Business Analyst Resume Example
Pursuing a career as a business analyst provides opportunities for career progression and responsibilities involving collaborating with IT and analyzing business requirements. To succeed in your applications for business analyst roles, you'll need a resume that reflects your relevant skills and experience. In this article, we'll discuss how to create a business analyst resume that catches the eye of employers, with tips and examples to help you write your own.
The aim of this article is to equip you with all the knowledge required to create a resume that positions you to succeed in your business analyst applications. The guide will show you practical examples of how to structure your resume to show off your best and most relevant skills and career achievements. It will also show you how to tailor your resume according to the job description and your unique skill set. Read on to access expert insights from Jobseeker that will help you create a winning business analyst resume.
Key sections for a business analyst resume
Most resumes contain similar key sections, with a business analyst resume being no different.
If you're applying for junior, entry-level or graduate business analyst positions and you lack work experience, consider using a skills-based resume format to emphasize your skills and education. Likewise, an entry-level resume might focus more on soft and transferable skills, as well as details about internships, voluntary work or relevant training you've completed.
Work experience is typically the most important resume section for business analyst applicants with some prior experience. As such, it's best to use a traditional, reverse-chronological resume format. In your resume work experience section, outline your relevant achievements and showcase the impact you've made in your career to date. Make sure everything you include is relevant to the job description.
If you're applying for senior business analyst positions, you'll want to list career achievements and successes that emphasize your senior status. Use a reverse-chronological format and add extra sections to show key career highlights. Some elements to include in a senior resume for maximum impact might include awards, publications, conference presentations or professional memberships. By adding these sections, it's likely that your resume will be longer than a junior resume.
How you choose to present your resume is up to you. There are plenty of options for a professional resume layout and format, but every application should include the following:
Resume Header
Your business analyst resume header is the place to add your contact details. Start by adding your full name and underneath, include your email address, phone number and location. Adding your LinkedIn profile, if you have one, can help the employer get a better insight into your skills and industry expertise. You don't need to include any additional personal information or a photo. Make sure your resume header is as brief as possible and doesn't take up too much valuable space. Choose a clear, professional design that sets the tone for your application.
Use an email address that's professional and appropriate for professional communication. Typically this would be an email address based on your first and last name, or your initials. If necessary, you could include your profession or another unique identifier. Avoid using old email addresses that could be considered unprofessional or inappropriate. Additionally, always check your contact details before sending your resume to ensure they're up-to-date.
Austin James
austin.james@example.com
(111) 222 33 444 55
1985 Hill Valley, CA
linkedin․com/in/austin–james123
Resume Summary
Next, write a short paragraph to introduce yourself. You could also call this section 'resume summary' or 'personal profile'. In two or three sentences, explain your professional background, achievements and key skills. If you choose to write a resume summary, this focuses on your career experience to date. On the other hand, a resume objective addresses your future plans and career ambitions. In addition, your objective should highlight why you're an ideal candidate for business analyst roles by showing key skills and qualities that reflect the job description.
Alternatively, write a paragraph that concentrates on your career objectives and how this role fits with your wider ambitions and progression.
A great resume summary should highlight why you're an ideal candidate for business analyst roles by showing key skills and qualities that reflect the job description and provide evidence to support them. It should also introduce your personality and unique qualities to the reader, to help them start to form an opinion about you as a candidate. Take a look at some strong examples of how to approach a business analyst resume summary in the graphic below.
Results-driven Business Analyst with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration and extensive experience as a Business Intelligence Analyst. Expertise in data analysis, strategic planning, and process optimization to drive business growth and efficiency. Proven track record in leveraging data insights to inform decision-making and enhance operational performance. Adept at utilizing advanced analytical tools and methodologies to solve complex business challenges. Strong communication and stakeholder management skills, with a commitment to delivering actionable business solutions
Business analyst with some experience in business and data stuff. Worked in roles where I looked at numbers and helped make plans. Have worked with different people to try and make things run smoother. Focused on using data to help make decisions and improve how things work. Good at talking to people and finding solutions to problems
Conversely, a bad resume summary might be too generic, lacking focus on the specifics of the job description. It will also fail to provide any useful insights on what makes you a unique candidate. The visual above includes some examples of what not to do with your business analyst resume summary
Work History
In the next section, list your employment history focusing on the most relevant previous roles and achievements that showcase your business analyst skills. Add each previous employment in reverse-chronological order. This means starting from your current or most recent role and working back in time from there. Include your job title, the company name, the location of the job and your dates of employment.
Also include some bullet points for each job mentioned, showcasing your achievements so the employer can see the impact you made on the company. Pay attention to the job description and make sure each point is relevant to business analyst roles.
A successful resume work experience section will always showcase skills and experience relevant to the job description, and how you put each to good use in your previous roles. Offering quantifiable evidence in a business analyst resume proves you're a strong candidate for the job, such as client feedback, project outcomes, KPIs or financial results. See below for some good examples of what to include in your resume work experience section.
Business Intelligence Analyst, January 2022 - Present
DataVision Analytics Ltd, Riverside
- Developed and implemented data visualization dashboards, reducing report generation time by 50%
- Conducted in-depth market analysis, identifying key trends that led to a 15% increase in revenue
- Automated data extraction processes, improving data accuracy and saving 10 hours per week in manual reporting tasks
Business Intelligence Analyst, January 2022 - Present
DataVision Analytics Ltd, Riverside
- Improved processes to enhance efficiency and productivity
- Conducted research to support business strategies and objectives
- Collaborated with teams to drive project success
Above, you can see a weaker example of a resume work experience section to best avoid. A poor resume work experience section would typically use vague descriptions of activities in previous jobs, while focusing too much on responsibilities rather than achievements. Failing to focus on the skills and experience that match the job description is likely to harm your chances of success.
Education
In this section list any educational qualifications or degrees that are relevant to business analyst roles.
Typically, working as a business analyst requires a university or college degree, which you'll need to list on your resume. If you're working in this sector, it's usually a good idea to highlight your Bachelor of Science in Business Analytics degree or other relevant qualifications. Focus on qualifications that showcase your data analysis tools or SQL proficiency.
List every relevant qualification, including the name and level of the course, the name of the school, college or university, its location and your graduation date. Include bullet points to show any specialist modules you studied, awards or exceptional grades and achievements that can set you apart from other candidates. These will all contribute to creating a positive impression on employers.
If you organized or participated in any clubs or societies while at university, or you took part in any voluntary work, you could also mention these here.
Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, 2017 - 2020
Auburn University, Auburn, AL
Skills
In your skills section, list any skills you've acquired or developed that are relevant to business analyst positions. Consider adding financial modeling, critical thinking or any other necessary skills for the job. Additionally, read the job description to make sure your skills match those required for business analyst positions. You could also include some unique skills that help you stand out as a candidate.
Showcasing hard skills on your business analyst resume
Under hard skills, add any specialist skills you possess that are specifically required for business analyst jobs. These tend to be technical skills and industry knowledge essential to the position. Furthermore, your list of hard skills provides a strong indication to the reader of your expertise in business analyst roles, and how well you'll fit into the position. Add up to five key hard skills that show you're an ideal candidate for the role. It can also be beneficial to add context to each skill, showing how you've used it to positive effect in your career to date.
The best resume hard skills sections focus on specific technical skills necessary for the job, showcasing skills that you have particular expertise in. There are some examples of valuable hard skills for a business analyst resume below.
- Data analysis tools
- SQL proficiency
- Financial modeling
How to list soft skills on your business analyst resume
Soft skills are your transferable skills and personal qualities that make you a good match for a business analyst position and the organization. Soft skills tend to be more universal than hard skills, and can often apply to multiple jobs and industries. Indeed, transferable skills are growing in importance in the modern world of work, so make sure you include several of these in your resume. You should generally look to include up to five soft or transferable skills that match the job description.
An effective business analyst resume soft skills section should be targeted to include skills that reflect your personality and unique characteristics, while also matching the job description. The graphic below includes some examples of good resume soft skills.
- Critical thinking
- Problem-solving skills
- Effective communication
Licenses and Certifications
Under certifications and licenses, add any further qualifications that show you're a good fit for the job. Add any official certifications or accreditations that increase your level of qualification and suitability for working as a business analyst. Therefore, include the details of any licenses and professional certifications required for business analyst roles, along with completion dates so employers can see you're up-to-date.
See below for some suggestions of relevant certifications for a business analyst resume:
- CBAP Certification, 2022
- PMI-PBA Certification, 2022
- IIBA-AAC Certification, 2022
Optional Information
In addition to the core sections of a business analyst resume, there are several optional sections you could include to enhance your chances. Choose any optional sections that showcase essential or desirable skills or experience for business analyst jobs.
Hobbies and Interests
Add any hobbies and interests that reinforce your credentials for the position. Your hobbies and interests are useful for a business analyst resume if you want to show a different side to your personality, or to stand out among other candidates. They can also be valuable if you're a junior candidate without much relevant work experience. Think about adding hobbies and interests to your resume if they add some insight into your personality that you can't express elsewhere in your application.
Volunteering
This section can be valuable for a business analyst resume, if you've done any voluntary work that showcases your relevant skills. Add any voluntary roles, including your position, the name of the organization, the dates of your voluntary work and a brief explanation of your responsibilities and achievements.
References
References aren't a standard business analyst resume section, but employers do sometimes ask for them. Check the job advert and only include them if requested. Only include referees that you've had prior approval from, and notify them to expect contact from the employer.
References can be provided upon request.
Best words to use in a business analyst resume
Start each bullet point in your work experience section with a strong verb to show actions you took. Choose verbs from the suggestions below that highlight your key skills or those mentioned in the job description.
- Analyze
- Research
- Evaluate
- Document
- Facilitate
- Coordinate
- Recommend
- Interpret
- Design
- Implement
Jobseeker's resume templates were created by careers experts to help you produce a professional resume in minutes. You can also find cover letter templates to complete an eye-catching job application that gets you noticed.
Example of a business analyst resume
Using each of the sections above, we've created this example business analyst resume, to help guide you when creating your own:
1985 Hill Valley, CA
•
austin.james@example.com
•
(111) 222 33 444 55
•
linkedin․com/in/austin–james123
Experienced Business Analyst with a Bachelor of Science in Business Analytics and a strong background as a Business Intelligence Analyst. Skilled in data analysis, reporting, and visualization, with a proven ability to translate complex data into actionable insights to drive business decisions. Proficient in SQL, Python, and various BI tools such as Tableau and Power BI. Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with a keen eye for detail and a commitment to continuous improvement.
Business Intelligence Analyst
2020
-2022
DataSight Solutions (Laredo)
- Implemented BI solutions, reducing reporting time by 50% and increasing data accuracy for decision-making by 30%
- Designed and maintained dashboards that improved operational efficiency, resulting in a 20% increase in departmental productivity
- Conducted data analysis leading to actionable insights, directly contributing to a 15% revenue growth within one fiscal year
Data analysis tools
SQL proficiency
Financial modeling
Critical thinking
Problem-solving skills
Effective communication
CBAP Certification
PMI-PBA Certification
English - Fluent
French - B2
Quick tips for a business analyst resume
- Tailor your resume for each application you send. Review the job description and adapt the content to reflect the specific requirements, including key skills and experience.
- Choose a resume format that's clear, professional and makes your resume as readable as possible. Pay particular attention to the font, line spacing, heading and margins to make your document as easy-to-read as possible for employers.
- Kick off your business analyst resume with a strong summary or objective statement that highlights your key skills and achievements.
- Use action verbs to showcase how you've put your business analyst skills to use in your career (e.g. 'analyze', 'research', 'evaluate').
- Reference your key qualifications and educational achievements, including grades if these help you stand out from other candidates.
- Don't list irrelevant work experience as it will likely do nothing for your chances of success.
- Don't use passive language because it's less engaging for the reader. Change phrases like 'the target was exceeded' to 'I helped the team exceed the target'.
- Don't include any personal details, such as a photo, your age or marital status. These can create unwanted bias in the recruitment process.
- Don't use overly decorative formatting and layouts that can detract from the content and make your business analyst resume harder for scanning by applicant tracking systems (ATS).
- Don't use an unprofessional email address. Instead, opt for a simple email address based on your name.
Guide to making your resume ATS-friendly
Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) are one of the key ways recruiters and employers manage the hiring process. The systems can screen candidates by scanning and ranking resumes based on each candidate's likely suitability for the vacancy. There are several things you can do when writing your business analyst resume, to give yourself the strongest chance of ranking highly in the ATS stage and progressing through the recruitment process.
Here a some simple tips to follow for an ATS-friendly resume:
- Opt for an established, traditional resume format such as a reverse-chronological or functional structure. These will ensure your resume includes all the necessary details ATS systems scan for.
- Use of job description keywords throughout your resume will help it rank higher in the ATS scanning stage, as it will more closely match the requirements laid out in the job description.
- Using clear, simple headings makes it easier for an ATS application to scan your resume, as it can easily identify what's in each section of your document.
- Adopt a resume design that uses clear, professional design principles and leaves white space for your content to breathe. Use the most readable fonts and incorporate subtle design elements to enhance the readability of your document.
- Use simple, concise language to keep your resume to a maximum of one to two pages in length. This will make it easier for ATS software to read.
For advice and guidance on creating the perfect resume, read our expert career blog and check out our detailed resume examples.
Frequently Asked Questions about a business analyst resume
Now that you know how to write a professional business analyst resume, you might also want to learn how to write an accompanying cover letter that makes a similar impact.
Check the job description to see whether a full, formal cover letter is necessary. In some situations, it might be more suitable to simply send a brief email to introduce yourself and accompany your resume.
If you choose to write a full cover letter, follow traditional letter-writing conventions surrounding greetings, sign-offs and use of professional language. The body of the cover letter tends to be three paragraphs. The first introduces yourself and the role you're applying for, giving reasons for your application. The second briefly covers your key skills and achievements that are most relevant to business analyst roles. Finally, the third paragraph re-emphasizes your interest in the role and leaves a call to action, encouraging the employer to reach out to you.
You can create a professional cover letter in just a few simple, easy-to-follow steps using Jobseeker's tried and tested cover letter templates.
There are plenty of ways to still make a positive impression with your business analyst resume, even if you lack relevant work experience. Opt for a skill-based resume format instead of a traditional layout. This places your skills and education in a more prominent position on your resume. Make the most of additional sections such as hobbies and interests, volunteer work, certifications and internships. These can help you showcase skills that you've developed outside traditional work settings.
A strong resume headline can give the reader an immediate idea of your suitability for business analyst jobs. A well-written resume headline is also a way to increase your chances of passing the ATS resume scanning stage, by referencing keywords that match the job description. Write a few words to set the tone for your resume, including the job title, your experience or track record and one or two key skills that make you stand out.
See an example resume headline below:
- Junior Business Analyst Seeking Opportunities
- Data-Driven Business Strategy Expert
- Senior Business Analyst Expert Strategist
The most suitable resume format for you depends on two crucial factors. Firstly, whether you have a body of relevant work experience. Secondly, the type of job and its seniority level. For applicants without much relevant work experience, a functional resume format tends to be best. This places the emphasis on your key skills and relevant qualifications. On the other hand, if you're experienced in your industry or applying for senior positions, a traditional, reverse chronological resume format is usually best. This places most emphasis on your work experience.
Takeaways for a winning business analyst resume
An effective resume is a concise, professional summary of your relevant skills and career achievements, showcased through a chronology of your career history. Select a resume format that suits your experience levels and the job you're applying for, and make sure you tailor your resume for each application.
Jobseeker has a wealth of resume tools, including resume templates and examples, to help you create a winning job application. Sign up today to get started. Whether you're a junior or senior candidate, a professional cover letter can help to grab the attention of the employer. Jobseeker's cover letter examples were created by careers experts to provide useful tips and ideas for your cover letter.
Sources:
(1) Tips for Writing a Federal Resume, U.S. Department of Labor: https://www.dol.gov/general/jobs/tips-for-writing-a-federal-resume
(2) Resume Tips, Duke University: https://careerhub.students.duke.edu/resources/resume-tips/
