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IIBA.org I’m a Business Analyst at Heart | Analyst Catalyst Blog

I’m a Business Analyst at Heart

 
 

Does your job title truly represent what you do? In the book, Business Analysis For Dummies written by Kupe Kupersmith, Paul Mulvey and Kate McGoey, they talk about the role of a business analysis professional and what it could look like for you… depending on which path you choose. Business analysis skills can be applied to other roles, in their blog, 10 Roles for Business Analysis Professionals1 the authors share Ten roles (other than a BA) you can fulfill because of your business analysis skills:1

  1. Data Analyst
  2. Business Intelligence Analyst
  3. Product Analyst
  4. Process Analyst
  5. Business Architect
  6. Strategic Analyst
  7. Business Functional Manager
  8. Consulting Analyst
  9. Technical Systems Analyst
  10. Program Analyst


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What’s Your Title?

With the advance of technology, the list of jobs a BA can hold is expanding to include roles in data analytics, agile, product ownership, cybersecurity to name a few. At Building Business Capability 2019 in Fort Lauderdale, Florida we heard from lots of BAs who had different job titles and work in different industries but when it comes down to it, they still practice business analysis.

Transferable skills are important to your success in any role. Employers value soft skills because they enable BAs to cooperate, collaborate, and thrive within an organization.

Top soft skills that BAs reported in IIBA’s 2019 Global Business Analysis Salary Survey Report2 that make you more marketable include:

  • Communication Skills
  • Creative Thinking
  • Organizational Skills
  • Leadership
  • Emotional Intelligence
  • Storytelling

Soft Skills

While, the top hard skills, those that respondents identified as the most required competencies and skill sets their organization finds necessary to perform business analysis work in your role include: 

  • Problem Solving
  • Critical Thinking
  • Decision Making
  • Customer Experience
  • User Stories
  • Change Management
  • Agile Mindset
  • Negotiation Skills
  • Design Thinking

Hard Skills

Having the right skills puts you in demand, in the I recent public webinar, ‘Are You Prepared for the BA Apocalypse?’ (IIBA's Analyst Catalyst BA Apocalypse blog and watch the archived webinar) panelists Stefan Bossuwé, CBAP, President IIBA Brussels Chapter; Adrian Reed, CBAP, Principal Consultant and Director at Blackmetric Business Solutions; Joanne Dong, Founder, JDStream Management Consulting Inc.; and Kevin Brennan, Product Management and Leadership Consultant discuss according to McKinsey Global Institute by 2030, they estimate “that as many as 375 million workers globally will have to master fresh skills as their current jobs evolve alongside the rise of automation and capable machines…..we expect most economies to generate net new jobs in the years ahead as different types of careers, new sources of demand and reskilled workforces emerge”.3

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Upgrade your skills

Check out IIBA’s webinar archives for insights and tips on how to excel in different BA skills to arm yourself with the tools, techniques, experience, certifications and more that you need to succeed in 2020.

Right-skill for your future. “In addition to raising your salary and expanding your skill set, business analysis certifications also keep you on the cutting edge of BA trends, help you define your niche in the industry, and assist you in establishing yourself as a leader in the BA community,” as stated in the recent Why NOW is the Best Time to Earn a Business Analysis Certification blog post on IIBA’s Analyst Catalyst.  

 

Check out how IIBA Certifications can advance your career.

 


References
  1. Business Analysis for Dummies. 10 Roles for Business Analysis Professionals. https://www.dummies.com/business/business-strategy/10-roles-for-business-analysis-professionals/
  2. IIBA. IIBA 2019 Global Business Analysis Salary Survey Report.
    https://www.iiba.org/professional-development/career-centre/global-ba-salary-survey/
  3. McKinsey Global Institute. Right-skilling for your future workforce.
    https://www.mckinsey.com/business-functions/organization/our-insights/the-organization-blog/right-skilling-for-your-future-workforce