Economist Resume | The Ultimate Guide with Examples and Templates
Do you find joy in researching and studying all matters relating to economics? Do you love using math and statistics to analyze economic forecasts and financial analysis data? If this sounds like you, a career as an economist is something you might want to consider.
356-112-973 rongregory@gmail.com Pittsburgh, PA linkedin.com/in/rongregory
Professional Summary
High-performing Economist with a ten-year background in data collection assignments, evaluation of financial markets, and forecasting market trends for government agencies. Strong communicator, detailed analyst, and effective multitasker with a proven ability to succeed in the energy industry. Looking to advance my career in a challenging, growth-oriented position at RedTech Co.
Work experience
ILRI Senior Economist June 2016-Date
Analyzed economic trends and research reports and advised senior management on all economic issues relating to the company.
Used econometric modeling for advanced statistical analysis before deciding to undertake a specific project.
Contributed to the company's journal and provided insight on the best research techniques and emerging economic trends.
REGAL Junior Economist March 2014-May 2016
Conducted statistical analysis of financial data and prepared economic reports for company management, and internal and external stakeholders.
Applied specialized knowledge to analyze large economic data sets before taking on big economic development projects.
Assisted the team on all research projects and performed an economic analysis after data collection.
Education
Master's Degree in Economics Auburn University 2013
Bachelor's Degree in Finance Georgetown University 2011
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 design or layout of your resume must be professional but easy to read and understand. Remember that most hiring managers only take a few seconds on each resume and will not waste time on a resume they can't read. Recruiters recommend fonts such as Arial, Helvetica, Georgia, and Times New Roman because they're easy to read.
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
📌The header should be short and only have the relevant details that the recruiter requires. Avoid adding too much personal information.
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.
List two to three previous workplaces starting with the most recent one. Under each workplace, add three to five job responsibilities and notable achievements, if any. Also, add facts and figures to quantify the achievements and show the hiring manager the value you could bring to their company.
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
REN International
Junior Economist
January 2018-May 2020
Researched and collected statistical data used for economic analyses by the chief economist to build financial models.
Used statistical software to assist with analyzing data collected and reported the research findings to management.
Answered calls and emails from clients to give them information on various economic events.
Kept up with the latest trends and reported to the senior economist on economic developments that could affect our clients' businesses.
Example for Experienced Economists
EDIN Group
Chief Economist
May 2015-July 2019
Developed and implemented research findings on social and economic issues that affected low-income areas in the country.
Conducted a cost-benefit analysis and advised the company management on the best economic development projects.
Collaborated with financial analysts to identify any financial market issues that our clients needed to know about to prevent unexpected losses.
Describe Your Education
If you want to be an economist, you need a solid educational background. Most professionals in this field have a Master's degree and others a doctoral degree. If you have a Ph.D., you don't have to add your bachelor's degree. However, if you have a Master's degree but no Ph.D., you can add it.
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
Ph.D. in International Economics
Boston University
2019
Master's Degree in Economics
Boston University
2015
Most Valued Skills for Economists
Having the right skills for an economist is critical because they impact an organization significantly. Knowing how to present these skills on your resume is also extremely vital and determines whether you get the job or not.
Always use bullet points to list down your skills. The recruiter can easily spot them as they glance at your resume, and this also makes it easy to scan on ATS systems.
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.
Your resume should have a good mixture of hard and soft skills. Let's look at some of the skills you should add to your economist resume.
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.
💡The example above describes the candidates' experience and skills that will allow them to succeed in the role. It also mentions a figure that shows what they've achieved and the value they could bring to the company.
Incorrect example
INCORRECT
Accomplished and ambitious Economist with experience in strategic planning and managing client relationships.
💡The example above doesn't give a detailed description of the candidate's experience and skills, making it hard for the recruiter to know the value they'll bring to the company.
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.
💡The example above gives the recruiter an idea of the candidate's skills that will allow them to do their job properly.
Additional Sections for Your Resume
An additional section should have extra qualifications you may not have mentioned in the previous sections. This is also a great way to highlight the skills you don't want the recruiter to miss. The right resume template should always have space for this section because it plays a significant role in setting you apart from the other candidates.
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.
"Emerging Economic Trends Every SME Should Take Advantage Of, "Journal of Financial Economics- April 2014
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
Which top companies are hiring economists?
According to Glassdoor, the companies hiring economists include:
Amazon
RTI International
Fannie Mae
The World Bank
IMF
S. Bureau of Statistics
Moody's Analytics
S Department of Treasury
Which career opportunities are available for Economics graduates?
CORRECT
INCORRECT
