Hi

A few Q's, if some one can answer?

1. Can a Non IT person get a job as a Business Analyst?

2. What are the key skill sets required to be one. Any specific IT skills ? Can they be learnt? Where? How difficult would they be to pick up?

3. Would a previous Sales / Marketing (non Canadian experience help)?

4. Would some exposure to the finance industry in Canada help?

Looking to some suggestions.

1. Can a Non IT person get a job as a Business Analyst?
>> Yes. BA is a different kind of skill. BA is an intermediary between end-uers and technical team. Having IT skills are definitely an asset, however I have seen people without IT background get into BA and then work productively.

2. What are the key skill sets required to be one. Any specific IT skills ? Can they be learnt? Where? How difficult would they be to pick up?
>> Communication and Analytical skills are the keys. There are many online courses if you want to do alongwith your current job, and then switch to BA.

3. Would a previous Sales / Marketing (non Canadian experience help)?
>> How you mould your past experience and communicate that to potential employer in a way related to communication and analytical skills is more important. If yes, then it is helpful for sure.

4. Would some exposure to the finance industry in Canada help?
>> BAs can be in different industries specializing in Telecom, Insurance, Finance, Manufacturing etc. If you are focussing on being BA for finance, then it is fine.

Hope this helps.

Thanks a lot for your reply. That is some positive encouragement. Is it possible to identify some online courses. Kind of can you give a start?

Quote:

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Communication and Analytical skills are the keys. There are many online courses if you want to do alongwith your current job, and then switch to BA.

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Red River College in Winnipeg offers one such course. You may like to check "Continued/Distance Education" programs at http://www.rrc.mb.ca" rel="nofollow">LINK

There must be many more. At the same time, I would suggest you to get your foot into a job with similar profile and then do the course. This will keep on strengthening you professionally and academically, former is more important though.

Regards.

Thanks once again. You are right, but getting a foot in the door is a tough one. It is just like the Canadian exp and being lucky and being at the right place at the right time. From your exp do you know of cos who hire business analysts without the exp of a business analyst?

I do not know about companies hiring BAs without exp of BA. May be join as software tester first!!! Move towards User acceptance testing... and then give direction to your career towards BA. Give it a thought, if you are really serious.

Most of companies that have in house IT dept hve BAs. Most of the times, BAs are like super users from other dept who move into IT. These guys know the company's business very well and they are bit tech savy so they move into IT. If you currently have a job or are expert in certain field(finance, telecom, manufacturing, distribution, logistics etc) you can start from there.

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