How to Get a Business Analyst Certification

Business analysts are among the most sought after professionals in the corporate world today. As working executives, professionals, and those who have completed their MBAs years before, don't have in-depth knowledge of this role, several certification courses have popped up on the Internet.

Immense career opportunities have come up in this field. This has been due to the unprecedented demand for such professionals in recent years, in almost every field of work.

More so, in the tasks requiring integration of business models and technological advancements, it's highly impossible that you will find any organization thriving without availing the services of these workers.

They have become the cynosure of all eyes in the business world owing to their level of expertise and worth in today's market. Some reputed nonprofit associations have also been established that provide certifications in this domain.

Doing a certification program will train you on the intricacies of this profession. For instance, a system analyst in the IT sector has to plan and design solutions for increasing the effectiveness of the delivery model. This is almost similar to a business analyst's task, which is to design effective strategies to ensure success of any business model.

Hence, the various job profiles can often confuse a layman, as they are used interchangeably. Besides the IT industry, these roles are required in marketing, finance, banking, health care, telecom, and numerous other fields, as the essence of this profession is to design business models and do in-depth analysis.

Certifications are at present offered by various bodies that have been established to provide training in this field. Some are consulting companies while others are independent organizations.

The governing body for issuing the Certified Business Analyst Professional (CBAP) credential is the International Institute of Business Analysis (IIBA). This certification is recognized by several companies.

To qualify, you must satisfy some eligibility criteria established by the Business Analysis Body of Knowledge (BABOK), a branch established by the IIBA to govern the rules and examine its curriculum. For example, candidates must have at least 5 years of work experience in similar or closely related areas like consultancy, etc.

The candidates are taught various fundamentals of business analysis, including courses related to planning, validating, and managing user requirements, and various aspects of creative and critical thinking.

With the development in technology, online study is possible and thousands of professionals who can't cope with full-time training, opt for this kind of a method. Once the course is completed, candidates are required to pass an exam that qualifies them to be eligible for receiving the certificate.

Remember, you must verify that the institute is genuine and that you're enrolling through relevant and registered sources only. You can inquire with your friends and colleagues who have done these programs or have knowledge about them.

This certification can provide you a kick start in the world of business analysis and you can further upgrade your skills by getting relevant work experience. Opportunities for growth are tremendous, and with some experience under your belt, you can switch to almost any industry that requires the expertise of business analysts.