Which IT skills should I learn to become a successful business analyst?
Author: DR.N.V. Srinivasa Rao Post Date: 25 Oct 2023 In my opinion skills in Information technology are very important for a person to get employed as a Business Analyst. Any graduate engineer or business management graduate can apply for the post of business analyst. In addition to their basic degree, the following skills in the technical field will be very useful for a candidate to get a job as a Business Analyst and to have a bright career.
1. Data Analysis: A thorough knowledge of data analysis tools and techniques will make the prospects of a candidate to get employed as a business analyst. SQL (Structured Query Language), Excel, data visualization tools (like Tableau, Power BI etc), and statistical analysis software are some of the tools one can think of learning. Knowledge of these skills will help the business analyst analyse large data sheets and make recommendations to the concerned.
2. Business Intelligence tools: Business analysts who are proficient in these BI tools can make reports, dashboards, and interactive visualizations for the concerned. The reports will be useful to all stakeholders in obtaining a good knowledge of the business progress. SAP Business Objects, IBM Cognos and Microsoft Power BI are some well-known BI tools.
3. Knowledge of ERP and CRM Systems: Learning systems like enterprise resource planning (ERP), Oracle, and customer relationship management (CRM) systems like Salesforce is essential for a business analyst, I feel. These will be helpful to candidates in gathering requirements, evaluating integration needs, and supporting implementation projects.
4. Programming Languages: I feel Business analysts should have hands-on programming knowledge. With knowledge of Programming languages candidates can write efficient codes which are useful to solve various problems. Knowledge of R and Python is recommended by many experts in the field.
5. System Analysis: Knowledge of system analysis techniques, like UML (Unified Modeling Language) will be very handy to these analysts. With knowledge of system analysis tools, they can effectively analyze and document system requirements.
If you want to get employed as a Business Analyst after your graduation, get some of the above skills mentioned and also keep updating your skills in the line so that you can have good growth in your career.