How to become a Business Analyst

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Business Analysts: Making the world a better place, one office at a time… Business Analysts (known as BAs) are responsible for analysing a business’s processes and investigating how they work. They then identify improvements that can be made and present the case for these improvements back to the business. Although specific responsibilities vary greatly from specialism to specialism, the role of a Business Analyst will generally include the following:

Analysing the business (either one element or the business as a whole)
Evaluating all available data
Identifying any problems that need addressing or potential improvements
Projecting how feasible these improvements are to make
Using all of the acquired information to present a business case back to the company which details the solutions
Implementing the necessary and agreed-to changes, overall increasing efficiency for the business

To be successful as a Business Analyst, excellent analytical skills are an obvious pre-requisite. You will need to be objective when evaluating elements within the business, combining your observations with an acute awareness of any developments within the marketplace in order to present any outcome. You will be spending most of your time researching processes and extrapolating data, so self-motivation and the ability to work independently are also necessities. Other key skills include:

- Exceptional problem solving skills
- Superior communication skills, not to mention the ability to be objective
- Reporting and presentation skills
- Computer literacy, not to mention proficiency in Microsoft Office (in particular Microsoft Excel)
- The passion and confidence to justify your suggestions and back them up with solid research and analysis

"Being a BA gives me the opportunity to put my analytical and problem solving skills to good use, as well as witness my recommendations being put into practice on a daily basis. It’s not all numbers and analysis, as it often requires collaboration, which is ideal as I love to bounce ideas off the people I work with."

Get qualified

It is not a necessary requirement to have a degree to become a Business Analyst. However, it is recommended to have some qualifications specific to the industry, such as MSc Business Intelligence and Analytics. Alternatively, a more comprehensive course in MSc Strategic Business Management (full-time online)

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