Financial Analyst CV Keywords: Skills & ATS Terms to Include

Financial analyst CVs are filtered on modelling and valuation terminology and on tool proficiency, especially Excel. Show the size of the decisions your analysis supported.

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Financial Analyst hard skills

Core competencies recruiters and ATS filters search for.

Financial modellingValuationDCF analysisFP&ABudgeting and forecastingVariance analysisScenario analysisInvestment appraisalDue diligenceBoard reportingKPI analysisCash flow forecasting

Financial Analyst tools & software

Use the exact product names from the job ad.

Excel (advanced)Power BITableauSQLPythonBloomberg TerminalCapital IQAnaplanAdaptive PlanningSAP

Financial Analyst certifications & qualifications

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

CFA Level I/II/IIIACCACIMAFinancial Modelling & Valuation Analyst (FMVA)ACA

Financial Analyst soft skills

Show these through achievements rather than listing them alone.

Analytical thinkingCommercial acumenPresenting to senior leadershipAttention to detailBusiness partneringTime management

Financial Analyst action verbs

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

ModelledForecastValuedAnalysedPresentedIdentifiedBuiltRecommendedEvaluatedReduced

Weak vs strong financial analyst CV bullets

Built financial models.

Built a 3-statement model for a £60M acquisition, used by the board to negotiate a price 7% below the initial ask.

Did variance analysis.

Introduced a rolling 12-month forecast that improved budget accuracy by 34% across 9 business units.

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

ATS tip for financial analyst CVs

Use the exact terms "financial modelling", "DCF" and "FP&A" if they appear in the ad. Synonyms like "number crunching" or "projections" are not matched.

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. "Excel (advanced)", not a synonym).
  5. Keep formatting simple: single column, standard headings, no text inside images.

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