Business Analyst Foundation Courses

[MrMarkyMark]

Agree you may have to go perm first.

However BA's who actually, really, understand technology can be rare, so there is a market there for it.

[Pherlopolus]

Agree you may have to go perm first.

However BA's who actually, really, understand technology can be rare, so there is a market there for it.

I was a bit surprised when I found that out, I shouldn't have been if I had done my SWOT analysis properly

(BA who understands technology here)

[MrMarkyMark]

I was a bit surprised when I found that out, I shouldn't have been if I had done my SWOT analysis properly

(BA who understands technology here)

True, unfortunately, in my experience.

I have also come across technical BA's who are completely the opposite, however.

A couple of examples spring to mind, the BA that didn't know the difference between rows and columns...
And a BA who thought you didn't have to ID / name the columns in a reporting BRD.

[chris101]

But who'll take a contractor on with only a BA certificate and no BA experience, especially at a rate that the OP will be happy with?



Correct. Free training is one of the perks of permiedom; most companies offer decent enough training courses both internal and external in some cases. I went on various training courses when I was a perm; the more I could get on, the better as it's partly a networking opportunity when it's a public course too.

I guess as a contractor I will have to make a sacrifice to start a new perm role fresh and my salary to be majorly reduced.
What would be the best entry level courses I should be taking as a BA with only qualifications but no actual experience?

I am going to have to invest all my money in the training course so I am hoping this will be an incentive to potential employers that I have self studied and have to drive to work my way up.

[LondonManc]

I guess as a contractor I will have to make a sacrifice to start a role of fresh and my salary to be majorly reduced.
What would be the best entry level courses I should be taking as a BA with only qualifications but no actual experience?

I am going to have to invest all my money in the training course so I am hoping this will be an incentive to potential employers that I have self studied and have to drive to work my way up.

If I'm hiring a BA, I'll want a minimum of five years track record. If not, I may as well get a perm BA so that knowledge can be retained. Keep your warchest and get a permco to train you.

[transformingninja]

Buy the Business Analysis Third Edition book by the BCS. The book on its own is the syllabus for the BCS Business Analysis Foundation Certificate which is probably the easiest of the exams (being foundation level). The book also forms part of he syllabus for later exams and is a must own for most BAs anyway.

When I did this I was a permie self funding so I just bought the book and sat the exam (multiple choice) at one of the local exam centres. It was the cheapest way to get started but it depends on whether you think you're disciplined enough to be able to self study.

Either way I echo what everyone else has said, qualifications without experience won't get you any contracting jobs but if you have one or two certificates of your own back it may prove to a permie employer that your committed enough for them to give you a trainee role.