Business & Finance·Entry Level

Entry Level Financial Analyst cover letter

Write an entry-level Financial Analyst cover letter with no experience. Get tips for recent graduates, examples, and templates to land your first Financial Analyst job.

Breaking into a Financial Analyst role without extensive experience requires highlighting your potential. This guide shows you how to write an entry-level Financial Analyst cover letter that emphasizes your Financial modeling foundation, Excel knowledge, and eagerness to grow.

Entry Level focus areas

Emphasize potential over experience. Focus on academic achievements, internships, volunteer work, and transferable skills that demonstrate your readiness for the role.

educationinternshipstransferable skillsenthusiasmeagerness to learn

What to highlight at entry level

  • 1Academic projects and coursework
  • 2Internships and part-time work
  • 3Volunteer experience
  • 4Models you built and decisions they enabled
  • 5Accuracy of your forecasts
  • 6Scale of budgets analyzed

Key skills to mention

Financial modelingExcelForecastingBudgetingVariance analysisSQLPresentation

Example opening for entry level

As a recent graduate eager to launch my career in this field, I'm excited to apply for the Financial Analyst position at [Company]. While I may be early in my career, my academic projects and internship experience have given me a strong foundation in Financial modeling and Excel.

Mistakes to avoid

  • Not quantifying your impact
  • Being too generic about Excel skills
  • Ignoring communication skills
  • Not mentioning industry context

Frequently asked questions

How do I write a cover letter with no experience?

Focus on transferable skills, academic projects, internships, and volunteer work. Show enthusiasm for the role and company, and demonstrate how your education has prepared you for this position.

Should I mention my GPA in an entry-level cover letter?

Only mention your GPA if it's strong (3.5+) and you're a recent graduate. After a year or two of work experience, focus on professional achievements instead.

How do I stand out with no work experience?

Highlight relevant coursework, personal projects, volunteer work, and any leadership roles. Show you understand the industry and have done your research on the company.

Is CFA required for financial analyst roles?

Not always. CFA is valued in investment roles. Corporate FP&A may not require it. Check the job posting.

How advanced should my Excel be?

Very. Mention specific skills: financial models, macros, pivot tables, Power Query. Show depth.

Get started

Try it free. €5/month after.

Write your entry financial analyst cover letter

Other experience levels