Data Analyst CV Keywords: Skills & ATS Terms to Include

Data analyst job ads are dense with tool names, and ATS filters rely on them heavily. Recruiters also scan for proof that your analysis changed a decision, so pair every tool with an outcome.

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Data Analyst hard skills

Core competencies recruiters and ATS filters search for.

Data analysisData visualisationData cleaningStatistical analysisA/B testingKPI reportingDashboard developmentData modellingETLForecastingRegression analysisBusiness intelligence

Data Analyst tools & software

Use the exact product names from the job ad.

SQLExcelPower BITableauPythonpandasRLookerGoogle Analytics 4BigQuerySnowflakedbtPower QueryVBA

Data Analyst certifications & qualifications

Write the full name and the acronym, with the year.

Google Data Analytics Professional CertificateMicrosoft Certified: Power BI Data Analyst Associate (PL-300)Tableau Desktop SpecialistIBM Data Analyst Professional Certificate

Data Analyst soft skills

Show these through achievements rather than listing them alone.

Stakeholder managementStorytelling with dataAttention to detailBusiness acumenCritical thinkingPresenting insights

Data Analyst action verbs

Start each bullet with one of these instead of "Responsible for".

AnalysedBuiltAutomatedIdentifiedModelledForecastVisualisedStreamlinedQuantifiedUncovered

Weak vs strong data analyst CV bullets

Made dashboards for the sales team.

Built 6 Power BI dashboards tracking pipeline and win rate, replacing weekly manual reports and saving the sales team 10 hours a week.

Analysed customer data.

Identified a churn pattern in 40k customer records using SQL and Python, informing a retention campaign that reduced churn by 8%.

Examples are illustrative. Only use figures you can back up in an interview.

ATS tip for data analyst CVs

Write "SQL", "Power BI" and "Tableau" exactly as the job ad does, and avoid burying them in a skills graphic or table. Image-based skill bars are invisible to ATS.

How to use these keywords

  1. Start from the job description, not this list. Keywords that appear in the ad matter most.
  2. Only include skills you genuinely have. You will be asked about them.
  3. Put the most important keywords in both your Skills section and your experience bullets.
  4. Use the employer's exact wording (e.g. "SQL", not a synonym).
  5. Keep formatting simple: single column, standard headings, no text inside images.

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