Madison-Davis, LLC

💡 The 10-Second Resume Rule | Credit Analysts – ABS / Securitization This builds on my earlier “10-Second Resume Rule” post for Credit Analysts — but today I'm diving into one of the most in-demand specialties: ABS & Securitization. After a few quieter years, activity in this space has picked up again. I’m currently recruiting across front-office origination, second-line credit, and buy-side roles — if this is your area, now’s a great time to update your resume. When it comes to ABS, hiring managers care about two things — what products you work with and who your firm sources loans from. Make both instantly clear. 1️⃣ ASSET CLASS EXPOSURE This is the first thing hiring managers scan for. Be specific about the assets you analyze and where your experience fits across the securitization market. Core ABS: - Auto, Credit Card, Student Loan, Consumer Loan → Covering multiple shows broad consumer credit expertise Mortgage-Backed Securities (MBS) - RMBS - CMBS → Indicate whether you focus on residential or commercial Structured Credit: - CLOs, CDOs, or similar loan vehicles → Highlight deal structuring, tranche analysis, and portfolio risk management. Esoteric / Specialty ABS: - Equipment, Fleet, or Aircraft Leasing - Solar / Renewable Energy - Bespoke / Private Financing Structures → “Esoteric” experience stands out — showing adaptability across emerging or niche asset types. 2️⃣ COUNTERPARTY & LOAN SOURCING EXPOSURE Equally important is showing where the collateral comes from and who you work with. It tells hiring managers how close you are to the origination flow and credit risk at the source. - Private Credit Funds – forward flow or warehouse programs - Banks / Non-Bank Lenders – participations, co-lending, or loan sales → You don’t need to name names — just describe the counterparties or origination channels clearly. As always, your TITLE sets the stage. Even if your firm uses broad titles, add product and functional context: - VP, Credit Officer – Auto & Consumer ABS - Associate, Credit Risk – RMBS / CMBS - Director, Underwriter – Specialty Finance ABS As mentioned in my original Credit Analyst post, add a “Selected Transactions” section, highlighting both your product & counterparty exposure. Hiring managers love tangible deals — it connects your experience to real market activity. Examples 👇 - $1B CLO Warehouse Facility – private credit fund collateral; managed performance tracking, risk metrics, and rating agency interaction - $400MM Consumer Loan ABS – fintech marketplace loans; conducted stress testing, data validation, and performance monitoring 🔁 The 10-Second Resume Rule Series 1️⃣ Intro Post – The 10-Second Resume Rule 2️⃣ Credit Analysts Overview 3️⃣ Operational Risk & Business Risk 4️⃣ Model Risk & Risk Analytics 5️⃣ Operational Resilience 6️⃣ Credit Analysts – ABS / Securitization (this post) #ResumeTips #ABS #Securitization #CreditRisk #StructuredFinance #InvestmentBanking #BankingCareers #FinancialServices

💡 The 10-Second Resume Rule | Operational Resilience Continuing my “10-Second Resume Rule” series, today I’m diving into Operational Resilience. There’s high demand for Operational Resilience talent across banks. I’ve supported these roles in both 2nd Line Operational Risk teams and 1st Line Operational Resilience teams, and I’ve seen regulatory pressure continue to push firms to build out these capabilities. From a career perspective, working in Business Continuity or Operational Resilience from a 2nd Line oversight role is strategic and highly fulfilling. It can also be a stepping stone into 1st Line Operational Resilience teams, where you implement the programs you once advised on. Here’s what hiring managers want to see in 10 seconds: 1️⃣ Role & Line of Defense – Are you providing oversight (2nd Line) or implementing programs (1st Line)? Clarify if you sit in a broad Risk or Operational Resilience team, or within a subset: - Business Continuity - Data Resilience - Disaster Recovery - Technology Resilience - Third Party Resilience 2️⃣ Function Focus – Be specific about your work: - Scenario testing - Incident response - Creation of continuity plans - Risk assessment - Framework governance - Resilience policy development - Crisis management - Communication with Business, Risk, and Resilience subset teams 3️⃣ Coverage Areas – Highlight your scope: - Which business units you partner with - Firm-wide or division-specific responsibilities - Which Resilience subset(s) you are responsible for 4️⃣ Impact & Outcomes – Show measurable results: faster recovery times, reduced risk exposure, successful audits, or improved regulatory readiness. Most resumes are too general — be more specific: Example ❌ “Managed operational resilience program.” ✅ “Oversaw and challenged Operational Resilience plans across Business Continuity, Data, and Technology Resilience; led scenario testing and incident response exercises. **Bonus Tip** The growth in this space is largely driven by regulatory pressure. Adding knowledge or experience with regulations like EU’s Digital Operational Resilience Act (DORA) can signal that you understand industry standards. 🔁 The 10-Second Resume Rule Series 1️⃣ Intro Post – The 10-Second Resume Rule 2️⃣ Credit Analysts Overview 3️⃣ Operational Risk & Business Risk 4️⃣ Model Risk & Risk Analytics 5️⃣ Operational Resilience (this post) #ResumeTips #OperationalResilience #OperationalRisk #BusinessContinuity #DisasterRecovery #DataResilience #TechnologyResilience #ThirdPartyResilience #RiskManagement #BankingCareers

💡 The 10-Second Resume Rule | Model Risk & Risk Analytics Model Risk is one of the most technical areas within Risk Management, yet many resumes fail to clearly communicate the depth and scope of that expertise. After reviewing hundreds of Model Risk and Quant Analytics resumes over the years, one thing stands out: The best candidates make complex work simple to understand. They communicate their expertise in a way that both hiring managers and non-quants can grasp within seconds. Here’s what to make instantly clear 👇 1️⃣ Function — Are you focused on Model Development, Model Validation, Model Governance, or Risk Analytics? • Model Development – Are you building models from scratch or enhancing existing model templates? • Model Validation – Are you independently testing, benchmarking, and challenging model performance and assumptions? • Model Governance – Are you designing frameworks, policies, and procedures to oversee the model lifecycle? • Risk Analytics – How are you leveraging your business or risk expertise to interpret model outputs and drive impact with the business or leadership? 2️⃣ Model & Data Type — Which models do you specialize in? Examples: • Market Risk (VaR, SVaR, Time Series, etc.) • Commercial Credit (PD, LGD, EAD, Credit Rating models) • Consumer Credit (Scorecard & Loss Forecasting) • Liquidity, Capital, or Regulatory (CCAR, CECL, Basel, Stress Testing) 3️⃣ Technical Depth — What’s your coding proficiency and how do you apply it? • Can you write and debug code, review code, or primarily interpret results and translate them for business leaders? • List your technical stack clearly (Python, R, SAS, SQL, MATLAB, or ML techniques) 4️⃣ Communication & Stakeholders — Who do you interact with most? • Many people overlook this, but it’s just as important as your technical skill set. • Do you challenge developers, partner with the business, or present model outcomes to senior leadership and regulators? As always, your title is the first clue. Even if your firm uses generic titles like “VP, Quantitative Risk”, you can clarify your role and focus by adding functional and domain context: Examples: • VP, Model Validation (Market Risk) • Director, Model Development (Consumer Credit) • AVP, Model Governance (Capital & Basel Models) • Quantitative Risk Analyst (Liquidity & ALM Models) *Bonus Tip*: If you’re looking to pivot within Model Risk, for example, from Validation into Development, make that aspiration clear. Highlight transferable experience, such as building challenger models or collaborating closely with developers. That shows initiative and a broader understanding of the model lifecycle. Make your resume speak clearly and quickly to both technical and non-technical readers. Small changes. Big results. #ResumeTips #Recruiting #ModelRisk #RiskAnalytics #QuantitativeRisk #ModelValidation #ModelGovernance #FinancialServices #RiskManagement #BankingCareers

💡 The 10-Second Resume Rule | Credit Analyst Every day, I review hundreds of resumes from Credit Analysts and Underwriters. Even after 10 years specializing in this space, I’m still surprised by how many resumes make it difficult to tell what the person actually does. Here’s the reality: most hiring managers make up their minds within seconds of opening a resume. They’re busy — balancing their day jobs with hiring — and if it’s not immediately clear what you do and why you’re a fit, they’ll move on. Ten seconds may be all you get. So how do you stand out? As a Credit Analyst, there are 3 things you need to make crystal clear right away: 1️⃣ Seniority — What’s your level? (Analyst, Associate, VP, etc.) 2️⃣ Function — Where do you sit in the credit process? (Underwriting, Structuring, Portfolio Management, Credit Approval, Credit Review, etc.) 3️⃣ Focus Area — What products or industries do you cover? (Corporate Lending, Project Finance, Energy, Real Estate, etc.) The best way to communicate that quickly is through a descriptive job title. Your title tells a big part of your story and frames how the rest of your resume is read. Obviously, you can’t change your official title, but you can clarify it by adding your corporate level, functional title, and product or industry group. Examples: - VP, Credit Officer (Project Finance) - Director, Credit Review (Wholesale Corporates) - AVP, Credit Analyst (Commercial Real Estate) - VP, Underwriter – C&I Portfolio (Middle Market) A strong title, however, only gets you so far without substance behind it. Your bullets need to reinforce your role and expertise. Here’s what hiring managers (and recruiters like me) look for right away 👇 1️⃣ Function — What’s your role in the credit process? (Structuring | Underwriting | Writing credit applications | Financial modeling | Reviewing memos | Approving transactions) 2️⃣ Type of Financing — Are you covering Corporate Lending, Project Finance, Leveraged Finance, Securitizations, or something else? 3️⃣ Industry Focus — Which sectors are you lending to? Healthcare, Energy, Real Estate, Industrials, etc. 4️⃣ Deal Profile — What’s the size and type of transactions you’re involved in? (Syndicated facilities, club deals, bilateral loans, or structured/specialty transactions — and deal sizes if possible.) **Bonus Tip** Add a short “Selected Transactions” section beneath your bullets. Highlight 3–4 deals with a one-line summary — industry, deal size, structure, and your specific role. This does 2 things: 1️⃣ Gives hiring managers tangible context and credibility, increasing your chances of getting selected to interview. 2️⃣ Helps guide the interview toward the deals you know best, increasing your chances of landing the job. Your title sets the stage, your first few bullets deliver the key information, and your Selected Transactions bring your experience to life. Small changes. Big results. #ResumeTips #Recruiting #CreditRisk #Underwriting #CorporateBanking

💡 The 10-Second Resume Rule Would your resume survive the 10-second scan? After more than a decade recruiting across Corporate & Investment Banking and Risk Management, I’ve read thousands of resumes, from Analysts to Managing Directors, and I’ve learned one simple truth: Hiring managers make up their minds in about 10 seconds. I’m starting a new series called “The 10-Second Resume Rule” where I’ll share resume tips tailored to the areas I specialize in: Credit Risk, Operational Risk, Third Party Risk, Underwriting, and more. Here’s why I’m doing it 👇 Everyone today is focused on “beating” AI scanners and keyword filters. But what most people forget is that even after you get through the system, your resume still needs to impress a human being — usually a hiring manager who’s scanning dozens of resumes between meetings. And there’s nothing worse than a bombardment of buzzwords when all they want is a clear, direct summary of what you actually do. If your resume doesn’t quickly show your function, level, and product or industry focus, it might not survive that first 10-second glance, even if you’re the perfect fit. That’s what this series is all about: helping you improve your resume so you stop getting overlooked and start getting interviews. ✅ Making your experience instantly understandable ✅ Being concise and avoiding long paragraphs ✅ Structuring your titles and bullets to grab attention ✅ Standing out in a stack of “optimized” but unclear resumes First up: 👉 The 10-Second Resume Rule | Credit Analysts Stay tuned — that post is coming next. #Recruiting | #ResumeTips | #RiskManagement | #CorporateBanking | #InvesetmentBanking | #BankingCareers | #FinancialServices | #CreditRisk | #Underwriting