To Whom It May Concern

To Whom It May Concern:

Forty years ago, President John F. Kennedy said: “Ask not what your country can do for you. Ask what you can do for your country.” My name is Colt W. Branson, and today, I ask: What can I do for Browning McKee?

In the immediate, I’m applying for a summer analyst position because of your firm’s reputation as one of the world’s foremost banking institutions, because of the company’s partnerships with other Forbes 500 firms and because of the mind-blowingly attractive business cards. (Is that Silian Braille on Bone?)

Truthfully, though, I have been preparing for this position for my entire life. Working for Browning McKee as a seller or even as a trader is my dream job, and I would devote all of my energy into the firm, especially if the bonuses are generous. For me, working for Browning McKee would be more than a profession. It’s life.

My credentials speak for themselves. Last summer, I interned for the banking division of Stone Ltd., where I remained behind a desk and advised clients on the optimal ways to cash checks. I am currently president of Duke’s Young Investment Bankers Club, an exclusive, invitation-only club that was recently named the No. 1 Investment Bankers Club in North Carolina by a panel composed of its own members and junior analysts from local banks.

When I was in second grade, I evaluated the market potential of every girl in my class before asking Jane Little to hold hands via text message. As a teenager, my independent babysitting corporation grossed more than $50 a week in profit before it scaled to the neighboring county and maximized tip efficiency for 75 percent year-over-year growth.  

What you can’t discern from my resume, attached as a three-page Word document, is my robust drive to change the world. I live by a simple motto: “Nothing can stop me.” I live every day to its fullest. I want to make the planet a better place, so I am active in social entrepreneurship circles on campus, especially those meeting in or around areas where the PBR flows like money hemorrhaging from TownBank. I understand that Browning McKee has multiple innovative philanthropy initiatives that will stimulate me intellectually and, I hope, socially. I’m confident that the firm’s global sales and trading division will help me tap my fullest potential and give me the best opportunity to leverage my unique skill set.

I can assure you that if I’m honored with the fortune to work for the Gauge Group, I will make it my top priority to work harder, smarter and more efficiently than any other analyst. Complacency is not a word in my vocabulary. Neither is sleep. A motivational poster containing only the word “Synergy” rests above my bed. In short, I will be a tireless servant for Browning McKee.