Business analysis is about analyzing current operations in specific areas in order to develop plans to improve performance. To be successful in this role you need the combination of strong analytical skills, technical skills related to the project, and communication skills in order to gain the cooperation of employees and management. It is therefore important to begin building these skills and gaining as much relevant experience as you can in your current position. Having a career plan is a wise move if you want to move into business analyst jobs in the U.S. Look at where you are now and map out how to get from there to where you want to go. You can get a good idea of the steps you need to take by reading the selection criteria and job descriptions of business analyst roles you are interested in.
Most business analysts work in a consulting capacity and so they always need to be on the lookout for new work. These opportunities can come through different agencies, which provide contract consultants to clients, by making direct contact with employers yourself, or by marketing yourself. Probably the easiest first step in locating appropriate business analyst opportunities is to look for jobs in business analyst consulting firms, which do the marketing for you. Many of these firms are able to keep their employees or contractors in full-time work.
As with any job search, it is important to be focused and persistent. Searching for jobs as business analyst is no different, even if you are seeking a consultant role. These positions are advertised in the same way as other positions, so don't forget to search through employment advertisements regularly. The quickest and most effective way to quickly find relevant jobs is on the Internet. These days, most positions are advertised on online job sites. There are specialist business analyst sites which advertise business analyst jobs in the U.S.; there are also the large job boards which advertise most types of jobs. You can browse these by category, location, and salary, as well by doing an advanced search on the site using specific keywords. You can also request an email alert to let you know whenever a business analyst job becomes available. This can save you a lot of time not trawling through employment ads, but you will need to remember to check your inbox.
Business analyst consultant positions are also advertised in newspapers both in the employment section and on display pages. Industry journals may also be an excellent place to find advertisements for business analysts. They could be good areas to place advertisements for business analysis services as well. It pays to stay informed in this business. Know the industry or specialty you are working in back to front and gain recognition for that knowledge and for your problem-solving skills. A lot of work is never even advertised; it is given to people who are already known. An important element to landing jobs in business analyst consulting is therefore to develop contacts and to build relationships in every job you do. Go the extra mile, be friendly, deliver quality work in a timely fashion, and build great working relationships with the people you are interacting with. If people like having you around, they will offer you the next business analysis project they undertake and they will be happy to refer you to other businesses.
If you are establishing your own consultancy, then consider setting up your own Web site and advertising your services online. Include many informative and well-written articles that are relevant to the sort of clients you are looking for. You will need to learn Internet-marketing strategies or will need to employ a successful Internet marketer to drive targeted traffic to your Web site. Make sure you are easy to contact and always have someone answering a main number. If you are still a one-man-show, you can use the services of a professional answering service. As part of your online presence, write articles that indicate that you are an expert in your field and submit them to various online magazines and Web sites, which will leave a link to your Web site intact. You will probably find that just as you are searching for business analyst jobs, so too are business people looking to hire the right business analyst for them. Your goal should be to make it easy to find you.
There are many jobs in business analyst consulting in the U.S, You just need to look in the right places, make yourself the right person, and be determined. You may get some people saying no before you get a yes. However, if you do what is required and stay the course, you will find a job as a business analyst that will lead to the next one and the one after that. Remember to take a long-term view of this career and to be willing to take the steps required to become a highly sought after, fully employed business analyst consultant.
