So, you want to be a Business Analyst?
Considering a career as a Business Analyst? As a high paying and highly desirable analyst pathway, working as a Business Analyst is a cool career choice. However, like many analyst jobs, understanding exactly what the role entails can be tricky to define.
What does a Business Analyst do?
At a surface level, a Business Analyst is a career pathway within the Information Technology family. There are several elements that feed into what a Business Analyst actually does. They may be tasked with improving a business's operations, analysing a business's needs or improving a business's systems, whether this means their IT systems or business systems. As a blueprint, a Business Analyst is presented with some form of business problem, either a current problem faced by a business or a predicted future problem, and then tasked with finding a solution.
A large element of the role involves working alongside business stakeholders and key decision makers to provide useful and consistent solutions to their business problems.
A Business Analyst works across the board, with their required tasks and responsibilities diverse. Their work is often project dependent and unique to the sector they are working within. On one day, they may be required to quality test, and the next they may need to analyse a business's financial investments.
A great Business Analyst will focus on providing sustainable and attainable solutions that tick a business's requirements. They are a mediator and moderator who unite business needs with IT solutions.
What qualifications does a Business Analyst need?
As a Business Analyst bridges the IT world with the business world, a strong foundation in both is needed. For those just beginning as a Business Analyst, two to five years of industry experience is required. Many begin in a developer role or quality assurance position before moving into becoming a Subject Matter Expert (SME). With this experience, one is ready to move into the Business Analysis field.
Business Analysts wear many hats and with this need a range of technical, analytical and soft skills. Beyond qualifications, communication skills are undoubtedly most important. As an information conduit and a conversation facilitator, it is not uncommon for a Business Analyst to work with a range of stakeholders on a daily basis. And, each of these various stakeholders have differing goals and knowledge when compared. It falls on the Business Analyst to then bridge any understanding gaps between such stakeholders and unite their vision and knowledge.
With three to five years of Business Analyst experience on one’s resume, there is the opportunity to progress into senior roles such as a Senior Business Analyst, Product Manager or IT Business Analyst. Looking further, when a Business Analyst has ten or more years of experience, consultant roles or Chief Technology Officer positions become attainable. The opportunities for a Business Analyst are somewhat limitless for those with the right mix of experience, knowledge and passion for the industry.
What does a Business Analyst earn?
A Business Analyst can expect a considerable pay package, however, to be a top earning Business Analyst, ten years of professional experience is what employees seek. Looking at annual averages, a Business Analyst working in the United Kingdom can expect to be earning £43,239. In Australia the average salary of a Business Analyst sits at $82,222 annually. And, in the United States, a mid-career Business Analyst can expect $76,028 annually.
Whilst the nitty-gritty of a Business Analyst’s task shift daily, the overarching goal of a the job remains - a Business Analyst is always working towards implementing positive change for a business. For those with an interest in both the IT and business world, a career in Business Analysis may be the perfect avenue worth consideration.
