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50+ Finance Resume Examples - Here's What Works In 2024

To break into finance, you need a strong resume that highlights your experience in the industry. if you need inspiration, look no further — we've provided a ton of downloadable resume samples that you can use as a starting point for your own finance resume..

Choose a category to browse Finance resumes

We've put together a number of free Finance resume templates that you can use. Choose a category depending on your field, or just scroll down to see all templates.

Bookkeeper Resumes

The bookkeeping field is wide open for those with a knack for numbers and a desire to help companies keep an accurate perspective of their finances. Learn how to make your bookkeeper resume stand out as we review four templates for bookkeepers from a variety of backgrounds and delve into key tips to keep in mind.

Full Charge Bookkeeper

Senior Bookkeeper

Entry Level Bookkeeper

Bookkeeper Office Manager

Investment Banking Resumes

Investment banking can be a lucrative but also very demanding career where only the best of the best succeed. This guide has been created to help you create a resume that will stand out among the sea of impressive resumes recruiters see every day. We will define 5 investment banking positions, show you a strong resume sample for each, and give you pointers to help you elevate your resume and secure that interview.

Investment Banking Associate

Investment Banking Managing Director

Investment Banking Vice President

Investment Banking Executive Assistant

Financial Analyst Resumes

Great financial analysts can help companies thrive. We’ve got six sample resumes here to help you snag a job in 2023 (Google Docs and PDFs attached).

Senior Financial Analyst

Entry Level/Junior Financial Analyst

Investment Analyst

Portfolio Manager

Real Estate Financial Analyst

Financial Analyst Intern

Senior Portfolio Manager

Accountant Resumes

Accountants are key players in the daily operations of most businesses. We cover what you need to know to land an accounting job in 2023 (Google Docs and PDFs attached).

Accounting Clerk

Accounting Manager

Senior Accountant / Accounting Executive

Entry Level Accountant

Staff Accountant

Cost Accountant

Payroll Accountant

Accounting Assistant

Tax Accountant

Accounting Specialist

Junior Accountant

Project Accountant

Public Accountant

Fund Accountant

Senior Tax Accountant

Property Accountant

Experienced Accountant

Construction Accountant

Fixed Asset Accountant

Corporate Accountant

Revenue Accountant

Chief Accounting Officer

Director of Accounting

Equity Research Resumes

Equity researcher analysts are the advisers of the securities industry. They make sure decision-makers have the best information to make the best decisions. This guide will show you how to craft a resume that will impress recruiters.

Equity Research Analyst

Equity Research Senior Analyst

Director of Research

C-Level and Executive Resumes

No company can run smoothly without top C-level executives. If you’re applying for one of these demanding roles, you’ll need a resume that speaks for itself — and we can help. In this guide, you’ll find resume examples for any C-suite role as well as key industry-specific tips and insights.

Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) - 1

Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) - 2

Chief Information Officer (CIO) - 1

Chief Information Officer (CIO) - 2

Chief Financial Officer (CFO) - 1

Chief Financial Officer (CFO) - 2

E-Commerce Chief Financial Officer

Chief Marketing Officer (CMO)

Chief Financial Officer (CFO)

Chief Information Officer (CIO)

Financial Advisor Resumes

The financial advisor career path can be both stable and rewarding, especially if you have an affinity for numbers and data entry. This guide discusses three financial advisor resume templates and provides tips on writing your resume, along with highlighting strong action verbs and skills to include.

Financial Aid Advisor

Entry Level Financial Advisor

Procurement Resumes

Procurement professionals are vital in an organization and need a balance of skills to thrive. They must be great communicators and negotiators and also sticklers for the budget. This guide will show you how to highlight the skills and qualifications in your resume that recruiters will most certainly be looking for.

E-Procurement Manager

Procurement Engineer

Senior Director of Procurement

Procurement Manager

Procurement Specialist

Procurement Analyst

Sourcing and Procurement Consultant

Auditor Resumes

While getting audited can sound like a terrifying ordeal, auditors’ work is actually vital for the health and long-term success of a company. Auditors will help a company cross their ts and dot their I’s when it comes to their financial documents. They ensure that everything is done correctly and that everything adds up. This guide will highlight auditor titles, give strong resume samples of each, and provide suggestions on how you can craft your own successful auditor resume. Let’s get started.

Senior Auditor

Staff Auditor

External Auditor

Night Auditor

Government Auditor

Financial Controller Resumes

Financial controllers are sometimes called company historians and are responsible for a company’s financial functions and records. This is a high-ranking position and requires high qualifications, extensive experience, and a high level of trust. This guide will specify the requirements and expectations for specific financial controller positions and give you some tips and resume samples to help you create a stellar financial controller resume.

Business Controller

Assistant Controller

Corporate Controller

Risk Management Resumes

Risk managers are the bodyguards of a company. It is their job to investigate, identify and analyze potential risks to a company and offer solutions to safeguard against any negative outcomes. Like bodyguards, they must be perceptive, resourceful, and trustworthy. In this guide, we will show you 4 resume samples for 4 risk management positions, and give you some tips to help you create an effective resume of your own.

Risk Analyst

Health Care Risk Manager

Financial Risk Manager

Accounts Payable Resumes

Every business has monetary transactions. They may better understand their development and improve their operations by keeping track of these transactions. To do so, they need an account-payable team! Within this guide, we created downloadable resume templates to show what a successful accounts payable resume can look like. Our tips add a professional touch to resumes, so ensure to use them!

Accounts Payable Supervisor

Accounts Payable Clerk

Accounts Payable Officer

Accounts Receivable

Internal Audit Resumes

Internal auditors enhance the company’s productivity by restructuring operations. Yet, one of their most important roles is to make sure the company follows legal compliance. Most organizations are visited by an external auditor once in a while. If they identify issues in the internal controls, the company may face serious legal issues. That’s why the internal auditor’s responsibility is to prevent problems in the internal controls. The demand for auditors is expected to increase by up to seven percent. That’s why building a persuasive and efficient internal audit resume is crucial. This guide will help you do just that. We’ll share some resume examples and give you tips to help you develop your internal audit resume.

Senior Internal Auditor

Purchasing Manager Resumes

Purchasing managers are the head of the purchasing team. They buy goods and materials that the company needs for reselling or developing new products. This is a senior-level job that requires a combination of education and industry experience. They must guide purchasing agents in the process of negotiating with suppliers. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, there are over 45,800 purchasing manager job openings every year. If you are interested in getting this role and you have the experience required, we’ve got you covered. This guide will help you create your own purchasing manager resume.

Purchasing Director

Purchasing Specialist

Strategic Sourcing Director

Procurement Coordinator

Purchasing Coordinator

Loan Processor Resumes

Loans are an important financial tool that most adults will use in their lifetimes. Loan processors are a vital part of the loan approval process. This guide will identify 4 loan processor positions, provide resume templates for each, and give tips on upgrading your resume and getting that dream loan processor job.

Mortgage Loan Processor

Senior Loan Processor

Entry-Level Loan Processor

Finance Director Resumes

A company’s financial health is the most important thing for its survival. It is the finance director's job to know the financial health of a company at all times and to create policies and strategies to keep it healthy and thriving. This guide will help you formulate your winning finance director resume to secure your dream job.

Director of Finance

Assistant Director of Finance

Credit Analyst Resumes

A credit analyst works in banks to determine lenders’ reliability, reduce risks, and increase revenue for the organization. This is an excellent career if you are passionate about finances, statistics, and economics. Credit analysis is also a highly in-demand profession these days. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), financial analysts’ demand is expected to increase by up to nine percent, which is higher than most occupations’ job outlook. If you have a background in finances and the required skills to break into credit analysis, this guide is for you. We’ll help you create an industry-relevant resume for your credit analyst career. We’ll share insightful tips and three resume templates

Credit Manager

Commercial Credit Analyst

Collections Specialist Resumes

Collection specialists may get a bad rap, but they play an important role in assisting companies to recover money owed to them. This guide will show you how to create a winning collection specialist resume.

Debt Collection Specialist

Collection Agent

Finance Executive Resumes

Finance executives are at the head of the finance department and keep companies functioning. This resume guide has been developed to help you craft a winning finance executive resume that will get you to the top of the pile with recruiters.

Senior Finance Executive

Junior Finance Executive

VP of Finance Resumes

With the world and economy recovering from Covid and bracing for a period of recession, a good vice president of finance who can work to maintain a company’s financial health is what all companies want. This resume guide which has been curated by top recruiters in the finance industry will show you what recruiters look for and give you specific tips to elevate your resume and secure yourself a job.

VP Operations and Finance

Senior Vice President Finance

Claims Adjuster Resumes

Insurance is big business, and insurance companies go to great lengths to ensure that their insurance policies do not get taken advantage of by opportunists. Claim adjusters are part of the team that investigates claims to make sure insurance companies settle claims that are fair and warranted. This guide will help professionals create a successful resume in this field. Included are resume samples and useful recruiter tips.

Claims Processor

Entry Level Claims Adjuster

Claims Analyst

Payroll Specialist Resumes

A payroll specialist manages payment operations from start to finish. This includes calculating costs from personnel, deducting taxes, issuing payments, and reporting to upper management. This is an essential role in the accounting and HR departments. If you’re a payroll specialist trying to improve your resume, you’re in the right place. In this guide, we’ll share relevant tips that can help you demonstrate your value in the industry. Also, don’t forget to check our downloadable resume templates for payroll specialists.

Senior Payroll Specialist

Cost Analyst Resumes

A cost analyst helps businesses make more informed decisions on their spending and budgetary plans. They are responsible for auditing a company’s expenses to identify financial issues that could affect production efficiency. If you’d like to start your job hunt as a cost analyst, we’ll help you out. This cost analyst resume guide will give you some handy tips to improve your performance and two downloadable templates.

Senior Cost Analyst

M&A Resumes

Mergers and acquisitions specialists carry out the necessary operations to coordinate a merger or company acquisition. They are responsible for analyzing risks, determining the benefits of that transaction, and negotiating with both parties. To become an M&A specialist or analyst you should have a background in accounting or finances. If you are an M&A specialist in the job hunt, this guide is for you. We’ll help you craft the best resume for your industry.

Mergers & Acquisitions Specialist

Action Verbs For Finance Resumes

• Restructured
• Implemented

How to use these action verbs?

A strong finance-based resume should show past successes in finance-related jobs, internships, or education. Always use clear resume action verbs to discuss them. You may want to showcase your industry prowess with finance-specific verbs like “modelled”, “analyzed”, or “audited”.

Finance Resume Guide

• Bookkeeper Resume Templates
• Investment Banking Resume Templates
• Financial Analyst Resume Templates
• Accountant Resume Templates
• Equity Research Resume Templates
• C-Level and Executive Resume Templates
• Financial Advisor Resume Templates
• Procurement Resume Templates
• Auditor Resume Templates
• Financial Controller Resume Templates
• Risk Management Resume Templates
• Accounts Payable Resume Templates
• Internal Audit Resume Templates
• Purchasing Manager Resume Templates
• Loan Processor Resume Templates
• Finance Director Resume Templates
• Credit Analyst Resume Templates
• Collections Specialist Resume Templates
• Finance Executive Resume Templates
• VP of Finance Resume Templates
• Claims Adjuster Resume Templates
• Payroll Specialist Resume Templates
• Cost Analyst Resume Templates
• M&A Resume Templates
• Finance Action Verbs
• All Resume Examples

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11 Real Financial Analyst Resume Examples That Worked in 2024

Financial Analyst

Best for senior and mid-level candidates

There’s plenty of room in our elegant resume template to add your professional experience while impressing recruiters with a sleek design.

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• Financial Analyst Resume
• Financial Analyst Resumes by Experience
• Financial Analyst Resumes by Role

Writing Your Financial Analyst Resume

Financial analysts have different duties and responsibilities based on seniority level and business sector, making it hard to decide what to include on your financial analyst resume when applying for that dream finance job.

You must also know how to  format your resume , what information to include, and what projects to highlight to attract the attention of a hiring manager or recruiter. 

We’ve meticulously researched and analyzed countless financial analyst resume samples from all career stages in different industries, resulting in the creation of 11 resume samples to set you on your way to  building a professional resume  and  land more interviews in 2024 . Plus, our writing guide will give you plenty of  resume tips  so you hit the right note every time!

Financial Analyst Resume Example

or download as PDF

Why this resume works

• Run your resume through a  resume checker  to ensure you include enough stats and don’t have grammar or punctuation errors, but don’t forget to check it yourself!
• Don’t forget to include your projections and forecasts! Focus your financial analyst resume experience on how close your projections and forecasts were for the company and “how” those accurate projections and forecasts helped the business.

Financial Analyst Intern Resume

• Detail your academic projects in risk analysis and forecasting to demonstrate well-rounded experience on your financial analyst intern resume.

Entry-Level Financial Analyst Resume

• Even if you don’t have the technical skills required, skills like communication, data reporting, and scheduling show employers you’re organized, detail-oriented, and able to work together in a team.
• Be proud of your experience; hiring managers understand (and want to see) that we all started someplace.
• Always tailor this section to each job to which you apply. Include the name of the company, the job title you’re applying for, and skills mentioned in the job description.

Junior Financial Analyst Resume

• Yes, yes, we know it’s tedious, but it’s vital. You don’t have to spend hours on it, either; simply do some research on the company and scan the  financial analyst job description , then include relevant keywords on your junior financial analyst resume.
• Be sure to include the type of reports you created and the impact of your work (that’s where you can include metrics).

Senior Financial Analyst Resume

• Don’t be afraid to brag about your team’s size, your project’s budget, the number of projects you completed on time.
• And if you can, list how those projects have directly impacted the team, the company, and its clients. 
• Skills like “financial modeling,” “budget management,” and “SQL,” are all fantastic additions to your resume!

Chartered Financial Analyst Resume

• Reiterate your professional value on your chartered financial analyst resume by going beyond your best investments and drawing attention to your track record with clients.
• Try employing story-telling techniques in your financial analyst cover letter to demonstrate your success with clients.

Financial Planning Analyst Resume Example

• It may be difficult to include specific bullet points for all your areas of aptitude, so pick and choose your skills based on the job description. 
• This format lets hiring managers see your most recent (and probably most relevant) work experience first. 

Quality Assurance Financial Analyst Resume

• If you don’t have certifications, you can add awards instead. If the certificate or award isn’t well known, you should add the organization that issues the certification.
• Each templates come with their own pros and cons, especially when it comes to length. Some formats allow for longer content while others focus more on other sections, so try out a couple to see what works.

Program Financial Analyst Resume

• If you target your bullet points for each job to which you apply, hiring managers are more likely to give you an interview over a generalist resume. 
• When it comes to tailoring, look at the  financial analyst job description ; does it focus on data analysis, modeling, and presentations, or is there more emphasis on team leadership, ROI, and accounts payable? 
• You can categorize your bullet points by necessary skills so when the job application focuses more on one skill over another, you’re ready!

Financial Accounting Analyst Resume

• Since financial accounting analysts use their expertise to assess current situations and give financial advice, use clear metrics like project and initiative quantities, improvement percentages, and company savings. 
• Even using a simple pop of color in some of your headers can make your resume more memorable (and easier to read, too).

Budget Analyst Resume

• Limiting your work experience roles lets you include details like the number and type of projects that you handled like a champ.
• Don’t worry if you have too many jobs to list on your budget analyst resume . You only need to show  three to four  of your most relevant roles.
• When you provide quantifiable achievements in your experience section, think of which programs or skills you used and highlight those.

Related resume guides

• Investment Banking

You might be tempted to think that the only thing that matters on your resume is the content, but  proper resume formatting  is almost as important. Even if you have decades of impressive financial analyst experience, it’ll be hard for a hiring manager to look past poor formatting. A well-formatted resume will be readable for ATS and logical for hiring managers who only have a few moments in their day to look at your resume. 

Let’s review some of the most important aspects of resume formatting, including:

• Resume formatting choices

How to include your contact information

Outwit the ats, resume format choices.

Each of the following formats performs a particular function, highlighting your work experience, skills, or both.

Three resume format favorites among successful job applicants in 2024.

• Reverse-chronological format:  This format is exactly what you think: it orders your work experience starting from the most recent. This format will help hiring managers see your most relevant (and likely most impressive job title) first. 
• Functional format:  Unlike the reverse-chronological format, the functional formats place the most emphasis on skills. If you have employment gaps, you may want to consider this format, but be aware that hiring managers may be confused or wonder if you’re being forthcoming. 
• Combination/hybrid format:  This format weights work experience and skills equally by combining functional and reverse-chronological formats.

For financial analysts, we almost always recommend reverse-chronological formatting. Hiring managers love that it’s easy to read and skim, and you’ll love that it showcases your most senior position.

When a hiring manager wants to reach out for an interview, it’s important to make your name, phone number, and email easy for them to find. Ensure your contact information is highly visible by placing it at the very top of your financial analyst resume. 

Use a large font for your name and a large (but slightly smaller) font for your job title. Both your name and your job title should be centered in the header.

If you want to try using color in your resume we suggest using the color as the backdrop for your contact information header. Professional colors for financial analysts include navy, amber, or dark green.

Below your header, you’ll need to include contact information, which should include: 

• Phone number 
• Your city and state (optional but recommended if it’s a local business)
• Professional links, such as LinkedIn (optional)

Like the example below, you can do a lot with your header to showcase your creativity while remaining professional.

If you’re applying to an online job posting, the chances are high that the hiring manager is using applicant tracking system software (ATS) to pre-filter applicants.

The ATS works by picking up on words used throughout your resume and matching them to keywords selected by recruiters (usually keywords in the  financial analyst job description ). If you don’t have enough keyword matches, your resume may be thrown out before anyone can read it. That’s why your resume must be ATS-friendly.  

Be careful to adhere to the following formatting guidelines:

• Margins:  Use standard one inch margins, or at the very least half an inch, if needed to save space. 
• Font type:  Keep it basic by using Times New Roman, Arial, Cambria, or Garamond.
• Font sizes:  The body of your resume should be a 12-14-point font, but you can make it slightly smaller (but only slightly) if needed. Your job title should be larger, around 20-point font, and your name should be about 24-point font. 
• Header names:  Use colors, bolding, or complementary fonts to help your subheaders stand out throughout your resume. Just make sure your font is readable.
• Skills:  Customize your skills section for every job to which you apply. Carefully read the job descriptions to determine what keywords the recruiters will be scanning for while avoiding plagiarizing their job posting! 
• Logical order:  As we mentioned earlier, reverse-chronological order is the best for your financial analyst resume, and ATS operates under the assumption that your resume is formatted this way. 
• Page count:  Do everything you can (adjust font and margin, within reason) to fit the page perfectly. Your resume will look unprofessional and burdensome to read if it’s over a page. If your resume is a little short, recruiters will wonder if you’re inexperienced.

Formatting your resume  isn’t easy at first, but once you’ve  built your resume  for the first time, all you need to do is minor tweaks for each job application. 

Write your financial analyst resume

Writing your perfect financial analyst resume can be difficult especially with a job at stake. We know that  writing an effective resume  may feel overwhelming, but if you take it one section at a time, the process shouldn’t be too stressful.

Without further ado, let’s dig into the content of your financial analyst resume. Here’s what we’ll cover:

• Using a resume objective or summary statement 
• Writing about your work history
• Key skills for financial analysts
• Education and optional sections
• Customizations 
• Flawless editing

Understand the elusive objective/summary statement

Objectives and summaries are some of the most commonly misunderstood sections on a resume, but they can be useful. However, choosing between a  resume objective  or a  resume summary  is difficult because there are only a few circumstances in which you’ll use either one. 

Both are highly job-specific, two to three-sentence paragraphs used near the top of your resume (often under your job title). An objective is for entry-level candidates or job seekers who have recently changed fields. An objective will tell hiring managers why you want the job.

On the other hand, a summary is for professionals with over 10 years of experience in a specific field. It highlights skills you’ve developed and biggest achievements.

Neither the objective nor the summary is a mandatory inclusion on your resume, but these statements can enhance your resume and boost your chances of getting hired. Let’s go over a few examples: 

Example 1:  Young professional seeking a job at your office to continue advancing my career in finance. 

What could be improved:  This is a poorly written resume objective. You should mention the specific job title you’re applying to, the company name, and one to three highly-specific skills you possess that will improve or contribute to the company’s operations. 

Example 2:  Working in finance with experience in organizing and communicating.

What could be improved:  This summary is too bare-bones. It contains no meaningful information and just takes up space. 

Example 3:  Financial analyst with 7+ years of experience specializing in informative and persuasive professional presentations, seeking a role to utilize my depth of ROI and client relations skills as a team player at Spectrum. 

What we like:  This objective and the example below mention a specific job title, the company name, and the skills they bring to the table. It’s short and effective. 

Example 4:  Data-driven financial analyst with 23 years of business valuation and trend analysis under 3 major Fortune 500 corporations. With skills across many areas of data analysis and presentation, trend forecasting, and financial advisement, I provide a wealth of knowledge and business know-how to companies with which I’ve worked.   I am eager for an opportunity to improve ROI in several key areas to optimize growth at BetterMent.

What we like:  This summary (and the example below) are specific and contain information that makes this candidate an obvious choice. The applicant above also points directly to an area they know they can improve business operations. You want a hiring manager to read your summary and think, “we need this person.”

How to include your financial analyst work history

It should come as no surprise to you that the most important section of your financial analyst resume is your work history. It can be tempting to cram every job title you’ve held onto the page, but hiring managers prefer applicants who focus on the most relevant and recent work experience they’ve had. You can share information about older jobs and internships during your interview! You’ll want to include two to four job experiences. 

Write descriptive bullet points

Your work experience should be broken down into bullet points, which make your resume look more organized and easier for hiring managers to read. 

• Throughout your bullet points, you’ll want to avoid passive voice, which can make text boring to read and unengaging. Instead, use active voice, which exudes confidence and ownership of your work. Adding action words to start each bullet point, like “operated,” “spearheaded,” and “orchestrated,” will further engage readers and break up your text. 
• You’ll also want to be careful to avoid personal pronouns, like “I” or “my.” Employers already know you’re writing about yourself, and personal pronouns sound unprofessional.
• You can choose to end all of your bullet points with or without periods. Consistency is key. 
• Finally, you’ll want to consider verb tense. You can leave your current work experience in the present or past tense, but all of your former work experience must be in the past tense. 

Here are a few examples of good bullet points that incorporate these tips:

• Oversaw the financial due diligence of a $52M acquisition, including organization and report analysis 
• Developed an automated process using Excel for the internal team KPI reporting that increased accuracy by 17% and provided data 2 days faster to team leads 
• Monitored 10+ regulatory developments and industry trends to incorporate into the firm’s AML program

These bullet points are perfect for a financial analyst resume. They’re written in active voice, using action verbs, avoiding personal pronouns; they’re all written in the past tense, with consistent punctuation.

Leverage numbers

Numbers demonstrate your value to the company, unlike words alone. We’ve interviewed countless hiring managers to ask them what they consider the most important element of a successful resume; almost unanimously, they’ve reported that metrics made applicants much more likely to get interviews. For the best results, aim to include quantifiable metrics on at least 50 percent of your bullet points.

Here are a few ways you might consider adding metrics about your past roles in financial analysis: 

• Hard numbers:  Discuss the details of your work. What percentage have you increased ROI? What percent have gross earnings increased for the company during your time of employment?
• Sales:  Discuss the rate of potential clients converted from your presentations, the number of presentations you provided, and the success of your sales strategies. 
• Reports:  Have you successfully forecasted trends? Have your abstracts and internal presentations resulted in financial gain for the company?
• Collaboration:  Financial analysts need to collaborate across departments frequently. Let employers know you collaborate well with others by detailing the number of people or departments with which you’ve worked. 

If you’re having trouble visualizing how you’d use these questions to come up with numbers, don’t worry. Here are a few examples: 

• Provided financial guidance to Business/Functions, contributing to a 19% growth trend by developing strategic long-range planning recommendations for management
• Collaborated with 10+ major clients with multi-million dollar accounts
• Created forecasting tracking and management reporting systems to improve the availability and accuracy of financial data, triggering a 13% increase in accuracy
• Evaluated regulatory developments and industry trends to facilitate incorporation into the firm’s AML program, reducing time to meet trend demands by 40%

Financial analyst skills to include in your resume

The skills section is an important place to demonstrate your value to potential employers, not to mention it’s one of the best places to include keywords for ATS. Unfortunately, many hopeful applicants don’t emphasize the right skills. The right skills for your financial analyst resume will depend on the specific job to which you’re applying.

Generally, we recommend including a mix of soft and hard skills, with the majority being hard skills because they’re easier to measure and more job-specific. Aim to include six to ten highly relevant skills on your resume.  

Use the following financial analyst skills as examples to get you started:

• Financial Modeling 
• Cash Flow Management
• Financial Reporting
• Quantitative Finance on Python 
• Electronic Trading Systems Development
• Data Consolidation
• Predictive Analysis

Why are these  resume skills  appropriate? We’ve included a mix of hard and soft skills specific, measurable, and highly desired by most employers. When looking for your next financial analyst job, be sure to read the job description carefully. Often, you’ll be able to pick up on which skills are the most important to your hopeful employers.

But, a word of caution: avoid overselling your skills. If you don’t know how to do something or are inexperienced, leave it off your resume. Hiring managers want honesty above all.

Education + optional resume sections

ou probably already know that the financial analyst world can be a tough place in which to get your career started. Though there are no formal educational requirements, most employers will seek applicants with at least a bachelor’s degree in a relevant field. 

Include the highest education level on your resume, but avoid including too much detail unless you’re a recent graduate with limited work experience. If you have minimal experience, you can utilize your education to demonstrate your working potential. Still, if you’re a more experienced applicant, you only need to provide your school name, graduation year, and degree. 

There aren’t any formal requirements for certifications for financial analysts, but you should mention any specialized training you’ve received, such as a Financial Analyst Certification, Data Analysis Certification, or Certified Software Quality Analyst. 

Finally, you may be wondering whether you should include any  interests and hobbies to your resume . Generally, we don’t recommend including them, but there are a few instances where they’re appropriate additions to your resume: 

• If you don’t have a great deal of work experience, it may be helpful to highlight some interesting hobbies or volunteer activities in which you’ve taken part. These can be great talking points during interviews if used appropriately! 
• If you’re a recent graduate seeking your first finance job, you likely lack a lengthy work history to share on your resume. In this case, you can use interests and hobbies to convey to employers that you’re a hard worker and someone who thrives under pressure. 

Tailor your financial analyst resume to the job ad

We’ve mentioned it a few times, but it’s important enough to reiterate. You need to tailor your financial analyst resume for every job to which you apply. Specifically, if used, your resume objective or summary statement needs to be customized with specific job titles and company names. Your skills section should be tailor-made to the job, too. You can do this by referencing skills mentioned in the job description (without ever copying anything from the job posting verbatim). Finally, your bullet points should be tailored to fit the specific needs of each company. 

Don’t submit a sloppy financial analyst resume

We know it’s difficult to take a step back after you’ve finished working on your financial analyst resume. However, we strongly recommend that financial analysts, and all job seekers, take a step back. Put your resume away for a day or two, and then look it over again for typos. Have friends or family proofread it, and take advantage of our  free resume checker .

One step closer to your next job

Congratulations! The first step to writing your professional financial analyst resume is research. If your resume is complete, you can upload it to see what AI-powered tips our  resume checker  has for you before making a cover letter .

If you haven’t started yet, or if you want to start your resume from scratch, use our  resume builder . Both our resume checker and builder will analyze your resume and provide specific tips on how you can make improvements. 

Financial Analyst Resume [The Ultimate 2024 Guide]

Looking to land your next job in finance?

You’ll need a compelling financial analyst resume to stand out from the competition.

At the end of the day, it doesn’t matter how good you are at analyzing financial data if you can’t prove it to the hiring manager at your dream company.

Luckily, that’s exactly what this article is here for. 

We’re about to teach you all you need to know about how to write a financial analyst resume, including:

Job-Winning Financial Analyst Resume Example

How to write a financial analyst resume (step-by-step).

• Free Financial Analyst Resume Template 

And more! Let’s dive right in, starting with:

What’s a better way to get started with your resume than to get inspired by a compelling financial analyst resume example, right?

The above resume does a lot of things right, such as:

• Follows the chronological resume format. While there are other resume formats out there, the chronological one is both the most popular, and the best one for the job.
• Lists contact information the right way. It includes a phone number, a professional email address, a LinkedIn URL, and a location.
• Catches the recruiter’s attention with a resume summary. This financial analyst resume summary shows the recruiter the candidate is relevant at a glance.
• Convinces the recruiter that they’re the right person for the job with an achievement-oriented work experience section. Achievements help show the recruiter how you stand out from the rest of the candidates.
• Uses bullets to make the financial analyst resume easy to follow. The recruiter has hundreds of other resumes to review. By using bullets, you make it easier for them to read your resume and understand your background.
• Includes a concise education section. Since the candidate has a lot of work experience, they don’t focus as much on their educational history.
• Lists the right hard and soft skills. A strong financial analyst should possess both types of skills (and show them off on their resume).
• Includes optional resume sections to fill up the space and make the resume even more compelling.

Found the financial analyst resume example interesting?

Awesome - time to start working on yours!

In this section, we’re going to walk you through 8 essential steps for creating a compelling financial analyst resume, starting with:

#1. Format Your Financial Analyst Resume Right

While there are 3 types of resumes formats you can use, the best option is the reverse-chronological format , which looks as follows:

The format starts off with the most recent work experiences and then goes backward in time.

Once you’ve decided on the format, you need to work on the style and layout of your resume. Here’s what that involves:

• Don’t go over the 1-page limit . Unless you’re a professional with 15+ years of experience, chances are, you don’t need more than a single page.
• Pick a professional font. Some of our favorites are Ubuntu, Times New Roman, and Roboto.
• Use 11-12 pt font size for the body text in your resume.

Free Financial Analyst Resume Template

Want to create a compelling resume without all the hassle of working on the formatting, style, layout, and the like?

Well, it’s possible!

All you have to do is pick one of our 8 free resume templates .

The formatting work is done for you, all you have to do is fill in your contents, and you’re ready to land your dream job!

And the best part? Our resume templates look absolutely slick compared to the typical black-and-white templates:

#2. Include a Contact Information Section

Once you’re done formatting your resume (or you’ve picked one of our free resume templates ), it’s time to start working on your resume contents.

The first step here is to include your contact information, which includes:

• Name and surname.
• Professional title . Your title should match the one mentioned in the job description. 
• Phone number.
• Professional email address. E.g. [name] + [last name] @gmail.com. 
• Location. The city, state, and country are enough, no need to mention your home address.
• (Optional) LinkedIn URL. If your LinkedIn profile is up-to-date, you can include a URL in your contact information section.

Here’s what your contact information section should look like once you’re done with it:

Financial Analyst

123-123-1234

[email protected]

linkedin.com/in/johnd

#3. Write an Attention-Grabbing Financial Analyst Resume Summary (or Objective)

The next section in your financial analyst resume is the resume summary.

A resume summary , in a nutshell, is a “preview” of your resume. It helps the recruiter understand whether you’re qualified without having to read your resume in its entirety.

Done right, a financial analyst resume summary should include:

• Your job title ( “Financial Analyst” )
• Your years of experience ( “With 6+ years of experience in the field” )
• Your top 1-2 achievements ( “Experienced in identifying wasteful processes and cutting spend by over 12% at Company X” )
• Your top skills ( “Skilled in risk management, data validation techniques, and data visualization” ).

Here’s a practical example of what this looks like on a resume:

• Senior financial analyst with 6 years of experience seeking a role at Company X. Past achievements include helping drive costs down by over 12% at Company Y by eliminating wasteful processes. Skilled in risk management, data validation techniques, and more. CPA-certified.

Don’t have a lot of work experience? You might want to use a resume objective instead. Read our guide to learn more.

#4. Focus on Achievements to Stand Out from Other Applicants

The next section on your financial analyst resume is the work experience section.

First things first, start by formatting the section as follows:

• List your work experiences reverse-chronologically. Start with your latest/current experience and go back in time from there.
• For each of your roles, include the following information: title, company name, dates employed, and 3-5 responsibilities and achievements.
• For older roles (think, jobs from 5-10+ years ago), you can include less than 3 responsibilities/achievements.

And here’s how that would look on your resume:

07/2015 - Current

• Collected, analyzed, and managed quantitative data.
• Created in-depth financial reports that lead to over 12% cost reductions in 2020.
• Prepared weekly reports and led presentations for training new staff.
• Reported directly to the CFO.

Now, if you want your work experience section to truly stand out from your competitors, here are some tips on how to make that happen:

• Focus on achievements when possible. The recruiter knows what your responsibilities were - they want to know how you excelled at the role instead. So, if possible, include achievements instead of responsibilities.
• Quantify your achievements. Saying “cut expenses” is one thing, saying “cut expenses by 12% in 2020 by identifying and eliminating wasteful processes” is something else entirely. Including information on results, timeframe, and actions taken helps give the hiring manager a better idea of your work history and skills level.
• Skip on irrelevant work experience. The hiring manager doesn’t care about your job waiting tables 12 years back during university, so you can safely skip it.

Applying for an entry-level financial analyst role? Check out our article on how to create a no-experience resume .

#5. Include Your Educational Background

On to the next section - education .

This one’s relatively straightforward, just include your educational history as such:

• Include your latest degree on top of the section. Start off with the degree name (e.g. B.A. in Finance), institution name, and years attended.
• If you have a second degree, include that too. Follow the same format.
• If you have a B.A. or an associate’s degree, feel free to skip including your high school information.

Here’s how the education section should look like on your financial analyst resume:

B.A. in Finance

Chicago University

08/2013 - 05/2017

If you’re a recent university graduate lacking in work experience, you can also add information about the courses you’ve attended in university to give the recruiter an idea of your knowledge:

Courses Attended:

• Corporate Finance
• Asset Management
• Risk Management

#6. List the Right Skills for the Job

The next step to perfecting your financial analyst resume is including the right skills.

And by “right skills,” we don’t mean listing out every single skill you’ve learned. 

Rather, you need to specifically include the skills that are going to help you do your job as a financial analyst right.

Some of the most in-demand financial analyst skills in 2024 are:

15 Essential Financial Analyst Skills

• Financial Modeling
• Financial Accounting
• Managerial Accounting
• Financial Reporting
• Statistical Analysis
• Data Validation Techniques
• Communication
• Process Improvement
• Attention to Detail

#7. Use The Optional Resume Sections (to Make Your Resume Even More Compelling)

Do you still have some space on your financial analyst resume? You can use some of these optional resume sections to fill up your resume to cover the entire page.

While these sections won't land you the job on their own, they can help you stand out from applicants with the same level of experience and skills.

The optional sections are:

• Certifications. As a financial analyst, there are a lot of certifications you can get to help attest to your skill set. E.g. CFA , CPA , FMVA, and others.
• Languages. In 2024, knowing an extra language or two is always an asset, regardless of what job you’re applying for.
• Hobbies & Interests . This section can help show the hiring manager who you are as an individual (as opposed to a professional) and (potentially) allow you to build rapport with your interviewer.

Here’s how these optional sections would look like on your financial analyst resume:

• German - Native
• English - Fluent
• Spanish - Intermediate

Certifications

• Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) Certification (4). 02/2015 - 02/2016
• Financial Modeling and Valuation Analyst (FMVA). 03/2012 - 08/2012

Hobbies & Interests

• Artificial Intelligence
• Mindfulness

#8. Make Sure Your Financial Analyst Cover Letter is as Compelling as Your Resume

At this point, your resume probably already looks very compelling…

But we’re not done just yet!

You need to create a financial analyst cover letter that’s just as good as your resume.

Here are some tips on how you can do this:

• Start the cover letter by addressing the hiring manager with their full name or title. E.g. “Dear Margaret.” Sure, you could do the traditional “Dear Sir or Madam,” but including a name or position shows the recruiter that you did your research.
• In the introduction of your cover letter, include your job title, years of experience, top 1-2 achievements, industry experiences, and any of your other top selling points.
• In the body section of your cover letter, you can include things like more detailed skills, responsibilities, work history, and optionally, information on why you’d like to work at the company you’re applying for.
• Finish up the cover letter with a call to action. E.g. “Would be more than happy to discuss my work history more in-depth over an interview.”

Struggling with your cover letter? Check out some of our best resources on the topic:

• Guide on Writing a Cover Letter
• 21 Best Cover Letter Tips
• Most Common Cover Letter Mistakes

Key Takeaways

And that’s the gist of it!

That’s all you need to know in order to create a compelling financial analyst resume and land the job.

Before you go, let’s do a quick recap of the most important learning points we covered in this article:

• Use a resume summary to grab the hiring manager’s attention from the get-go.
• In your work experience section, focus on achievements over responsibilities. Quantify your achievements when possible.
• Include both hard and soft skills in your skills section.
• Include any certifications that you might have. E.g. CPA, CFA, etc.
• If you have some extra space in your resume, you can also include extra sections such as languages or hobbies.

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7 Finance Skills Employers Look for on a Resume

• 07 Jun 2022

There's a shortage of talent in today's job market. While some believe it's caused by factors like the pandemic or "Great Resignation," the finance field is experiencing a talent shortage largely due to changing industry trends.

According to Robert Half Talent Solutions , 65 percent of senior managers in finance and accounting are hiring for permanent positions in the first half of 2022. Yet, only 33 percent are hiring for vacant roles, meaning many positions are newly created, largely due to the changing skill sets needed.

Are you interested in breaking into finance but not sure what your resume should include? Here are the top finance skills employers want, why they're essential to the job market, and how you can obtain them.

Access your free e-book today.

What Are Finance Skills?

Finance skills are often associated with industry-specific positions, such as accountants and finance managers. This definition only scratches the surface when examining finance's role in business. Finance skills are soft and hard skills that enable stakeholders to manage and navigate financial decision-making and problem-solving.

Some common roles that require financial skills on a resume are:

• Accountants
• Financial analysts
• Chief financial officers (CFOs)
• Underwriters
• Finance managers

Each role requires varying skills and experience levels. Yet, several skills are important, and often mandatory, across all positions. Here's an overview of what finance skills employers want and what you can do to enhance your resume.

Finance Skills You Need on Your Resume

1. accounting skills.

The first, and perhaps most important, finance skill employers ask for is accounting. This doesn't mean you need to have previous experience as an accountant, but rather proficiency in reading and understanding financial documents , including:

• Balance sheets
• Income statements
• Cash flow statements
• Annual reports

The data points extracted from these financial documents inform finance and business leaders about a company's financial health and its future initiatives.

For example, cash flow management —tracking a company's assets as they move in and out of the business—is an incredibly important metric. Leadership and key stakeholders use it to predict how much money will be available at any given time and how much is needed to cover outstanding debts.

Since accounting is fundamental in tracking a company's performance, employers tend to offer a competitive salary to those who possess these skills. According to Emsi Burning Glass data, prospective finance professionals with accounting skills can expect a median salary of $80,320 or more.

2. Analytical Thinking Skills

While employers need team members who build financial statements, business leaders need experience analyzing and leveraging this information. This is called financial statement analysis , the process of reviewing key financial documents to better understand a company's performance.

This is done by analyzing performance metrics found on various financial statements and through financial ratios. Some important ratios include:

• Current ratio , which measures a company's ability to pay off its short-term commitments
• Quick ratio , which calculates whether a company can pay off its short-term obligations with liquid assets
• Debt-to-equity ratio , which evaluates a company's financial efficacy by dividing a company's total liabilities by shareholder equity

Analytical thinking has quickly become a high commodity in the finance job market. Some of the top employers advertise finance job postings that require analytical thinking. According to Emsi Burning Glass data, the top 10 companies that require this skill include:

• Travelers Insurance
• Charles Schwab
• JPMorgan Chase & Co.
• Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield
• Wells Fargo
• The Hartford
• Health Care Service Corporation

3. Financial Decision-Making Skills

Decision-making is an essential skill for aspiring leaders. While business leaders often take time to understand an organization's goals, initiatives, and mission, finance is crucial to positioning a company for success.

Managers in any department can benefit from finance knowledge. For example, estimating a project's financial impact is a common responsibility, often done by calculating its return on investment (ROI) .

Data-driven financial decision-making creates a clear framework for company leadership to reference and provides the building blocks to a far more elusive finance skill: intuition. For this reason, it's invaluable to include on your resume.

4. Management Skills

Like most industries, employers in the finance sector always look for applicants with management skills and experience. These skills are needed for managing people as well as the various moving parts of a company's capital structure and reporting processes.

This skill doesn't apply solely to mid- and high-level managers. For example, preparing an organization's budget requires management skills. Whether a quarterly budget for performance tracking or a budget proposal to recommend future initiatives, the preparation of this essential document calls for collaboration, regular communication, and clear direction.

According to Emsi Burning Glass data, some top finance job titles that require management skills include:

• Financial managers
• Personal service managers
• Financial and investment analysts
• Financial risk specialists
• Financial specialists
• General managers
• Operations managers
• Securities sales agents
• Commodities sales agents
• Financial services sales agents

5. Financial Reporting Skills

Many finance professionals deal with historical data, but looking to the future is equally as crucial.

Financial forecasting predicts a company's financial future by examining historical performance data, such as revenue, cash flow, expenses, or sales. This is an incredibly important skill to include on a resume since it often assists business leaders in major decisions around areas like hiring, budgeting, and strategic planning.

Cash flow forecasting is a particularly important form of forecasting. These predictions help support a company's stability by determining whether it will have enough cash to cover future expenses. As a result, these skills are often synonymous with "forward-thinking"—a valuable characteristic of prospective finance employees.

6. Communication Skills

Most prospective finance professionals understand the importance of accounting and analysis skills, but many minimize the role of effective communication.

This skill can take the form of strong oral communication in meetings or written communication in financial documents. Being an effective communicator also requires explaining financial jargon in simple terms. This is accomplished through financial literacy —the understanding and use of financial terminology, statements, and concepts.

Since many stakeholders and clients are outside the financial sector, companies often select candidates who can communicate complex industry language to others. Emsi Burning Glass shows a steady increase in finance job postings requiring communication skills over the past year.

7. Investing Skills

In today's market, most employers know profits made from their goods and services aren't enough to sustain long-term growth. Investing as one form of capital allocation is a great way for companies to generate even more money outside of their operations.

Since investing is a riskier endeavor than releasing a new product to market, it's important for employers to hire individuals with a keen eye for investing. For example, a company that has numerous alternative investments should hire people who understand these assets and can assess the varying risks.

Another aspect of this industry that's grown in popularity and demand is sustainable investing . This trend of purpose-driven investing has created a need for financial leaders who value and understand environmental, social, and corporate governance (ESG) factors when deciding whether resources should be contributed to a venture.

How to Improve Your Finance Skills

Finance skills are essential for industry leaders and managers. These positions require an intuitive knowledge of financial principles and statements to unlock critical insights into a company's performance and potential.

One of the best ways to develop these high-demand skills is by taking an online course. These courses can offer a solid foundation in finance and accounting concepts while giving you the tools and processes to tackle some of the biggest financial challenges companies face.

Are you looking to strengthen your finance resume? Check out our finance and accounting courses , including Leading with Finance , Financial Accounting , Sustainable Investing , and Alternative Investments , to acquire the skills needed to land an interview. If you aren't sure which course is the right fit, download our free course flowchart to determine which best aligns with your goals.

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How To Write A Resume In 7 Steps (With Examples)

• How To Write A Resume
• Resume Skills Section
• Resume Objective Section
• Career Objective Section
• Resume Reference Section
• Resume Summary Section
• Resume Summary Example
• Resume Interests Section
• Address On Resume
• Relevant Work Experience
• Anticipated Graduation Date On Resume
• Education Section On Resume
• Contact Information On Resume
• Statement Of Qualifications
• How To List Publications On Resume
• Accomplishments On Resumes
• Awards On Resume
• Dean's List On Resume
• Study Abroad On Resume

Resumes are still the most important document in your job search . Generating a professional and interesting resume isn’t easy, but there is a standard set of guidelines that you can follow. As hiring managers usually only spend a short time looking over each resume, you want to make sure that yours has a reason for them to keep reading.

If you’re looking to write a resume, rewrite a resume you already have, or are just curious about resume format, then you’ve come to the right place. This article will go through the steps to writing an excellent resume, as well as offering examples for what sections of the resume should look like.

Key Takeaways:

A resume is a short document that details your professional history in a way that tailors your experience and skill set for the particular job you’re applying for.

Resumes follow a few standard formatting practices, which hiring managers and recruiters expect to see.

Highlighting your work experience, skills, and educational background with relevant keywords can help you get past applicant tracking systems and into more interviews.

How to write a resume

Writing a resume involves using the proper formatting, writing an introduction, and adding your work experience and education. Stuffing your entire professional life into a single page resume can feel overwhelming, but remember that you’re distilling the relevant parts of your professional experience in order to catch the eye of the recruiter .

Formatting your resume. To start, use a word processor such as Microsoft Word or Google docs. Standard resume formatting calls for:

1 inch margins

10-12 point font

A professional, commonly-used font

Additionally, there are three resume formats that are commonly used. Most people should stick with a chronological resume format , but the combination resume format and functional resume format can be effective for more advanced workers or those who have significant gaps in their resume.

Write a resume header . It doesn’t matter if you have the best resume in the world if the hiring manager can’t contact you. Every single resume should include the following contact information:

Your full name. First and last.

Your phone number. Use a personal phone number, and make sure your voicemail is set up properly.

Your email address. Nothing inappropriate — [email protected] is a safe choice.

Location. City, State, Zip Code is fine, but you can include your full mailing address if you think it’s appropriate.

Your social media (optional). LinkedIn is the obvious one you’d want to include, but make sure your profile looks good. If you have an online portfolio , either on a personal blog/website or on a site like Journo Portfolio , feel free to include that here as well.

Your job title. Also optional, but can be useful for applicant tracking systems.

Resume introduction. You have four options for your resume introduction: a resume objective, summary statement, resume profile, or qualifications summary. For most job-seekers, a resume summary statement is the best choice. Regardless of which resume introduction you choose, avoid first-person pronouns (I/me/my).

Resume objective. A resume objective is the goal of your resume. Since the objective of every resume is to land a job, this is not the most original or impressive opener you can have.

On the other hand, it’s a good choice for an entry-level applicant or someone who is changing career paths . This should be a 1-3 sentence summary of why you’re motivated to get the position you’re applying for.

Who should use a resume objective: Entry-level applicants, career-changers, and recent college graduates.

Resume summary. This is the best opener for most job-seekers. As the name suggests, a resume summary highlights the most salient aspects of your resume.

It should include your current position, how many years of experience you have, some of your biggest achievements, and possibly your career goals. This should be a 1-3 sentence spiel and should include some quantifiable experiences.

Who should use a resume summary: Most job seekers; anyone with quantifiable accomplishments to emphasize and a broad range of skills.

Qualifications summary. A bullet point list (4-6 points is the sweet spot) of your qualifications for the position. It’s best used by applicants going for jobs that require a fixed skill set. It’s not a great choice for entry-level applicants who lack quantifiable achievements.

You’ll notice that a qualifications summary takes up more space than a resume objective or summary, but it can actually save the hiring manager time if you provide a bunch of valuable information right off the top.

Who should use a qualifications summary: Those applying to a job with requirements for certain skills and job-seekers who have a lot of experience in their industry and/or field.

Resume profile. A resume profile is similar to a resume summary, but goes into more detail about your accomplishments at your current or former job, while also telling the reader about your career goals. Think of a resume profile as a section that pulls all the best parts of your work experience section into one place.

Who should use a resume profile: Anyone with significant accomplishments under their belt, expertise in a niche field, or applying to a job in the same industry that they have lots of experience in.

Resume headline. Resume headlines aren’t necessary, but you can include one alongside any of the four types of resume introduction listed above. A resume headline comes between your contact information and the resume introduction of your choice.

Headlines can be used by entry-level applicants and experienced job-seekers alike. The important point is that your headline should be short and to the point. Additionally, you should use title case when writing your resume headline (capitalize words as you would for a book title).

Who should use a resume headline: Any job-seeker who wants to showcase their experience or unique value right off the bat.

Work experience. Your work experience section is the place to let hiring managers know that you have relevant experience that would allow you to handle the job you’re applying for.

If you’re using the chronological resume format, your work experience section would come after your resume summary/objective. In a funcitonal reumse, it would follow your skills section. Either way, work experience should be listed in reverse-chronological order (most recent experience at the top).

When listing your work experience, you should include all of the following information:

Job title. Start by stating the position you held at the company. These are easy cue for the hiring manager to look at and determine whether your past positions would help you succeed at their company.

Company Info. Include the name of the employer, the location where you worked, and perhaps a brief description of the company, if it isn’t a well-known name.

Dates Employed: Use the mm/yyyy format if you want to be sure that most applicant tracking systems (ATS) will pick it up. Whatever format you use for dates, be consistent, or your resume will look sloppy.

Job Description. Don’t just list your job’s responsibilities; hiring managers and recruiters already have an idea of your duties based on the job title. Instead, list your most important and impressive responsibilities/achievements at the job with bullet points. Determine which of these are most relevant for your new role based on the job description.

Ideally, each bullet should be no longer than a single line. However, two lines is acceptable, if used sparingly.

Always start with a strong action verb, followed by a quantifiable achievement and a specific duty. For example: “Developed ad campaigns for clients, increasing sales by an average of 27%.” Each job title should include 3-5 bullet points.

The order that you include this information can be changed around, as long as you are consistent throughout your resume. However, the bullet points detailing your job’s achievements should always be the last item for each entry.

It’s important that you tailor your resume’s work experience section to the job you’re applying for. We recommend reading the job description carefully and highlighting the action verbs in one color and the skills, adjectives, and job-specific nouns in a different color.

Educational background. In almost all cases, your education section should come after your professional history. If you’re a recent college graduate with limited work experience, you may choose to put your educational achievements first.

Like the section on your professional history, educational experiences should come in reverse-chronological order, with your highest level of education at the top. If you have a college degree, you don’t need to add any information about your high school experience. If you didn’t finish college, it’s okay to give a list of what credits you did complete.

Each educational experience can be listed in the following format:

Degree/Program Name College/University Name Dates attended

You don’t need to add anything else, especially if your resume is already impressive enough. But if you’re struggling to fill up the page, or you feel that aspects of your educational experience will help make you a standout, you may consider also including:

Minor. If you think it rounds out your not-exactly-relevant-to-the-job major nicely.

GPA. Only if it was 3.5 or higher. Otherwise, it’s not going to do you any favors to include this.

Honors. Dean’s List, Cum Laude, etc.

Achievements. If you wrote a killer thesis/dissertation that showcases intimate knowledge relevant to the job to which you’re applying, you can include its title and a very brief description.

Extracurricular activities. Only include if they’re relevant. For example, if you’re applying for a management position and you were president of your student government.

Certifications/Licenses. If the job you’re applying for requires/likes to see certain certifications or licenses that you have, you may include them in this section as well.

Skills section. Your impressive skills should be scattered logistically throughout your professional history section, but you should also include a section solely dedicated to highlighting your skill set . Skills can be broken down into two categories:

Hard skills are skills you learn through training and indicate expertise with a technical ability or job-specific responsibility.

Soft skills are your personality traits, interpersonal abilities, and intangible qualities that make you more effective at your job.

Your resume should have a healthy mix of hard and soft skills, as both are essential to job performance. However, since soft skills are harder to prove in the context of a resume, we recommend leaning more toward hard skills. Additionally, whenever you list a soft skill, make sure that it has a correlating item in your work experience section.

For example, if you say you are skilled in collaboration, you should mention a time when a team project was a major success somewhere in your work experience section.

Optional sections. If you still have space left or there’s more you want to show off that doesn’t quite fit in any of the above sections, you may consider adding an additional section covering one or more of the below categories:

Language . Being bilingual is always impressive, and can be included on a resume for any company. Highlight this more if your position involves liaising with international distributors and/or clients. Don’t lie about your proficiency level.

It may be best to not mention it if you’re not particularly proficient speaker . Such as if you took courses in school, or haven’t really managed to gain fluency. It can end up looking like an attempt to inflate your credentials, which you want to avoid.

Volunteer experience . Always a good thing to include. It shows you’re a team player who behaves in a way that promotes the greater good, without thought of personal gain. Especially good for entry-level candidates and those applying for jobs at a non-profit. If you have gaps in your work history, you can also consider including volunteer experiences in your work history section instead.

Personal projects. A personal blog, published works, or a portfolio of your past projects are all good things to include. They show you take initiative, enjoy and take pride in your work, and that you can handle the responsibilities of the job, if relevant.

Certifications/licenses. If you didn’t include these in your education section, this is another good place to list relevant certifications or licenses that you have.

Interests . This is largely just a space filler if your resume is light in other areas. However, if your hobbies are directly related to the job that you’re applying for, it’s not a bad idea to include them. And it might draw a recruiter’s attention if you end up sharing some of the same interests as they do.

If you have several seemingly random items that are valuable, but don’t warrant creating a whole separate section for, you can also make a section called “Additional Experience.” Here you can include all of the above categories in one place. Just make sure that each item is clear and easy for readers to understand.

Resume samples

Now that we have a good idea of how to write a resume, let’s take a look at some example resumes:

Jack Pilgrim Washington , DC 14015 – (555) 444-3333 – [email protected] – www.linkedin.com/jpilgrim Resume Summary Graphic designer with 3+ years of experience creating and implementing promotional materials and social media graphics. Worked with sales and marketing teams to increase inbound calls by 23% YoY through compelling digital media. Adept at planning, managing, and prioritizing multiple deadlines at once, and thrives in fast-paced work environment. Work Experience Creative Designs | Washington, DC Lead Graphic Designer | June 2018-Present Worked with sales and marketing teams to create landing pages, sales proposals, and supporting media elements to drive sales by over $250,000 per quarter Trained, managed, and mentored team of 4 junior designers to fulfill 40+ project orders on a weekly basis Conducted UX research through surveys, usability testing, and data analysis to plan content marketing strategy, driving organic search traffic by 12% Presented proposals, results, and status updates to set of 4-7 clients, ensuring customer satisfaction at or above 95% for 3 years straight Happy Place | Alexandria, VA Junior Graphic Designer | July 2016-May 2018 Translated client needs and branding strategies into design and content strategy, increasing client retention by 22% Reduced project turnaround time by 8% by Utilizing web-based ticket system for completing and archiving finalized pieces Posted digital artwork to network IPTV using web interface to produce high-end info-graphics and other materials Happy Place | Alexandria, VA Marketing Intern | September 2015-July 2016 Assisted marketing team with data collection, analysis, and presentation using Google Analytics Drew up storyboards for new marketing campaigns alongside sales team, increasing brand awareness through social media Wrote 500-1000 word articles to pair with graphical elements on page, leading to a 40% boost in engagement on company website Education Savannah College of Art and Design | Savannah, Georgia May 2016 Bachelor of Fine Arts in Graphic Design Skills Adobe Creative Suite Typography HTML/CSS WordPress Collaboration Organization

Allison Neederly Chicago, Illinois , 60007 | (333) 222-1111 | [email protected] | www.linkedin.com/allison.neederly Resume Summary Dedicated customer service representative with 4+ years experience resolving customers’ needs in-person, online, and over the phone. Top achiever at XYZ Inc. with a 100% customer satisfaction rate for Q1 of 2020. Friendly personable, and knowledgable about company’s products and services. Relevant Skills Customer Service Responded to upwards of 200 customer queries daily with XYZ Inc., reducing the average wait time by 56% and increasing customer satisfaction rates by 13% Ability to resolve conflict and create a positive atmosphere for shopping for both new and existing customers through technical proficiency Expert product knowledge and communication skills, and experience training and mentoring new customer service staff Web Chat and Phone Skilled in 3 web chat platforms for helping online customers resolve their queries quickly and accurately Achieved fastest call resolution rate at XYZ Inc., with an average resolution time of under 5 minutes per customer Performed outbound calls for customer satisfaction surveys, as well as writing web-based surveys for 10,000+ customers Troubleshooting Detailed product knowledge allowed for customer technical issues to be resolved at rate within top 5% of all customer service associates at XYZ Inc. Created manual for step-by-step directions for troubleshooting that was implemented for team of 100+ customer service reps Positive attitude took average tech-related negative response from 1/5 stars to 4/5 stars, increasing trust in brands and services Work Experience XYZ Inc. | Philadelphia, PA Customer Service Associate New Look Global | Burlington, VT Junior Customer Service Representative L.L. Bean | Burlington, VT Sales Associate Education University of Vermont | Burlington, VT May 2012 Bachelor of Arts in Humanities

Priya Laghari New York, NY | (222) 111-0000 | [email protected] | www.priyabizdev.com Resume Profile Strategy Development: Grew John Deere’s international sales by 13% by tapping into undeserved countries in Southeast Asia Management: Oversaw a team of managers representing marketing, sales, and product teams. Streamlined collaborative, cross-functional communications through agile and scrum management system CRM: Developed, customized, and implemented new customer relationship management database for accounts totaling over $10M in value Work Experience Business Development Manager 01/2015-Present Microsoft | Redmond, WA Developed product strategies and roadmap for Google AdWords, increasing inbound traffic by 26% YoY Reduced time training on new software by 50% for new and existing employees by implement e-learning programs Spearheaded digital marketing campaign worth $1M that saw a return of 200% in first year by qualifying leads earlier in the sales funnel Regional Sales Manager 11/2012-01/2015 Big Things Inc. | St. Louis, MO Managed territory encompassing 29 regional locations with an annual revenue of approx. $55M Worked with C-level executives to plan business strategies, resulting in 20% reduction in overhead costs Increased client retention by 12% in first year by implementing a CRM approach based on account profiling and elevating levels of relationship selling Account Manager 02/2009-11/2012 Solutions Corp. | Chicago, IL Implemented and developed CRM strategic plans, increasing retention of long-term clients by 22% Maintained 50+ accounts totaling over $35M in value Generated leads through one-on-one consultation via phone inquiries, online check-ins, and meeting office walk-ins Relevant Skills CRM: Proficient with Salesforce, Zoho, and HubSpot; some experience with Keap. Used various CRM software over a decade to successfully manage customer relations and quick to adapt to new software and tools that aid in quality of customer experience. Salesmanship: Negotiated and closed over several deals worth $1M+ and skilled in upselling and cross-selling. Adept at working closely with marketing and product teams to maximize the efficiency of the sales funnel for both inbound and outbound traffic. Presentation: Represented Microsoft Northwest Region at quarterly board meetings, ensuring all stakeholders were kept abreast of new developments and opportunities. Also deliver monthly presentations to big clients and vendors to maintain positive relationship. Data analytics. Expert at integrating data from various analytics platforms, including Google, Microsoft Power BI, and SAP BusinessObjects Education Colgate University | May 2008 MBA Fordham University | May 2006 Bachelor’s Degree in Business

For more resume examples and templates:

Resume examples by job

Google docs resume template

Resume templates

Resume builder

Resume Headers Samples:

Tip : Never put your contact info in the header of your document; some applicant tracking systems might miss it.

For more on how to write a resume header:

Resume Header

Resume Titles

Resume introduction examples

Entry-Level Resume Objective.

Recent graduate with a bachelor’s in Marketing from the University of Virginia seeking an entry-level role in content marketing. Excellent copywriter with 2+ years experience editing content as a member of the UVa Writing Center.

Career Change Resume Objective.

Eager to apply 7+ years of experience with customer success management to make successful outbound B2B calls, deliver customized business solutions to new and existing customers, and provide expert product knowledge in the role of Account Manager for XYZ Inc.

Example Resume Summary Statement.

Accountant with over 8 years of experience in the medical industry. Adept at advising on management of cash deficits, reconciling departmental accounts, and creating new accounts and codes. Coordinated invoice preparation system for ABC that reduced contractor overhead by 19% YoY.

English teacher with a love of language and 6 years of experience teaching high school students. Developed new curriculum that boosted freshman reading comprehension scores by 12% and created after school book club for AP Lit class, resulting in 100% of participating students achieving a 5 on the AP Lit test.

Example Qualifications Summary.

Executive assistant with 5+ years experience helping maintain efficiency in an office of 25 employees Communicated directly with internal and external stakeholders, helping Senior Vice President manage projects worth $5M+ Proactively managed office schedules, identifying and prioritizing changes to ensure client satisfaction Recognized in a company of 500 for “Outstanding Achiever” in May 2019

Example Resume Profile.

Detail-oriented IT Specialist with 4 years of experience overseeing and improving the infrastructure of IT systems. Adept at building and running troubleshooting systems and testing services. Decreased security risk by 47% through continual optimization, while also improving the speed of client portal by 22%. Excellent communicator both internally and for client-facing discussions. Achieved 98%+ customer satisfaction ratings through weekly and monthly check-ins with accounts valued cumulatively at $500,000.

Entry-Level Resume Headline.

Bilingual College Graduate with 80 WPM Typing Speed and Tutoring Experience

Experienced Resume Headline.

Business Development Specialist with 6+ Years Experience Scaling Start-Up Tech Teams

For more on resume introductions:

Resume objective statement

Resume summary statement

Resume summary statement examples

Qualifications summary

Sample resume work experience sections

Work Experience XYZ Industries | Seattle, WA Marketing Associate | May 2019-Present Delivered weekly presentations to client-base to communicate brand messaging, increasing client retention by 11% Served as liaison between marketing and product teams, resulting in projects finishing 2 weeks early, on average Leveraged Excel skills to create and maintain spreadsheet to track consumer insights, emergent trends, and inform decisions of marketing team through competitive analysis Managed team of 5 contractors to juggle multiple priority projects simultaneously, never missing a deadline Initiated an affiliate referral program that PR team went on to turn into a revenue-generating stream valued at $30,000 annually ABC Corp | Seattle, WA Marketing Intern | September 2018-May 2019 Developed, maintained, and processed 20+ digital consent forms and distributor forms Worked collaboratively with a team of 10 marketing professionals, closely aligning our goals with the PR team Provided data analysis using Google Analytics and performed keyword research to increase blog traffic by 56% over six months Answered up to 50 customer queries by phone and email each week

For more on building the perfect resume work experience section:

Resume work experience section

First resume (no experience)

Examples Of Education Resume Sections

Graduated recently from a 4-year program.

Western Illinois University | Macomb, Illinois May 2020 Bachelor of Arts in Sociology | Minor in Psychology 3.95 GPA magna cum laude Dean’s List all semesters

Two degrees.

Fordham University | Bronx, New York April 2016 Master of Chemical Engineering Stony Brook University | Stony Brook, New York April 2014 Bachelor of Science in Chemistry

Anticipated graduation date (not yet graduated).

DePaul Univeristy | Chicago, Illinois Bachelor of Arts in History – Degree anticipated May 2021 Current GPA: 3.8

Older job seeker (graduated 10+ years ago).

University of Chicago | Chicago, Illinois Bachelor of Business Administration

High school graduate (no college degree).

Johnston High School 2016-2020 Head of Computer Club

More on crafting the perfect resume education section:

Education resume section

GPA on resume

Dean’s list

Magna cum laude

Examples Of Skills For Resume

Examples of hard skills include:

Examples of soft skills include:

Here’s more information on how to incorporate skills into your resume:

Resume skills section

Hard skills

Soft skills

Top skills for professionals

Skills-based resume

Resume writing FAQ

What is a resume?

A resume is a one to two-page document that focuses on professional experience, past achievements, education and certifications, and specific skills tailored to the job you’re applying for.

Almost every job application requires a resume, and hiring managers use them as a first impression in determining which applicants get a shot at an interview.

Whether you’re fresh out of college or have 30 years of professional experience, this guide should help craft a resume that stands out from the crowd and get you one step closer to landing your dream job.

What is the format for writing a good resume?

Most people will want to use a chronological or reverse-chronological resume format. This format is compatible with most applicant tracking systems (ATS) and is easy for employers to read. Additionally it helps highlight your experience, which helps prove your qualifications.

How far back should a resume go?

A resume should go back no further than 10 to 15 years. However, it is important that all your information is relevant. Therefore, do not include job experience that is irrelevant to your application, even if it’s fewer than 10 years old. Save that information for later discussions.

Should you personalize your resume for each job?

Yes, you should personalize your resume for each job you apply to. Many recruiters use ATS now, which will search for keywords in a resume and reject those that don’t have them. That means that the skills you choose to highlight as well as your opening, such as your resume summary, should be altered to suit each job you apply to.

You don’t need to rewrite the entire resume for each job, but it does show attention to detail and initiative to make sure that your resume is customized. It also makes it more likely that you’ll get past the first step of the process.

State of New York Department of Labor – Resumes, Cover Letters and Job Applications

Harvard University – Create a Resume/CV or Cover Letter

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Matthew Zane is the lead editor of Zippia's How To Get A Job Guides. He is a teacher, writer, and world-traveler that wants to help people at every stage of the career life cycle. He completed his masters in American Literature from Trinity College Dublin and BA in English from the University of Connecticut.

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