Aspiring Business Analyst

[eek]

Hi All

Gave this a few days to see if any other replies came in, my take away is I need to build a reputation which will take quite a while and a lot of people basically saying am I sure that is what I want (which I appreciate and have considered but don't answer my original query).

Is there anything else I can work on in the shorter term while we all have some more time on our hands? BCS certification etc or even somewhere to be networking or something

Thanks in advance
Michael

Certificates at best will get you past an agency filter - no more than that.

Contractors need to deliver, we arrive start work and need to deliver things asap.

[ladymuck]

Hi All

Gave this a few days to see if any other replies came in, my take away is I need to build a reputation which will take quite a while and a lot of people basically saying am I sure that is what I want (which I appreciate and have considered but don't answer my original query).

Is there anything else I can work on in the shorter term while we all have some more time on our hands? BCS certification etc or even somewhere to be networking or something

Thanks in advance
Michael

I hesitate to recommend the BCS certificate. I have the entry level foundation thingy that I picked up years ago and can't say it's opened any doors. Well, no-one has said "ooh you've got that, that's great" anyway. I've also never noticed anywhere demanding IIBA certification either. However, as eek says, these things may well get you past the idiot filter with an agency and in front of a client.

Other standards aligned to BA work may be helpful to show a rounded approach. So, ITIL foundation, PRINCE2 foundation perhaps. Knowing different modelling notations too could be helpful so you're looking at BPMN, UML IDEF, Archimate, etc. Different places use different standards and some just use what's in powerpoint. Depending on what angle you take you may also want to look at Lean Six Sigma training, although it's annoying to get. I am Green Belt by passing the training but to get full certification I had to share details of an improvement project and funnily enough no client would let me share the work I did for them in sufficient detail to get it past the assessors. It's a lousy requirement, understandable but biased against independents.

[simes]

Another way of assessing your worth is to apply for roles, state immediate availability, take the interviews that come in, if any, and gauge what success rate you've had in a two month period.

You don't have to take any of the roles as you have the right to decline as much as the client does. But, this 'may' offer an immediate impression on very specifically, your CV.

And then, take the plunge. Or not.

[mbolton]

I hesitate to recommend the BCS certificate. I have the entry level foundation thingy that I picked up years ago and can't say it's opened any doors. Well, no-one has said "ooh you've got that, that's great" anyway. I've also never noticed anywhere demanding IIBA certification either. However, as eek says, these things may well get you past the idiot filter with an agency and in front of a client.

Other standards aligned to BA work may be helpful to show a rounded approach. So, ITIL foundation, PRINCE2 foundation perhaps. Knowing different modelling notations too could be helpful so you're looking at BPMN, UML IDEF, Archimate, etc. Different places use different standards and some just use what's in powerpoint. Depending on what angle you take you may also want to look at Lean Six Sigma training, although it's annoying to get. I am Green Belt by passing the training but to get full certification I had to share details of an improvement project and funnily enough no client would let me share the work I did for them in sufficient detail to get it past the assessors. It's a lousy requirement, understandable but biased against independents.

In terms of BCS, I may do the Foundation only to get past the filter if you think it might help me get in front of someone. I have also looked into ITIL and Prince2 but wasn't sure if they would be any use. I have been reading all the course material for BA certification in the hope of making sure I know all things like BPMN and UML so hopefully this will help.

I was the same with Lean Six Sigma as ITIL etc and assumed this may only be useful when I started to really specialise and have a clearer picture of exactly which element of BA work I was suited to so hadn't done anything yet.

[mbolton]

Another way of assessing your worth is to apply for roles, state immediate availability, take the interviews that come in, if any, and gauge what success rate you've had in a two month period.

You don't have to take any of the roles as you have the right to decline as much as the client does. But, this 'may' offer an immediate impression on very specifically, your CV.

And then, take the plunge. Or not.

This is potentially a very good idea, I might do this. I am assuming you potentially don't get much feedback from these applications?

[Paralytic]

When i've hired contractors in the past (as part of my permie career), I'd 100% look at experience before any accreditations. Accreditations would come just slightly above outside work interests on a CV in determining whether someone was interviewed/got the role.

[ladymuck]

When i've hired contractors in the past (as part of my permie career), I'd 100% look at experience before any accreditations. Accreditations would come just slightly above outside work interests on a CV in determining whether someone was interviewed/got the role.

That makes sense. I think they're often used for tick boxing.

Similar to requirements such as "degree in ABC" and "10+ years experience" - the world will have moved on in the years since doing the degree and anyone sensible will not care about it.

[PerfectStorm]

Absolutely go for it (and ignore the forum naysayer)

I will say this - I'd been a Business Analyst for about 10 years when I went contracting.

I only truly appreciated at the point I took on my first contract that I was only really good at being A Business Analyst for the company I used to work for, and their products, and asking general questions about things that were new to me. I didn't have a lot else in my toolbag, other than a general understanding of technology, how databases work etc. but not industry standards for doing stuff as a BA.

You're going to have to lean heavily on the 'asking general questions about things' and if you're patient and listen, your clients will end up teaching you how to be a BA. There might be some odd moments where it looks like you're not capable (and try to ignore the feelings of imposter syndrome that come up when this happens) and just treat your early gigs as learning experience.

Remember this quote - if someone offers you a great opportunity and you're not sure you can do it, take the opportunity and figure it out later.

There's not a lot that can't be googled, YouTube, or asked of a colleague. And being brave enough to try that is what makes you self-employable

Despite not being the best BA candidate in the world, one company gave me a go and then another and then another - contracts have been lost and won and NOW I have a much better idea of how to be a BA, security, my own house and car, and travel whenever I want (2021 excluded ). This all came from having the will to give it a go. Good luck

[northernladuk]

This is potentially a very good idea, I might do this. I am assuming you potentially don't get much feedback from these applications?

No it's not IMO. You are sitting there happily with no time pressures so start applying. You get lucky and someone is interested. Does this give you a yard stick as to whether you can get end to end gigs over years or how much time you'd spend on the bench? No it wouldn't. You are going to get giddy that you've a chance of a contract at mega bucks and all sense and reason will go out of the window. This approach is going to feed your excitement and not give you a clear picture of what your chances are. You already know where you stand and what to work on from this thread.

Don't forget also the client is likely wanting an immediate start so your notice period is going ruin some of the opportunities you are getting giddy about.

If you really want to go down this route open a new bank account or whatever if you've got the monza style thing and start applying. Add your monthly outgoings to the value in that account and then see what it looks like after a set period of time. If you are two months in before a sniff have a look at that account and suss out whether you could have lived for those two months while looking. That will hopefully give you a more realistic spin which will counter the giddy feeling you get when you get a positive response in three weeks.

Also no, you don't get any feedback. Occasionally you might get something from an agent but you can't believe a word of it. The agents are paid on commission. If you are no longer earning potential for them they are done with you. You most certainly don't get detailed feedback from the clients like you would a perm position.

Personally I think it's a terrible idea. You know the issue so throwing chance and luck in won't help.

[northernladuk]

Absolutely go for it (and ignore the forum naysayer)

I will say this - I'd been a Business Analyst for about 10 years when I went contracting.

Except he's only got 4 solid(ish) years compared to your 10.