Business analysts are ever more valuable in every industry as we enter a continued age of technology, automation, and consolidation. Focus your skills on the talents needed to help companies understand their inner workings and how to improve processes, tools, and systems for the evolving business landscape.

These skills can include business process analysis, continuous improvement, data analysis, and trend identification. For further inspiration, check the list of skills in our business analyst resume sample and review skills sought in your target job advertisements.

Keep your education as short as possible to leave more room for your work history and accomplishments. The education section should occupy the very bottom of your resume and should consist only of your relevant degrees and training.

By relevant, we mean education related to your target job. Your macramé class might not matter, but your business analytics software certification will. List everything in reverse chronological order, with simple formatting like we’ve demonstrated in our business analyst resume sample.

In a business analyst role, you’ll rely on your ability to see patterns and organize them into something comprehensible to all levels of management throughout the business. Demonstrate this talent with a well-organized, achievement-based resume template that relies on modern styles and a more corporate look and feel.

For a basic idea of resume organization, take a look at our business analyst resume sample and the sections depicted in the example. You can also take a look at our resume builder and say “no more writer’s block” by walking through the steps of resume design.

If you’re fresh on the job market, you may fear competing with more experienced candidates with documented work history. There’s no need to fear; all you need to do is demonstrate intelligence, excellent analytical skills, and a willingness to learn. Employers value go-getters capable of building quickly from a new start.

You can also rely on the strengths of your opening summary and skills section to sell your value. Describe what makes you a great candidate for the job by discussing work ethic and other core skills. For an example of a great summary, try our business analyst resume sample.

The first barrier you’ll face in job searching is keyword optimization. Keyword optimization refers to the necessary balance of natural content to searchable keywords essential to passing an ATS, or Applicant Tracking System. These systems’ algorithms check your resume for keywords relevant to the job, score your match percentage, and either reject your application or pass you to the next stage of screening.

Use a skills section like the one in our business analyst resume sample to improve your chances. Review target jobs for necessary keywords, and integrate them in this section. Adapt them as needed for each application.