Prove you're job ready
For the new business analyst, there wasn’t any way for you to prove your mettle in the business analysis arena until the launch of the IIBA® Entry Certificate in Business Analysis™ (ECBA™) certification. It’s one of the core certifications from IIBA but doesn’t require any previous experience and isn’t competency based. It proves that you know and understand the standards and practices of the profession. It’s a great way to kick-start a new career.
Whenever I hear someone speak about this certification I think about a story I was told a couple of years ago from an IIBA Chapter Leader that told me the story of a new BA and how this individual had broken into an organization that historically only hired experienced BAs.
As the story goes, this individual was gung-ho and wanted to be a BA. She’d joined her local IIBA Chapter and attended the study group offered by her Chapter. In it she met some new people and learned about the Business Analysis Body of Knowledge (BABOK ® Guide) and the standards, tools and techniques used by business analysts.
She took her knowledge to many organizations looking for business analysts but couldn’t secure any of the opportunities out there. What was she to do? She decided to take the ECBA certification and put some credentials behind her name. She didn’t have any experience, but she knew her stuff.
Her work in the study group paid off and she soon passed the exam and added the credential to her resume. Her updated cover letter spoke of her enthusiasm for business analysis and how she’d become certified to showcase that she understood the tools, techniques and best practices of the profession.
Her passion and enthusiasm were contagious, and an organization soon took a chance on her by hiring her for one of their roles. From there as I understand it, she went on to do great things for the organization while providing exceptional value. She turned into a rock star Business Analyst.
While everyone’s path in business analysis may be a little different, if you’re just breaking into the profession this path might work for you. A mentor of mine used to always say that “You don’t have to be good to start, but you do have to start to be good”. An ECBA certification is a great way to start.
Learn more about IIBA’s ECBA certification program and how it can benefit your career.
About the Author:
Jared loves being a Business Analyst and has done so in title for over 15 years with over 25 years of business leadership experience in both the retail and energy sectors. He is a strong advocate for IIBA, having served in various capacities with the Calgary IIBA Chapter as well as chairing the Volunteer Chapter Network. He brings his passion for business analysis and experience as a Chapter Leader to the role of Director of Chapter and Membership Engagement of IIBA.
He holds his Bachelor of Arts degree in French from the University of Calgary and the Certified Business Analysis Professional™ (CBAP®) designation. He will take any chance possible to evangelize business analysis and will talk your ear off about the role and the profession should you allow him to do so.