Is Business Analyst a good career? Roles and Job responsibilities
Is Business analyst a good career?
That’s the most common question prospective business analysts ask. They want to know just as you too– asking the same question.
While business analysts can be part of any team and work in any industry, many are still doubtful about whether it’s a good career choice.
If you fall into that category of people, it’s okay, and you don’t need to worry. Because through this article, your doubt will get cleared as you continue to read… you’ll find answers to your questions.
Why do you want to be a Business Analyst?
Many people want to become business analysts for different reasons. Some of which may be part of your motivation why you want to be a business analyst.
With that said, reasons one would want to become a business analyst include:
1. High demand
With the increased establishment of new businesses, competition, and other challenges that face companies, the demand for business analysts continues to rise.
That is because, in every industry, there’s no business that’s immune to challenges. But better plans and strategies from data can help them weather the storms. Which is the major interest and concern of a business analyst.
2. Competitive salaries
Competitive salaries of business analysts are the outcome of the high demand for their service and expertise. And therefore, it’s one of the reasons many seek out a career in business analysis.
Who doesn’t want to be engaged in a career that elegantly rewards him financially for his expertise? Everybody wants a job or career with great prospects in terms of financial rewards. And I believe that’s true for you.
3. Job security
Job security is another big motivation why many want careers like business analyst. Because they believe their jobs as business analysts are secured on the strength that they play a crucial role in the existence of their companies.
Other Reasons to consider when trying to answer the question: Is business analyst a good career?
4. Job satisfaction
While job security and attractive salaries can influence anyone’s decision when choosing a career, you should consider job satisfaction as you decide whether a business analyst is a good career for you or not.
Anyways, business analyst as a career choice can offer satisfaction if you like acting as a “game changer” — one who’s never tired of looking out for solutions to problems. But that would depend on many things, including the nature of the company’s business operation (in question) and the working environment, amongst others.
5. Work-life balance
Linked to this is the preceding point . If you want to work to live and not just to live to work, a business analyst may be a perfect career for you, particularly if you have business inclinations and acumen.
But that would again depend on certain factors– and may include the description of your job and the company you choose to work with. For some companies, a business analyst job role is more general; it is somewhat taxing. But in a company where the duties and responsibilities of business analysts are unambiguous, overworking is curbed. And with that, you can have a balanced work-life.
6. Career growth
Another reason you may want to consider to determine if a business analyst is a good career or not is the possibility of career growth. Does it offer learning opportunities to people?
Of course, it does. There are always projects to handle, and these projects are wrapped with lessons and skills you can learn, which will be instrumental to growth career-wise.
Is business analyst a good career? Job responsibilities of business analyst
Many ask what business analysts do.
A business analyst’s job is to map out ways of boosting operational efficiency and performance of an organization. They employ their analytical skills and experience of how businesses operate in helping the management of business organizations or companies chop down costs and reduce or eliminate inefficiencies.
All that is for the sake of improving the bottom line of companies. In other words, you can call them agents of change. Below include what a business analyst does:
- Assess the business operations of a company and expose areas that need improvement
- Developing solid strategies to help achieve change and improvement in those identified from a quality evaluation carried out
- Initiate and manage projects geared towards attaining increased productivity and efficiency of a company
- Observe, document, and carefully communicate critical insight insights and plans to management
Qualifications and Requirements of a business analyst
- Start with, the first educational qualification of anyone who wants to be a professional business analyst is a graduate business degree in subjects such as success finance, business administration, accounting, etc.
- The number of working experiences may vary from one company to another.
- Sound analytical and critical thinking skills
- Have the knack to absorb technical details about a business and condense and communicate them with simplicity to management with sound data.
- A master’s degree in Business is an added advantage.
FAQ— Is business analyst a good career?
Is business analyst the right job for me?
Frankly nobody can answer this question for you. You need to ask yourself, “what do I want?; I do have analytical skills and can help crack out solutions for problems?”
These are just some of the questions you should sternly answer to arrive at a sound conclusion as to whether business analyst is a good career for you or not.
Is a business analyst an IT job?
That would depend on the type of business analyst. Some business analysts’ sole role is to ensure the effective working of the information technologies of companies. They’re referred to as IT business analysts. In such a case, you may say it in the light of an IT job.
Meanwhile, there are other business analyst careers, such as management analyst, quantitative analyst, analyst, etc., whose job description doesn’t qualify them as IT jobs. Yet they need good computer literacy to function effectively and efficiently.
What does a business analyst do?
To answer this question more simplistically: a business analyst is to a company what a physician is to his patients. In other words, a business analyst ensures that a company is out of the red by painstakingly evaluating its business operation, identifying bottlenecks, and using generated data to proffer feasible solutions that will help enhance efficiency.
Is business analyst a boring or stressful job
The job of a business analyst may be boring for someone, and maybe not for you. That’s where one’s individuality and passion come in.
However, generally, the job of a business analyst is not boring at the time because you’ll always be involved with one project or another. And often, these projects are eye-opening and thrilling, though maybe stressful. But the beautiful thing is that you know you’re giving value as solutions to the possible menaces of a business organization.
How much do business analysts make?
There are many factors that influence how much a business analyst can earn. And they include educational level, certifications, number of work experience, additional skills, and the region or place.
In other words, what a business analyst in an European country will undoubtedly be different from a business analyst working in an African country like Nigeria. According to Salary.com, in the US, a business analyst earns an average of $80,768.