Day in the life
A Day in the Life of a Credit Analyst
What credit analysts actually do from the start of a shift to the end: the tasks, tools, schedule and realities of the job.
What is a typical day like for a credit analyst?
Spread a borrower’s financials. From there, the day usually includes analyze financial statements, review credit reports, and calculate financial ratios. Full-time business hours.
Hour by hour: a typical shift
No two days are identical, but this timeline reflects a realistic day for a credit analyst working full time.
- Spread a borrower’s financials.
- Calculate debt service coverage.
- Call the loan officer with questions.
- Write a credit memo.
- Review an annual loan renewal.
- Present at credit committee.
- Update watch list.
Where credit analysts work
Credit analysts work in bank and corporate offices.
Hours and schedule
Full-time business hours.
Tasks you’ll do most often
- Analyze financial statements
- Review credit reports
- Calculate financial ratios
- Write credit memos
- Recommend approvals or denials
- Monitor existing loans
- Assess collateral
Tools you’ll use every day
- Excel
- Moody’s or similar spreading tools
- Loan origination systems
- Credit bureau reports
- Financial databases
- CRM
The best and hardest parts of the job
What people like
- Strong entry to banking careers
- Good pay
- Analytical work
- Office hours
What’s hard
- Declining employment
- Repetitive tasks
- Deadline pressure
- Automation risk
You’ll likely thrive if…
- I like financial statements
- I’m skeptical in a healthy way
- I write clearly
- I like numbers
- I want a banking career
- I’m detail-oriented
Not sure? Take the free Credit Analyst fit quiz or the Career Match Quiz.
Staying safe on the job
- Protect borrower information
- Follow fair lending laws
- Avoid conflicts of interest
- Report suspected fraud