BA Contract vs BA Perm?

[l35kee]

Echoing this. Part of my current contract has been educating the client on what a BA is and where they can add value. I don't think they quite realised both what they wanted or what they needed.

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[Pherlopolus]

Having long contracts as a BA usually is a strong indicator that the person is a solid analyst. I've worked with truly terrible contract BAs that have got lucky and managed to bag a contract, then get canned after the contract comes for renewal.

Agreed, Extensions listed on my CV certainly helped and was mentioned in at least 1 interview. Some companies don't understand the BA role, or even why they want one, they just decided they needed one because they have someone who said they should have one.

At least one client and some other BA's I have had to remind the A in BA is Analyst, not Admin.

[cojak]

Not entirely convinced about that. It depends on the role. For an out and out dev....yes, but for a BA where there simply aren't as many contracts as there are for perm, then interchanging between perm and contract is understandable...

No, NLUK is right, I was essentially a BA (Service management domain) for 15 years as a contractor.

Flip-flopping won’t be viewed kindly by either the contract client or the employer. They’ll want to be confident that you’lol hang around long enough without jumping to the other side for a better offer.

[blackeye]

I use witchcraft, and some of my BA skills, and apply a healthy amount of luck.

I upload my CV to Jobsite every other day, making a small change, until I get something. Usually applying for anything vaguely suitable, as much as to bump my CV to Agencies to looks for BA's as anything. My favorite Contracts have been word of mouth or a phonecall off an agency.

Having long contracts as a BA usually is a strong indicator that the person is a solid analyst. I've worked with truly terrible contract BAs that have got lucky and managed to bag a contract, then get canned after the contract comes for renewal.

It's a job that's got low barriers for entry and a very vague job description - can be a PMs laky to working with senior stakeholders to define entire operating models. I can only speak for those that work on the business side, the best ones have a management consultant background.

[Pherlopolus]

Thanks.

What is the main way that you get you BA CV viewed as the wheat?

DO you search (and find) contracts just on the main portals? (jobserve/totaljobs/cwjobs etc)

I use witchcraft, and some of my BA skills, and apply a healthy amount of luck.

I upload my CV to Jobsite every other day, making a small change, until I get something. Usually applying for anything vaguely suitable, as much as to bump my CV to Agencies to looks for BA's as anything. My favorite Contracts have been word of mouth or a phonecall off an agency.

[hgllgh]

The biggest problem I have from a BA Contractor point of view is ensuring my CV is viewed as wheat rather than chaff.

I am not location constrained within reason, which means there seems to be sufficient contracts around

Thanks.

What is the main way that you get you BA CV viewed as the wheat?

DO you search (and find) contracts just on the main portals? (jobserve/totaljobs/cwjobs etc)

[Pherlopolus]

The main problem my clients have complained about contract BA's is weeding the wheat from the chaff, and finding someone who can do stuff as well as their CV promises.

The biggest problem I have from a BA Contractor point of view is ensuring my CV is viewed as wheat rather than chaff.

I am not location constrained within reason, which means there seems to be sufficient contracts around, and I have just had my first return visit to a client.

I would make a rubbish Perm BA

[northernladuk]

Not entirely convinced about that. It depends on the role. For an out and out dev....yes, but for a BA where there simply aren't as many contracts as there are for perm, then interchanging between perm and contract is understandable...

No it's not and we'll have to agree to differ. To me they are two different things. One is to go in and deliver a set piece of work and leave, the other is a longer term relationship between employee and employer where time and money is invested in that asset which means a cycle of reviews, politics and anything that ls thrown at you. I'd stick my neck out and say most of us are contractors to leave all that behind.

There are probably more perm jobs advertised as they can't get the staff so stay up longer. Contract gigs appear for two hours and get filled.

[hgllgh]

IMO you are either a contractor or you aren't.

Not entirely convinced about that. It depends on the role. For an out and out dev....yes, but for a BA where there simply aren't as many contracts as there are for perm, then interchanging between perm and contract is understandable...

[northernladuk]

IMO you are either a contractor or you aren't. The two aren't really interchangeable. People looking for contractors are going to wonder why you are dippining in between the two and people looking for perms are going to think something is up if you keep going contracting.

2.5 weeks isn't a long time to look for a gig at all. Just got. To keep plugging on down your chosen path.

[hgllgh]

I have been searching for a BA Contract for about 2.5 weeks now and just had two recent telephone interviews. There are more BA Perm roles on the market for sure (some have horrendous salaries), seems to be 3 to 4 times more BA Perm roles.


Is this normal for the BA market in London? Am I limiting myself too far searching only for Contracts?