Business Analyst Resume: How to write yours for 90% response rate

Pssst. I call it a CV or Curriculum Vitae

Business Analysts Resume Banner Main

Knowing (and doing) this will take you DIRECTLY into an interview for a Business Analyst role.

Whether you want to get your first interview as a Business Analyst.

Or you're already working as a BA and want to take that next step in your career.

Or even if you just want some practical tips on how to write your resume for a new Business Analyst role.

This is DEFINITELY the post for you.

Why?

Because today I'm giving you a step-by-step guide to writing the perfect resume when applying for a Business Analyst role.

Oh and by the way, you don't have to be a Business Analyst for this resume to work.

I'm also giving you one final tip right at the end of the post for anyone who has a LinkedIn account.

(Don't have a LinkedIn account? Get one now)



Become a Business Analyst Faster Book Sky rocket your salary to £500 per day as an EXPERT Business Analyst. Find out how by downloading my E-book here!

Get it Now to
Receive FREE updates for life
Click here


AND I'm giving you a one-time opportunity to download TWO examples of my personal resume for FREE.

But the first example is how NOT to do it.

The second example is HOW TO do it.

FREE BONUS SECTION: Download TWO of my resume's - One from 2010 show's you how NOT to do it and one from more recently shows you HOW to do it. You can use it as a template to make sure you are getting the most out of your job applications – Perfect for ideas even if you already have a template. Get it here

By the way, if you've already succeeded with your CV and you're looking for interview tips, have a read of this: 16 interview Hacks

Lets take your Business Analyst Resume to the next level

Firstly, why am I writing this post?

A while ago I wanted to take my BA career to the next level.

I knew my resume needed updating, So I did just that.

I then uploaded it to a few job sites.

A number of recruitment agencies called me.

But after the agency had sent my resume to the hiring company. I heard nothing.

The response rate was TERRIBLE.

Probably about 10%.

Why?

Because my resume was terrible.

It was 4 pages long with far too much detail - NOT GOOD! As you can see in the bonus section.

Look at this...

Business Analyst Resume BAD

Waaay too much detail.

But at the time, I thought everything on there was relevant to my application, guess what - it wasn't..

Trust me.

No employer will respond to a 4 page resume.

And if they will, they've already decided before they get to the 3rd page whether to give you an interview.

So I changed mine - significantly.

I reduced it to 1.5 pages, kept ONLY the key selling points and made it much more compelling to read.

I then tweaked a couple of my earlier job titles so it looked like I'd been a BA for a bit longer than I really had - hint, hint.

The result?

A whopping 90% success/response rate.

5 interviews.

2 new job offers and a difficult (but good) choice to make - BACK OF THE NET!

FACT - If you're going to get noticed among the crowd of Business Analysts you MUST have a first class resume in order to sell yourself.

I can't promise that doing this will guarantee a job.

No.

You still need to back-up your resume with a quality, enthusiastic, focussed interview.

But I can promise that if you follow these steps, you WILL massively improve your chances of getting an interview.

So here goes.

Step 1: Your Resume Title

Simply, put your full name, address, mobile number, and email at the top.

Then add a break line

That's it.

Nothing else.

Like below

Business Analyst Resume Title

Step 2: Personal or Summary Statement

Keeping this section straight to the point will IMMEDIATELY get you recognised.

Make it about 100-120 words.

It can be a bit less, but No more.

Focus on your Business Analysis skills, experience and knowledge.

First, explain what type of Business Analyst you are - dynamic? Enthusiastic? Customer centric?

Then, where you've been working recently.

Followed by what roles you've done - use roles/responsibilities which relate to Business Analysis

Briefly state what qualifications you have.

State your industry experiences.

Finally tell them a little bit about your work.

DONE!

Here's a quick visual of how it might look on the page.

Business Analyst Resume Summary

Step 3: State your Key Skills on your Resume

This is another great way to be direct without using too many words.

So...

Provide 4 or 5 of your strongest key skills.

For example.

Communication - Excellent at building and maintaining relationships with stakeholders to obtain information on systems and processes. This has been key to my success at [company name].

That's just one example.

Make yours similar.

Notice how I don't use the phrase 'I am excellent'.

They already know I'm talking about me so it's not needed.

DO make your key skills relevant to Business Analysis.

DON'T repeat your words in any of them.

Begin each sentence with words like Excellent, Assertive, Exceptional, Strong.

However, don't be too self-indulgent, it could come across negatively.

Find the balance between selling yourself and loving yourself.

Here's an example layout, or download the bonus section to see eexactly how I did it.

Business Analyst Resume Key Skills

Step 4: Add your career summary

Possibly the most important part of your resume. Here's how you might lay it out:

Business Analyst Resume Career

Where you need to be a bit clever.

Why?

Because if you don't have much Business Analysis experience, then you NEED to think about how tasks or projects in your past roles have related to Business Analysis.

Many people have never been officially called a Business Analyst.

But their work is often in-line to that of a Business Analyst.

So.

Even though I would never tell you to LIE on your resume.

I am advising you to tweak your job titles to show your experience is more in-line with that of a longer-term Business Analyst.

But remember - you still need to back it up at the interview. SO do more research at home if necessary.

If you're a graduate. And you're just starting out.

No worries.

Apply for junior Business Analyst roles.

But think about how your degree might relate to Business Analysis. And emphasise those areas.

4.1 Put your latest/current job first.

Write the date from and date to, Company name and Team Name - all on one line

Then give your role title. (Remember to tweak it)

My title was 'Finance Business Analyst'

But I wanted to broaden my chances

So I kept it as just 'Business Analyst'

And I gave the team name as 'Systems & Change' instead of 'Finance Systems & Change'

You see ' simple but very effective.

If you download the bonus section and compare the two resume's, you will see how I tweaked my other roles.

Now.

Your role description needs to be about 150-180 words.

First tell them what you currently deliver in your role.

Then explain your core responsibilities, write in Business Analyst language.

What's Business Analyst language?

Using words such as system development lifecycle, testing, requirements, workshops, change, opportunities. And many more

You get the picture.

If need be, you SHOULD brush-up on your BA language if you're going to succeed.

Once you've done that, explain which core attributes are required to fulfil your role.

Again in Business Analyst language.

Where do you hold a particular strength? Tell them what it is and why.

I'll say it again.

Keep it straight to the point.

4.2 Describe the Role you had before your current Business Analyst role

You can also change your job title for this role

In my example

Senior Cash and Reconciliation Administrator

Became

Deputy Team Manager / Process Improvement

Write the same details for this role as you did for your current role (As I explain above)

Being careful not to repeat the info from your summary statement (from step 2)

Instead, aim to back-up your summary statement with a little more info.

Still using clear Business Analysis language.

4.3 List previous role(s) in Chronological order (latest first)

Follow this and you WILL be able to keep your resume to just 2 pages.

DON'T go into detail for these roles.

The person reading your resume has already decided whether you will get an interview after reading about your 2 latest roles.

So don't give them more work to do for no reason.

I like to provide ONE success story from each of my earlier roles.

And write one or maximum two sentences about that particular success.

E.g.

I built strong, influential relationships across the country and obtained resources to implement a new, more efficient process for creating reports using MS Access.

Honestly, that's all you need to write.

Trust me.

It works.

Step 5: Check for GAPS in your Resume

Are there any gaps?

By which I mean.

Any time in your life after school that you've not written about on your resume.

Just explain it.

For example:

I spent 12 months working abroad as a barista

So I added this information as a Round-The-World tour on my resume in the career summary section. ' SIMPLE.

It's easy to 'big-up' your time in life.

You just need to be a bit creative.

And persistent.

Step 6: List Education / Professional (Business Analyst) Qualifications

I call this 'putting the cherry on top'.

List your qualifications in chronological order - latest first.

Have you taken any Business Analysis Certifications?

Such as.

The Full ISEB Diploma.

CBAP or CCBA

If you don't have much work experience,

Expand on your latest qualifications or degree

However.

If you have lots of work experience

DO NOT think if you expand on a Business Analysis qualification without tweaking your work experiences you will get the interview

In my experience.

Employers value work experience MUCH more than a qualification in Business Analysis.

So if you do have a lot of work experience

You DON'T need to provide much detail here.

Simply give the year, Name of Institute or school, then the name of the course and your result.

See the example below

Business Analyst Resume Education

So that's everything

Done.

Finito.

You should EASILY be able to keep your resume to just 2 pages from now on.

Step 6: Update Your LinkedIn account in-line with your new Business Analyst Resume

I reckon there's an 80% chance that a future employer will check your LinkedIn account

Or they will get someone they know to do it for them.

Here's mine:

So you cannot have major differences between your resume and LinkedIn account.

I'm specifically talking about the job titles.

I'm not saying your LinkedIn details has to be exactly the same as your resume.

It doesn't.

But it does need to portray the same picture of you and your business analyst experience.

If you tweak your job titles on your resume.

You MUST update your LinkedIn account to match.

So if the best way to do that is to copy and paste.

Then go for it.

Oh and one more tip

If you worked in a 6 month temporary role at any point

Be sure to mention it on your LinkedIn AND resume.

The bottom line for Business Analysts and their Resume's

The bottom line is this:

Always keep your resume up-to-date.

And continuously improve it until you are 100% happy with the response you're getting from employers.

Or even more so, the companies that agencies contact on your behalf.

Or even companies you contact directly.

Finally.

Be persistent with tweaking your resume and you WILL know when it is in great condition to land any number of Business Analyst interviews.

Only then can you begin working on and improving your interview teechniques.

Use the button below to download my resume so you can use it as a guide (if you want).