The fourth industrial revolution is unfolding across the globe. One can see the abundance of data that is generated and available for exploitation.
Billions of dollars are spent analysing and making sense of this data so that corporate behemoths can make more knowledgeable decisions and make better investments to increase their profits. Therefore, the future of Data Analysts and Scientists seems bright.
In its report “Future of Jobs”, the World Economic Forum stated that the roles of Data Analysts and Data Scientists would witness increasing demand in the future, as Data Analyst skills will be highly sought after. Some experts have often likened “Data” to the new “Oil”.
In a vastly populated country like India, there is significant competition for securing such high-paying jobs. Therefore, one is required to convince the potential employers and ensure that one’s Data Analyst resume is strong and well organized.
The first impressions make or break the deal. It is, therefore, important that the resume highlights your experience, strengths and Data Analyst skills. With an impressive, well-designed and to-the-point Data Analyst resume, your chances of getting an interview call increase exponentially.
To create an impactful Data Analyst resume, it is essential to understand the role and attached responsibilities.
Who is a Data Analyst?
Data Analysts are part of most organisations nowadays. They help businesses make critical decisions – which new markets to enter, effective marketing strategy to target customers, new products to launch and old ones to discontinue, mergers, acquisitions, etc.
Gleaning valuable information from data is what a Data Analyst does, and their output is often the basis of differentiating between what is working well for a business and what is not; what path to take, and which ones to avoid; to expand or to maintain status quo, etc.
The primary role of a Data Analystis to analyse and interpret the information available to further the interest of the businesses.
In addition, a Data Analyst may be required to collect and store the data for future use. However, this is primarily a role requiring logical & analytical capabilities.
An organisation’s success depends on the practical interpretation of the available data. Therefore, if the role mentioned above sounds like a good fit, one should also be aware of key responsibilities which come along with the job.
Key Responsibilities
The key responsibilities of the Data Analyst will vary depending on the industry and will be specific to the desired outcome. At large, the duties may include:
- Mining data from various sources
- Organising the mined data into easily readable information
- Interpreting data sets and looking for reoccurring patterns to recognise trends and make calculated predictions
- Generating appropriate reports or summaries for the benefit of leadership’s decision-making process
- Work with multiple stakeholders to understand opportunities and limitations of existing systems
- Identify and define new process improvement opportunities
Some of the responsibilities posted by the employers are in the attached images:-
Types of Data Analysis
In the role of a data analyst, you will be required to analyse data for various outcomes. Therefore, a successful Data Analyst should be able to use multiple analysis methods to further the interests of the business.
Four primary types of analysis are listed below:
- Descriptive Analysis
- Diagnostic Analysis
- Predictive Analysis
- Prescriptive Analysis
Descriptive Analysis
The descriptive analysis is more of a reflective tool. Descriptive Analytics, examines past data sources such as monthly revenue, quarterly sales, income per product, etc. This analysis helps the organisation to witness its past performance.
Diagnostic Analysis
The diagnostic analysis provides an insight into the reasons behind what happened. This helps the organisations in creating connections and identifying patterns of repeated behaviour. This enables the organisation to determine the cause of any positive or negative outcomes.
Predictive analysis
As the name suggests, predictive analysis deals with the future. This is a complex process that is highly dependent on the quality of the data and the consistency of the situation. Using historical data as indicators, along with various assumptions for the future, ‘Predictive analysis’ attempts to foresee data points/ performance of the future.
Prescriptive analysis
Like a doctor prescribes medicine, predictive analytics prescribes the plan of action so as to maximize the potential of any business. This is the most complex form of analysis and requires advanced learning in algorithms, machine learning, etc.
Data Analyst Resume
An effective Data Analyst resume must state the following:
Your contact details:
You must present your contact details well. Since the employers will be contacting you via email or phone number, these are the key details that should never be missed out. Ensure that you mention only one contact email ID and one phone number to avoid any confusion. Share a professional email address. If your email address has childish or inappropriate words, try and create a neutral one for business purposes.
Resume Objective/ Summary
Choosing between writing a creative purpose or a work summary can be difficult. Write a well-defined objective in case you are a fresher or changing your industry.
If you have relevant experience in the field of data analysis, a work summary would give you a better chance of getting noticed. The focus of the work summary statement should be towards answering the question, “What is in it for the employer?”.
Whether you choose to write an objective or a summary, both are seen to be your sales pitch. Hence, this portion of the Data Analyst resume can be qualitative to some extent.
However, the language must be professional, clear and precise, to bring forward your strongest facet to the front. It must be a brief statement (about 20-30 words or so). One should carefully choose impactful and meaningful words to have maximum impact.
Experience
Describing your data analysis experience can be difficult and should ideally be tailored as per the key responsibilities defined by the potential employer in the job description.
Please keep the following pointers in mind:
- Use industry-specific terminology. This showcases your knowledge and expertise.
- Be concise and specific when citing examples. Quantify your experience by citing facts and figures to demonstrate your accomplishments.
- Cite examples that are befitting to the role that you are applying for. A financial Data Analyst role will require different examples vis-a-vis a marketing data analyst.
Education Section
Provide a detailed account of your education starting from the most recent. The placement of this section will largely be dependent on your experience and a relevant degree. In general, the following information should be given:
- Degree type
- Subjects
- University/College with location
- Other relevant achievements
Data Analyst Skills
In a technology-driven industry it is important that you mention technical skills such as tools and software that you are familiar with, and have worked with, in the past. Any skills required for leadership roles should be mentioned in key skills. These are aspects that would help you stand out.
Some soft skills you may include in your Data Analyst resume are listed below:
- Mathematical Skills
- Analytical Skills
- Technical skills
- Problem Solving skills
- Leadership skills, etc.
In case you have experience, or an example that can be cited showcasing any of the above-mentioned skills, the same could be stated in a concise point/ sentence.
Some hard skills that may be included in your Data Analyst resume are listed below:
- Data mining
- Programming language
- Data analysis
- Data warehousing
- Tech support
The following image further showcases some of the hard/ technical skills:
Data Analyst Resume Examples
The following five samples will give you a much deeper understanding of what an effective Data Analyst resume should look like:
Comparison of the Data Analyst Resume Examples:
Similarities:
- Template: The templates used in both the samples are neat and make it easier for the hiring manager to sift through the information
- Objective/ Summary: The objective/ summary works well as the selling point in both the Data Analyst resumes
- Information: The available information is concise and relevant to the job opening
- Experience: Since prior experience is applicable, the information about the same has been provided in detail
- Length: The Data Analyst resume should ideally be a one-page document
Differences:
- Contact Details: The contact detail in ‘Sample one’ is neater and in line with the current trend. The link to the person’s LinkedIn page has been stated in the Data Analyst resume. In case you have an updated Linkedin page that you feel could positively influence the employer, you could add the link in your resume to add credibility to your information.
- Experience: In ‘Sample one’, this section has been quantified at places that show the successful implementation of the skills. ‘Sample Two’ is more qualitative, and ‘wordy’, wherein the hiring manager may skip certain crucial information.
- Skills: The technical skills are mentioned in ‘Sample one’. Giving the candidate a slight edge over the other, who has missed out on saying the same.
- Education, Certifications & Awards: These are stated in the correct format in ‘Sample one’ since the educational qualifications are relevant for the Data Analyst job. In ‘Sample two’, since these are not as relevant, these have not been elaborated upon.
The key to deciding what is to be included and what is to be kept out, in your Data Analyst resume, depends a lot on the kind of role that you are applying for.
Sample 3 – Comparative Analysis of the two samples
When we look at both the Data Analyst resumes, it is evident that the one on the right stands out. However, it will be interesting to note that the information presented in both samples is primarily the same.
Layout & Template
The template on the right side is more structured and adds a hint of colour, making the resume stand out. However, too many colours would have shifted focus from content to design, which is not the desired outcome.
Personal Information
In the ever-changing world, it is important to evolve and learn over time. For example, the resume on the right mentions the Linkedin address, whereas the one on the left mentions the postal address.
Objective
A clearly defined objective is present in the resume on the right, which showcases clarity of thought and action. It also gives a summary of your work experience. These small choices of how one presents the information can take your Data Analyst resume to the next level.
Placement of sections
With an experience of five-plus years in the field of data analytics, the information on experience should ideally be placed first. Always put your education and certifications in one cluster.
Skills
The proficiency of the skills mentioned further strengthens your Data Analyst resume. The resume on the right side shows this information in detail, whereas the one on the left mentions this without substantiating it.
Software
In a technologically advanced field such as data analytics, you must mention your understanding of various software & digital tools. The Data Analyst resume on the right clearly shows whether the knowledge is basic or advanced. Adding these little twists to your resume makes it interesting for the hiring manager to read.
Overall, the Data Analyst resume on the right is far more superior in content, structure and clarity. This sample provides you with a quick – what to do and what not to do, guidance.
Sample 4
Since the primary job responsibility of a Data Analyst is to collate, interpret & represent data, adding a graph to the resume will be a good way to get noticed. A hiring manager spends only a few seconds when looking at a resume. A graph, or some other form of pictorial representation of the information you wish to share in your resume, will make the Data Analyst resume stand out at a glance.
With easy-to-read subheadings, adequate spacing and legible font size, this sample are ideal for a Data Analyst resume.
Sample 5
To make your Data Analyst resume a compelling one, you must follow the proper resume format. Alignment, font size, font style, colour choice, and highlighting are important aspects that need to be considered while editing your Data Analyst resume. Sample 5 shows an appealing resume that is bound to get you the job, or at the minimum, a call for an interview.
How to write your Data Analyst resume
Before you begin writing your Data Analyst resume, it is best to analyse the job description of the role you are aspiring for. Once you understand the key responsibilities, you can select primary keywords and place them across your resume, in sync with the job opportunity.
However, one should never forget that whatever is stated in the resume, is easily verifiable during an interview, so be sure to back your resume entirely. We want you to eventually crack the interview, and not just get a call for an interview.
Stages of Resume Writing
Resumes evolve and experience. While writing a resume, you will go through three stages of writing:
Rough draft
At this stage, you will collate all the information that you would like to add to the resume in one document. After that, the real work starts post this. Once you have the information with you, the biggest challenge will be to decide the order in which you want to present your data. The Data Analyst resume samples above will guide you through this process.
You would have crossed a significant milestone once this stage is complete since all the information would be in one place.
Final Draft
Once the information is shortlisted and you have a rough draft in mind, you can move to the next step.
Finalizing a template
Even though certain job seekers choose to have very creative and colourful resumes which showcase their creative thinking, it may not be ideal for the Data Analyst.
A Data Analyst professional should select a neat template with sober colours, ideally not more than one or two, other than the background. There are many standard templates available in MS Office, and you can also search online to find a template that suits your professional image the best.
Formatting
An ill-formatted resume can be an eyesore and typically showcases a cluttered and callous mind. Check for any formatting errors before finalising your resume.
Even though your resume otherwise may be strong in terms of education and experience, if a hiring manager glances through, it is most likely that a formatting error will be the first thing they see. A resume must impress visually first and in content second.
Language
While writing your Data Analyst resume, use industry-specific terms which showcase your experience and knowledge. It is good to cross-check for any spelling & grammatical errors, as these are an eyesore in a resume and have to be avoided at all costs. The language used should be professional and confident.
Job Specific Data Analyst resume
Once you have a final draft ready, it will take you very little time to tweak your resume to make it more specific for the role you are applying for.
When one sends a generic draft for any Data Analyst job, it in all likelihood will not stand out, as others would have adapted their resumes towards the particular job opening. A hiring manager, looking at many resumes simultaneously, will possibly ignore resumes that have highlighted skills irrelevant to the current role.
Cover Letter
Getting a perfect, well-balanced, detail-oriented Data Analyst resume may not be the only thing holding you back from your dream job. Many hiring managers toss away resumes that are not backed by equally impressive cover letters.
A generic cover letter may not be sufficient to take you to the next step of the interview. A good cover letter should be tailored to fit the job requirements and the philosophy of the organization. Create an exclusive cover letter befitting the job description.
If you choose the cover letter template similar to that of the resume, it will give a cohesive image to the hiring manager.
It is important that you mention a few traits of the organization that are in line with your thoughts and interests. A good place to start would be the company website and read the job description before writing the cover letter.
A little research to find the key person who makes hiring decisions and addressing the cover letter to that person would be ideal. Explain how you fit well into the culture of the organization in your cover letter.
A quick recap of the important points to keep in mind while preparing your resume:
- Choose a template that is neutral and easy to read. Ensure that the design is properly structured, well balanced and aligned.
- Ensure that the information provided is clear and concise. Keep the Data Analyst resume short, ideally one page. Hiring managers don’t like to read bulky resumes, and rarely go on to the second page
- Do not give excessive or irrelevant information. Every minor detail of all the past jobs need not be mentioned. Focus only on relevant work experience.
- Once you have the final draft ready, always scan through it before sharing it with anyone. Before applying anywhere, the resume should be updated with the most recent information. Also, a bit of tweaking may be required specific to the role that you are applying for. Tailoring your resume to the job description will help you in creating a resume befitting the role.
- Ensure that you create a distinction between hard skills and soft skills in your Data Analyst resume.
- Pay close attention to the smallest of details that you are mentioning in the resume. These small details collectively make an extensive resume.
- It is important that you proofread your Data Analyst resume as well as the cover letter.
- Get a senior colleague or friend to have a look at your resume.
- Do bear in mind that most companies use electronic tracking software to scan the resumes initially. It is important that you use the right keywords extracted from the description of the role and responsibilities. This will help you get on to the first short-list.
There has been an increase in the demand for data analysts across the globe. With a demand that surpasses supply, the time is ripe for a change in profession or even for your next big jump.
With a glance at the key pointers and the sample resumes, you are guaranteed to reach your desired outcome of receiving a call for the interview. You are now ready to create your Data Analyst resume and grab the hiring manager’s attention.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q1. Can I become a Data Analyst without experience?
Yes, you can become a Data Analyst as a fresher as long as you possess the relevant knowledge and the skill set. Getting a degree/diploma in an online course in data analysis will be a value add to your Data Analyst resume. Volunteer work and internship experience also count as experience.
Q2. What is the average starting salary for a data analyst?
The average starting salary for a fresher in India is 511,468. An experienced analyst earns a lot more. The salary is largely dependent on the organization and the number of years of experience. After 5-9 years one can expect a relatively stable position. Average mid-level Data Analyst earns at least ₹1,367,306.
Q3. What is the difference between a Data Analyst and a data scientist?
Data analysts and data scientists both work with data. A key responsibility of a Data Analyst is to curate meaningful insights from the available data whereas a data scientist predicts the future based on pre-existing trends and patterns.
Q4. What is a business analyst?
Business analysts examine the data to make strategic decisions whereas data analysts gather, examine and interpret data. Data analysts are only supposed to present the data.
Q5. What are the technical skills required to be a data analyst?
A Data Analyst should have a sound knowledge of programming languages, such as SQL, Python & Oracle. Programming skills are used to analyze data so as to be able to report the findings.
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