How do I become a BA?

We are often asked ‘What is a BA?’ and ‘How do I become a BA?’. Business analysts are responsible for identifying change needs, assessing the impact of the change, capturing and documenting requirements and then ensuring that those requirements are delivered by IT whilst supporting the business through the implementation process.

Business analysts are likely to be the key change facilitators within an organisation. They must deliver effective solutions which provide tangible business benefits often within short timescales. You must be a great communicator (both written and verbal), have business acumen and be willing to tackle complex problems head-on while dealing with the challenges of short timescales and demanding business stakeholders.

We are often posed with the question ‘I want to become a business analyst, which training course should I start with?’ The answer to this question can be different depending on your current circumstances and past experience. Below are the main options:

Option 1 – BCS Foundation Certificate in Business Analysis

This 3-day course covers the syllabus and exam for the BCS Foundation Certificate in Business Analysis. This certificate provides a very broad coverage of many aspects of business analysis for those seeking a high-level understanding of the business analyst role and who also want to achieve a recognised qualification. It will help you assess whether being a business analyst is right for you.

Option 2 – BCS Requirements Engineering

This 3-day course teaches practical business analysis skills that can be used in the workplace. Course delegates should be able to return to their working environments and work as an effective business analyst, immediately adding value and building effective relationships with project stakeholders. The course focuses on learning how to elicit, analyse and document requirements in both agile and waterfall environments. It can also be suitable for those looking to become a business analyst and want to bypass the foundation level course. If you are a team manager looking to run an on-site course, you should consider our 5-day Fundamentals of Business Analysis course which is an extended version of this course offering further practical skills.

Having evidence of training and a formal qualification, such as the BCS certificates will increase your chances of successfully becoming a business analyst. Employers will value an individual’s commitment to training and qualifications so having these on your CV will help. It is also important that you fully understand the role that you are applying for, can evidence that you have the skills to perform that role and can answer relevant questions in an interview situation. You can start to address these items by attending one of our courses.

Your chances of successfully getting a job as a BA will also depend on your salary expectations and the industry and geographical location in which you want to work. It will also depend on the current opportunities available which meet your criteria. To get an understanding of this you will need to look at the local press, visit your local job office or try some recruitment websites. Many websites now allow you to put in your job criteria, so you can see opportunities that match what you are looking for, or check if your expectations are realistic.

Please be very wary of those training companies who will try to tempt you to pay for a course on the basis that they will find you a job or contract as a business analyst afterwards.