How to Get a Head Start on Your Business Analysis Career
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Ready to get started on your Business Analysis career? If so, you’re not alone. Business Analysis is becoming an increasingly popular career choice. In fact, the Business Analysis profession is projected to grow 14% by 2028.1 While there isn’t a clear-cut career path for Business Analysis professionals, a foundational Business Analysis certification can help you jump-start your career and get on the path to success.
How Certification Benefits a New Business Analysis Professional
Business Analysis certifications are worth pursuing for many reasons. First and foremost, they help you get your Business Analysis career started. Other benefits of a professional certification include:
- Recognition on a professional and personal level
- Higher earning potential (you can expect a 16% average increase in salary if you are certified)2
- A weightier resume
- Validation of your competence and expertise
- Showcases your dedication to the profession
Certification is one of the quickest roads to learning and proving foundational Business Analysis skills and moving your career forward. It will help you begin to establish yourself as a Business Analysis professional with a measurable skill set and can give you a competitive advantage.
Everything You Need to Know About ECBA
One certificate that will jump-start your Business Analysis career is the Entry Certificate in Business Analysis™ (ECBA™). The ECBA is a professional certificate meant for people who are new to Business Analysis. It was developed several years ago and was the first entry-level certificate for new Business Analysis professionals.
The aim of the ECBA is to give new practitioners foundational knowledge and best practices in Business Analysis according to the BABOK® Guide. Knowing the best practices and core competencies in Business Analysis gives you an advantage over your competitors.
Related Reading: ECBA Roadmap to Success
The ECBA not only gives you a competitive edge but also benefits you in other ways. For example, nearly 90% of certified Business Analysis professionals claimed an increase in career satisfaction, as well as greater confidence and fulfillment.3
Earning the ECBA is an attainable first step toward a successful Business Analysis career. It provides you with a working knowledge of Business Analysis so that you feel confident enough to pursue other income-boosting professional certifications (although it isn’t a prerequisite to those certifications), such as the more experienced-level certifications, CCBA® and CBAP® or even specialized areas of Business Analysis as your career develops.
Get Your Business Analysis Career Started with the ECBA
With the ECBA, you can unleash your career potential in Business Analysis. You can also move from one career to another more easily. It’s not at all uncommon for individuals with an established career in another field to transition to Business Analysis. A logical first step for these individuals is to earn the ECBA.
Due to the current global health crisis and the rapid pace of digital transformation, Business Analysis is more important than ever. The ECBA is very relevant in the post-COVID world and gives new practitioners what they need to get started and thrive in the profession.
Ready to Take the Next Step?
About The Author:
Tiffani Iacolino is a Product Marketing Manager at IIBA® and has 15+ years of marketing experience across the legal, technology, telecommunications, publishing, media, and professional services industries. She’s passionate about delivering meaningful products and solutions to the business analysis community, including IIBA’s latest offering the Cybersecurity Analysis Learning and Certification Program. Hailing from the Greater Toronto Area, she enjoys an amazing cup of coffee, running, and yoga -- between chasing her two adorable children!