What skills should I put on a financial analyst resume?

The top skills to put on a financial analyst resume are SAP, Microsoft Power BI and Microsoft Office (Excel and PowerPoint). Employers also look for dependability, attention to detail and integrity, which are best shown through results in your bullet points rather than listed.

  • SAP
  • Microsoft Power BI
  • Tableau
  • Microsoft Excel
  • Microsoft PowerPoint
  • Dependability
  • Attention to Detail
  • Integrity

What software should financial analysts know?

Financial analyst job postings most often ask for SAP, Microsoft Power BI, Tableau, SQL and Microsoft Office (Excel and PowerPoint). Many financial analysts also use financial analysis, business intelligence and analytical or scientific software; which products matter depends on the employer, so list the specific products a posting names and you have used.

  • SAP
  • Microsoft Power BI
  • Tableau
  • Structured query language (SQL)
  • Microsoft Excel
  • Microsoft PowerPoint
  • Microsoft Office
Type of workTools financial analysts use
Financial analysisOracle E-Business Suite Financials, Delphi Technology, Monte Carlo simulation, Bloomberg Professional, Experian Credinomics
Business intelligence and dashboardsIBM Cognos Impromptu, Qlik Tech QlikView, MicroStrategy, Oracle Business Intelligence Enterprise Edition, Alteryx software
Statistics and analysisSAS, The MathWorks MATLAB, IBM SPSS Statistics, StataCorp Stata, Wolfram Research Mathematica
ERP (enterprise resource planning)Oracle PeopleSoft, Microsoft Dynamics, Oracle JD Edwards EnterpriseOne, Oracle Hyperion, SAP Business Objects
Information retrieval or searchLexisNexis, dailyVest Investment Personalization Platform, TradeTools Financial Market Databases

What soft skills do financial analysts need?

The most important soft skills for financial analysts are dependability, attention to detail and integrity, followed by cautiousness and intellectual curiosity. Show them through results in your bullet points rather than listing them as single words.

  1. Dependability: A tendency to be reliable, responsible, and consistent in meeting work-related obligations.
  2. Attention to Detail: A tendency to be detail-oriented, organized, and thorough in completing work.
  3. Integrity: A tendency to be honest and ethical at work.
  4. Cautiousness: A tendency to be careful, deliberate, and risk-avoidant when making work-related decisions or doing work.
  5. Intellectual Curiosity: A tendency to seek out and acquire new work-related knowledge and obtain a deep understanding of work-related subjects.

What keywords should a financial analyst resume include?

A financial analyst resume should include the exact tool names, skills and job title from the posting. For financial analysts, common keywords include SAP, Microsoft Power BI, Microsoft Office (Excel and PowerPoint), Analyst and Credit Products Officer. Applicant tracking systems and recruiters scan for these words, so use them wherever they truthfully describe your experience.

Screening software and recruiters look for the tool names in the posting. Paste your resume to see which financial analyst tools it mentions. Nothing leaves your browser.

How do I write financial analyst resume bullet points?

Start each financial analyst bullet point with a past-tense verb and a core task, such as “Collaborated with investment bankers to attract new corporate clients,” then end it with a measurable result: what changed, by how much, and for whom. These starters come from the job’s most important tasks.

Bullet starters from a financial analyst’s core tasks

  • Advised clients on aspects of capitalization, such as amounts, sources, or timing
  • Analyzed financial or operational performance of companies facing financial difficulties to identify or recommend remedies
  • Assessed companies as investments for clients by examining company facilities
  • Collaborated on projects with other professionals, such as lawyers, accountants, or public relations experts
  • Collaborated with investment bankers to attract new corporate clients
  • Conducted financial analyses related to investments in green construction or green retrofitting projects
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  • Conferred with clients to restructure debt, refinance debt, or raise new debt
  • Created client presentations of plan details
  • Determined the prices at which securities should be syndicated and offered to the public
  • Developed and maintained client relationships
  • Drew charts and graphs, using computer spreadsheets, to illustrate technical reports
  • Employed financial models to develop solutions to financial problems or to assess the financial or capital impact of transactions
  • Evaluated and compared the relative quality of various securities in a given industry
  • Evaluated capital needs of clients and assessed market conditions to inform structuring of financial packages
  • Informed investment decisions by analyzing financial information to forecast business, industry, or economic conditions

Resume summary starter

Conduct quantitative analyses of information involving investment programs or financial data of public or private institutions, including valuation of businesses.

What are other job titles for a financial analyst?

Other job titles for a financial analyst include Analyst, Credit Products Officer, Equity Research Analyst, Investment Analyst and Planning Analyst. Government job data groups them as “Financial and Investment Analysts.” Search for these titles too, and use the posting’s exact title on your resume when it fits your experience.

  • Analyst
  • Credit Products Officer
  • Equity Research Analyst
  • Investment Analyst
  • Planning Analyst
  • Portfolio Manager
  • Real Estate Analyst
  • Securities Analyst
  • Trust Officer
  • Accounting Analyst
  • Acquisition Analyst
  • Acquisition Specialist
  • Acquisitions Analyst
  • Acquisitions Consultant
  • Alternative Financing Specialist
  • Bank Analyst
  • Banking Analyst
  • Bond Analyst
  • Brand Analyst
  • Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA)

What education do financial analysts need?

Most financial analysts need a bachelor's degree to get hired. No prior work experience is usually required.

How much do financial analysts make?

Financial analysts earn a median salary of $102,740 a year, according to May 2025 federal wage data. The lowest-paid 10% earn less than $63,720, and the highest-paid 10% earn more than $180,860. Employment is projected to grow 7.2% from 2025 to 2035, faster than the 3.5% average for all jobs, with about 24,700 openings a year.

Median yearly pay, May 2025

$102,740

80% earn $63,720 to $180,860

Expected job growth, 2025–35

+7.2%

All jobs: +3.5%

Job openings per year

24,700

361,980 people work in this job

Typical education to get hired

Bachelor's degree

Turn this list into a tailored financial analyst resume

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Where this data comes from

  • Software, skills, traits, tasks, titles and education survey: O*NET 31.0 (U.S. Department of Labor), occupation 13-2051.00.
  • Pay and employment: Bureau of Labor Statistics wage survey (OEWS), May 2025, occupation 13-2051.
  • Job growth, openings and typical education: Bureau of Labor Statistics Employment Projections, 2025–35.

Includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by USDOL/ETA, used under CC BY 4.0 and modified by MyCareerAI. Full attribution and changes