Reader Question: I have honed serious analytical skills in college and graduate school and used my analysis, synthesis, and synergistic skills to get jobs in a variety of fields. I had no idea people professionally analyzed until I started working with one who is coaching me to develop my resume. My question is — how do I make that transition from intellectual analyst to a business analyst?
Laura’s answer: I’m excited to receive this question. Although I, myself, never truly started a “career” as an intellectual analyst, I did pursue intellectual analysis degrees through undergrad, notably philosophy and English. In my first days as a business analyst I do remember looking back especially to my courses in logic. Well-analyzed requirements share some definite similarities with a proper logical argument. Just as you look for intellectual cracks in an argument, you look for holes in your requirements where point A doesn’t quite get you to point B. As I advanced as a business analyst I started to find similarities between engaging with especially cryptic stakeholders and reading some of the more challenging philosophy texts. Hours spent each night struggling with the meaning of a few pages of Nietzsche, Wittgenstein, and Ricoeur come to mind.
But this is all really background. Your question is, how do I get there from here? I would recommend starting by listing your strengths as an intellectual analyst. A book such as GO Put Your Strengths to Work by Marcus Buckingham could provide a useful framework for evaluating your strengths. Once you’ve completed this self-assessment, start looking at a competency model for business analysts. You might start with IIBA’s competency model. Begin to see where you bring strengths from your intellectual and professional background and where you have gaps to fill to become a business analyst.
My guess (and it’s just a guess) is that most of what you’ll need to learn surrounds the fundamentals of business analysis. You’ll want to learn about the requirements process and the various business analyst knowledge areas. The analysis will come naturally to you. The techniques will give you the tools you need to become a proficient business analyst.
Another potential gap will be in the essential communication skills that make a great business analyst. It may be that you’ve already been honing your communication through your other roles. But as you start to evaluate a business analyst career, you’ll want to focus on your listening, questioning, and facilitation skills as well.
Good luck with your transition!
How would you help this potential business analyst find her way into the profession?
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By Laura Brandenburg. Laura Brandenburg is an independent business analyst mentor and consultant. She hosts this blog as a forum for business analysts to build on each other's experiences. To stay up-to-date on the latest from Bridging the Gap be sure to sign-up for our free eNewsletter and receive a free primer titled "3 Career Habits of Successful Business Analysts." View more blog posts by Laura Brandenburg |
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Analysis is analysis and honing those skills will be well reflected regardless of your title, your role, personal or professional life. I was talking to a friend about a position in his company and stated that I was not familiar with tool set (software package) they utilized. His response was, “I can teach any monkey to create reports, but not everyone knows how to analyze the data.”
I have actually used this approach in several interviews and it has been successful in each one. Because of this, I have had the pleasure of working in multiple industries – and sight that as evidence of my abilities. If you have the critical thinking skill sets, you can learn any industry or application. Think about how often you have seen a SME promoted and they became completely lost at the next level. The ability to think through the level is paramount to your success.