Data Analyst Resume Examples, Skills, and Keywords

1. Introduce yourself well

First impressions are important. The first thing you say about yourself in your resume is your personal statement, also known as your resume summary. This is the first paragraph after the heading, and it’s often the only part of the resume a hiring manager will read before skimming the rest. Make the most of it by condensing your experience and skills into a few short sentences.

A great data analyst resume example summary is, “Knowledgeable data analyst focused on providing detailed reports and analyses to help guide business decisions at Brown Co. 5+ years of experience include reducing costs of manufacturing facilities by 17%, doubling rate of report generation, and automating 80% of data prep.”

This summary explains exactly what the applicant has done in the past and gives quantitative data to back it up. In the world of data analytics, hard numbers and verifiable metrics are critical measures of success. Including them in your personal statement shows you have the right mindset for the role.

2. Highlight your successes and experience

After you’ve introduced yourself, it’s time to list your experience in the field. This is no time to be humble.

You can use active language to be as clear as possible. Avoid vague terms like:

• ‌Participated in
• ‌Responsible for
• ‌Attended

‌These phrases don’t explain what you actually did. Instead, use active verbs like:

• ‌Managed
• ‌Implemented
• ‌Designed
• ‌Wrote
• ‌Built
• ‌Organized

‌Specific terms let you save space and explain your duties quickly and easily. More importantly, they help you showcase your communication skills by avoiding passive voice and muddy descriptions.

Finally, it’s a good idea to list your experience in reverse chronological order. This method puts your most recent and most relevant experience at the top of the section. Hiring managers can see it at a glance instead of scanning through and possibly missing it.

3. List your certifications appropriately

Many data analysts continue to learn about their field as they continue their careers. If you’ve gotten any certification or taken continuing education courses in data analytics, you should give these certificates their own section. Splitting them out from your education header makes them easier to find and more likely to get noticed.

Common data analysis certificates include:

• ‌Certified Analytics Professional (CAP)
• ‌Associate Certified Analytics Professional (aCAP)
• ‌Harvard University Business Analytics Course
• ‌MCSE: Data Management and Analytics

‌Like your work experience, list these certificates in reverse chronological order, so the most current and presumably most advanced are at the top.

4. Include a skills section your most relevant analytical skills

Data analytics professionals like to be efficient. Adding a skills heading to your resume saves your potential employers some time and effort. They can scan your resume quickly, spot the skills you consider most important, and check for the abilities they need from a possible employee.

Listing your skills also lets you target more data analyst resume keywords. You can list proficiencies that don’t fit into other headings and highlight your most in-demand abilities. Putting your skill with Java and Tableau high in your skills section is a great way to get both ATS filters and hiring managers to pay attention to your application.

5. Don’t forget to proofread and polish your resume

Before you submit your resume, always give it one final glance. Your resume doesn’t have to be a work of modern art, but it should be straightforward and easy to read. Take a moment and make sure that the design isn’t cluttered and information is easy to find. Bullet points and bold and italic fonts are your friends.

You can also take a moment to proofread. If you’ve customized your resume for a specific position, make sure that all the information is correct. Data analysts have to be detail-oriented, so errors in your resume are a red flag for employers.