There are number of questions that you may have if you want to become a business analyst. This article provides the answers to these question – why do you want to be a business analyst ? and why to choose business analyst as a career path ?
Many aspiring business analysts or those seeking to join or switch into the profession also sometime ask the question is business analyst a good career ? and why do you want to work as business analyst ? what is the business analyst salary expectations? and how to become a business analyst ?
Table of Contents
What Is Business Analysis?
So what is business analysis ? The International Institute of Business Analysis (IIBA)
a guide to the business analysis body of knowledge (BABOK) guide version 3.0 defines the business analysis:
As the practice of enabling change in an enterprise by defining needs and recommending solutions that deliver value to stakeholders. Business analysis enables an enterprise to articulate needs and the rationale for change, and to design and describe solutions that can deliver value.
Business analysis is performed on a variety of initiatives within an enterprise. Initiatives may be strategic, tactical, or operational. Business analysis may be performed within the boundaries of a project or throughout enterprise evolution and continuous improvement. It can be used to understand the current state, to define the future state, and to determine the activities required to move from the current to the future state.
The BCS Book Business Analysis (by Paul, Cadle and Yeates) defines business analysis:
As an advisory role which has the responsibility for investigating and analysing business situations, identifying and evaluating options for improving business systems, elaborating and defining requirements, and ensuring the effective implementation and use of information systems in line with the needs of the business.
What Does A Business Analyst Do?
What does a business analyst do? a business analyst is responsible for discovering, synthesising, and analysing information from a variety of sources. The business analyst is responsible for eliciting the actual needs of stakeholders which frequently involves investigating and clarifying their needs in order to determine underlying issues and causes.
Business analysts play a role in aligning the designed and delivered solutions with the needs of stakeholders. The key activities that business analysts perform include:
- Understanding problems and goals,
- Analysing needs and solutions,
- Devising strategies,
- Driving change, and
- Facilitating stakeholder collaboration.
Why Should You Become A Business Analyst?
Why should you become a business analyst ? and why to choose business analyst as a career path ? This is a good question as you need to know your motivations are right before you invest time and money in becoming a successful business analyst.
Growth Market
Business analysis is a growth market and there is a job market for business analysts. This role used not to be highly valued and poorly understood but many companies are starting to realise the value of skilled business analysts.
Good business analysts have the skills to ensure businesses invest their most precious resources of manpower and money wisely. Indeed, time is an even more precious resource in today’s marketplace where poor investment decisions allow the competition to gain advantage.
Note: It’s actually very difficult to prove this is a growth market because there are not many reports that identify this role and it is often either mislabelled or forms part of another role such as project manager.
In the UK, the eSkills initiative has commissioned a report on the IT & Telecoms sector (of which business analysis forms a part), which shows that skills in this area will grow at a rate of 2.5% per annum for the next decade rather than 0.5% in the rest of the economy (five times faster than the rate for other careers!!).
Low Barriers To Entry Compared To Other Professions
At present, the role is still very immature compared to that of other professions (e.g. architect, engineer, accountant). Professional qualifications are not necessary but this is changing rapidly with the rise in importance of the IIBA (International Institute of Business Analysis) and the CBAP accreditation (Certified Business Analysis Professional) and, in the UK, the ISEB qualification and other national equivalents.
Challenging And Demanding Job
Business analysis is a varied and demanding career which utilises many skills including problem solving, relationship management and time management. It can be very satisfying but is NOT an easy ride. It is important that you enjoy a challenge and see that providing you with job satisfaction. Sometimes you will be required to work with a number of different teams and people within the company that you work for.
Many business analysts value that in the business analyst role there is no typical day in the job. Everyday a business analyst is faced with new challenges and new problems to solve, which makes it a perfect job for someone that values a dynamic and challenging work environment, and allows one to continuously develop their problem solving and critical thinking skills.
Springboard To Other Careers
The skills you acquire as a business analyst are very useful in many other roles and will provide you with opportunities to move into higher profile, well, rewarded roles in project management, programme management, business architecture and strategy.
Use Existing Industry Knowledge
This can be either general business knowledge or particular to a particular sector which can make you very valuable.
Tip: This knowledge differentiates you from other business analysts and makes you very marketable. Use this when applying for jobs and looking at a business analyst job description !
Why Companies are Hiring Business Analysts?
So what are the main reasons why companies are hiring business analysts and will continue to do so?
Business analysts make digital transformation easier by bridging the customer-developer gap in digital transformation projects.
Business analysts help translate complex business processes during development. A skilled business analyst can translate the about how the business works for technical staff.
Business analysts can help staff to adopt to changes brought about by the introduction of technology.
Is A Business Analyst A Good Career?
Is a business analyst a good career ? The simple answer is yes – being a business analyst is a good career choice and provides an opportunity for life-long learning and addressing challenges to provide solutions to business problems. You have the opportunity to work in different sectors and industries to apply your skills.
Most importantly the profession is continuing to develop and grow professionally keeping in pace with the changes in technology. If today, you conduct a search on any job site, job board or networking sites such as LinkedIn you will see many job listings for business analyst roles.
Having a business analysis career path will help you with planning and making the right choices when business analyst job opportunities come about.
Many business analyst believe that the role has a lot to offer in terms of a long term professional career, and allows one to continuously learn new tools and techniques to tackle complex business problems and find solutions in today’s digital driven business economy.
Is A Business Analyst A Boring Job?
Is a business analyst a boring job? No – a business analyst job is very varied and no day is the same. A business analyst may find themselves in interesting business domains, projects and work in different industries.
Do Business Analysts Make Good Money?
Do business analyst make good money ? is a question that many entering the profession of often ask. One way to gain answer to this question is via Glassdoor the American website where current and former employees such as business analysts can anonymously review and submit details about the companies they work for and business analyst salary.
Glassdoor also allows business analysts to anonymously submit and view business analyst salaries as well as search and apply for jobs on its platform.
Glassdoor reports the national average salary for a business analyst as $68,346. Note, though, that this figure can differ substantially based on specific duties and experience. A senior IT business analyst, for instance, can make an average business analyst salary of over $90,000.
So Glassdoor will help you answer the question where do business analysts get paid the most? and Is business analyst a high paying job? for your country region.
You can view the 2019 IIBA Business Analyst Salary Survey Infographic for a snapshot of some of the key findings from the full IIBA Business Analyst Salary Survey Report. IIBA members can view the latest business analysis salary findings to find out how much do business analyst make.
Average Business Analyst Salary Comparison by Continent
The IIBA’s 2022 Global State of Business Analysis Report reports average business analyst salary (average business analyst salary reported in USD) comparison by continent as follows:
Average Business Analyst Salary by Gender
The IIBA’s 2022 Global State of Business Analysis Report reports average business analyst salary (average business analyst salary reported in USD) comparison by gender as follows (non-binary responses were not statistically relevant in survey):
5 Best Industries For Higher Business Analyst Salaries
The IIBA’s 2022 Global State of Business Analysis Report reports average business analyst salary (average business analyst salary reported in USD) for the 5 best industries for higher business analyst salaries in 2022 as follows:
Note: 48% of the survey respondents work in the top five highest paying industries. Three of the top four paying industries for business analysis professionals in 2020 continue to lure in talent in 2021.
Average Business Analyst Salary by Job Level
The IIBA’s 2022 Global State of Business Analysis Report reports average business analyst salary by job level (average business analyst salary reported in USD) in 2022 as follows:
Is Business Analyst A Technical Job?
Is business analyst a technical job ? The simple answer is no, it is not. It does not specifically require technical skills to become a business analyst.
Does Business Analyst Require Coding?
Does business analyst require coding skills ? The answer is no. Business analysts do work alongside technology professionals and software development processes. But they are not involved in coding / programming, that’s the job of developers.
Is Business Analyst Job Stressful?
Is business analyst job stressful ? Of course, the answer to this question is that it depends? The business analyst has been listed as one of Forbes magazine’s Top 10 Jobs for Work and Family Balance. According to Forbes, a business analyst job is “typically less stressful than high-demand finance jobs” and can provide great flexible work options.
A lot will depend on the industry and sector in which you work and perhaps where you are on your career journey. When you are starting off and learning new things – it can be stressful to begin with. But things quickly being to settle down as you develop skills and experience.
Can a Business Analyst Work from Home?
The COVID pandemic has meant that business analysts have had to adapt to the change of working and work remotely from home. Business analysts have had to use online collaboration tools and make adjustments to team working and facilitation.
Even though the pandemic has eased off – there are still some business analysts working from home and this trend may continue as this style of working is benefiting both employers and employees.
Does Business Analyst Have A Future?
Does business analyst have a future ? The answer to the question is that the role of a business analyst has evolved over time and has adapted to industry trends, the speed of change, and the ways of working that have been introduced to advance the development and implementation of solutions to meet business needs. Most recently, this can be seen in digital, agile and lean ways of working.
The business analyst and profession has had to adapt and include a wider set of tools and techniques in the professional portfolio. The skill set of a business analyst will still be needed in the future, the role title may change or evolve (to specialise in some areas) but the core skills and principles will still be needed in years to come.
The IIBA Global State of Business Analysis Survey provides a useful global survey to help understand how business analysis is evolving in industries around the world and demonstrate that the business profession does have a bright ongoing future.
The business analysis field is growing fast and evolving to meet today’s business needs. According to the BA Times, the number of jobs for business analysts in the US will rise from 364,000 to 2,720,000 by 2020.
Business analysts will continue to shape the future of the business world in many noteworthy ways and there will be ongoing business analysis trends as the profession evolves.
The IIBA’s 2021 Global State of Business Analysis Report reports overall survey results suggest the variety and complexity of business analysis work continues to change as we see an increased focus on agile analysis, data analysis, digital, product owner, and cybersecurity analysis skillset development.
The report provides a global business analysis view of the demand for tools and resources to support daily work and certifications to validate capabilities and experience.
In the report they see business analysis professionals becoming more involved in strategy and an increase in the understanding and value of business analysis within organisations to deliver better outcomes. So the future of business analyst will continue from strength to strenght.
Is Business Analyst A Dying Career?
Is business analyst a dying career. The answer to this question is that the business analyst is not a dying career. The role is very much in demand by a large range of companies across the world, who continue to recruit and hire for business analyst roles.
Is MBA Really Necessary To Become A Business Analyst?
Is MBA really necessary to become a business analyst ? The answer to the question is that a MBA is not necessary to become a business analyst. There are number of entry routes into business analysis depending upon the company. Some companies may prefer a degree, but some organisations recruit apprentices.
What is the Best Business Analyst Qualification?
Some aspiring business analysis on the career journey of how to become a business analyst will consider an entry level business analyst certification. What are the entry level business analyst qualification for beginners or aspiring business analyst ? Here is a list of entry level business analyst certifications:
- IIBA Certified – Entry Certificate in Business Analysis (ECBA)
- BCS Certified – Foundation Certificate in Business Analysis
- IQBBA Certified – Foundation Level Business Analyst (CFLBA)
- IREB Certified – Professional for Requirements Engineering (CPRE) – Foundation Level
Business Analyst Mentor has identified and recommended business analysis endorsed training providers for the following IIBA business analysis certifications:
- IIBA Entry Certificate in Business Analysis (ECBA)
- IIBA Certification of Competency in Business Analysis (CCBA)
- IIBA Certified Business Analysis Professional (CBAP)
- IIBA Agile Analysis Certification (AAC)
- IIBA Business Data Analytics Certification (CBDA)
- IIBA Cybersecurity Analysis Certification (CCA)
- IIBA Product Ownership Analysis Certification (CPOA)
Is a Business Analyst Certification Worth It?
Is a business analyst certification worth it? Yes – a business analyst certification will allow you to gain knowledge and demonstrate professionalism.
A business analyst certification will provide the foundation of business analysis including tools and techniques that you can use in your career and provide you with confidence of achievement.
A business analyst certification will also help you to differentiate yourself from other candidates when applying for business analyst jobs.
Seek Business Analysis Training and Guidance
If you are interested in getting a good understanding on the fundamentals of business analysis or to understand what does a business analyst do – you can take the Business Analyst Mentor recommended business analyst training courses to learn more about business analysis. or seek out some recommended business books on how to become a business analyst.
If you have some experience and wishing to get a more in depth understanding and perhaps even seek certification you may wish to see a list Business Analyst Mentor IIBA recommended training certification courses to help you become a business analyst.
Business Analyst Mentor has a range of free business analysis training courses that our recommended partners provide to help you become a business analyst and to help you answer the question on would I make a good business analyst ?
Readers of Business Analyst Mentor have benefited by using a set of business analysis templates / business analyst templates and work aids to help their business analysis careers.
Some readers have also benefited by being supported in their business analyst interview preparations to obtain a business analysis job.
Our recommended business analysis training partners (with past student recommendations) are:
You can also seek out business analysis training on the LinkedIn Learning platform where we have identified a list of recommended business analysis courses on the platform.
