Analytical skills include analysis, problem-solving, research, critical thinking, and other abilities that help in gathering, evaluating, and processing information. They are particularly important in industries that deal directly with data but may also be useful in many other fields, including marketing and the social sciences.
In this article, we will explore the meaning of analytical skills, give some examples of what they should look like on a CV, and teach you how to develop them.
Key Takeaways
Analytical skills facilitate deconstructing data into smaller parts, which can then be evaluated more easily and used for informed decision-making.
These skills include critical thinking, analysis, data, problem-solving, research and investigation, finance, communication, forecasting, and strategic thinking.
Seven out of 10 companies consider analytical skills vital, making them the most in-demand abilities in 2025.
You can improve these by doing brain teasers, considering opposing viewpoints, teaching others, and asking for help.
What Are Analytical Skills?
Analytical skills are the ability to break down complex concepts into manageable parts and then process them to draw conclusions and make informed decisions. In other words, they are responsible for gathering, processing, and interpreting information.
For the most part, these skills are considered soft; they can be applied to numerous jobs and aren’t learned through a specific course or job training.
However, some analytical skills, like data analysis or risk analysis, are more job-specific and technical. As a result, we can say that these skills are a mix of both and can’t be so easily classified as, for instance, communication skills.
Which Jobs Require Analytical Skills?
Many jobs require analytical skills, e.g., analytical thinking; in fact, employers are highly unlikely to reject a candidate who’s an excellent analyst, regardless of their profession. However, some still value this skill more than others and may highlight it as particularly important in their description.
Those jobs include the following:
Actuary
Economist
Accountant
Risk Analyst
Data Analyst
Criminologist
Data Scientist
Financial Analyst
Business Analyst
Software Developer
9 Analytical Skills You Can Add to Your CV
Analytical skills you can add to your CV include analysis, data, problem-solving, research and investigation, finance, communication, critical thinking, forecasting and modelling, and strategic thinking.
Let’s examine these closer and take a look at some concrete examples of analytical skills:
#1. Analysis
Analysis is a crucial skill for all analyst careers, whether they involve data, finance, risk, or market research. People with this skill can break down information into smaller pieces and use those to draw conclusions and make informed decisions.
Here are some crucial analysis skills you may need, depending on your field:
Analysis Skills
Risk analysis
Sales analysis
Market analysis
Financial analysis
Customer analysis
Competitive analysis
And this is how you can add them to your CV:
Good Examples
Analysed survey data from 500 respondents, identifying key trends in our target demographic.
Evaluated competitors using SWOT analysis, which helped boost our traffic by 23%.
#2. Data
Data skills are particularly useful for data analysts, data scientists, and data engineers, but may also find numerous uses in marketing, finance, and many other fields.
Here are some crucial data skills to include on your CV:
Data Skills
Data mining
Data analysis
Data modelling
Machine learning
Data engineering
Data visualisation
Business intelligence
Let’s see how you can incorporate them naturally:
Good Examples
Collected data for 4 weeks using the company’s website analytics.
Visualised data using graphs and charts in Python, successfully identifying the most popular trends in customer behaviour.
#3. Problem-Solving
Problem-solving skills are necessary for almost every job, as issues are likely to arise no matter what you do. As a result, they are one of the best transferable skills to possess and can be added to any application.
Here are some skills necessary for effective problem-solving:
Problem-Solving Skills
Analysis
Creativity
Research
Critical thinking
Strategic thinking
Here’s an example of how to include them on your CV:
Good Examples
Introduced a new collaboration platform to solve communication issues in the design team.
Proposed an effective marketing solution that boosted our sales by 13%.
#4. Research and Investigation
Research skills are particularly relevant in scientific and analytical careers, but they also play a crucial role in the social sciences, journalism, marketing, and various academic disciplines.
Here are some key research and investigation skills:
Research And Investigation Skills
Data collection
Critical thinking
Problem-solving
Literature review
Experiment design
Model development
And this is how you can add these analytical skills to your CV:
Good Examples
Designed experiments to test the efficacy of different marketing strategies on various demographics.
Synthesised my findings into a 15-slide presentation that introduced a new marketing model.
#5. Finance
Finance skills are a subtype of analytical skills, particularly important for accountants, finance managers, advisors, auditors, and investment bankers.
Here are some crucial finance skills you should consider adding to your CV:
Finance Skills
Budgeting
Risk assessment
Financial analysis
Financial modelling
Investment analysis
Portfolio development
Here’s how to include these skills:
Good Examples
Developed a financial model for future revenue and expenses, thereby increasing budget accuracy by 9%.
Managed a £60 million investment portfolio.
#6. Communication
Communication skills may not appear directly connected to analytical abilities at first glance, but they are crucial in conveying information effectively. That way, others can participate in the analytical processes and help you come to the correct conclusions.
Crucial communication skills include:
Communication Skills
Reporting
Storytelling
Persuasion
Active listening
Content analysis
Message analysis
Presentation skills
Interpersonal skills
Here is how you can add these to your CV:
Good Examples
Conducted content analysis to determine what we could improve, boosting our website’s traffic by 13%.
Created a presentation outlining our annual goals and increased shareholders’ trust by 15%.
#7. Critical Thinking
Critical thinking skills show your ability to evaluate information rather than blindly accepting it as truth without further consideration. Practically every profession requires individuals with these skills, but they are particularly important in science, academia, and journalism.
Here are some crucial critical thinking skills to help you impress your employer:
Critical Thinking Skills
Trend analysis
Data evaluation
Creative thinking
Risk assessment
Logical reasoning
Root cause analysis
This is how you can add these to your CV:
Good Examples
Performed risk assessment to develop accurate contingency plans and decrease the likelihood of project failure by 20%.
Conducted root cause analysis to identify potential issues and improve our production’s efficiency by 16%.
#8. Forecasting
Forecasting skills refer to the ability to analyse data and use these conclusions to predict future trends. They are crucial in finance, business, sales, economics, and logistics; essentially, any field that requires planning and decision-making.
Here are some forecasting skills you can mention on your CV:
Forecasting Skills
Planning
Data analysis
Critical thinking
Trend identification
Quantitative modelling
And this is how you can add these skills to your job application naturally:
Good Examples
Forecasted monthly expenses, improving budget accuracy by 17%.
Identified trends among younger demographics, which helped me determine the correct marketing model for our newest product.
#9. Strategic Thinking
Strategic thinking is an analytical skill that allows you to plan ahead, make sound decisions, and anticipate challenges. It’s a crucial skill for leaders to have; for instance, CEOs, entrepreneurs, and managers should be better strategists than regular employees.
These skills encompass:
Strategic Thinking Skills
Planning
Foresight
Prioritisation
Problem-solving
Decision-making skills
Here is how you can highlight them on your CV:
Good Examples
Developed a quarterly strategy for my team, determining the overall goals, responsibilities, and budget.
Proposed a marketing shift based on user behaviour forecasts, boosting sales by 20%.
Why Are Analytical Skills Important for Your CV
Analytical skills are important for your CV because they are the most in-demand skills on the job market in 2025. As the World Economic Forum suggests, seven out of 10 companies consider it vital, along with flexibility, resilience, leadership, and social influence.
Furthermore, excellent analytical skills are relevant across many industries, so they’re likely to improve your chances whether you’re applying for a position in finance, marketing, or science.
In other words, your chances of getting hired rise exponentially when you include analytical skills in your CV. That, of course, doesn’t mean you must add them at all costs, but it’s advisable to do so if you possess any.
How to Add Analytical Skills to Your CV
Adding analytical skills to your CV is pretty simple, but it’s easy to make mistakes without guidance. For instance, many candidates think it’s enough to list them in the skills section, which certainly isn’t the case.
Instead, you must place your skills in context and demonstrate that you truly possess them as much as possible. That means including them in other sections, too, like the CV summary or work experience.
So, here’s how to add analytical skills effectively:
Analytical Skills in Your Summary/Objective
When including analytical skills in your summary or CV objective, you can use them as descriptors and back them up with specific achievements. For instance, if you claim that you’re a problem solver, add a sentence about an example in your professional life when you resolved an issue.
That said, here’s what analytical skills might look like in your CV summary:
Example in Summary/Objective
Detail-oriented data analyst with 5 years of experience in data interpretation, visualisation, and forecasting. Delivered a 12% reduction in operational costs by designing a new data model that improved resource allocation. Known for my problem-solving abilities, strategic thinking, and excellent communication skills.
Analytical Skills in the Work Experience Section
The work experience section presents another opportunity to showcase your analytical skills in a broader context and discuss specific details. You can do this in the bullet points used to elaborate on your professional background.
Here’s what this might look like:
Example in Work Experience
Work Experience Data Analyst ABC Group October 2024–February 2025
Designed a new data model that resulted in a 12% reduction in operational costs.
Built forecasting models to improve inventory planning by 15%.
Developed SQL queries to improve data accuracy by 17%.
Analytical Skills in the Skills Section
Of course, your analytical skills should be added to the skills section, too, along with your other relevant abilities. However, you won’t have much room to elaborate here; the skills in this section are typically listed in simple bullet points without further explanation.
You can see an example here:
Example in Skills Section
Skills
Data visualisation
Data analysis and interpretation
Research
Problem-solving
Critical thinking
Forecasting
Attention to detail
Analytical Skills in Your Cover Letter
Finally, your cover letter is a good opportunity to elaborate on some of your analytical skills and provide additional context, though you shouldn’t go overboard. You should use a similar technique as when writing a CV summary: keep it concise but specific and detailed.
Ultimately, if anything needs further explaining, you can discuss your analytical skills in interview questions. This is a much better option than filling either one of your application documents with walls of text.
How to Improve Analytical Skills
To improve your analytical skills, you need to use them consciously and push your own limits. Luckily, this process isn’t too challenging; you don’t need any specialised mind training to notice the difference.
Here are a few things you can do:
Analytical Skills Improvement Tips
Try brain teasers. Games that challenge your brain and force you to use your cognitive abilities can be excellent for developing analytical skills. Not to mention, they are incredibly easy to come by. You can find many options online nowadays, including Sudoku, crosswords, riddles, puzzles, and many other types.
Consider opposing viewpoints. A real challenge to your brain is to attempt to objectively analyse and understand viewpoints that differ drastically from your own. So, push yourself by reading opinion pieces with which you disagree or discussing controversial topics with those who hold opposing views.
Teach others. The most effective way to learn is to teach; after all, you can’t share knowledge with others if you don’t understand it. Teaching will help you view a single topic from many different angles and prompt you to analyse it more closely.
Ask for help. You don’t have to do everything alone. If you come across a concept you don’t understand, find someone to explain it to you. That way, you’ll gain new insights from a person more knowledgeable or experienced than you, which can help your analytical skills.
Create a Job-Winning CV in No Time
If you need some extra help incorporating analytical skills into your application, use our CV builder to give you suggestions. The AI assistant will come up with excellent skills to add, so you can simply click on those that apply to include them.
You can also use our CV templates and fill in the required information to get a brand new document tailored to your needs that you can use for a job application. We have dozens of template options across various industries, so you can choose a suitable one and have it ready in under 15 minutes.
Final Thoughts
Now that we’ve covered what analytical skills are, you probably understand their importance a little better. That may motivate you to add them to your CV or, if you feel like you don’t possess any, work on developing some.
If you want to see what analytical skills on a CV should look like, browse through our CV examples. We have many options for various industries, so find the suitable one and use it as inspiration for your application.
Analytical Skills FAQ
#1. What are analytical skills in accounting?
Analytical skills in accounting include interpreting financial data, identifying trends, thinking critically, and solving problems. Accountants often do far more than crunch numbers; their insights help leaders make informed decisions about the company’s future.
#2. Are analytical skills soft or hard skills?
Analytical skills are often considered soft skills, but not all of them actually are. For instance, data analysis, data mining, and machine learning definitely fall under the category of hard skills. On the other hand, communication, problem-solving, and strategic thinking are, indeed, soft skills.
#3. Do I need a degree to develop analytical skills?
You don’t need a degree to develop analytical skills; many can be improved in your daily life or through work. University does help to an extent, as it encourages you to think critically and analytically. However, you can still acquire these abilities without it.
