I am giving away paper copies of the book “How To Become A Contract Business Analyst” to the first people to comment, sharing their experience, on the following point:

“Business Analyst /Project Manager: can this role blend be performed effectively?”

I look forward to your comments!

Best of luck!

THANKS EVERYONE

I HAVE NOW SEND ALL COPIES OF THE BOOK – COMPETITION CLOSED!

I decided to compile a list of books that have been useful to me, as a business analyst.

I have included cover pictures and a link to Amazon for more information on the book.

Some of these books are designed to be a reference to help you in your job, some of them to help with specific BA qualification and some just to read and retain. I have placed the books in order of importance and influence to my knowledge as a Business Analyst:

Business Analysis Don Yeates, Debra Paul, Tony Jenkins, Keith Hindle (Paperback – Apr 21, 2006) £24.42 This is the main text for the BA Diploma and I think the first and main text to concentrate on as a BA.

CBAP Certified Business Analysis Professional All-in-One Exam Guide with CDROM Joseph Phillips (Hardcover – Aug 1, 2009) £17.99 So far, the first book covering the CBAP syllabus.

Soft Systems Methodology in Action Peter Checkland (Paperback – May 30, 1999) £24.70 I have been using this book since University Soft Systems Methodology is the basis of all Business Analysis.

Diagnosing the System for Organizations (Classic Beer Series) Stafford Beer (Paperback – Sep 28, 1994) £19.99 This describes the Viable Systems Model (VSM) and explains how to conceptualise business functions.

A Pragmatic Guide to Business Process Modelling Jon Holt (Paperback – Sep 26, 2005) £19.45 This is a great book to assist in Business Process Modelling.

Getting it Right: Business Requirement Analysis Tools and Techniques Kathleen B. Hass, Don Wessels, Kevin Brennan (Paperback – Oct 4, 2007) £15.64 This book breaks down the Requirements phases, describing tools and techniques as well as theory.

Business Information Systems: Analysis, Design and Practice Mr Graham Curtis, Dr David Cobham (Paperback – Sep 9, 2004) £30.00 This is a book I used at university and still seem to delve into often

IT Business Analysis in Investment Banking: A Definitive Guide to Business Analysis in Invest… Essvale Corporation Limited (Paperback – Aug 1, 2010) £24.95 Have just bought this, as I work in this industry - so far an interesting read for this niche - and very true!

Strategic Management and Business Analysis David Williamson, Peter Cooke, Wyn Jenkins, Keith Michael Moreton (Paperback – Nov 19, 2003) £29.89 An area many senior BA’s get involved in - scoping of strategy. A very good book.

Writing Better Requirements Ian Alexander, Richard Stevens (Paperback – Jul 17, 2002) £18.58 A great book on requirements theory and psychology.

Business Process Analysis Geoffrey Darnton, Moksha Darnton (Hardcover – May 29, 1997) £30.00 An important skill for BA’s and a good book

Systems Thinking, Systems Practice: Includes a 30 Year Retrospective Peter Checkland (Paperback – Jul 29, 1999) £28.14 Classic,this book explains the bigger picture and using systemic theory to view the problem situation.

Brain of the Firm (Classic Beer Series) Stafford Beer (Paperback – Sep 28, 1994) £40.38 Stafford Beer follows on the VSM work to describe how the business should be led.

The BA diploma is currently the best known qualification for Business Analysts in the UK. The BA Diploma is run by the BCS – it is an ISEB (Information Systems Examination Board) exam. It consists of three core modules  and one elective (these are examinations and certificates in their own right), as well as a 45 minute oral examination, which can only be sat upon successful completion of the three core and one elective module.

The core modules are:

• Business Analysis Essentials
• Requirements Engineering
• Organisational Context

The Specialist module is to be chosen from:

• Modelling Business Processes
• Systems Modelling Techniques
• Systems Development Essentials
• Benefits Management and Business Acceptance

I think the BA Diploma is a really good qualification. I came from more of a systems analyst background and the BA Diploma gave me a wider business view. My elective was in systems development essentials and involved a lot of comparison work with SCRUM techniques etc.

I passed the BA Diploma by teaching myself for the core modules, but when I failed my elective first time round I bought materials from a training company and this helped me to pass second time around. I also bought materials from them to help with my oral examination, as this is tough – two examiners grill you for 45 minutes! They are really looking for all round knowledge and if you have only had one type of experience in your work as a Business Analyst, this may go against you in the oral, as you need to have knowledge and best practice for all areas of Business Analysis (yes this includes costing models and finance – for those of you who find this a difficult part of the job).

There are no pre-requisites for the certificate exams. But training will improve your chances of success. There is a list of training and examination providers on the BCS website. These providers can provide a training course and exam, or just the exam for a fee.

This means you will need to ring around all BCS ISEB BA Diploma training providers to see what modules they provide, what dates they are available, how much they cost and if they provide just the exam if you choose to train yourself.

The table below gives you an idea of how much getting the diploma will cost, please note prices are appropriate, based on an average of training providers prices and can vary:

The courses and prices above all include the examination at the end of each course. Remember only one of the specialist modules needs to be passed. However ALL THREE core modules and ONE of the specialist modules must all be successfully passed and results received before you can book the oral examination.

You do not have your BA diploma until you pass the oral. You must book the oral through the BCS ISEB directly, or you can do so through a training provider.

The oral examination consists of a 45 minute interview with two examiners and costs around £200.00.

If you feel like you need an oral preparation course, a small number of training providers offer one for around £600.00.

This means (following the average approximations above) training and examinations for the whole diploma can cost up to £6,300!! However you can save some cash by teaching yourself and doing direct entry examination (fee £100) for some of the modules (I did this successfully).

For more information, see http://www.bcs.org/server.php?show=nav.00101000200300n

I am back on the market again and applying for roles. One thing I have noticed lately is that the market is tight, in this competition; agents are hungry for new leads, even new names of hiring managers that they can cold call.

Well, I have seen more examples of my topic ever this week by agents in London! Often agents will ask for your references before you interview, sometimes before you have been put forward for a role!

Let me warn you all – Say NO to giving References to Agents!

There should be no reason to be providing an agency with contact details for your references until the on-boarding process that you must go through when you have accepted a role.

Be warned – you may receive unsolicited calls from recruiters, pretending to have a role, but they are more interested in finding out the name of the hiring manager at your last position.

This is a form of social engineering, so be wary about calls like this.

Today I got a call from an agent about a role I applied for, without even pretending to go through the usual lies, “I will put you forward for the role, but first I need references etc..”

Today he told me that in the current climate they have a stricter process required for compliance. This is not true – what I told him, was what I suggest you tell them is:

“The only time I need to provide references is during on-boarding when I have been offered a role!”

There is no line that an agent can tell me or any promise they can make that will make me give up my reference contact details. There is no way I will run the risk of my references, that are managing directors at investment banks, being hounded by agents with cold calls because I have given up their contact details because an agent promised me that I would be “put forward” for a role.

Even worse would be that if an agent contacted one of my references for a reference on me for a role that I have been only put forward for. This would be career suicide, as if this happens my references may get annoyed, to the point that they may refuse to give me a reference for a real role that I have been offered!  The boy who cried wolf indeed!

Be warned!

In these times of crisis, we are reminded how unsecure our jobs can be. In such a market would you consider contracting?

If the answer is yes, then you probably believe that you will not be able to get a role as a contractor, so let me dispel a few of the common myths surrounding this:

“I have to be very experienced before I become a contractor”
No you don’t – think of contractors as mercenaries or extras in a film, or even temps. Businesses need personnel to fill resource gaps at all levels – junior, senior etc…

“When times are hard and permanent staff are getting laid off – the contract market suffers”
Actually this is not true. The reason contractors are so attractive to companies is they can be hired and released at short notice; even though contractors are more expensive they do not come under headcount costs.

“Contracting will ruin my CV”
If you make the decision to become a contractor 3 month roles and gaps in between roles will not affect your chances of getting a role, if you explain them properly in your CV as well as in interview.

“If I am a Contractor I won’t be able to get back into a permanent role”
This is not necessarily true, in this modern age employers are becoming wiser to different employment practices. Many people now realise that breaks for travelling, sabbaticals, postgraduate study breaks, or contracting for a number of years in between permanent roles are an acceptable part of people’s careers.

“I have to have Industry Sector Experience to get a role in that Sector”
This is not necessarily true; however the market is set up so that those who are a lower risk and better fit the brief will get the job. This means if you have any experience in the sector you are trying join you are more likely to be considered for a role than someone with none.

“If Demand shifts I will not be able to get a contract – no-body will want me!”
If demand changes for your specialism, you can “drop” to related areas. For example if Investment banking fails, then I can try for retail banking or the financial sector in general.
If this changes your mind, you will need to market yourself with an up to date CV and register with the various job sites. The contractor market and contract Business Analyst jobs are advertised on numerous job sites, such as http://www.jobserve.com

Below are my tips on the most efficient process in applying for a Contract Business Analyst:

1. Send CV in response to job advert
2. Take a note of:
   1. When you sent CV
   2. Recruiters contact name
   3. Recruiters contact details
   4. Name of agency
   5. Where you saw the advert
3. Call recruiter to confirm they received your CV
4. Get recruiter to check CV suitability for role
   1. Make a note of whether you were suitable
5. Get recruiter feedback
   1. Make a note of recruiter feedback
6. Chase recruiter daily until – shortlisted or rejected

This gives a quick overview of how to become a contract Business Analyst, for more details, contact us now and get personalized service.