It also involves assessing business models and how they can be integrated with technology. Depending on the needs of the organization, this analysis is done in four levels, first, analyzing the business needs of the organization; second, analyzing and defining the business approach and policies of the organization; third, designing and defining the organizations business model; and integrating the organizations business model with technology. Recent developments show that many companies are downsizing or outsourcing their IT departments which have diminished their ability to make use of emerging technologies in the rapidly changing business market. Business systems analyst jobs were then created to bridge the gap between the executive and IT departments. Business systems analysts don’t always work in IT-related projects and they usually don’t have a fixed or predefined role. They can be assigned to the development process, sales planning, operations scaling, or strategy devising. They may also play the role of project manager or consultant as well as financial or marketing roles. They work in a wide range of industries like banking, finance, insurance, telecommunications, utilities and more and they work in different subject areas including billing, customer relations management, mediation, provisioning and workflow.
There is no clear cut path to qualify for business systems analyst employment. Generally employers hire people having the relevant expertise. Employers prefer applicants with at least a bachelor’s degree but for more complex and technical jobs they prefer someone with a graduate degree or advance certification. Organizations usually hire someone with a technical background and experience either as engineers or programmers or having a computer science degree. Some organizations prefer to hire someone from a business role having strong analytical skills and have expertise in the subject matter or have a degree in management information systems. If you are working in a company where this position is available and plan on applying then you can start by enrolling in a school that is recognized by the International Institute of Business Analysis (IIBA) which is an organization issuing the Certified Business Analyst Professional (CBAP) certification. This certification is by no means compulsory but this could give a measure of a business analyst’s level of competency and a growing number of companies are acknowledging the importance of this certification. Some consulting companies also offer training courses. Course delivery varies and when planning to enroll you should select a program that will best fit your learning needs and goals. Another popular qualification with current employers is having a master’s degree in business and administration (MBA).
There are four types of business analyst programs which include Business Analyst Certificate teach students in documenting of an organization’s business processes. Topics include project planning, project management, and technical communications skills. There are Bachelor’s degree specifically created for business analysts but business and information technology courses are sufficient groundwork. There are some schools that concentrate on business analysis in these courses.
Master’s degree programs provide students the knowledge and skills needed to start a private business or a career in government. Topics include accounting, team leadership, problem solving, and communication skills.
Outlook for business systems analyst careers is excellent, with growth expected at around 20 percent which is much faster than the average for all occupations for the period 2008 to 2018. This is because organizations are continually adapting their business models, processes and systems and continually integrating more sophisticated technologies as well as the continued growth of information security needs. Much growth and demand for these positions is especially expected within the healthcare industry where there is increasing use of methods like e-prescribing and electronic health records. Many job openings will come as a result of needing to replace retirees or workers moving to other occupations but most will be new job openings resulting from growth in the industry. Factors that could possibly curtail employment growth are outsourcing and downsizing but these are also limited. The current median annual wage for business systems analyst jobs is $75,500 as of 2008.
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