Business intelligence directly impacts companies’ growth strategies and subsequent profits, and a forward thinking business professional, who wants excellent career opportunities, often investigates how to become a business intelligence analyst. Business intelligence analysts evaluate large amounts of company specific, competitor and industry data using modern software systems to detect ways of improving their companies’ market positions. Even though there is a surplus of business intelligence analyst positions according to labor analysts, employers are not just hiring any job seeker who knows how to liberally inject business intelligence buzz words into their resumes. Here are some key tips to landing a business intelligence analyst position in today’s job market.
Earn the Right Degree
Business intelligence analysts mainly use complex data management systems to conduct their evaluations of different data sets, and they regularly employ logic in problem solving. According to the Association for Computing Machinery, an undergraduate degree in computer science is the academic program that best prepares business intelligence analysts for their duties, and it is the degree that hiring managers most often require on their business intelligence job vacancy announcements. Other academic credentials that allow job seekers to stay in the running for business intelligence analyst positions in certain industries are undergraduate degrees in information technology (IT), information systems, finance, economics and business administration with specializations in marketing. These disciplines expose aspiring business intelligence analysts to the technical systems and statistical models that they need to be successful.
Develop the Appropriate Skill Set
A degree may get an aspiring business intelligence analyst a job interview with a hiring manager, but job candidates must demonstrate proficiency in certain types of skills to actually land business intelligence analyst positions. Technical prowess is the most prominent of these skills. For example, business intelligence analysts must understand how to manipulate tables within relational databases, employ query language for data mining activities and appropriately apply statistical models for trend analysis. Other important skills that employers value in business intelligence analyst candidates are analytical and communication skills. For instance, business intelligence analysts must be able to interpret what identified trends mean to their organizations and effectively convey that information to a variety of stakeholders.
Identify Locations that Hire the Most Business Intelligence Analysts
Knowing the regions where business intelligence analyst job listings are most abundant helps job candidates to position themselves for success. According to labor reports, many business intelligence analyst positions are found out West in major urban areas of states like Texas and California. A significant number of business intelligence analyst positions are also found in Illinois, Florida, New York, Arkansas and Massachusetts.
Determine Industries that Have the Greatest Need for Business Intelligence Analysts
The healthcare sector is in the beginning phases of electronic data management and data analysis, and it is no surprise that this sector is the one with the greatest demand for business intelligence analysts. Industries that include financial services, banking and technology are other popular areas where business intelligence analysts find employment. It is probably no coincidence that healthcare is one of the main industries in which states like Texas, New York and Massachusetts operate, according to Newsmax. Also, California, New York, Massachusetts and Florida all have businesses that operate within the financial service, banking and technology industries.
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Conclusion
As business intelligence matures, employers gain greater understanding of their organizations’ data analysis needs and informational requirements. Subsequently, hiring criteria for business intelligence analyst positions have become narrower and more targeted than they were in the past, but the new standard for qualified business intelligence analysts is not hidden from job seekers. With the proper academic background and professional experience, one can become a business intelligence analyst which is now one of the highest paid IT positions in the workforce.
