There’s a lot of value in becoming a business analyst. Indeed, there’s a lot of value in hiring a business analyst. However, and of course, it’s not as if all business analysts are created equal. As with every other profession, there are poor, good, and excellent professionals out there. While all the best analysts differ in their approach, they do tend to share some traits that set them apart from others in the industry. If you’re looking to build a career as a business analyst, then make sure you’ve got the skills we outline below in abundance. Similarly, if you’re looking to hire a business analyst, then you’ll want anyone you’re considering bringing on board to have these skills, too.
The Essentials
There’s plenty of opportunities for adding flair and a professional spin as a business analyst, but before all that, you’ve got to have the basics covered. And the best ones have these essentials as a foundation for their success. If you’re going to succeed in this profession, then it’s important that you’re an excellent communicator (both written and oral communication), have an outstanding capacity to think critically, and are a natural problem solver. It’s these attributes that provide the springboard for them to do their best work.
Adopting New Approaches
A good band will write one good song and create variations of that song over and over. A great band will always look to push forward and find the right approach, even if it means ripping up whatever they’ve done before. The best business analysts are the same way. While it can be tempting, even somewhat effective, to recreate the same model for different scenarios, eventually, this approach will lead to a brick wall. The best talents don’t rest on what they’ve done before. They assess the situation and then select the right approach, rather than trying to find ways to use their existing skills.
Tapping Into Overlooked Aspects
If you put ten business analysts in the same situation, the majority would come up with the same solutions and advice. The best ones would also recognise and include those recommendations, but they’ll also take things further. When it comes to business analyst success, it’s all about the finer details. Rather than cutting expenses, they might find that a company can save money by applying for R&D Tax Credits. It’s all about diving a little deeper than others do and coming up with solutions that other analysts often overlook.
Self-Starter Attitude
A great business analyst doesn’t need to have their hand held at every step of the process. They’re happy to walk their own way to the finish line. A self-starter, go-getter attitude counts for a lot when you’re a business analyst. Rather than waiting around to get answers to their questions, they take a proactive approach and make things happen. They’re there to make the organization work more effectively, and one of the ways they do this is to work effectively in their own way, without delay.
