Business Intelligence Analyst Resume Example
If you're hoping to start a career as a business intelligence analyst, you'll need experience in creating insightful reports and collaborating with IT. To succeed in your applications for business intelligence analyst roles, you'll need a resume that reflects your relevant skills and experience. In this article, we'll showcase resume tips and examples that can help you create a professional business intelligence analyst resume that catches the eye of hiring managers.
After reading this guide, you'll know what it takes to create a resume that really stands out from other business intelligence analyst applicants. The article will take you through the key steps of creating a resume that presents your key skills, qualities and career achievements in a format that employers favor. It will also help you tailor your resume according to your unique skills and experience level. Read on to access expert insights from Jobseeker that will help you create a winning business intelligence analyst resume.
Key sections for a business intelligence analyst resume
It's essential to include a few core sections in your business intelligence analyst resume, while there are also a few optional sections.
If you have no work experience as a business intelligence analyst or have just started in the industry, you could consider using a functional or skills-based format, which emphasizes your skills and education. Furthermore, a junior resume is more likely to focus on soft and transferable skills, as well as relevant training, internships and volunteer roles.
For those with some prior experience as a business intelligence analyst work experience is the most important element of a resume. Use a traditional, reverse-chronological resume format to emphasize your career timeline and achievements. 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 intelligence 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. Your senior resume will likely be more comprehensive than resumes for more junior roles. You can add extra details about your career, such as awards, publications presentations, professional memberships or certifications.
While the content and format of your resume may vary depending on your experience levels, it's important to always include the following sections:
Resume Header with Contact Details
Your business intelligence 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. Be aware of the amount of space your resume header takes up. You don't want your contact details to take space away from the main content of your resume, so keep this section as brief as possible.
Only include professional, name-based email addresses in your resume header. If you have an old email address that uses nicknames, puns, references to your personal interests or anything else that could appear unprofessional, set up a new email just for your job applications. Finally, always double-check your contact details are correct and up-to-date before sending your resume.
Hailey Martin
hailey.martin@example.com
(111) 222 33 444 55
742 Evergreen Terrace, Springfield, IL
linkedin․com/in/hailey–martin123
Resume Summary
Your resume personal profile is a short, concise paragraph to highlight two or three key skills and achievements in business intelligence analyst roles. You may also see this section named as 'resume summary' or 'resume objective'. Resume summaries tend to focus on your career experience, while resume objectives cover your ambitions and plans for the future. In addition, your objective should highlight why you're an ideal candidate for business intelligence analyst roles by showing key skills and qualities that reflect the job description.
Alternatively, use this section to emphasize your career objectives and explain how and why this role is a suitable step for you at this stage of your career.
A great resume summary should highlight why you're an ideal candidate for business intelligence 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. You can see some positive examples of a resume summary for business intelligence analyst jobs below.
Results-driven Business Intelligence Analyst with a Bachelor of Science in Business Analytics and extensive experience as a Business Intelligence Consultant. Proficient in data analysis, visualization, and reporting, leveraging advanced analytical tools to deliver actionable business insights. Demonstrated ability to identify trends, optimize processes, and support strategic decision-making to drive business growth and efficiency. Skilled in collaborating with cross-functional teams to implement data-driven solutions that align with organizational goals
Business professional with a background in analyzing and understanding data. Worked in roles where I looked at numbers and made charts to help with decisions. Have experience finding patterns and improving how things work. Worked with different teams to use data in ways that match what the company wants to do
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. In the graphic above you can find some negative examples of how to write a resume summary.
Employment History
In the next section, list your employment history focusing on the most relevant previous roles and achievements that showcase your business intelligence analyst skills. For each entry, list the job title, the name of the employer, its location and the dates you worked there. Add each job in reverse-chronological order, starting with your current or most recent role.
In addition, include a few bullet points under each job, highlighting your key achievements so the hiring manager can see how they led to successful outcomes. Back up each point with evidence to show how you meet the job description.
The best resume work experience sections focus only on the most relevant previous jobs, and link each bullet point back to a skill or experience listed in the job description. It's also critical to provide evidence that shows the value you added to each role in a quantifiable way, such as project outcomes, key performance indicators or feedback from customers, colleagues or managers. See below for some good examples of what to include in your resume work experience section.
Business Intelligence Consultant, January 2022 - Present
DataVista Analytics, Dallas
- Led a team to implement a BI solution that increased operational efficiency by 30% and reduced costs by $500K annually
- Developed interactive dashboards and reports, resulting in a 40% improvement in data-driven decision-making across the organization
- Conducted in-depth data analysis to identify key market trends, leading to a 25% increase in sales over two quarters
Business Intelligence Consultant, January 2022 - Present
DataVista Analytics, Dallas
- Managed team projects to enhance business processes and improve outcomes
- Created visual tools to support organizational decision-making
- Analyzed data to identify trends and drive business growth
In the graphic above, you'll see some examples of less effective resume work experience sections. 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 intelligence analyst roles.
If you're applying for business intelligence analyst positions you'll typically need to have a degree. A Bachelor of Science in Business Analytics will usually help your chances of success. You could also list any qualifications that demonstrate your data visualization tools or SQL querying proficiency.
Enter the name and level of the qualification, the institution you studied at, its location and your dates of study or graduation. You can enhance this section by adding bullet points that show any outstanding grades, awards or achievements and any specialist subjects you studied. These details can make you stand out from other candidates.
If you took part in any volunteering or you were a leader or member of any university societies, you could also mention these in your education section.
Bachelor of Science in Business Analytics, 2017 - 2020
Northeastern University, Boston, MA
Skills
Adding a list of your key skills provides a quick reference for the reader of what you can bring to a business intelligence analyst role. Skills such as data analysis techniques or critical thinking are particularly useful for business intelligence analyst jobs. Again, include any skills that match those listed in the job description. Focus particularly on technical skills required for business intelligence analyst jobs and transferable skills that show your qualities as a business intelligence analyst.
How to list hard skills on your business intelligence analyst resume
For your hard skills list, include any technical abilities or specific industry knowledge that's essential to working as a business intelligence analyst. These could be skills gained through work experience or qualifications. Furthermore, an extensive list of hard skills helps to make a compelling case for your business intelligence analyst job applications, as they show employers your understanding of the business intelligence analyst role. If possible, add four or five hard skills that reflect the requirements of the job description. These will boost your chances of success in your applications.
If you want to make a strong impression with your hard skills list, focus on hard skills that align with your specific industry expertise, and that reflect the job description. For inspiration on the right type of hard skills for a business intelligence analyst resume, see below.
- Data analysis techniques
- SQL querying proficiency
- Data visualization tools
Adding soft skills to your business intelligence analyst resume
Soft skills are the personal skills and qualities that make you a good fit for the job. They include transferable skills and strengths that help you settle into the role, adapt to new challenges and build effective working relationships. Indeed, transferable skills are growing in importance in the modern world of work, so make sure you include several of these in your resume. It's best to aim for four or five soft skills that match the job description and reflect your strongest personal qualities.
The strongest resume soft skills sections include a mix of skills that match your best personal strengths, and that reflect the skills listed in the job description. See below for some examples of effective soft skills for a business intelligence analyst resume.
- Critical thinking
- Data storytelling
- Problem solving
Relevant Certifications and Licenses
Your certifications section is the place to mention any relevant professional business intelligence analyst certifications, licenses or qualifications. These might be licenses that show you're qualified to operate certain equipment, or certifications that give you the edge over candidates with otherwise similar career history. Therefore, add any necessary licenses and certifications in this section, along with valid dates so employers can see you're still qualified for the job.
Take a look at some example certifications for a business intelligence analyst resume below:
- Microsoft Certified: Data Analyst Associate, 2022
- Tableau Desktop Specialist, 2022
- SAS Certified Specialist, 2022
Optional Sections
As well as the main sections of a business intelligence analyst resume, optional sections can help you prove your credentials to employers. Add any of the sections below that help you showcase your key skills and experience.
Hobbies and Interests
Hobbies and interests can be a useful way of showing your skills and experience beyond your work and education. These are particularly useful for your resume if you're short of work experience and need to showcase a particular skill or experience. Don't include hobbies and interests in your resume unless they showcase a specific interest or aspect of your personality. You'll want them to add something to your application that you can't add elsewhere.
Volunteer Experience
If you're lacking relevant business intelligence analyst work experience, volunteer work can help to show you still have the relevant skills. Add your volunteer job title or role, the name of the organization, its location and the dates you were involved.
References
It's relatively unusual to include references in a standard business intelligence analyst resume, but they are required occasionally. Check the job advert to see if you'll need to add references to your resume. Before adding any referees to your resume, ask them for their assistance and prepare them for contact by the employer.
Please contact me for a list of references.
Best action words for your business intelligence analyst resume
Add strong verbs to your work experience section to show the hiring manager the impact you made in your previous roles. Choose from the list of words below to increase the impact of your work experience section.
- Analyze
- Interpret
- Evaluate
- Design
- Develop
- Implement
- Collaborate
- Optimize
- Report
- Forecast
If you want to create a resume that stands out from the crowd, use Jobseeker's expert-designed resume templates. You can also find cover letter templates that work to get you noticed by employers.
Example resume for business intelligence analyst applications
The business intelligence analyst resume example below incorporates all the information from above into a full-designed resume template, so you can see how a final resume will look:
742 Evergreen Terrace, Springfield, IL
•
hailey.martin@example.com
•
(111) 222 33 444 55
•
linkedin․com/in/hailey–martin123
Results-driven Business Intelligence Analyst with a Bachelor of Science in Business Analytics and extensive experience as a Business Intelligence Specialist. Proficient in leveraging data to drive strategic decision-making, enhance operational efficiency, and support business growth. Adept at utilizing advanced analytical tools and methodologies to develop actionable insights and comprehensive reports. Strong background in data visualization, predictive modeling, and performance measurement, with a proven track record of delivering impactful business solutions.
Business Intelligence Specialist
2020
-2022
DataInsight Solutions (Anchorage)
- Led implementation of BI tools, increasing data accessibility and decision-making speed by 40%
- Developed predictive analytics models, boosting sales forecasts accuracy by 35%
- Streamlined data reporting processes, reducing report generation time by 50%
Data analysis techniques
SQL querying proficiency
Data visualization tools
Critical thinking
Data storytelling
Problem solving
Microsoft Certified: Data Analyst Associate
Tableau Desktop Specialist
English - Fluent
Spanish - B2
Key tips for a business intelligence analyst resume
- Adapt your resume depending on the job you're applying for. Take a look at the job description and make sure you reference all the required key skills and experience.
- Use reverse-chronological order for your work and education, starting with your most recent employment and education.
- Add your relevant education details, including any high grades such as your GPA or degree result.
- Quantify your accomplishments by providing evidence that shows the impact you've made in your career.
- Use action verbs to showcase how you've put your business intelligence analyst skills to use in your career (e.g. 'analyze', 'interpret', 'evaluate').
- Don't add personal information such as your age, gender, a photo or marital status, as these can lead to bias in the hiring process.
- Don't lie or exaggerate any information on your business intelligence analyst resume, as this can cause you problems further down the line.
- Don't use an email address that contains unprofessional content, and if necessary create a new, more professional email address.
- Don't forget to keep your contact information up to date, to ensure the employer can contact you if necessary.
- Don't list irrelevant work experience as it will likely do nothing for your chances of success.
Tips on creating an ATS-optimized resume
Applicant tracking systems (ATS) help recruiters and employers to streamline their hiring process. They can store and process data, including applications and applicant data, quickly and efficiently. One of the jobs ATS applications are increasingly responsible for is initial candidate screening. The systems can quickly scan and rank resumes based on how closely they match the job description. There are several things you can do when writing your business intelligence analyst resume, to give yourself the strongest chance of ranking highly in the ATS stage and progressing through the recruitment process.
Follow these simple rules when writing your resume, to make sure it's ATS compliant:
- Adopt a traditional structure for your resume, such as a reverse-chronological format or a functional format. These are likely to be the easiest layouts for ATS software to scan.
- Use keywords throughout your resume that reflect the job description, so ATS resume scanners can recognize a strong connection between your skills, and those in the job description.
- Include clear headings that make it easy to identify each section of your resume. This will help any ATS software navigate your resume during the scanning process.
- 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.
- Make sure your resume is as concise as possible, so ATS applications can easily scan and identify the required details.
If you need help creating a professional resume, take a look at our expert career articles and variety of resume examples created by careers experts.
Frequently Asked Questions about a business intelligence analyst resume
Alongside your business intelligence analyst resume, it's important to produce a professional cover letter that creates a similar positive impact on the reader.
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.
A full, formal cover letter follows a traditional letter-writing structure and format. Add your header, the recipient's address an use professional greetings and sign-offs. In your first paragraph, introduce yourself and confirm the role you're applying for, along with your reasons for applying. Next, outline your key skills and achievements that are most relevant to the business intelligence analyst job description. Finish by expressing your enthusiasm for the role and adding a call to action to encourage the hiring manager to contact you for further information.
Jobseeker's HR-approved cover letter templates can help you produce a cover letter that really catches the eye of employers.
Even if you have no work experience, following a few simple tips for your business intelligence analyst resume can ensure you make a strong impression on employers. Use a skills-based resume format to highlight your relevant skills and education. This is more suitable for junior or entry-level roles where you might not have much work experience to showcase. Utilize additional sections at the end of your resume to show you've got what it takes to do the job. These include hobbies and interests, voluntary roles, certifications and internships.
Use a resume headline to make it easy for the reader to start assessing your suitability for business intelligence analyst positions at first glance. Resume headlines are also helpful for the ATS stage of the recruitment process, as they can help you reference the job title and one or two keywords for the role. Write a concise headline including the job title, a reference to your experience or track record and one or two key skills.
See below for an example of a well-constructed resume headline:
- Junior Business Intelligence Analyst
- Data-Driven Business Insights Expert
- Senior Business Intelligence Analyst Expert
The resume format that gives you the best chances of success depends on your experience levels, as well as the type of job you're applying for and its seniority level. If you don't have much experience, for example if you're applying for a graduate role or changing careers, you might consider a functional resume format. This focuses on your skills and education above your work experience. For more senior roles where you have plenty of relevant experience, use a reverse chronological format. This resume structure places work experience at the heart of the document, using it as a showcase for your skills and achievements.
Takeaways for your business intelligence analyst resume
The key to a strong resume is to showcase your relevant skills and achievements through your work experience and other activities. Choose a resume structure that makes the most of your relevant experience, whether through work or other activities, and be sure to tailor your resume to match the job description.
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. To make the best possible impression with your applications, write a cover letter with the help of Jobseeker. You can also find plenty of expert-designed cover letter examples for inspiration.
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/
