ATS Keywords & CV Guide for Financial Analyst

Financial analysts analyse financial data, build models, and provide recommendations to support business decisions. They work on budgeting, forecasting, investment analysis, and reporting. When you apply for Financial Analyst roles, applicant tracking systems scan your CV for the skills, tools, and responsibility phrasing below. Use them in context within your experience bullets, not just in a skills list.

Top skills recruiters scan for

These are the skills that appear most frequently in Financial Analyst job descriptions. The importance score reflects how heavily each skill is weighted in the occupation's O*NET profile. Include the top 5 in your CV where you can prove them with real outcomes.

Scroll the table sideways to see all columns.

Tools & software to name explicitly

Recruiters and ATS systems search for specific tool names. List the ones you have real experience with in your skills section, and prove them in your bullets. Tools marked as hot are currently in high demand in job postings.

• Excel / Google Sheets
• Power BIHot
• Tableau
• SQLHot
• Python (pandas)Hot
• SAP
• Oracle Financials
• QuickBooks
• Bloomberg Terminal
• PowerPoint

Responsibility phrasing for your bullets

These are the core tasks a Financial Analyst is expected to perform. Use them as starting points for your CV bullets, but rewrite each one with your specific outcomes, scope, and context. Do not copy them verbatim.

• Build and maintain financial models for budgeting, forecasting, and valuation
• Analyse financial data to identify trends, risks, and opportunities
• Prepare monthly, quarterly, and annual financial reports for leadership
• Conduct variance analysis comparing actuals to budget and forecast
• Support investment decisions with cost-benefit and ROI analysis
• Collaborate with business units to develop annual budgets
• Present financial findings and recommendations to senior management
• Monitor key financial KPIs and alert leadership to deviations

Other titles this role is posted under

Job postings for this role may use any of these titles. Search for all of them to find more relevant opportunities, and use the matching title in your CV's professional summary when applying.

• Senior Financial Analyst
• FP&A Analyst
• Budget Analyst
• Investment Analyst
• Finance Manager
• Business Finance Analyst
• Corporate Finance Analyst

Related roles

Explore ATS keywords for other roles in the Business & Finance family:

• Business Analyst

Includes information from O*NET 29.x by the U.S. Department of Labor/Employment and Training Administration (ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license.