Intelligence Analyst Resume Example & Writing Guide
Use this Intelligence Analyst resume example and guide to improve your career and write a powerful resume that will separate you from the competition.
Intelligence analysts are the eyes and ears of law enforcement and government agencies. They gather information from a variety of sources—including surveillance footage, intercepted communications, and witness accounts—and analyze it to identify emerging threats or opportunities.
Intelligence analysts work closely with other members of their team to develop solutions to complex problems. They also collaborate with law enforcement officers and other first responders to share their findings with the people on the ground who need the information most.
If you’re ready to join a team of dedicated professionals who work hard to protect our communities—and maybe even make a difference in the world—then an intelligence analyst job might be right for you. Here are some tips for writing a stellar resume plus an example to follow.
How to Write an Intelligence Analyst Resume
Here’s how to write an intelligence analyst resume of your own.
Write Compelling Bullet Points
When you’re writing bullet points, it can be tempting to focus on the tasks and duties you performed. But that’s not enough to make a strong impression. Instead, you should focus on the results of your work.
For example, rather than saying you “analyzed data,” you could say you “analyzed data to identify opportunities for cost savings of $1 million over the next year.”
The second bullet point is much stronger because it provides more detail about what you did and the outcome of your work.
Related: What Is an Intelligence Analyst? How to Become One
Identify and Include Relevant Keywords
When you submit your resume for an intelligence analyst role, it’s likely that it will be scanned by an applicant tracking system (ATS) for specific keywords. This system looks for keywords that are commonly used in the role, like “data analysis” or “research” to determine whether your skills are a match for the job opening. If your resume doesn’t include enough relevant keywords, the ATS might automatically reject your application.
To increase your chances of getting an interview, use this list of keywords as a starting point to help you identify the skills and experience most relevant to this position:
- Intelligence Analysis
- Military
- Counterintelligence
- U.S. Department of Defense
- Defense
- Analytical Skills
- Law Enforcement
- National Security
- HUMINT
- Information Assurance
- Military Operations
- Joint Service
- Intelligence
- Command
- Homeland Security
- Defense Intelligence
- International Relations
- Interrogation
- Intelligence Collection
- Force Protection
- Weapons Handling
- Targeting
- SIPR
- Geospatial Intelligence
- Geographic Information Systems (GIS)
- Operation Iraqi Freedom
- Analyst Skills
- CID
- Counterterrorism
- Military Training
Showcase Your Technical Skills
As an intelligence analyst, you are responsible for understanding and interpreting data from a variety of sources. This means that you need to be proficient in a variety of programs and systems that can help you make sense of the data.
Some of the programs and systems that intelligence analysts typically use include: Microsoft Office Suite (Excel, Word, PowerPoint), data analysis software like SAS and SPSS, social media monitoring tools like Hootsuite and Tweetdeck, and intelligence databases like INTELINK and /open source/.
Related: How Much Does an Intelligence Analyst Make?
Remember The Basics
As you draft your resume, you’ll want to keep a few basic guidelines in mind.
Make Your Resume Easy to Scan
There are a few things you can do to your resume to make it look more professional and easy to read. First, use a standard font and font size. Second, left-align your text. Third, use bullets to list your experiences and keep them concise. Fourth, do not use excessive formatting such as all-caps, bold, or italics. Finally, try to leave some white space on the page to make the document easier to read.
Be Concise
When it comes to resume length, there is no one-size-fits-all answer. However, it is typically best to keep resumes concise and to the point, especially if you are a recent graduate or have less than five to eight years of professional experience. Ideally, your resume should only be one page long. If you have more experience than that, you can make a two-page resume, but be selective about the information you include.
Check Your Work
Proofreading your resume is important to making sure it looks its best. Spelling mistakes, punctuation mistakes, and grammatical mistakes can all be easily corrected with a careful eye. Having someone else proofread your resume is also helpful, as they can catch mistakes that you may have missed.
Use a Summary
When it comes to resumes, a well-crafted summary statement can be incredibly useful for highlighting your skills and experience in a way that makes them easily translatable to the role you’re hoping to land. By summarizing your qualifications and experience, you can give potential employers a snapshot of what you have to offer, and explain how your skills and experiences will help you excel in the role you’re seeking. Additionally, a well-written summary statement can show off your writing skills and help you to stand out from the competition.
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