How to become a Business Analyst in 2021 (Complete Guide)

Any form of business requires a multidimensional approach. It requires coordination between them as well. With the ever increasing globalisation and mechanisation, it is highly important to avoid gaps and discrepancies as far as businesses are concerned.

This also means that there should be a connection between the IT related nuances and the business related realities. No aspects will work as independent entities any more.

A Business Analyst is a person who bridges this gap. They are capable of effectively planning and predicting the behaviour of a business model through well informed technical tools that fit the firm.

Data analytics is considered one of the most important arms of industry 4.0 and its scope in the future is predictable. If you are a science person who loves to be in the corporate world, then business analysis which comes under data analytics is the right choice for you. This emerging high potential job has a few prerequisites and a few steps before becoming one yourself. This article guides you through the details on how to become a Business Analyst in 2021.

Who is a Business Analyst?
Skills needed for a Business Analyst
How to Become a Business Analyst
Online Certification Courses for Business Analyst
FAQ

Who is a Business Analyst?

Business Analysts are those who engage with large contents of data to derive patterns of occurrences. Their scrutiny will help improve the quality and efficiency of the business firm. They will help in understanding places where there is a performance gap and will suggest a better option to mitigate them.

They focus on functions and processes of an organisation. As mentioned earlier, they serve as the mediators between technology and commerce. Through data analysis, business analysts become capable of simplifying complicated tasks into simpler ones by giving data driven recommendations.

They strategically plan things for the company to reduce the chances of failure as much as possible. It requires a deep understanding about both market scenarios and information technology. The four main types of planning that business analysts do are :

• Strategic planning - Depending on the needs of the company
• Process design - Planning the flow of procedures
• Business model analysis - To propose different market approaches and business strategies
• Systems analysis - Based on the technical requirements

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Skills needed for a Business Analyst

Scientific temperament

You are going to deal with big data and technology which are highly scientific. It demands you to be curious about new things, especially scientific ones. Only if you are able to understand the science of functioning can you identify the problems and recommend a feasible solution.

Critical Thinking

It can also be read as analytical thinking. As a business analyst, you serve as a link between information / data and business. In order to derive connections and solutions, one should be able to critically analyse the data available.

It is because no observations will be implicit and the data analyst in fact has to decipher the problems and solutions from the data. Hence, a business analysts should be capable of critical thinking

Organisational Skills

It is important to properly classify the data available to get the best out of it. Although this is mechanically done, it is important to keep track of the data organisation.

Carelessly organised data can give distorted results which will further affect the analysis. So be sure to develop a habit of organising things right from your own bedroom. Let that be a part of your lifestyle.

Communication Skills

Business Analysis is not a job done by a single person. It is not humanly possible also. Hence, many business analysts in a firm come together to discuss and collate their observations to reach a fruitful conclusion.

To facilitate this, it is very important to have good communication skills. It is not only to put across your observations and inferences but also to absorb the most valuable information from others as well.

Documentation Skills

Keeping track of things is one of the most important parts of a Business Analyst's job. They are to document the variations in the functions and processes of the firm so as to provide appropriate recommendations. Apart from that, such documentation is required for deriving a particular information from a different point of time.

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How to Become a Business Analyst

Considering the amount of technicalities behind the work that a business analyst needs to do, it is always better to train yourself professionally. However, the option to self learn is always open. Today you have a lot of courses on the same.

Undergraduation

If you are going for an undergraduate degree, go for a Bachelor in Business Administration in fields that you like. Some colleges offer courses in business analytics. But be mindful that it is different from business analysis. However, the fields are related and will definitely help you in your studies.

During this time, learn more about computer programming as much as you can. Analysing case studies of different kinds will also help you in being a better candidate.

Higher Education

You can either go for an MBA which specialises in Business Analytics or allied subjects. Such a programme will really help you in further dwelling into the intricacies of the wide subject and will make you a pro. A postgraduate certificate will definitely aid you in getting good positions.

Another thing you can do is that many international firms offer specialisation certificates that are widely approved. You can try undergoing their courses and earn your certificates. Some of these certificates are

• IIBA Entry Certificate in Business Analysis (ECBA)
• IQBBA Certified Foundation Level Business Analyst (CFLBA)
• IIBA Certification of Competency in Business Analysis (CCBA)
• PMI Professional in Business Analysis (PBA)
• IIBA Agile Analysis Certification (AAC)
• IIBA Certified Business Analyst Professional (CBAP)
• IREB Certified Professional for Requirements Engineering (CPRE)

These courses will help you in getting a senior Business Analyst position.

Online Certification Courses for Business Analyst

• The Complete Business Analysis Fundamentals Course + CERT by Udemy
• Business Analysis and Project Management by Coursera
• Introduction to Business Analysis Using Spreadsheets by Coursera
• Excel to MySQL: Analytic Techniques for Business Specialisation by Coursera
• Business Analysis and Fundamentals by Udemy
• Business Analyst : Project Management Techniques and Tools by Udemy
• Business Analysis Modelling Skills and Techniques by Udemy
• Business and Data Analytic Skills by Edx
• Business Analysis: Developing Requirements by Udemy

FAQ

What is the main role of a business analyst?

Business Analyst bridge the gap between IT and business using data analytics to data-driven deliver reports to executives.

What qualifications do I need to be a business analyst?

You require an Undergraduate degree in computer science, business information systems, computing and systems development, and business management.

How much does a a Business Analyst in India make?

The average salary for Business Analyst in India is ₹7,00,000 per year.