How to Write the Best Financial Analyst Resume Possible

Financial Analyst Resume

Financial analysts are an important part of the financial industry as a whole. If you’re interested in getting the financial analyst you want, you need to know how to write a financial analyst resume template that fits your job application. Here’s how.

What Is a Financial Analyst?

A financial analyst is someone who inspects an individual’s or business’s finances and gives them advice on how to make better investment decisions. Financial analysis is an important part of corporate finance, and a senior financial analyst may work with a bank, an investment firm, or directly with a client. A financial analyst job typically requires some experience, especially for a senior management job.

How to Structure Your Financial Analyst Resume

Choosing the right resume format is the first component of creating a great financial analyst resume. Most of the time, the best format for a financial analyst resume will be in the chronological resume format. This format emphasizes work experience, which you typically have to have for even entry-level financial analyst jobs. Here are the sections you can expect to see in your resume regardless of the format you use.

1. Contact information

   Your resume header includes your contact information, including your phone number and email, and your professional portfolio link, such as your LinkedIn profile.

2. Resume summary

   The first section of your financial analyst resume is typically the resume summary. This is a 2-3 sentence paragraph at the beginning of the resume that highlights your most significant achievements and skills. A  resume objective, on the other hand, is most commonly used for entry-level jobs or jobs where you don’t have much work experience, and focuses on skills and your overall career goals.

3. Skills

   Skills are one of the most important elements of financial analyst resume samples. Consider the following skills for this section:

   • Financial modeling and forecasting
   • Financial reporting
   • Managing balance sheets
   • Decision-making
   • Organizing financial data and metrics
   • General financial planning
   • Understanding financial statements
   • Creating valuations
   • Ad-hoc analysis
   • Analytical skills
   • Asset management
   • Data analysis
   • Due diligence
   • Project management
   • Organizing expenditures
   • General financial management
   • Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP)
   • Software knowledge (Oracle, Hyperion, SQL, PowerPoint, Microsoft Office Suite
   • Accounts payable/Accounts receivable
   • Problem-solving skills
   • Pricing knowledge
   • Quantitative and qualitative data
   • Risk management
   • Corporate FP&A (Financial Planning & Analysis)
   • Account reconciliation
   • Creating and organizing spreadsheets

   Financial analyst skills include both hard skills and soft skills. Hard skills, also called technical skills, are the skills you learned in the process of becoming a financial analyst. Soft skills are intangible traits (e.g., problem-solving skills) that are useful for the job.

4. Work experience

   Your work experience section can include up to 10 years of experience. Include all previous work experience you have in the finance industry, with a few bullet points for each job highlighting your top responsibilities and achievements.

5. Education

   A financial analyst typically needs a bachelor’s degree, so include that (or your highest academic achievement) here. You should also put any certifications you’ve earned in this section, such as Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) certification.