What Skills Do You Need to Become a Business Analyst?

When thinking of your next career move, plenty of different roles will go through your mind. You might then cross examine them to find something that will allow you to live comfortably financially, offer some flexibility in your life, and offer you a certain level of job security.

Obtaining business skills can be particularly useful in helping you reach these top three goals, and this piece is going to take a look at what skills you need to become a business analyst, and what this entails as a job role. Read on to find out more.

What is a Business Analyst?

A business analyst role has many different responsibilities. Primarily, they will manage a business by spotting or predicting problems and providing solutions to increase its value for owners and shareholders. They need to be able to create informed projections of the future of the business and be able to keep on top of anything that hasn’t been predicted, as well as minimizing risks. Business analysts should have a qualification such as a MS in business analytics for this role.

Problem Solving

Problem solving is an essential part of a business analyst’s role as when issues arise, a business analyst needs to be able to mitigate as much risk as possible and fix the concerns as soon as possible. This usually is comprised of a combination of predictive analytics, strategic thinking, and use of statistics to help make informed decisions.

Critical Thinking

Critical thinking is an essential skill for many areas of business. However, when you’re in an analyst role, being able to assess everything both logically and critically is non-negotiable. Being able to pick up on multiple solutions and preventative strategies are just two vital elements of critical thinking. You will also need to anticipate the needs of your clients, gathering information and prioritizing the business’s requirements.

Communication and Interpersonal Skills

Communication and interpersonal skills are a priority no matter what role you are in as they help build up trusted, working relationships. However, when you’re a business analyst, these skills have to be spot on, as any miscommunication could cause further complications and rifts between clients, analysts, and partners.

Being able to put your clients at ease should never be underestimated and maintaining these relationships can help you secure further business, should they need it, further down the line. Not only that, but your services will be sure to be recommended as reliable and trusted.

Be Flexible

It’s no secret that things can change quickly in the world of business, whether this is a prediction or a client’s mind. Being flexible and able to work with the changes is a skill that will serve every business analyst well. If change is around the corner, you’ll know how to deal with it in a calm and professional manner, and you’ll be able to call on your other skills to help create a new path for the business to go down.