Here are the keywords and skills that appear most frequently on recent Business Analyst job postings. In other words, these are the most sought after skills by recruiters and hiring managers. Go to Sample Templates ↓ below to see how to include them on your resume.
Remember that every job is different. Instead of including all keywords on your resume, identify those that are most relevant to the job you're applying to. Use the free Targeted Resume tool to help with this.
Does your resume contain all the right skills? Paste in your resume in the AI Resume Scan ↓ section below and get an instant score.
Paste your resume below and our AI will identify which keywords are missing from your resume from the list above (and what you need to include). Including the right keywords will help you get past Applicant Tracking Systems (i.e. resume screeners) which may scan your resume for keywords to see if you're a match for the job.
Go through the Business Analyst posting you're applying to, and identify hard skills the company is looking for. For example, skills like Business Analysis, SQL and Requirements Analysis are possible skills. These are skills you should try to include on your resume.
The following word cloud highlights the most popular keywords that appear on Business Analyst job descriptions. The bigger the word, the more frequently it shows up on employer's job postings. If you have experience with these keywords, include them on your resume.
Here are common soft skills that appear on Business Analyst job postings. Unlike hard skills, which refer to tools, software or techniques, soft skills focus on character traits and interpersonal skills. Instead of listing these phrases on your resume, try to show them through your bullet points like in the examples below.
Tip: Do not list these words or phrases on your resume, and instead focus on the hard skills we described above.
Here are examples of proven resumes in related jobs and industries, approved by experienced hiring managers. Use them as inspiration when you're writing your own resume. You can even download and edit the resume template in Google Docs.
Business analyst positions may require more skills and experience than some other jobs do. However, if you’ve interned in business or data analytics, or if you have an educational background in areas such as computer science or math, you can still be a competitive candidate for a business analyst job. Emphasizing these experiences can be a good strategy if you don’t have much professional history.
As an entry-level job applicant, you’re not expected to have a lengthy record of past jobs. A resume like this one puts the focus on relevant work the applicant has done at school or internships so that hiring managers can see evidence of their abilities.
This resume template does a great job of pointing out specific projects where the candidate has analyzed a business, identified an area for improvement, and created a solution. Hiring managers will be glad to see that you’ve done these types of projects.
A technical business analyst works directly with technological systems and processes. They need to be able to pinpoint problems by troubleshooting, testing, debugging, and analyzing software and hardware. When you’re seeking this type of position, your resume should focus heavily on how you’ve used your technical skills to design workable solutions for problems.
In the work experience section, this resume has several examples of bullet-point items discussing specific, measurable achievements in past jobs. For example, pointing out that the applicant “increased app engagement time by 2x and decreased drop off rate by 30%” shows that they have experience with improving apps for a better user experience.
On this resume template, the applicant has the skills section near the top of the resume, and they mention being “advanced” or having “a strong understanding” of specific frameworks and softwares. Being well-versed in systems like SQL and Visual Basic makes you more marketable as a candidate, so it’s wise to highlight these skills.
If you want a senior business analyst job, your resume shouldn’t only show your experience and accomplishments with business analytics; it should also demonstrate that you are highly motivated and have leadership capabilities. If you’ve been promoted in the past, or if you’ve coached or mentored other employees, mention these experiences so potential employers can see that you’ll be a good fit for a leadership role.
Senior positions demand a high level of knowledge and experience. With a resume like this one, you can show how you’ve successfully improved other businesses, led teams, designed workshops, and mentored other analysts -- all responsibilities you might have as a senior business analyst.
This resume template shows the candidate holding two different positions at a previous company. Promotions always look good on a resume, but especially when you have your sights set on a senior position, it’s important to show proof of excellent performance and professional growth.
Agile business analysts specialize in the area of agile software development, which takes a collaborative, responsive approach to resolving software issues. To be a successful agile business analyst, you must be adept at working with a team while also designing excellent software that aligns with the Agile philosophy. Your resume should show that you are flexible, adaptable, and creative in your approach to solving problems.
This resume example is well-tailored to the job title. The applicant’s prior work experience shows that they have led teams and facilitated interactions between people -- and for agile business analyst roles, it’s important to emphasize those interpersonal dimensions of your work history.
All of the bullet points in this resume begin with action verbs such as “designed”, “facilitated”, and “streamlined”. Verbs like these tell recruiters that the candidate has played an active role in their achievements.
A human resources business partner functions as a consultant to a company’s senior management. These professionals provide insights and develop human resources strategies to benefit employees as well as the company itself. If you’re pursuing one of these roles, choose a resume like this one to show that you have previous experience in the field, strong analytical skills, and strategic decision-making abilities.
In this resume template, the bullet points begin with strong action verbs that highlight the candidate’s consultative and managerial skills. Using verbs such as “conducted”, “led”, “established” and “educated” helps show your proactivity and frame your achievements in a favorable light.
Most of the accomplishments mentioned in this resume’s bullet points also include specific metrics (e.g. “saved the company nearly $200,000” or “cut training hours by 5 hours per session”). It’s essential to use specific examples like these to show how your actions and decisions achieved tangible results.
Entry level business development managers can make a big impression even with less experience in the field. This applicant showcases their ability to come up with strategies, find opportunities, and produce new business throughout their application by using strong action verbs. As a result, creativity and innovation are both soft skills that come across well without being directly mentioned.
Even though the accomplishments of an entry level business development manager may not be as robust as an experienced one, they should still be quantified to give the best impression to hiring managers. This applicant does that at every bullet point (at one point even noting the number of states they increased new business in).
Like the executive resume template, this resume utilizes strong action verbs to make each accomplishment impactful. You should aim to include similar verbs (such as “generated”, “landed”, “cut”, and “persuaded”) to impart your proficiency with sales and management.
Here are some of the most popular skills we see on Business Analyst resumes:
Popular skills we often see on resumes for Customer Relationship Management Business Analyst positions include:
In comparison, skills we see on Supply Chain Business Analyst resumes include:
Depending on the specific role you apply to, you may need to emphasize different skill sets. Here are a few examples:
While the keywords above are a good indication of what skills you need on your resume, you should try to find additional keywords that are specific to the job. To do this, use the free Targeted Resume tool. It analyzes the job you are applying to and finds the most important keywords you need on your resume.
It is personalized to your resume, and is the best way to ensure your resume will pass the automated resume filters.
Thank you for the checklist! I realized I was making so many mistakes on my resume that I've now fixed. I'm much more confident in my resume now.
