Becoming a Business Analyst Contractor

[SueEllen]

You make that sound very black and white and it isn't at all. There's plenty of people who are contractor "BAs" who are just an SME with a BA title. Their domain knowledge is one thing but their skills in analysis are often (from my experiences) poor.

Let's try it this way, would you rather the village witch doctor check you over or would you rather go to the hospital where you may meet a doctor fresh out of medical school.

It's all perspectives but for me I would value those who took their career serious enough to realise they need to invest in not just experience but also themselves.


The original post asked is training worth while. Yes it is, and do it as early in your career as possible before you pick up bad habits from others. 10 years of trained experience is going to be more useful to you than pretending you know what analysis is until you realise people want qualified analysts.

What I'm saying is experience trumps a piece of paper.

If the OP has both he would be picked up like a shot.

To get both due to the role he is currently doing, he is likely to need to go permie.

Also comparing a witch doctor to a doctor is like comparing apples and oranges as it depends on what your illness/condition is. The NHS for years has been telling people to try and treat themselves first or go to another medical professional before going to a doctor. Personally with my own experience plus knowing medical professionals including doctors there are illness/conditions I wouldn't see a doctor first with at all as I know they are very likely to know SFA about them.

[billybiro]

You can do a course but it doesn't make you an experienced person in that role.

But you don't strictly need to be an experienced person. You just need to be able to convince someone else that you're experienced.

Not the same thing, as Frank will testify.

[northernladuk]

But you don't strictly need to be an experienced person. You just need to be able to convince someone else that you're experienced.

Not the same thing, as Frank will testify.

This is true but that type of person would have done it and not had to ask a question like this?

[LondonManc]

I'd suggest that any significant career change necessitates going perm for a significant amount of time in order to become the specialised and experienced person that a contractor should be. This applies to BA as much as anything else.