Many novice and aspiring business analysts, such as those who just graduated or are simply looking to change industries, find themselves facing a conundrum as they begin their job search.
In a field as complex and dynamic as business analysis, experience and proven business analysis skills are at a premium.
But, how can you gain relevant business analysis experience if you haven’t had a chance to work on projects as a business analyst?
This catch-22 situation can easily get very frustrating for young professionals trying to get their start in the industry.
Luckily, there are ways to get hands-on business analysis project experience, improve your skills, beef up your resume, and gain abilities that will impress potential employers or clients.
However, this will take some resolve, commitment to self-improvement, and willingness to work even if nobody is asking you to.
We will explore some of the strategies that can help you develop and demonstrate the skills needed for the role of a business analyst.
Table of Contents
Strategies for Gaining Hands-On Business Analysis Experience
Work on Your Own Projects
A great way to get some practical business analysis experience is to undertake small personal BA projects where you can practice your skills and sharpen your instincts.
Of course, the one you choose to work and practice on should be close to your interests and align with what you want to do in your career. If you’re unsure of what type of activity to undertake, there are plenty of online resources that can give you some specific ideas for beginner-friendly projects.
Some of these also provide all the necessary information and guidance for the successful completion of various interesting and challenging projects such as analysing customer feedback, predicting customer churn rates, estimating retail prices, analysing employee exit surveys, and many others.
While working on your project, you’ll get a chance to go through most of the processes experienced analysts go through while performing their jobs.
A personal project will start with setting goals and defining clear objectives and end with evaluating how good you did.
In between, depending on the type of project you choose, you’ll likely have an opportunity to cover plenty of real BA responsibilities, such as creating mock requirements, analysing business processes, developing process models, creating reporters and visualisations, and documenting your work and progress.
The last part is especially important as documenting these projects will help you build up your portfolio that you can present to potential employers. Also, you can publish and share documented projects on platforms such as GitHub to demonstrate your hands-on BA skills.
If you have classmates, coworkers, or friends who are also aspiring business analysts, you can collaborate and work on group projects.
Similar to personal projects, this will provide you with a useful hands-on project experience, but also help all of the participants learn how to work as a team and understand the team dynamics in business analysis, When working on a group project, it’s usually a good idea to rotate roles and tasks, so everyone can experience working on and managing different aspects of the project.
Volunteering on BA Projects
In addition to working on personal projects, you can dip your toes into the actual, real-life business analysis processes by volunteering to take on any roles and tasks related to business analysis.
If you’re already a part of an organisation, you look for opportunities to join in internal initiatives such as product development or system upgrades.
Or, you can simply try to approach BA managers in your area and ask them about volunteering opportunities on their current projects that may use an extra set of hands.
Another way to get some hands-on BA experience through volunteering is to offer your services to budding startups, non-profit organisations, or local businesses that may need assistance in analysing their needs, defining their objectives, or solutions design.
Of course, you most likely won’t get paid for any of this work, but you will get an invaluable opportunity to experience the project environment first-hand, understand the roles and tasks of the project stakeholders, and work with knowledgeable and passionate professionals in the industry.
One more significant benefit of working on BA projects as a volunteer is that it will demonstrate to your prospective employers that you have a passion and commitment to the field.
Plus, it will feel really good to work on something meaningful. Finally, these are also the projects you can document and include in your portfolio.
Contributing to Open-Source Projects
You may also consider volunteering and contributing to some of the many open-source projects that are available online. A quick look at GitHub or some similar platform will reveal plenty of opportunities and all you have to do is find those that are suitable for your current skill level and best match your interests.
Participating in these types of projects will help you get experience in different processes and you will gain exposure to a variety of technologies.
To make sure you provide a meaningful contribution, try not to over-extend yourself. Initially, look for smaller and simpler tasks such as writing documentation or fixing bugs. Then, as you gain more experience and become more confident and comfortable, take on more serious challenges.
Participation in open-source projects will not only provide you with much-needed hands-on experience in the field but also help your networking efforts.
Most of these platforms feature lively and engaging communities where you will find like-minded people and opportunities to engage in meaningful discussions, collaborate with other members, and even attend meet-ups so you can meet other contributors in person.
Seek Internships and Mentorship
An internship, even if it’s unpaid, will allow you to get some on-the-job experience with actual projects in a real work environment. It will give you a chance to experience first-hand the dynamic and fast-paced world of business analysis.
Many organisations, even some of the world’s largest companies, constantly have internship openings for those who are looking to pursue a career in business analysis, so search the company websites, professional networking and community sites, or job boards for the opportunity that suits you the best.
You can try to get into one that best aligns with your interests or maybe look to expand your horizons and gain experience across various industries.
Internships can also be a great way to seek mentorship from more experienced and knowledgeable business analysts, Of course, you can find mentors outside internships, too, and one of the best ways to do it is to join one of the available coaching and mentoring programs
where you be able to connect with mentors that can provide valuable advice and insights.
Many of these programs feature learning while working on projects so you can get not only mentoring but also hands-on project experience.
A mentor can provide guidance on your career path and help you overcome many of the challenges you will undoubtedly face.
The value of proper mentoring can hardly be overstated.
Having someone to provide meaningful feedback on your performance and skills can help you identify your strengths and weaknesses, learn from your mistakes, and ultimately become a better and more confident business analyst.
Expand Relevant Knowledge and Skills
Even if you’re not a full-time business analysis practitioner, it’s essential to constantly work on improving your skills and education in the field.
Continuous learning is an important part of a BA career path as it’s essential to stay up to date with all the emerging technologies and industry trends.
Sharpening business analysis skills is even more important for BAs who are only starting their careers and don’t have their experience to rely on.
A lot of online learning platforms offer project-based BA courses. This means that you will get an opportunity to expand your business analysis toolbox, while at the same time working directly on projects and learning how to actually implement your skills.
Needless to say, you should look for reputable learning platforms that offer these comprehensive training models, and cover most of the business analysis key competencies, such as stakeholder management, data analysis, requirements gathering, or process modelling.
Business Analysis Networking
One of the keys to growing from an aspiring to an established business analyst is building a network. This is particularly important at the beginning of a career BA where opportunities to work on projects and gain meaningful experience can be scarce and hard to come by.
You can start building your network by attending industry business analysis events and conferences, but also by taking part in webinars and participating in online discussions. You can also use professional platforms such as LinkedIn to connect with other business analysts.
The more your network grows the more likely it is that you will find an opportunity to be offered a role on a project and learn about the day-to-day work of a business analyst. Just like in many other industries, job opportunities in the field of business analysis often come via word-of-mouth.
Therefore, fostering relationships within your network and showing curiosity when communicating with your peers can help you discover BA opportunities that you may not find in any other way.