Economist Resume | The Ultimate Guide with Examples and Templates

Working as an economist allows you to work with different industries making it an exciting career to get into as you gain knowledge in various fields. It also has many job opportunities since economists are always needed. While this is the case, an economist resume that stands out is still essential if you want to advance in your career.

We'll help you craft a resume with our easy-to-follow guide that covers the following topics:

• An economist resume example with a step-to-step guide to help you write your own.
• The skills that every economist should have on their resume.
• The best experience to add to your resume if you want a financial economist job.
• The right layout and design for your resume.

Salary and Job Market Information for Economists

According to the U.S Bureau of Statistics, the employment of economists is projected to grow 13 percent from 2020 to 2030.

The industries with the highest levels of employment in Economists include:

• Federal Executive Branch(OEWS Designation)
• Management, Scientific, and Technical Consulting Services
• Scientific Research and Development Services
• State Government, excluding schools and hospitals
• Local Government, excluding schools and hospitals

The average yearly salary of an economist is $89,000. However, the typical range is between $75,000 and $102,000, depending on your experience, skills, and education level.

How to Make an Economist Resume

Economists are talented professionals who help businesses and government agencies to conduct economic and statistical analyses. This guides management in running the organization, managing their resources appropriately, and maximizing profits.

If you want to work as an economist, you need to show the hiring manager that you have the required experience and skills. Your resume should have all your qualifications and accomplishments but ensure that it's well-structured. Use our professional resume templates if you're unsure what you should add to your resume.

Resume Format, Layout, and Structure

The resume format allows you to structure your resume correctly, starting with your most outstanding qualifications. There are three formats you can choose from.

• Reverse-chronological order - This format is perfect for candidates who've worked for many years as economists because it focuses on experience.
• Functional resume format - This format is perfect for graduates in the economics field and career changers. It's also called a skills-based resume because it focuses on your skills.
• Combination/hybrid resume - This format is perfect for individuals with the required skills and experience. It combines the best features of the reverse-chronological and functional resume formats.

The structure of your economist resume should have the following sections:

• The header section
• Professional summary/objective
• Work experience
• Education section
• Skill section
• An additional section (Computer skills and certifications, languages, volunteer work, awards/honors, and interests)

The Resume Header

The header is the first section, and it contains your personal details. This information must be accurate so that the recruiter can reach you. These details include:

• Your full name
• Job title
• Phone number
• Professional email address
• Location
• A link to your LinkedIn profile.

A good header

CORRECT

Cynthia Davis

Chief Economist

738-911-009

cynthiadavis@gmail.com

Lake Worth, FL

linkedin.com/in/cynthiadavis

A bad header

INCORRECT

Cynthia Davis

Chief Economist

738-911-009

cynthiadavis@gmail.com

1190 Pleasant Hill Road

House number 04

Lake Worth, FL

Date of birth 04/03/1988

linkedin.com/in/cynthiadavis

Photo or No Photo?

It’s always better not to add a photo to your resume unless the hiring manager requires one. This is because recruiters believe that it increases the chances of being discriminated against.

Detail Your Experience As an Economist

The experience section is critical because this is where you highlight your work history. If you have a proven track record of succeeding in the role of an economist, a hiring manager will feel more confident giving you the job.

The job description can give you an idea of what the hiring manager is looking for, and you can tailor your duties to match the ones in the description. Use the right keywords and action verbs to optimize your resume and ensure the ATS system does not filter it out.

If you have gained transferable skills in other positions unrelated to the job, you can also mention them. Otherwise, it's always better to focus on the relevant experience.

Some of the details you will add here include:

• The name of the workplace
• The job title
• The years you've worked at each place

Example of an Entry-Level Economist

Example for Experienced Economists

Describe Your Education

The competition for top-level economist jobs is stiff so use this section to add relevant educational qualifications that make you stand out. Start with your most recent qualification and go backward.

Here are the details that you'll add to this section:

• The name of the degree/diploma
• The name of the school
• The year of graduation/expected date of graduation.

Correct example

Most Valued Skills for Economists

Most job seekers struggle to find the best skills to add to their resumes. The job description always has a list of skills that the recruiter is looking for in a candidate. Check it out and include these skills, but only if you have them. It's not a good idea to lie in case the recruiter asks you about these skills in the interview.

Hard skills

• Data management
• Economic research skills
• Strong quantitative analysis skills
• Project management
• Data analysis
• Statistical analysis
• Risk assessment
• Data collection

Soft skills

• Excellent interpersonal skills
• Strong writing skills
• Speaking skills
• Analytical skills
• Written communication skills
• Excellent interpersonal skills
• Problem-solving skills
• Time management
• Excellent customer service

Write a Winning Professional Summary

A strong professional summary determines whether the hiring manager reads your resume or not. It introduces your resume and gives the recruiter an idea of your qualifications and top accomplishments. This means that it needs to be catchy and exciting to encourage the recruiter to read the rest of your resume. If you can mention a figure or fact that shows the hiring manager what you can achieve, don't leave it out.

Example For An Economist With Experience

CORRECT

Certified Economic Developer with twelve years of experience in economic theory and research looking to further my career at Jubert Ltd. Sound background in applying economic principles to real business scenarios using theory-based and research methodologies helping organizations maximize their resources and increase their profits by 15-25%. Extensive experience with data analysis, reporting, and forecasting.

Incorrect example

INCORRECT

Accomplished and ambitious Economist with experience in strategic planning and managing client relationships.

Professional objective

A professional objective allows candidates without experience to introduce their resume by expressing their interest in the position and summarizing their career goals. It should also be engaging to capture the recruiter's attention.

Example Of An Economist Without Experience

CORRECT

Dedicated Economist graduate with skills in data collection, evaluation, and forecasting. Strong communication, analytical, and multitasking skills. Looking to advance my career in a challenging, growth-oriented position at Liten Co.

Additional Sections for Your Resume

Here are some of the sections you should consider for this area of your resume:

Computer Skills and Certifications

Working as an economist may not require complex computer skills like knowledge of programming languages, but it requires basic skills. List them under this section to ensure that the recruiter doesn't miss them.

Certifications show the recruiter that you have additional training. Most economist resume examples will add them in the education section, but it's always better to add them under this section. Here are some examples of certifications that will help your resume stand out.

• Chartered Economic Policy Analyst
• Certified International Tax Analyst
• Certified Business Economist

Languages

Bilingual candidates always stand out to recruiters, so list your language skills in this section to ensure that the recruiter doesn't miss them. Also, use the official language reference when adding your languages as follows:

• SIELE for Spanish
• IELTS - English (a minimum score of 6.5 is required)
• Germany's Goethe-Zertifikat (70%) or higher is required.

Publications

If your work has been published in a magazine/journal, don't leave it out of your resume. Add it under this section and include a link in case the recruiter wants to check it out. The other details you should add here include the title of the publication, the date of publication, and the name of the journal/magazine.

Tips to Boost Your Economist Resume

• Always use the relevant keywords and action verbs to optimize your resume and ensure it gets past the applicant tracking systems.
• Check your resume for grammatical and spelling mistakes before sending it to the recruiter.
• Focus on adding the relevant professional experience to your resume.
• Always start your resume with a strong professional summary/objective.
• Tailor your resume to the job offer and avoid using one resume for many applications.
• Optimize your job title by using relevant keywords.
• Choose a simple design and layout for your resume.
• Keep the resume short and let it be one page long.

Key Takeaways: Writing a Resume for Economists from Zero

• Start your resume with a header and ensure all the details are accurate.
• Consider using a resume template to help you structure your resume.
• The format you choose for your resume is vital and should showcase your best qualifications first.
• The structure of your resume should have all the important sections.
• The work experience section should contain the details of your employment history.
• The educational qualifications are crucial for your economist resume.
• The right skills on your resume will help you get ahead of your competitors.
• Always include an additional section to set yourself apart from the other candidates.

Complement Your Resume with a Cover letter

A cover letter is a document that complements your resume. It contains more information on your qualifications and allows you to express your interest in the position. It also gives you a chance to show the hiring manager your outstanding writing skills and a little bit of your personality. Always accompany your resume with a cover letter to ensure that your application is complete. Check out our cover letter examples.

Frequently Asked Questions