How can an Introvert Succeed as a Business Analyst?

by with One Comment BusinessHow To

Are you an introvert who wants to start a career in business analysis but skeptical about whether you will be able to succeed? 

I understand that feeling. Because I am an introvert myself. In spite of being an introvert, I have been in business analysis for over 22 years now, working with large banking and telecom customers helping them build applications that could solve their problems and automate tasks.

So, if you are an introvert, don’t worry, I am going to give you the exact formula that has worked for me. I truly believe that you too can be successful.

In this article, I will share some amazing qualities an introvert already has which makes him the perfect fit for a BA and then we will dive into the formula and your next steps.

Skill 1: Problem solving and analytical skills.

Introverts have good problem solving and analytical skills.

This is primarily due to the fact that they are deep thinkers, they like to look at a problem from all different angles, permutation and combinations and analyze problems, risks, requirements, issues on a much deeper level. They do not do surface level analysis. They don’t run into hasty decisions or make false recommendations. They like to get to the root of the problem. This is one crucial skill organizations look for in a business analyst.

Skill 2: Listening Skills

They are very good listeners. If you have an introvert, in a meeting you will see him most of the time listening and processing information and talking less. Many times, this is misunderstood as having lack of confidence, that is not the case. Introverts listen most of the time and speak only when required. Effective Listening skills very important in a Business Analyst Role.

Skill 3: Simplicity

They like to keep it Simple. If you observe an introvert giving a sales presentation, or a demo, you will see that they like to get to the point. They will be quick to tell the customer how the recommended solution will help solve his problem, the benefits and costs associated with it.

They do not like to beat around the bush and keep on talking and convincing customers.

If you see my content also on YT, its quite simple to understand, no jargons, no complexities. Very simple straightforward content. This is what customers like.

Skill 4: Continuous Improvement

Because introverts are deep thinkers, they are continuously looking for areas of improvement. Like when I was working as a Junior BA, the documentation that I used to produce was not that great. When I saw my technical team coming back to me with lots of queries after reading documentation, I realized there were significant gaps.  So, I modified the template and added new sections and diagrams in the document which in turn improved the final quality of the product. Over the years, I was able to improvise this further and today, in our Business Analysis Hub, our community members have several ready to use templates which they can directly use in their projects.

Skill 5: Leadership

Yes, you heard it right. Introverts are great leaders. If you do a quick google on introvert leaders you will find these names Bill Gates, Warren Buffet, Mark Zuckerberg, Elon Musk. Yes, they are all introverts. So, if you dream of starting your own business or become the CEO of a company one day, don’t lose hope just because you are an introvert. 

Now that you have understood that you have some amazing qualities to become a successful business analyst, let us look at what are the areas you need to work on. This will be your formula for success. 

I am not going to ask you to change into an extrovert. Changing your personality is not at all required. But based on the need of the role simply adapt to the situation.

Here are three areas I worked on:

  1. Work on your Fears: If you feel anxious in meeting rooms when you are surrounded by people, then that’s the first thing you need to work on. Lot of introverts feel that they don’t have good communication skills but the problem is not communication skills. The problem usually is lack confidence or fear of the outcome. I used to overcome my fear by rehearsing before a presentation and detaching myself from the outcome of a meeting. I practiced script for several meetings by looking into the mirror and asking questions. More and More exposure to meetings will help you gradually overcome this fear.
  2. Rapport: Introverts are very selective about friends. We must build a good rapport with every customer whether you like him or not. So, engage in casual chats with your customers whenever you meet them in cafeteria or while discussing requirements. 
  3. Team Bonding: Introverts feel drained when surrounded by people, so they tend to miss most office gatherings. You need to come out of that shell and mingle with your team on a need basis. Having a good bonding with your team can help you get customer issues resolved very quickly.

If you need help in instilling confidence and improving your soft skills so as to play your BA role better, you can drop an email at info@interactivelearning.in

Sajana Binil

Hi, I am Sajana, a writer turned business analyst.I am on a mission to help 100,000 working professionals build a successful and rewarding career in business analysis. I am the Founder of Business Analysis Hub – fastest growing community of business analysts in India.

How can I move into a BA role without technical knowledge or IT experience?

by with 2 Comments How To

Yes, you heard it right. You can get into a functional BA role without technical knowledge or IT experience.

Now, if you are finding it hard to believe, then you are obviously someone who is looking at BA jobs asking for R programming, Python and Tableau, and getting overwhelmed by the same.

Let me tell you business analysts can be categorized into 2 types – Functional Business Analysts and Technical Business Analysts.

Technical Business Analysts need technical knowledge and programming skills to perform on the job but functional business analyst doesn’t need the same.

I have been a Functional Business Analyst my entire life and I have not written a single piece of code.

Just follow the 5-step process given below and you will be able to make it.

Step 1: Role Clarity

Gain clarity of the role and understand responsibilities thoroughly. Role clarity holds true for any role, but I would like to emphasis on this for a business analyst role because the role of a BA is a highly misunderstood role.

You will get to hear many versions of what this role is all about.

Some say:

  1. It is purely a project coordinator’s role. Just need to speak to customers and understand their requirements
  2. It is purely a documentation role. So, if you can write well, you can become BA.
  3. It requires programming or coding skills.
  4. It requires experience in IT industry.
  5. It requires knowledge of Tableau or Power BI
  6. It is just requirement gathering

All of this are misinterpretations of a business analyst role.

Watch my video on What is Business Analysis to understand the core responsibilities of the role?

Step 2: Skill Gap Assessment

Every new role will require you to develop some new skills. This holds true for business analysis as well. The good news is that as a Business Analyst you will be utilizing a major chunk of your existing skills in the role. So, whatever is your current role, be assured that you don’t need to start at ground zero.

You just need to identify which skills you already have and which ones you need to build. One of the prominent skills, I have found missing in people moving into a BA role is the knowledge of requirement gathering and management techniques, tools and processes.

Requirements are the heart of a software project and if you get into a BA role without understanding it, very soon you will find yourself in the midst of customer escalations.

Watch my video on Skills required in a BA role to understand what skills you actually need to become a BA.

Step 3: Identify a Learning Program

Having identified the skill gaps, your next logical step will be to identify one such program that will help you achieve your goal to become a BA. The program should teach hands on implementation of Business Analysis because only then you will be able to work on the ground as a BA.

In my Business Analysis Mastery classes, I coach students on Zero-Tech Business Analysis Model, a flagship product which has been developed after years of research. It simplifies business analysis for beginners. It contains formulas, templates, techniques, strategies you can use to handle both requirements and stakeholders effectively in a project. Most training institutes follow the traditional methods of teaching business analysis which focuses heavily on theory and less on implementation.

I believe when knowledge is put into practice it develops into a new skill. So, we focus in developing new skills in our students.

Watch my video: How to become a BA in 60 days?

Step 4: Apply for jobs

Once you finish your training, restructure your resume, and start applying for jobs. Mind you, restructuring resume does not mean faking it. Never, ever claim the experience you don’t have. Organisations have a way for figuring it out, so you will not succeed. Restructuring means highlighting BA skills – the new ones you built and the old ones you already had. This is so very very important because if you continue sending your old resume to organizations, you might not get shortlisted anywhere.

Not having enough BA experience to show in the resume has always been a concern for students. That is the reason I allocate my students in a Bootcamp project during the class, so that at the end of training, they can add this experience in their resumes.

The final sessions of my workshops are usually flooded with questions on how to restructure resume and how to look out for jobs?

And yes, I don’t disappoint my students. They get all the tips and codes to get started their BA journey.

Step 5: Interviews

Arranging mock interviews for my students have always been fun and thrilling experience for me. Before you face the first interview, always have a mock interview with your coach. You will see the immense boost it gives to your confidence, and you know exactly what to prepare.

Sajana Binil

Hi, I am Sajana, a writer turned business analyst.I am on a mission to help 100,000 working professionals build a successful and rewarding career in business analysis. I am the Founder of Business Analysis Hub – fastest growing community of business analysts in India.