Organizations depend on analytical insight to make well-informed, data-driven decisions. Your business analyst resume should highlight this ability to harness raw data and transform it into a strategic plan of action, and your skills in communicating with business teams. We’ll cover resume-writing basics and provide expert tips to help you create a document highlighting your unique career achievements.
To write an effective business analyst resume, use a professional template. Your business analyst resume should include the following:
In the resume header, provide your full name, phone number, email address, location, and a link to any online profiles or portfolios. Before sending off your resume, be sure all of your info is up to date so hiring managers can easily schedule an interview.
Your Name
(123) 456-7890
[email protected]
City, State Abbreviation Zip Code
LinkedIn | Portfolio
Your profile, also known as a resume objective, is a brief summarization of your unique experience, skills, and qualifications. It should include a few compelling sentences about your business analyst background. For inspiration on what to write about, look at the job description of the position you’re applying for and match up your skills with the key requirements of the role.
Dedicated and results-driven business analyst with over seven years of experience, excelling in fuel-related systems optimization and renewable energy. Possesses a strong analytical mindset coupled with excellent interpersonal and communication skills. History of leading cross-functional teams, conducting data analysis, and identifying opportunities for process enhancement.
Business analysis is a multifaceted job – dealing with highly technical data and communicating with business teams to share practical steps. This requires a unique fusion of hard and soft skills to be successful in your work. Show hiring managers you have what it takes to navigate technical complexities and contribute to a healthy work culture by including both types of skills on your resume.
Hard Skills | Soft Skills |
---|---|
Agile methodologies | Active listening |
Business intelligence tools | Analytical reasoning |
Data analysis | Communication |
Data warehousing | Creativity |
Process modeling | Decision-making |
Project management | Emotional intelligence |
Requirements gathering | Leadership |
SQL and database management | Negotiation |
Statistical analysis | Research |
Unified modeling language (UML) and use cases | Time management |
Action verbs help to communicate your accomplishments clearly. Instead of listing off your tasks, you can frame them as achievements by using action verbs. This captures the attention of hiring managers and allows you to be concise with your descriptions, avoiding repetitive first-person language. Utilize words like these to enhance your business analyst resume:
Every business is unique in its own right and industry. That means your professional experience section will likely look vastly different from the other over 800,000 business analysts in the job market. However, the same strategies can be used no matter your specialties and past responsibilities.
Your main goal is to show hiring managers what you’ve accomplished in past roles, translating complex data into strategic business insights. Use that knack for data to your advantage by incorporating numbers and metrics into your job descriptions.
Business Analyst, RaceTrac, Atlanta, GA
January 2016 – June 2018
Data is key to understanding the potential of a business. Similarly, numbers help hiring managers understand the potential value you could bring to their team. Use metrics and monetary figures to describe how you’ve done things like optimize data models or reduce business costs. Hiring managers are interested in seeing results, and here’s an example of how you can show yours:
When you gather data for a business, you’re collecting information specific to that organization. Do the same when writing your business analyst resume to understand exactly what a company is looking for. This will help you land the best business analyst position in a fast-growing job market.
Analyze the requirements of the position you’re applying for and pull key details from the job description. Determine how your skills and experience match up and prioritize incorporating that information into your resume.
As a business analyst, your leadership skills help you guide teams through change and make informed decisions. When you emphasize your ability to take the initiative and lead, it instills confidence in hiring managers that you can drive projects forward and contribute to the organization’s goals.
Highlight things like effective communication and project coordination throughout your resume. Discuss your team leadership abilities and how you prioritize improving more than operational efficiency through fostering an innovative and inclusive work culture.
If you’re an experienced business analyst, the reverse chronological resume is ideal. It prioritizes your extensive experience in business analysis and presents your career journey in a clear progression. Your skills and education take on a smaller role overall, allowing your work history to shine.
On the other hand, if you’re lacking professional experience or would rather highlight your skills, the combination format is a good option. This balanced approach emphasizes your many unique analytical and leadership abilities first, with a smaller work history section.
If you understand the core function and daily responsibilities of a business analyst, you can make up for a lack of experience by leveraging unrelated experience as relevant skills. Then, take that understanding further by studying the job description of each role you apply for. Match your existing abilities with those required for the job and customize your resume accordingly.
Internships, mentorship, education, and software knowledge can all help you build out your entry-level business analyst resume. Or, consider earning a certification like the Entry Certificate in Business Analysis. This is a great way to demonstrate your foundational knowledge and prove to hiring managers that you’re a competent early-career candidate.
Most employers want to see at least a bachelor’s degree for a business analyst position. Some common majors include business, finance, economics, and information technology (IT). If you have a higher degree in a relevant major, list that first.
Then, include any role-specific certifications you may have from reputable organizations like the International Institute of Business Analysis (IBBA) or Project Management Institute (PMI). Scrum, Agile, and Six Sigma credentials would also help you stand out from other applicants.
Education
Bachelor of Business Administration (B.B.A.), September 2013 – June 2017
Marquette University, Milwaukee, WI
Certifications
(123) 456-7890
[email protected]
City, State Abbreviation zip code
LinkedIn | Portfolio
Dedicated and results-driven business analyst with over seven years of experience. Background in fuel-related systems optimization and renewable energy. Possesses a strong analytical mindset coupled with excellent interpersonal and communication skills. Leads cross-functional teams, conducts data analysis, and identifies opportunities for process enhancement.
Business Analyst, WEC Energy Group, Milwaukee, WI
July 2018 – present
Business Analyst, RaceTrac, Atlanta, GA
January 2016 – June 2018
Bachelor of Business Administration (B.B.A.), September 2013 – June 2017
Marquette University, Milwaukee, WI
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