What Does a Business Analyst Do?

Business Analyst is one of those hot positions that seem to be popping up everywhere — but the title is vague enough that it can be hard to tell what they actually do.

At their core, Business Analysts use data to improve processes. Regardless of the industry, they gather, examine, and synthesize information to understand patterns and trends. Using this evidence-based data, they’ll suggest new ways to manage and optimize processes — in other words, make sure programs are functioning at a higher level. They often challenge the status quo to save resources like time or money to improve profits, increase productivity, and promote efficiency.

Want to learn more about what it means to be a Business Analyst? Read on below to discover the skills needed, challenges faced, and opportunities available for this rapidly growing role.

What Skills Do Business Analysts Need?

Successful Business Analysts have strong time management skills, are quick to identify and solve problems, and have an analytical mind. They must also have strong verbal and written communication skills. To be very successful in this type of role, both communication and appreciation of data are needed. It also helps to be diplomatic and maintain good cross-functional relationships, and to be highly organized with an appreciation for documentation.

Business Analysts are also talented at discovering trends and applying evidence-based data. They know the business-critical questions to ask, and record the responses. Data is then organized or categorized to meet a business objective, and then organizations use it to gain a competitive advantage and deliver added value.

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What Challenges Do Business Analysts Encounter?

If there’s one common problem any Business Analyst can expect to come head-to-head with in their career, it’s learning how to successfully implement change. Given that Business Analysts are often building and implementing brand-new processes and systems, this skill is critical for a highly successful Business Analyst. But let’s face it: Embracing change and motivating employees to adapt to new processes isn’t always a strong suit of organizations.

However, a persuasive, high-performing Business Analyst will have what it takes to communicate the need for change to anyone in the organization. They’ll state their case so strongly that all stakeholders will align in agreement with the need for the change, and motivate their teams to adapt and adopt the new way.

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Which Fields Do Business Analysts Work in?

Every field or industry uses analytics to optimize their operating business to plan and scale for success. Many of the leading industries hiring Business Analysts at an accelerated rate include Information Security, Government, Healthcare, Computer Systems, Finances, or even for specific budgets within these fields.

Think you might have what it takes to become a Business Analyst? Check out these open positions, hiring now!

Source: Glass Door