance: JamesHetfield: I loved the line about "being able to peform basic office functions with TERRIFYING PROFICIENCY." Classic. Can he not sue JP Morgan for making this public?

Regardless, it had to either been leaked from his school or someone from JP Morgan leaked, since its clearly written for JP Morgan . The person wouldn't sue the individual who leaked it but he would sue JP Morgan for allowing it to be leaked.

just my 2 cents..

JamesHetfield: "...able to peform basic office functions with TERRIFYING PROFICIENCY."

What happened to this kid? Did he get blacklisted or just made fun of?

I mean, he's enthusiastic and probably well intentioned. I don't understand how this sort of thing happens though...didn't he show this to one other person before sending it off? I mean, career services can be terrible, but I don't think even the most ill-informed office would green-light that.

The cover letter is almost a "check the box" sort of requirement. So long as it doesn't command attention, it will likely never be read.

Bullet points would have served him well

M Friedman: Bullet points would have served him well

Exactly. I mean this kid is fucking talented. Plus he should have not written all that egoistical stuff. But who the fuck does this? I mean doesn't JP Morgan have compliance/IT people making sure that this does not happen?

HE, this dude, should try to find out who leaked this make sure they never work at JPM again.

My friend knows this kid hahaha. His resume is apparently shit

I'm all for auto dinging this kid for this go-round so he learns from his mistake, but fuck don't axe murder a kid while he's down. Let him grow up and give him another chance.

Wow. Kind of cruel for this kid, I feel annoyed at the unprofessional HR who passed this around. Everyone makes mistakes at the start of their job hunting process. They should not have their personal details shown around like this. Says worse things about the company than the inexperienced kid.

I have personally seen a lot worse applications and thought the cover letter should get some points for trying to be different than the norm. Specially when he states in the end about egos being a huge liability, that made me smile since cover letters are all about bragging anyway.

guarantee it was an analyst/associate and not HR that passed it around

Well they are even bigger tools. But I guess that was expected. Hopefully they get a taste of their own medicine someday.

He wouldn't probably wouldn't have had to suffer it being passed around if he wasn't dumb enough to put JPM and MS in the same cover letter. The letter is more misguided than outright crazy (ala the Vayner video resume).

I don't think that you can fault the person who passed it along though, it's more likely a case where whoever read it sent it over to their buddy in the group, that person forwarded it to another friend, etc... It's not like the first person to read it just logged into their email and blasted it to a contact list called 'Wall Street'.

Also, a more humorous interviewer would have brought him in for an interview and asked him to demonstrate how he would go about sending a fax, placing a seamless order, and taking a pitchbook to the printers with "terrifying efficiency."

Whoever leaks this shit needs to be fired.

On a whole, I dont see a problem with this Cover Letter. Obviously the kid went overboard with the benching and pull up shit and could have def toned it down but seriously you are going to chain mail this shit? Just stupid. I would be mortified if I ever went back and reread my old letters, emails, etc when I first started trying to reach out to people, get a job. etc... (I cant imagine what my college entrance essay said...)

This isnt Jeffery Chang worthy.

i got this one in email

Sounds like he just wanted to really stand out from the crowd, which is understandable given how insanely competitive this recruiting season has been...

I've helped a few kids with their cover letters this year, and some of the first drafts have been absolutely terrible. Maybe this kid just didn't have anyone helping him out. Plenty of guys in finance take oversized pride in how much they can bench - this guy's problem was that he thought it would sound great on paper.

I agree that whoever leaked this was an ass. Probably killed this kid's chances to get his foot in the door...

It's not like people are going to remember a name from a funny email for very long. What's stopping this kid from getting his act together and applying again a year from now?

I work in investment banking and feel very sorry for the guy. I was actually forwarded the entire application package, which included the student's resume, cover letter, real name and contact information. He is literally a triple major with a cumulative 3.95 GPA at NYU. In a different time and a different place, this is the type of candidate who can earn interviews in the toughest of market environments and even potentially land a GS / MS offer. Aside from the JPM / MS gaffe, there were essentially no game-killers on the cover letter. Although the cover letter was certainly a bit tawdry, I would have interviewed this gentleman based on his resume and passion.

Heck, we all know the feeling when we want something so bad that we are willing to go the extra yard. IMO, those who haven't pushed themselves to the horizons of their limits haven't tried hard enough... I can honestly say I am one of the most professional and conforming member of my class - but even I can relate to what this kid felt. After all, who hasn't liked a girl so much that he has acted a little foolishly? Who hasn't tried to impress someone so hard that you go out of your way to get noticed? I honestly feel bad for this guy. Here is a guy who has done everything right academically and professionally - but wanted to go the extra step and craft an unique cover letter to get noticed. I certaintly cannot fault him on effort and intention. Because of one selfish person, this kid's future in investment banking is ruined. Sometimes the world isn't really fair.

Vancouver Canucks 2011: I work in investment banking and feel very sorry for the guy. I was actually forwarded the entire application package, which included the student's resume, cover letter, real name and contact information. He is literally a triple major with a cumulative 3.95 GPA at NYU. In a different time and a different place, this is the type of candidate who can earn interviews in the toughest of market environments and even potentially land a GS / MS offer. Aside from the JPM / MS gaffe, there were essentially no game-killers on the cover letter. Although the cover letter was certainly a bit tawdry, I would have interviewed this gentleman based on his resume and passion. Heck, we all know the feeling when we want something so bad that we are willing to go the extra yard. IMO, those who haven't pushed themselves to the horizons of their limits haven't tried hard enough... I can honestly say I am one of the most professional and conforming member of my class - but even I can relate to what this kid felt. After all, who hasn't liked a girl so much that he has acted a little foolishly? Who hasn't tried to impress someone so hard that you go out of your way to get noticed? I honestly feel bad for this guy. Here is a guy who has done everything right academically and professionally - but wanted to go the extra step and craft an unique cover letter to get noticed. I certaintly cannot fault him on effort and intention. Because of one selfish person, this kid's future in investment banking is ruined. Sometimes the world isn't really fair.

You make great points, VC . If you were to interview him, would you mention the cover letter? Just curious. He definitely has the passion, but my concern would be that if he landed interviews using this letter he wouldn't learn his lesson. Obviously that doesn't mean it deserved to get thrown around Wall Street, but nevertheless I'd be worried that it enforces the wrong message? Again, just curious to get your perspective.

NYU? LOL. Reminded me of Aleksey Vayner with a touch of "terrifying" writing.

But the kid did seem genuine in his cover letter which makes me feel kinda bad for him.

i just can't imagine how terrible it would be to work with that guy. cover letter setting off fit alarms all over

But honestly, shouldn't the person in JPM get sue for doing this.

Can someone please paste the text. I can't follow the link for some reason.

manbearpig: Can someone please paste the text. I can't follow the link for some reason.

Have you tried this link: http://finance.yahoo.com/news/tenacious-summer-analyst-applicant-got-la… (it's an image so can't copy-paste).

• Good stuff Vancouver Canucks

I'm sympathetic to the guy. He was trying to stand out and just over did it.

mb666: manbearpig: Can someone please paste the text. I can't follow the link for some reason.

Yup this works, thanks!

Good read. Just forwarded it around my office so everyone could get a good chuckle. Thanks!

wow.....proofread people, proofread

He seems smart. I'm sure he'll end up at a top-notch quant fund and his co-workers will laugh about it with him.

Who does this shit? I can't even comprehend -- why does it keep happening?

Got this email earlier this week, too. This got around ridiculously fast, the joke was in the email itself as it had comments from each forwarder. By the time it got to me the chain had already reached over 300 people just in mine alone. He's definitely been blacklisted by a number of banks on the street.

Sad thing is that his resume was forwarded around with the cover letter and it was actually pretty impressive.

Honestly this is hilarious, but nothing even close to the Vayner video.

I mean there are so many gems in this letter though.

\"Can perform basic office functions with terrifying efficiency\\"

\"That semester I achieved a 3.93, and in the same time I managed to bench double my bodyweight and do 35 pull-ups.\\"

\"I am unequivocally the most unflaggingly hard worker I know, and I love self-improvement.\\"

He also says he wants to work for Morgan Stanley later in the CL, even though it is a letter to JP Morgan .

i got this thing forwarded to me--came with his resume too. nothing impressive whatsoever. PWM experience was his last internship.

oh and the email chain came with a fucking hilarious picture from his facebook page that they found. the chain was classic

35 pull-ups really isn't that impressive...

Reading the actual email chain was almost as good as the cover letter. I would have interviewed him based on his bench press alone.

For what it is worth, the PDF file with the resume and cover letter have some sort of internal code on them. It is labeled NYU CareerNet / 2012 IB Risk Resume Bundle. The cover letter is page 255 and the resume page 256. This tells me that there were at LEAST 128 applicants from NYU alone.

This should serve as a reminder that IB is a small world and the degree of separation is very small.

whatever man, my junior year SA recruiting season was october '08. A ton of jackasses of this calibre (based on the older dudes in my frat) became BB associates and have moved on to HF 's/PE's. I dont think they would have had it as easy graduating '10....

Either way, people seem to forget how retarded they were a couple years ago (including me, nobody is born knowing how to NOT be an idiot). it seems the recession has weeded out people who make mistakes at a tender age (although fuck, who mentions your max bench in a cover letter?/?). Fuck though, im sure a lot of people grow from their initial immature mistakes to being highly succesful, right?

Im not sure wether to feel sorry for the kid or not; his 30 year old self does not deserve to pay for his 20 yr old (naive) mkstakes....

the kid got an offer from Renaissance Technology guess he showed the haters, first kid from NYU to work at the firm

blastoise: the kid got an offer from Renaissance Technology guess he showed the haters, first kid from NYU to work at the firm

I almost took this seriously.

Good for him! He can do much better than banking anyways :D

finance.yahoo.com/news/tenacious-summer-analyst-applicant-got-laughed-at-by-everyone-else-on-wall-street.html

this kid's letter makes me feel like shit.

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Morgan stanley cover letter and cv advice: telling your story.

targetjobs editorial team

25 Oct 2023, 09:21

Your Morgan Stanley cover letter and CV need to tell your personal narrative. Read on for guidance on how to ensure this and impress recruiters at this early stage of the firm’s application process.

Jump to: Crafting your Morgan Stanley CV | Perfecting your Morgan Stanley cover letter

Morgan Stanley is keen to find out your personal story, but don’t wait until the interview stage to share it. At targetjobs, we think that it’s a good idea to build this narrative in your Morgan Stanley cover letter and CV to impress the firm’s recruiters. Along with helping your application to stand out from other candidates’, this will also allow you to develop and hone your story from the get-go.

Telling your story is important as it shows recruiters that you have:

• made a careful and considered choice to apply for Morgan Stanley’s graduate and internship programmes
• the skills and requirements necessary for the specific graduate and internship schemes
• demonstrated skills that will be critical for the role that you are applying for.

Here are some pointers to make use of the experience you already have to tell a compelling and convincing story through your CV and cover letter.

MORGAN STANLEY CONTENT AT YOUR FINGERTIPS

We’ve got more advice to help you on your journey with Morgan Stanley.

How to tell a story in your Morgan Stanley CV

Tell a convincing story by tweaking your CV to specifically suit Morgan Stanley, rather than submitting a generic CV. Look at the skills and requirements that the job or internship description asks for and build your CV around these. You can do this by grouping experiences together that demonstrate specific skills.

For example, graduate roles at Morgan Stanley tend to ask that you are a ‘team player’. Highlight this skill by grouping instances from work, extracurricular activities and your education where you have worked successfully in a team.

For each, explain how your skills and qualities have been challenged and have developed. Show recruiters that there is a clear progression in your skills to the point where you are ready to apply to Morgan Stanley.

• Discover why teamworking skills are high on graduate recruiters’ wish lists .

Do not neglect any extracurricular activities or hobbies that may also serve as evidence of your skills and values that align with what Morgan Stanley is looking for. Experiences from outside of university and ‘relevant’ work experience are helpful for incorporating these qualities into your story.

For example, Morgan Stanley says that it is looking for candidates that ‘show that [they] have a life’. Recruiters look for this as it is an indicator of your time management skills: are you able to juggle university work with outside pursuits, for instance? The firm has also emphasised how it places a great deal of importance on ‘giving back’ and charitable pursuits.

• Find out more about how extracurricular activities can help you land a graduate job .

Remember that clear and consistent CV formatting will always convey the best possible impression.

If you want to open your CV with a personal statement or profile, make sure to write a tailored profile for Morgan Stanley. Use it to set out the beginnings of your story and outline some of the experiences that have made you want to apply, which you can then build on later on in your CV.

• Read here for more information about personal statements and whether you should include one in the first place.

Build on the story with your Morgan Stanley cover letter

Use your Morgan Stanley cover letter to expand on details from your CV and provide more detail and examples that will form the backbone of your story. In order to tell a convincing story make sure your cover letter follows a logical structure.

• Find out about writing and structuring a cover letter for investment banking roles here .

Elaborate on how you first encountered Morgan Stanley. If you have taken part in an internship or spring week or have attended a careers fair, for instance, use this as a starting point for your narrative. Talk about what stood out about this employer in particular, what you learned and what made you apply for the specific graduate or internship scheme in question. Another tack could be mentioning any news articles or interviews that you had read which featured Morgan Stanley.

It is crucial that every statement you make is backed up with an appropriate example. This will help evidence your story and reinforce your argument that you are the candidate that Morgan Stanley is looking for.

Some of Morgan Stanley’s graduate opportunities specifically ask for relevant experience in investment banking or finance. By bringing these up in your CV you can reflect on what you learned and how this informed why you particularly want to work for Morgan Stanley as opposed to other investment banks. If the graduate scheme or internship doesn’t specifically ask for relevant experience, you can still talk about experience from other fields. Make sure, however, that you relate these unrelated (but not irrelevant) experiences to why you are currently applying for the specific graduate programme.

When writing your cover letter for Morgan Stanley avoid the urge to use complicated or overly elaborate language. Instead make clarity and concision your priorities, especially as you want to keep the letter brief. Vary the length of your sentences. Consider also having shorter, easy to read paragraphs. Morgan Stanley has previously specifically asked for the ‘ability to summarise complex business problems with clarity and brevity’, and a professional, legible and lucid cover letter is the ideal opportunity to show that you would be ready to interact with clients in a professional environment.

Add the finishing touches to your Morgan Stanley application by using one of our free CV and cover letter templates . Make sure to set up your free targetjobs profile to see all the opportunities that we have available with the employer.

targetjobs editorial advice

This describes editorially independent and impartial content, which has been written and edited by the targetjobs content team. Any external contributors featuring in the article are in line with our non-advertorial policy, by which we mean that we do not promote one organisation over another.

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Yes. Diversity makes us stronger. We recruit candidates from across all academic disciplines and encourage applications from students of all backgrounds. Our training programs have been specifically designed to provide you with the necessary toolkit to get you off to a good start regardless of your academic discipline. In some regions, we run a boot camp for non-finance analysts to support them through the financial and technical aspects of the program. We’re looking for people who aren’t afraid to think big.

Can I apply if I require work authorization?

Our workforce features people from around the globe. We believe that diversity and inclusiveness make for a better workforce. Should you require work authorization your application will still be considered. Morgan Stanley is able to apply for work permits on behalf of prospective new hires and any job offer is conditional upon successful completion of that application.

How can I partake in the internship recruiting process if I am studying abroad?

If you are studying abroad and the recruiting process for the division that you are interested in will be taking place while you are away, be sure that you apply online adhering to the application deadline for the job posting in question and be sure to let us know that you will be abroad and during what periods of the academic calendar year. If you are studying abroad during the fall semester, then you will be able to participate in the regular internship recruiting process in the spring. Please note that regional offices' recruiting dates will vary.

Is career mobility an option at Morgan Stanley?

Absolutely. Our talent management programs and initiatives will give you learning opportunities to improve your knowledge and skills. We actively help employees manage their career paths and aspirations. For many, this means having a career stint abroad. The inspiring scope of Morgan Stanley's products, services, and global presence empowers our employees to experience career mobility based on their interests and talents. Let’s create a better tomorrow together.

What ongoing learning opportunities does Morgan Stanley offer?

We have a genuine interest in our employees' professional training and development. We offer ongoing guidance and support throughout your career and have an extensive array of onsite and online classes on subjects such as financial product skills, management leadership, personal effectiveness, and technology. Our greatest asset is our people—we take pride in investing in them.

What kind of work/life programs does Morgan Stanley offer?

Our many work-life programs respond to the diverse needs of our employees. The programs address physical and emotional health, working parent and family concerns, as well as the need for increased flexibility. We want our employees to live full and rewarding lives. For more information about our work-life programs, please click here.

The best way to pursue a job opportunity with Morgan Stanley is by applying through our website.

I have been hearing about recruiting and job offer scams. How can I be sure that my potential career opportunity with Morgan Stanley is genuine?

The best way to pursue a job opportunity with Morgan Stanley is by applying here . Please be wary of internet, email and telephone scams in which fraudsters may try to take advantage of job seekers by pretending to represent prominent companies, including Morgan Stanley. Intended victims may be invited to participate in bogus interviews, asked to fill out fabricated employment applications and, on occasion, have even been issued fake offer letters, all with the ultimate goal of trying to entice victims to pay money or divulge sensitive personal information. Please visit our information page for tips on how to avoid these scams.

An ex-Goldman Sachs salesman's guide to writing a cover letter that works

Applying for roles in the world of finance, investment banking, business and consulting can be an arduous and lengthy process. Whether you’re an undergrad, postgrad or an experienced professional the one thing that’s more grueling than putting together a CV: creating a cover letter. Get it wrong, and your inbox will be hit with the dreaded ‘Unfortunately...’ email. Get it right, and it can be your golden ticket to an interview. Your cover letter is where an organization can get a glimpse of you as an individual rather than bullet points containing your achievements from your CV.

Below is an insider’s list of the things you should (and shouldn’t) be doing when writing your cover letter. Keep in mind it’s not only human resource/recruitment professionals that review your cover letter. It’ll also be reviewed by junior and senior employees within the division/team you’ve applied for.

Do keep it succinct.  Your cover letter should never exceed 1 page. A good rule of thumb is to keep it between 70% and 90% of A4 (standard paper size). This is important as they’ll likely have hundreds to read through.

Do structure your cover letter appropriately. Your cover letter should (I) include a brief introduction about yourself and what you’ve been up to over the last 1-3 years, (II) explain why you want to work for that specific company, (III) describe why the specific division/business area is an area of interest to you and (IV) illustrate why you, as an individual, are suited for the role.

Do mention  firm  events you’ve attended and name drop employees you’ve met .  If I’m reading your cover letter and I notice you’ve attended a networking/insight event or met colleagues of mine, immediately I’ll think you’re proactive, engaged and interested in this field of work. This makes a big difference especially if you don’t have a lot of work experience. It also builds a greater connection between you and the reader as opposed to a candidate who hasn’t proactively networked.

Do include relevant experiences and/or transferable skills . Relevant experiences give the reader peace of mind. Highlight your relevant experiences and emphasize what you’ve achieved in them and the specific skills learnt and/or developed that’ll be useful and required in the role you are applying for. This will help the reader buy into your story. If you don’t have relevant experience, use whatever experience you do have to highlight relevant transferable skills.

Do explain why the organization stands out.  What is it about that specific organization that stands out to you? Was it the people you met at the firm? A social initiative that stood out? The firm’s expertise and specialism in a specific area of the market? Find your reason and stress exactly why that means so much to you. The key here is to not make it generic and applicable to other organizations.

Do share your story.  Take the reader on your personal journey and let your personality come through on your cover letter. A strong cover letter can differentiate itself from the pack and tells a story well, and in doing so leaves a lasting (positive) impression on the reader.

Do be strict with your use of sentences.  You have a finite number of words to use in your cover letter in order to sell yourself to the reader. Thus, it is vital that every point has a purpose i.e. identifies a skill learnt, positive outcome, etc. Ask yourself “So what?” at the end of each point you make.

Do speak the firm’s language.  Every organization has a mission statement, key principles and beliefs they abide by. Find these on their website and pay particular attention to the language used. If your cover letter speaks the organization's ‘language’, the reader is more likely to believe that you’ll be a good fit for the organizations culture.

Don’t come across as if you’re owed this job . Everyone hates an arrogant applicant. Don’t boast or show off. Be humble in your approach. Remember, you’re asking for an interview and job, thus it’s important that you come across as likable.

Don’t be generic and vague.  One of the most common mistakes candidates make (I’m guilty of having done this once upon a time), which costs valuable space, is highlighting generic information from the company’s website. Examples include the number of locations the firm operates from, number of employees working for the firm, etc. Don’t use easy to obtain information – all of the ‘basic’ cover letters do this.

Don’t shoot yourself in the foot. Spelling mistakes and grammatical errors cost candidates interview offers all too often. Such errors display a lack of attention to detail and care – two very important qualities in the world of finance. I’ve seen a cover letter spell ‘great’ as ‘grate’, and it isn’t uncommon for many cover letters to miss full stops. Printing out your cover letter will likely display errors that you would have missed on screen.

A large part of a hiring manager’s role is risk management. They need to hire the right people for their team and the company as a whole. Hiring is an expensive and lengthy process, and therefore it is important for you as a potential hire to minimise the risks associated with hiring you. Simply follow the above tips when writing your cover letter, pair it up with a strong CV, and you’ll be receiving interview invitations in no time!

Afzal Hussein is the Founder and CEO of Official CV Doctor . Prior to this, Afzal spent 4 years in Sales at Goldman Sachs . Afzal currently sits on a number of charity boards and will be launching his millennial consulting company in the summer of 2018. Click here to join over 34k students and professionals following Afzal’s posts on careers, millennials and productivity on LinkedIn.

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Awful Cover Letter To JPMorgan Becomes Laughing Stock Of Wall Street

Senior Entertainment Editor, HuffPost

It takes a lot to get noticed in this town, but there's a right way and a wrong way to do it.

An NYU undergraduate student named Mark has become the laughing stock of Wall Street after his awful cover letter to JPMorgan made its rounds among NYU Stern alumni, the financial district, and then went viral online.

A cover letter can make or break you in the job hunting game and Mark's letter is a lesson in exactly what not to do.

By boasting that he "managed to bench double [his] body weight and do 35 pull ups" while achieving a 3.93 GPA, young Mark invited the inevitable comparisons to the infamous Aleksey Vayner .

There's a fine line between convincing your potential employeer of why they need to hire you, and only you, and coming across as a pompous ass.

There is no doubt Mark's status as a triple major in Mathematics, Economics and Computer Science is impressive on its own, but throw in the fact that he held two part-time jobs, placed-out of two classes and managed to keep himself in top physical shape, and it's safe to say he crossed the line.

Mark's cover letter also could have used an edit from an English major, who might have advised him to find a different way to express that he "can perform basic office functions with terrifying efficiency."

He ended the letter with a disclaimer asking JPMorgan to "Please realize that I am not a braggart or conceited, I just wanted to outline my usefulness. Egos can be a huge liability, and I try not to have one."

It's a letter so obnoxious that it's unclear if Mark sent it as a joke.

According to Gawker, Mark is well aware of the bit of laughter he brought to the bankers on Wall Street. When asked if he'd gotten a job at JPMorgan, he laughed, telling the website , "No, not at all. Didn't you see my letter?"

Joke or not, Mark is not alone when it comes to terrible cover letters. An applicant for a position as an API Engineer in New York City recently wrote :

"I'm super awesome and have incredible experience compared to this -- it includes the required experiences below plus I am trained in MMA fighting, am the mayor of multiple Chipotles, Starbucks, and locally famous restaurants in downtown NYC, and I type really fast."

And we can't forget Roanald Dvorak's cover letter for a office manager position, where he wrote : "Forget all the other candidates for Aviary, I am the BEST," and listed his skills in bullet points: "Organizing shit? Check. Calling numbers and shit? Doublecheck. Customer support and shit? Mega-check. Faxing numbers and shit? MOTHERFLIPPING CHECK ALL OVER THAT."

At a time when even the most qualified applicants can't find jobs , it's questionable if sending over-the-top or ironic cover letters is a good idea -- especially given the fact that there's no expectation of privacy.

Last year, Business Insider even posted 12 of the worst cover letters they received, redacting the names to provide some protection for those who made the list.

READ THE COVER LETTER:

1/23/2012 J.P. Morgan Dear Sir or Madame: I am an ambitious undergraduate at NYU triple majoring in Mathematics, Economics, and Computer Science. I am a punctual, personable, and shrewd individual, yet I have a quality which I pride myself on more than any of these. I am unequivocally the most unflaggingly hard worker I know, and I love self-improvement. I have always felt that my time should be spent wisely, so I continuously challenge myself; I left Villanova because the work was too easy. Once I realized I could achieve a perfect GPA while holding a part-time job at NYU, I decided to redouble my effort by placing out of two classes, taking two honors classes, and holding two part-time jobs. That semester I achieved a 3.93, and in the same time I managed to bench double my bodyweight and do 35 pull-ups. I say these things only because solid evidence is more convincing than unverifiable statements, and I want to demonstrate that I am a hard worker. J.P. Morgan is a firm with a reputation that precedes itself and employees who represent only the best and rightest in finance. I know that the employees in this firm will push me to excellence, especially within the Investment Banking division. In fact, one of the supporting reasons I chose Investment Banking over any other division was that I know it is difficult. I hope to augment my character by diligently working for the professionals at Morgan Stanley, and I feel I have much to offer in return. I am proficient in several programming languages, and I can pick up a new one very quickly. For instance, I learned a years worth of Java from NYU in 27 days on my own; this is how I placed out of two including: Money and Banking, Analysis, Game Theory, Probability and Statistics. Even further, I am taking Machine Learning and Probabilistic Graphical Modeling currently, two programming courses offered by Stanford, so that I may truly offer the most if I am accepted. I am proficient with Bloomberg terminals, excellent with excel, and can perform basic office functions with terrifying efficiency. I have plenty of experience in the professional world through my internship at Merrill Lynch, and my research assistant position at NYU. In fact, my most recent employer has found me so useful that he promoted me to a Research Assistant and an official CTED intern. This role is usually reserved for Masters students, but my employer gave the title to me so that he could give me more work. Please realize that I am not a braggart or conceited, I just want to outline my usefulness. Egos can be a huge liability, and I try not to have one. Thank you so much for your time, and I look forward to hearing from you. Best, Mark

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Popular in the community, from our partner, more in business.

Sample cover letter for Internship position at MORGAN STANLEY

Summer analyst.

Dear Sir/Madam,

2015 Investment Banking & Global Capital Markets Summer Analyst Programme

I am writing to apply for the Summer Analyst Programme as advertised on the TARGETjobs website. I am in the final year of my BSc in Electrical & Electronic Engineering course at the University of Nottingham with plans to begin an MSc in Finance in 2015. I am seeking my first internship towards a career in investment banking (M&A) and I feel, with my detail-oriented nature and my quantitative and technical background as an engineer, I am prepared for the highly quantitative and analytically demanding finance environment.

Morgan Stanley stands out as offering the most opportunities through its Summer Analyst Programme such as the provision of real world experience of financial analysis of a wide range of domestic and international transactions and the ability to work alongside experienced professionals on a variety of projects. I am most attracted to the culture, at Morgan Stanley, of investing in its employees, as it wants them to be the leaders of the business in the long term. This was stated by former Morgan Stanley managing director Chris Yoshida and it shows there is a lot of opportunity for professional growth and also the culture of long-term thinking also gives a feeling of job security. Like in engineering, investment banking, in particular M&A, is another way of creating synergy i.e. the interaction of elements (companies) that when combined are greater as a whole, than individually, and this is what draws me to this field. I am excited by the prospect of finding more cost-effective, efficient and profitable ways for companies, by integrating, to operate and provide services.

Experience on numerous projects during my education, have developed my ability to think critically, conduct research, write reports and communicate effectively, for example prior to my enrolment in university, I was part of a team that worked with Fairline Boats Ltd to develop a 3D storyboard and simulation for the advertising campaign of their new boat. I was exposed to different new and innovative technologies in which I had to assimilate quickly, identify issues and propose solutions. My team and I worked with a lot of incomplete and conflicting data but through broad thinking, we reached informed conclusions. I was also able to use and further strengthen my team work, time management and project management skills, as the project was time pressured and involved a great deal of commitment to produce the desired results.

I hope that, on consideration of my attached CV, you will feel that I have the skills and experience to succeed on your summer analyst programme and become a valued member of Morgan Stanley.

I very much look forward to hearing from you.

Yours faithfully