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Economist skills for your resume and career

Updated January 8, 2025
5 min read
Quoted Experts
John Levendis,
John Levendis
Below we've compiled a list of the most critical economist skills. We ranked the top skills for economists based on the percentage of resumes they appeared on. For example, 8.8% of economist resumes contained economic research as a skill. Continue reading to find out what skills an economist needs to be successful in the workplace.

15 economist skills for your resume and career

1. Economic Research

Economic research focuses on short and medium-term research in competitiveness, market structure, productivity, framework policies, business innovation, business investment, and sectoral trends and issues.

Here's how economists use economic research:
  • Provided peer-review to actuarial and economic research, as well as statistical and econometric consulting services as consultant to internal requests.
  • Performed Econometric modeling techniques for a macroeconomic research project where I analyzed the significance of variables at different levels.

2. Research Findings

Here's how economists use research findings:
  • Organized researched data into report format, including graphical illustrations of research findings.
  • Acted as project economist in various teams aimed at commercializing research findings.

3. Economic Analysis

Economic analysis refers to examining or assessing issues or topics from an economist's point of view. The goal of such analysis is to find out how efficiently the economy or something within it is functioning. For example, a company's economic analysis would involve determining the profit it is making. According to some economists, economic analysis involves a systematic approach to determine how to use scarce resources optimally. To perform economic analysis, you should have analytical, communication, critical thinking, mathematical, statistical, and writing skills, in addition to being detail-oriented.

Here's how economists use economic analysis:
  • Translated data into written reports/economic analysis for clients and for online blogs, connecting results of analysis to actionable information.
  • Managed several important client relationships and performed customized economic analysis for clients from a variety of industries and government institutions.

4. Research Projects

Here's how economists use research projects:
  • Conducted research projects on the effectiveness of financial recovery programs and monitored the status of domestic commercial real estate.
  • Coordinated team activities and assigned professional staff in research projects.

5. Econometrics

Here's how economists use econometrics:
  • Developed and maintained econometrics modeling forecasts relating to banking, finance and the economy.
  • Utilized various econometrics techniques and statistical methods to assist in regression analysis.

6. Project Management

Here's how economists use project management:
  • Project management in environmental protection, democracy, economics, free trade, health, and education.
  • Implement new software and project management applications to enhance workgroup productivity.

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7. Economic Data

Economic data, also known as economic statistics, refer to quantitative measurements that record the economy. This allows companies and researchers to determine what the economy was like during a certain period of time compared to other economies, whether another country's economy at the same time or compared to the same economy years in the future.

Here's how economists use economic data:
  • Provided participating agencies with various reports containing economic data and provided assistance with interpreting and applying the information in the reports.
  • Conducted analysis of national and state based economic data and produced reports on findings
Select Skills To Add To Your Resume

8. Policy Issues

Policy issues are key issues that influence the economic, social, and political life of a place where conflicts arise over the direction of government policy. Often the policy issues are general, dealing with broad approaches to problems, such as whether the federal government should increase spending on national defense or whether social security should be privatized in some fashion.

Here's how economists use policy issues:
  • Formulated and implemented the country strategy by engaging with policymakers on key policy issues.
  • Developed background studies on monetary and fiscal policy issues in Brazil, and structural and financial sector reforms in Peru.

9. SAS

SAS stands for Statistical Analysis System which is a Statistical Software designed by SAS institute. This software enables users to perform advanced analytics and queries related to data analytics and predictive analysis. It can retrieve data from different sources and perform statistical analysis on it.

Here's how economists use sas:
  • Assisted senior economists to develop econometric models for analyses using SAS.
  • Maintained employment trend SAS forecasting database.

10. Data Collection

Data collection means to analyze and collect all the necessary information. It helps in carrying out research and in storing important and necessary information. The most important goal of data collection is to gather the information that is rich and accurate for statistical analysis.

Here's how economists use data collection:
  • Prepared survey questionnaires and developed effective face-to-face interview techniques and other methods to ensure accurate, efficient data collection.
  • Demonstrated excellent skills in data collection, data management, interpretation and analysis in several capacities.

11. Statistical Analysis

Here's how economists use statistical analysis:
  • Reviewed the validity of third-party reports on proposed legislative policies through statistical analysis (regression, correlation) and literature reviews.
  • Created a lender clustering framework based on the application of industry trends and statistical analysis of lender-level data.

12. Data Analysis

Here's how economists use data analysis:
  • Performed data analysis and research on economics of education and labor economics.
  • Manage teams of junior staff members to complete data analysis, document creation and auditing projects.

13. Stata

STATA is a statistical software package used for data visualization, manipulation, statistics, and automated reporting. Individuals with experience in using other types of statistical software or a background in data science may find it easier to absorb the concepts of STATA quickly.

Here's how economists use stata:
  • Analyzed, constructed, and manipulated data using STATA and Excel to facilitate expert analysis.
  • Conduct analyses of sector data using Stata and Excel and write reports summarizing results to help improve program targets.

14. Interest Rates

Here's how economists use interest rates:
  • Developed original Mortgage Monitor weekly report that summarized key factors driving interest rate movements and provided mortgage rate forecasts.
  • Interpreted domestic and international economic developments and their impact on Federal Reserve interest rate policy decisions.

15. Macro

Here's how economists use macro:
  • Conducted research and current analysis on macro economic and capital markets issues.
  • Assist colleagues in creating formula macros and formatting data across various commercial and in-house platforms.
top-skills

What skills help Economists find jobs?

Tell us what job you are looking for, we’ll show you what skills employers want.

What skills stand out on Economist resumes?

J

John Levendis

Professor of Business Analytics and Economics, Loyola University New Orleans

This all depends upon what kinds of jobs you're applying for, who the employer is, etc... A job at the Fed as a research economist will require a different skillset (and a Ph.D.) from an analyst with the Department of Labor. Regardless of your employer, econometric/statistical skills are highly valued and expected.

What soft skills should all Economists possess?

J

John Levendis

Professor of Business Analytics and Economics, Loyola University New Orleans

Though economists are expected to have strong technical skills, especially with statistics, soft skills are equally important and easily overlooked by students. It does employers no good to hire economists who cannot explain their work or their conclusions. Be able to convey technical matters to non-technical audiences. Try explaining your research to your parents, for example, without using jargon. Even better, try explaining it to a grade-schooler. Your boss might not need to know the gory mathematical details. But they will need to know what your conclusions are.

What hard/technical skills are most important for Economists?

J

John Levendis

Professor of Business Analytics and Economics, Loyola University New Orleans

Economists are expected to be able to analyze reams of data. Econometrics and prob/stats skills are expected. Take as many of these classes as possible. Outside of the standard econometrics offerings, consider taking general programming courses.

What Economist skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?

P

Patrick Scott Ph.D.

Assistant Professor of Economics, Louisiana Tech University

I wouldn’t recommend the gap years. Instead, I would suggest start higher education now or pursue graduate degrees to give yourself a marketable edge.

What type of skills will young Economists need?

M
The typical Economics major on the job market doesn't need economics, per se. They need the analytical skills that the economics curriculum provides. We train students to think and analyze situations in a manner that other disciplines do not. Sometimes that will lead them to quantitative jobs, and sometimes it will lead them to qualitative jobs. As such, the necessary skills vary.
In general, I would say deep quantitative skills are becoming increasingly attractive. Job titles such as analyst, quantitative analysts, data analysts, and data scientists are accessible to economics majors. This requires a strong understanding of statistics and computational methods. At a minimum, these students should have an advanced understanding of Excel and at least one computational language like R, Python, or Matlab. Database skills are very helpful as well. Moreover, data visualization is key. Economics majors tend to be great storytellers.
Do you want to know more?
Read more about what experts have to say about Economist

List of economist skills to add to your resume

Economist Skills

The most important skills for an economist resume and required skills for an economist to have include:

  • Economic Research
  • Research Findings
  • Economic Analysis
  • Research Projects
  • Econometrics
  • Project Management
  • Economic Data
  • Policy Issues
  • SAS
  • Data Collection
  • Statistical Analysis
  • Data Analysis
  • Stata
  • Interest Rates
  • Macro
  • SQL
  • IRS
  • Financial Markets
  • Analyze Data
  • Treasury
  • Litigation
  • Statistical Methods
  • Economic Models
  • BLS
  • Macroeconomic
  • Statistical Data
  • Financial Statements
  • Financial Analysis
  • Transfer Pricing
  • PowerPoint
  • Quantitative Analysis
  • Statistical Software
  • Policy Analysis
  • Technical Assistance
  • Government Agencies
  • Cost-Benefit Analysis
  • Economic Studies
  • Medicare
  • Impact Analysis
  • Regression
  • Fixed Income
  • Research Results
  • Data Quality
  • Economic Impacts
  • R
  • Bloomberg
  • VBA
  • Financial Data

Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

Updated January 8, 2025

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