Business Analyst Career Paths

The career of a business analyst can be a highly lucrative one – with the best in the sector earning as much as project managers within companies – and has a clear path of progression.

Almost every company in today's market requires a business analyst. IT controls most businesses' smooth running, and the need to ensure that IT systems are kept up-to-date means that a business analyst job can move into the realm of permanent, rather than contracted, employment. Even those businesses who look only to employ contracted business analysts will work hard to keep a strong relationship with the best in the sector, ensuring constant work with the best companies.

Business intelligence jobs are therefore the first to be filled by the best candidates, who have high levels of confidence in IT and an ability to communicate specialised problems in everyday language.

A junior business analyst can enter the industry in this role (armed with a specialist business analysis degree or qualification, or simply with an informal knowledge of the area) or can work their way up from other jobs such as programming, development or coding. Expertise in IT means that companies will often look to their coders and developers to branch out into maintaining and improving their IT solutions, moving from coding specific sections of their IT system into controlling the entire network.

To remove the element of chance that is involved in changing from coding to business analysis, candidates can flag their intentions – and skills – by gaining a specialist technical qualification. For our list of the top 5 business analyst courses and qualifications available today, see our separate blog post. These certifications demonstrate an existing base of knowledge in business analysis which will comfort employers, and reduce the need for on-the-job training.

A variety of employers though, including some of the biggest in the communications, financial and commercial sectors, are willing to take on candidates without a formal business analyst qualification with the right communication skills and knowledge of IT and allow them to learn as they work. Professional qualifications such as those in our top 5 list can be completed in conjunction with work; indeed, the skills used in employment can help in passing the exams, and vice versa.

Initially junior business analysts will often be given small sectors of the whole IT system to control, before gradually overseeing the development and improvement of company-wide IT systems. If working for multi-national conglomerates that have businesses in a wide variety of sectors, a trusted business analyst may be farmed out to handle IT for companies in different industries, allowing them to work with a broad selection of people and learn about numerous different sectors.

Business analysts starting out in IT may also move beyond computing and become responsible for project management, strategic planning and market approaches in general. Senior management, portfolio management and business architect jobs can stem from first steps in business analysis.

The possibilities of progression are limitless for those entering employment as business analysts. Business Analyst jobs offer good pay, job security, the ability to innovate and the opportunity to meet and interact with a wide variety of people in different industries. With careful consideration and by following the steps outlined above, you too can find your perfect career path as a business analyst.