In investment analysis, you must show your good quantitative skills. Use real numbers to show results from your past work. For instance, talk about how you managed a portfolio and increased its value by a certain percentage.

Put any experience with financial modeling software like Excel or R at the top of your skills list. If you have done projects or training in statistical analysis, make sure to include these too as they are very important in this line of work.

Knowing the right terms is key for an investment analyst. Your resume should use terms that show your understanding of the field. Include words like 'asset allocation,' 'risk management,' or 'equity research' to show your knowledge.

When you list your job duties from past jobs, use these terms when talking about your work. For example, if you helped in reducing risk in a fund, make sure to use the term 'risk mitigation strategies'. This will make your resume stronger against others that might not use the right language.

To get the job as an investment analyst, you need to show you're right for the role. Make sure your resume speaks directly to the job you want. Highlight your most related skills and experiences. Show how you've used them in past jobs. This will help managers see you're a good fit.

• Point out your experience in analyzing financial data and making investment recommendations. Use phrases like Conducted comprehensive market analysis or Provided investment strategy advice.
• If you are aiming for a more senior role, it's good to show leadership. You can talk about times you've guided a team. Say how many people you led. If you gave talks to top management, include that too.
• When coming from a different field, pull out any part of your past job that deals with numbers or decision-making. For example, if you have budget management experience, that's valuable. Say so with Managed a budget of $X with positive return on investment.

When you want your resume to make a strong impact, it's essential to use good verbs that show your skills and experience. Think about what you did in your role as an analyst and select verbs that directly match your responsibilities. For example, instead of simply saying you 'worked on' a project, be specific about your role. Did you 'analyze,' 'research,' or 'improve' something?

Using the right verbs can help you stand out to hiring managers. Remember, they are looking for candidates who can bring value to their team. Show them what you can do with clear and direct verbs. Below, find a list of verbs that could help your resume shine.

• For demonstrating your analytical skills, use examined, assessed, computed, interpreted, modeled.
• To show your experience with financial data, try calculated, forecasted, budgeted, valued, estimated.
• If you improved processes or strategies, say you enhanced, optimized, refined, restructured, streamlined.
• To describe your role in teamwork and projects, use collaborated, contributed, coordinated, facilitated, integrated.
• When showing your communication skills, include verbs like presented, articulated, conveyed, negotiated, reported.

Want inspiration for other action verbs you can use? Check out synonyms to commonly used action verbs like Communicated, Manage, Deliver, Organize, Provided.

As an investment analyst, your resume should show a strong grasp of technical competencies. It's not necessary to list every skill you have, but focus on those most relevant to the role you're targeting. Here’s a list of key skills to consider:

• Financial modeling
• Quantitative analysis
• Risk assessment
• Portfolio management
• Equity research
• Fixed income analysis
• Statistical analysis
• SQL and database management
• Excel and advanced spreadsheet skills
• Financial reporting

You should place these skills in a dedicated section for easy readability. This helps with Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) that many firms use to filter resumes. Make sure to include skills that are directly related to the job posting. For example, if the job emphasizes equity research, prioritize this on your resume.

Always be ready to show how you've used these skills. For instance, mention a successful portfolio management strategy you developed or a complex financial model you built. This provides evidence of your expertise and can set you apart from other candidates.

If you have moved up the ranks in your career or taken on leadership roles, it's important to show this on your resume. As an investment analyst, you may have led projects or guided a team. Here's how you can make this clear:

• Include job titles with clear progression, like 'junior analyst' to 'senior analyst', to show promotions.
• Mention any leadership roles or responsibilities, such as 'team leader for market analysis project' or 'mentor for new analysts'.

Think about times you guided others or made decisions that helped a project succeed. Even if you're not sure it counts as leadership, if you helped others or took charge of a task, it's worth mentioning. Use simple phrases that show your growth:

• Started as an intern and advanced to a full-time analyst within one year
• Led a team of four in a successful portfolio overhaul that increased client investment returns by 20%

As an investment analyst, showing your impact through numbers can make your resume stand out. You may not always have exact figures, but you can often estimate them. Think about how your work has helped save money, make money, or improve efficiency. Here's how you can quantify your achievements:

• Highlight any increase in assets under management (AUM) you contributed to and estimate the percentage of the growth.
• Show how your analysis contributed to cost reduction by noting the percentage saved.

Think about the deals or projects you have worked on. You might have helped in:

• Reducing the time to complete financial analyses by 20%, improving team productivity.
• Enhancing investment portfolio performance, leading to a 15% return on investment (ROI) over a specific period.
• Identifying underperforming assets and suggesting changes that resulted in a 10% increase in efficiency.
• Assisting with due diligence that led to a successful acquisition, adding $2 million in value to the company.

Use these examples as a guide to think about your own experience. Try to remember specific projects where your analysis made a good difference. By including these numbers, you show your value to potential employers.

Small companies and startups value versatility. Show a range of skills in your resume. Mention if you have experience in multiple areas, like financial modeling and market research.

If you are applying to companies like Robinhood or Betterment, you can say, "Managed diverse financial portfolios and supported multiple departments." This shows you can handle various tasks.