how to become a data analyst (2024 Guide)

Data Analyst Resume Examples

BrainStation’s Data Analyst career guide is intended to help you take the first steps toward a lucrative career in data analysis. Learn how to write a great resume for Data Analyst jobs.

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What Are Data Analyst Resumes?

A Data Analyst resume is a brief document that outlines your education, training, and most relevant data analysis skills and experiences. There’s a great demand for data professionals right now—but you first need to convince Hiring Managers that you’re the right fit. A resume presents an organized overview of your qualifications and work experience. A great Data Analyst resumes show employers why you are the best candidate for a job.

Data Analyst Resumes – a Step-by-Step Guide

Follow these steps to create a strong professional resume for a Data Analyst job position:

  1. Write a compelling Data Analyst summary/profile
  2. Describe your data analytics experience and achievements
  3. Add your education and training
  4. List relevant Data Analyst skills
  5. Mention your awards, activities and interests

Before writing a Data Analyst resume, you should start with some initial planning and preparation. Here are a few steps to get started:

Research the company

Every resume you send out should be tailored for a specific job. Browse through the company’s website, social media, and annual report to get an understanding of their work, values, and challenges. Begin thinking about the ways that your Data Analyst expertise could help the company.

Review the job posting

A job posting has key information on what the company is looking for, so keep it nearby as you plan and write your Data Analyst resume. Be sure to include skills and qualifications from the posting and emphasize these on your resume. Some companies use resume-screening software, so remember to include relevant keywords that were listed in the job posting when writing your resume.

Create a list of your data analytics projects

Think back to all your data projects. Create a detailed list of what the project was, the tools/software used, and the outcomes or achievements. This document is also called a master resume. By having an organized list of all your past experiences, you can then select the projects that are most relevant for the particular Data Analyst job you are applying for.

Find a simple and clean template

Choose a resume template that is easy to skim. Simple designs tend to work best. Include adequate white space, consistent formatting, and clear headers.

After you have completed the planning phase, you’re ready to begin drafting. While writing your Data Analyst resume, keep these best practices in mind:

  • Be concise: Your resume should be one page maximum. You do not need to include all your projects and career experiences—focus on your most relevant work and expertise.
  • Use bullet points to stay organized: Bullet points make content easy to read, which is essential when Hiring Managers are skimming through your application. Use clear headings and sections to structure your content.
  • Include action words: Select simple but impactful action words to describe your achievements. Examples of action words are solved, accelerated, enhanced, reduced and advised.
  • Quantify your successes: As a Data Analyst, you know the importance of numbers and metrics. Be sure to include some quantifiable results in your resume. Use specific examples of how your data skills have helped businesses. This will show potential employers the value you can bring to their team.
  • Use accomplishment statements: Instead of describing your past job duties/responsibilities, focus on what you achieved. Use accomplishment statements in the form of action verb + task + result. For example, “Built data visualization of business KPIs using SQL, reducing manual reporting by 30 hours monthly.”
  • Simplify jargon Include relevant technical keywords but avoid overloading your Data Analyst resume with jargon. Make sure that Hiring Managers who may not have a technical background can still understand your career accomplishments.
  • Edit and proofread: After completing a first draft of your resume, set it aside and come back with a fresh pair of eyes. Check over grammar and spelling. Consider also asking a trusted friend or mentor to review your resume. An eye for detail is essential for Data Analysts, so make sure your resume is free from errors.

Getting Started – What Is the Purpose of the Resume?

A Data Analyst resume is a way of introducing yourself to a potential employer and becoming a viable candidate for an open role. Through listing your skills, work experiences and education, employers get a better sense of who you are and what you can bring to their company.

The resume, along with your cover letter, should tell the story of your professional career and work experience as a Data Analyst. While the resume is about your achievements, the document is ultimately for the employer. This means you need to frame your resume around how you can help the company and become a valuable team member. A strong resume will help you move forward in the job application process.

How to Create an Outline for a Data Analyst Resume

Resumes need to be organized and succinct. Follow these writing tips to create a strong and professional Data Analyst resume:

  • Contact information: Include your name, phone number, email, LinkedIn, and GitHub or portfolio.
  • Profile/Summary/Objective: Briefly outline your top skills or professional career achievements and what makes you the best candidate for the role.
  • Experience: Outline your relevant data experience.
  • Projects: Highlight relevant data projects.
  • Education: Include degrees/certificates, along with the school and graduation date.
  • Skills: List technical skills that match the job description.
  • Other Sections: This may include conferences, awards, and additional activities or interests.

What to Include in Your Data Analyst Resume?

Your Data Analyst resume should include a heading, profile/summary, relevant work experience, education, projects, skills, and additional sections as needed.

Heading

At the top of your resume, list basic contact information, including your name, phone number, email address, and link to your portfolio.

Profile/Summary/Objective

The profile/summary/objective is often the first part of your resume that employers read, so it’s important to open strong. In a few sentences, highlight your most impressive and relevant competencies and experiences. Describe why you are qualified and how your data expertise would make you a valuable team member.

Data Analytics Experience

In reverse chronological order, list your most relevant data analysis experience. Start with your most recent position first. For each role, include the job title, company, dates employed, and location. In a few bullet points, describe your top accomplishments and, where possible, use numbers and metrics to quantify your successes. Avoid simply listing job duties. For example, instead of “Analyzed business operation costs,” you could rewrite it as, “Led in-depth analysis of business costs, which helped decrease operating expenses by 20%.”

Education

The education section of your Data Analyst resume should list your post-secondary degrees, including the degree name, major/minor, school name, and date of graduation. You can also include any Data Analyst training or certifications you received outside of college or university. If you are new to the field of data analytics and do not have as much relevant Data Analyst experience, you may want to highlight relevant coursework, academic achievements, scholarships, and extracurricular activities.

Projects

Describe your most relevant projects, along with the tools/programs and skills used. Include the title of the project, your role, and a link to the project.

Skills

List relevant technical skills, with your strongest ones listed first. Refer back to the job description and match your Data Analyst skills with the ones required for the role.

Other

To stand out among job candidates, you can add extra sections that showcase other accomplishments and activities. These sections can include conferences, publications, awards, or interests.

What Skills Should You Put on a Data Analyst Resume?

The skills you list on your Data Analyst resume will largely depend on the role you are applying for. Different companies, industries, and jobs will have varying requirements for a Data Analyst. To determine what is required, refer back to the job description. Match the required skills with your own skillset. You can also include a few additional skills that you think are relevant or will help you stand out.

A few of the top technical skills that many companies look for in a Data Analyst include SQL, Microsoft Excel, R, Python, data visualization (Tableau, PowerBI, Bokeh, Plotly, Infogram), Google Analytics, Adobe Analytics, mathematics, statistical methods and packages, programming, database design, data warehousing, business intelligence platforms, data mining and machine learning.

Data Analyst Resume Template

[NAME]
[Phone Number]
[Email]
[LinkedIn]
[GitHub / portfolio link]

SUMMARY

Enthusiastic Data Analyst with [#] years of experience in [area of expertise]. Skilled in [top skills]. [Major data analytics accomplishment or project]. Eager to help [company name] grow through [how you can help the company].

EXPERIENCE

[Job title, Company]
[Month, Year – Month, Year, Location]

  • [Action word] [skill/task] [result/impact]
  • [Action word] [skill/task] [result/impact]
  • [Action word] [skill/task] [result/impact]

[Job title, Company]
[Month, Year – Month, Year, Location]

  • [Action word] [skill/task] [result/impact]
  • [Action word] [skill/task] [result/impact]
  • [Action word] [skill/task] [result/impact]

EDUCATION

[Degree earned, School name]
[Graduation date]

  • [Relevant courses]
  • [Academic achievements]

SKILLS

  • [Relevant technical skills]

PROJECTS

  • [Project], [Role]
  • [Brief description of project]

ADDITIONAL ACTIVITIES

  • [Conference]
  • [Volunteer experience]