If you enjoy technology, problem-solving, data analysis and business, you may want to pursue a career as a business analyst. In this role you would be responsible for a range of activities that help companies gain an edge, enhance their performance and be more effective in the marketplace by using data to advise and improve on business processes. While everyone’s career path to become a business analyst is different, there are some things you’ll want to understand about the field, the responsibilities and different routes you can take to become one.

You may be able to become a business analyst with no experience, but you likely will also need to obtain the right skills to enter the field. Learn all about the industry and the opportunities it may offer, including how you can forge your own career in the world of business analysis.

Working as a business analyst includes a variety of responsibilities based on the needs of the organization for which you work. Typically, a business analyst works with a company to leverage data and technology to streamline processes, understand the needs of the market and become a more efficient and competitive organization. Business analyst job duties vary from organization to organization, but may include interpreting data, looking for ways to optimize processes and analyzing the market and competitors. Because they use concrete data to form conclusions, business analysts may be involved in the decision-making process.

This role is unique in that people can become business analysts from multiple paths, even with no direct business analyst job experience. So, if you come from a completely different background but have the correct skill set, you may be able to launch a new career as a business analyst. According to O*NET OnLine, a career information database run by the Department of Labor, skills for business intelligence analysts may include complex problem-solving and systems evaluation and analysis. O*NET suggests business analysts may need to know about computers, databases and management principles, none of which are limited to prior business analyst experience.

It is important to understand the role and responsibilities of a business analyst so you can leverage the experience you have to break into this field.

Education is important if you want to become a business analyst. Unlike many fields, however, you may be able to find business analyst roles with a large range of degrees. For example, you might have a bachelor’s degree in a subject such as business administration, data analytics, computer science, finance, accounting or a technology-related field.

While every organization will have different requirements for business analyst roles, many focus on understanding the role of data in decision-making. The ability to leverage technological solutions to solve business problems and increase competition is also important. For this reason, degrees that focus on statistics, data analysis and technology may provide you with a solid start to a business analyst career. O*NET suggests most business analysts have bachelor’s degrees, but does not say they need to be industry-specific. Additionally, even if you do not have an educational background in math, finance or technology, you may be able to gain practical skills outside the classroom.

Those with a different background may gain useful skills for a business analyst role through such avenues as boot camps that focus on providing critical skills for aspiring business analysts. These boot camps teach students what they need to know in a range of areas like data science, technology and business intelligence, data management, data visualization and much more.

As with any career, there are both hard and soft skills that may help you succeed as a business analyst. While the exact nature of your daily work may change based on the organization you work for, hard business analyst skills generally include the following:

Because business analysts may work with various departments and leadership to help inform decision-making, there are some key soft skills that may be helpful in the role as well. These include but are not limited to:

Many working professionals in all fields use these soft skills in their jobs. This means you may be able to boost your presence as a potential candidate for a business analyst role by emphasizing these skills on your resume. For example, you may have a head start if you create presentations, talk with executives, manage projects or have to solve problems in your current position.

Business analysts’ roles are not all the same. In fact, a large part of the daily responsibilities a business analyst may depend on the type of organization for which they work. For example, a business analyst working for a large, traditional company may interpret data and look for ways to improve processes and be more competitive. Someone working in a similar role in a technology-driven company may be directly tied to the development of new products, software and technology.
For this reason, it may be helpful to understand the types of roles you could pursue as a business analyst. Here are a few potential roles:

Other careers may relate to some or all of these roles. For instance, a finance professional may gather data and use that to help leaders make important decisions regarding new products and lines of business. You may be able to use the relevant work you already perform to improve your resume as you work on creating a new career as a business analyst.

If you’re curious about how to become a business analyst with no experience, it may start with using your everyday work to set yourself apart in the market. This may include leveraging your use of metrics or your ability to interpret data to make decisions in the workplace or solve problems. These skills may be fostered in a variety of roles from marketing and finance to IT and human resources. It also includes highlighting the many soft skills you may use daily, such as communication, leadership, team-building and problem-solving.
Becoming a business analyst without a degree may also be possible using this method, and by taking courses to improve your skill set. From boot camps to business analytics courses, you may be able to use education to fill in any gaps in both hard and soft skills.

One of the strategies to become a business analyst with no experience and without a degree is to gain experience in your free time. You may take projects to illustrate your ability to identify problems, create solutions and understand the implications of change. Here are some examples of projects you could complete to showcase your skills:

Staying connected to professionals in your field may play a role in your overall success. This may be true in your current role, but it can also make a difference in your ability to start a career as a business analyst. One way you can do this is to talk to current business analysts to learn about the day-to-day realities of the work. This may help you understand more about the career and provide insight into what types of skills may help you succeed.
Some examples of what to ask when speaking to a business analyst at a networking event may include:

Attending networking events or even finding them can be challenging. Here are a few ways you can get to meet the right people:

Last updated September 2021

This page includes information from O*NET OnLine by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.