Did you know? – Self Certified Mortgages are no more

Back in 2009 the Financial Services Authority (FSA) put an end to self-certification mortgages in an attempt to ensure that all borrowers prove their ability to repay in advance.

Self-certification mortgages were originally aimed at contractors, the self-employed and freelance/contract workers who had trouble proving their income and in many cases became the mortgage of choice for contractors on irregular income who struggled to secure mortgage borrowing with their bank..

Many contractors reading this may have had a self-cert mortgage in the past or may have been relying on one for a future mortgage.

At Contractor Mortgages Made Easy they are well aware that many contractors are perfectly capable of running a mortgage but may find it difficult to prove their income due to the tax efficient way that operate.

Contractor Mortgages Made Easy have worked effortlessly on behalf of contractors to educate senior underwriters at high street lenders as to why in many cases contractors carry a significantly reduced risk to lending.

As a specialist mortgage broker for Contractors they are able to help contractors secure mortgage borrowing with high street lenders taking the whole of your earnings into consideration.

To find out how much you could borrow based on your contract rate – At CLICK HERE

Taj Kang, Associate Director at Contractor Mortgages Made Easy commented:

“The fact that so many self-cert mortgages were granted to employed workers who could prove their income, and the high level of arrears associated with these types of loans shows that self-certification mortgages were being abused by both individuals and brokers. Contractor Mortgages Made Easy would not advise a professional Contractor or Freelancer to go down the self-certification route; if you approach a specialist contractor mortgage broker then they should be able to secure you a competitive mortgage that is based upon appropriate evidence of income”

It is the opinion of Contractor Mortgages Made Easy that “The FSA are correct to tighten up lending criteria, as any contractor or freelancer that can adequately afford a mortgage should have no need to go down the more expensive self-cert route to secure borrowing”

Another thing to consider for Contractors

Contractor Mortgages Made Easy

What is the outlook for interest rates?

UK interest rates were held at a record low for the 25th month in a row last week, which has posed questions to contractors who currently have a mortgage or are thinking of taking one. How long can this last? Should I assume rates will go up and take a 5 year fixed rate, or gamble that they will stay low and take the risk on a variable deal? Sound familiar?

There are some clues if you look at comments made by Mervyn King, Governor of the Bank of England, when he explained his outlook for the UK economy. The answer to the questions posed above is linked to one key word – inflation.

Mr King said the consumer prices index (CPI) measure of inflation would climb closer to 5% in 2011. However, he said, the Bank’s Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) believed inflation will be around target at 2% in two or three years “under the assumption that the bank rate increases in line with market expectations”.

“Interest rate futures are pricing in a first 0.25 percentage point rise by Q4 this year, and another every three months for the next two years or so”, said Philip Rush, economist at Nomura. That would signal a 0.25% increase by the end of 2011, and a further 0.75% by the end of next year.

But what about prospects for the base rate beyond 2012? Most economists have differing views at this point, so I will offer an opinion at this point and nothing more. There is a strong argument that says rates do not necessarily have to go back to pre-recession levels for a booming economy, an argument I agree with. A base rate of circa 3% could be enough to sustain an economy that has put the worst post war economic crisis behind it. Factors affecting inflation in the short term, such as oil and commodity prices as well as austerity measures applied by the current government, should fall away in the short term, allowing for a more realistic appraisal of inflation. That figure, in my opinion, will be between 2 – 3%; easing upward pressure on the base rate.

Being a realist about party politics, I predict the current government will generate a “mini-boom” in 2015 prior to the next general election via fiscal policy; therefore assuring a Conservative led government for another 5 years. The impact on interest rates after that is a topic for another day.

In short, contractors should look at their own affordability requirements when considering their new mortgage. Predicting what to do based upon base rate movement is educated guesswork at best, so factors like potential gaps in contract and available savings should play more of a factor in the decision to fix or not to fix.

For more information on Contractor Mortgages CLICK HERE

Taj Kang
Associate Director
Contractor Mortgages Made Easy

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 two core modules, one knowledge-based elective and one practitioner specialism (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 written exams

The core modules are:

• Business Analysis Essentials
• Requirements Engineering

The knowledge-based specialism module is to be chosen from:

• Organisational Context
• Foundation Certificate in Business Analysis
• Foundation Certificate in IT-enabled Business Change
• Foundation Certificate in IS Project Management

The practitioner specialism module is to be chosen from:

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

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 practitioner specialism 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 a specialism module 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! (But don’t worry they are friendly!!) They are really looking for all round knowledge to test those things that cannot be tested in the written examination – i.e. interpersonal skills and ability in problem solving and thinking on your feet. Also the oral exam gives you the chance to demonstrate that you can relate the four syllabuses and that they are not seen as unconnected and separate islands of knowledge. The oral also means that 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 all written exams 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 (£6,900 with an oral prep course!!) 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/category/7704

To operate as a contractor you will have to have a private limited company, or use an umbrella company or other such scheme to get paid. In this article I aim to outline how to do each and the pros and cons of each choice.

Private Limited Company
The vast majority of Contract Project Managers work through their own Private Limited Company. The term ‘limited’ derives from the fact that the company’s finances are distinct from the personal finances of their owners (unlike sole traders).
PLCs (public limited companies) differ from Private Limited Companies in that they are allowed to offer shares to the public to raise funds (with shares issued to a minimum value of £50,000).
Private Limited Companies cannot offer shares to the public, but may have any number of shareholders. Each Private Limited Company must have at least one director to make management decisions and a company secretary.
Setting up a company is often offered as part of an accountancy service, or by companies who will do all of the application and documentation for you for a small fee. This can be done by you direct with Companies House, but can take longer and for a small fee it is often more cost effective to use the intermediary companies (or your accountant). The following documents will be completed as part of your company:
1) Memorandum of Association – Includes Company Name, Location and Type of Business
2) Articles of Association – Outlines Directors’ powers, shareholder rights, etc.
3) Form 10 – Provides Directors’ and Company Secretary’s Names & Addresses, together with the Registered Company Address.
4) Form 12 – States that the Company complies with the terms of the Companies Act

Steps taken to set up my own private limited company:
• Choose a company name and instruct my accountant to set up the company in that name
• Complete the required forms to set up the company
• Set up a business bank account (as money paid to me from my contract is not mine – it belongs to the business!)
• Employ an accountant to look after the business accounts
o Pay my accountant for my payroll processing on a quarterly basis (around £100 )
o Pay my accountant for being my company secretary and registered office, mainly so they receive my business post – this is money well spent as I move house a lot! On a yearly basis (around £100)
• Keep a copy of what I earn for VAT etc, and fill in my own VAT form every quarter (my accountant helped me with the first one and can do them all for me if required, for around £200 per quarter)
• Ensure my accountant does a yearly statement on the company accounts and helps me complete a yearly tax return (around £1000)
• Ensure contracts are written between the agency and my company name and as company director I am required to sign these.
Really that is it, it looks like a lot above, but there is very little admin once you are up and running. I keep a spreadsheet of when I am working and how much I am paid and the VAT amount etc, and it takes me 5 minutes a week to update that, then when my VAT form comes I fill it in, my accountant does the rest.
I can honestly say it feels no different to being an employee; you have to remember you are an employee of your own company. The money that goes into your business account is not yours, what belongs to you is the salary you agreed to take from the account – and you have to pay tax on that.
The advantage to using a Private Limited Company is; as long as you are claiming taxable expenses, you should be taking home about 65% of your gross pay. This is not bad, but the disadvantage is there is a bit of administration as above to keep on top of your back office.

Umbrella Company
This is where you, ‘ the contractor’, essentially becomes an employee of the umbrella company, a third party company who is between the contractor and the agency.
In the United Kingdom, an umbrella company acts as an employer to independent contractors who work under temporary contract. Recruitment agencies will only issue contracts to a limited company, however many contractors may work under one umbrella company, which saves them from setting up their own private limited company.
You submit time-sheets to the umbrella company who will invoice the end client (or agency) for the work done by you. You will then be paid as a PAYE employee less the umbrella fee.
An umbrella company is a good choice if you earn less than £25,000 per year, or are on a short contract and don’t intend to stay contracting for long, or prefer not to set up your own private limited company. Working through an umbrella company is simpler than working through your own limited company but it means you will take home less money from your contract.
How working through an Umbrella Company works:
• The umbrella company will sign a contract with your recruitment agency
• You will sign an employment contract with the umbrella company
• You regularly submit both timesheet and expenses information to the umbrella company
• The umbrella company will invoice your agent/client for the work you have done
• The umbrella will receive funds for you from the agency
• You receive your money less tax, NI contributions and the Umbrella services fee and your umbrella company will send you a payslip just as with permanent employment
The advantage to using an Umbrella company to get paid is the lack of hassle – Payroll, tax etc, is all done for you by the Umbrella Company. However the disadvantage is on average you will only take home around 55% of your gross pay.

Other Alternatives
Employee Benefit Trust
There are a number of contractors talking about being paid “offshore”
This usually means they are using an Employee Benefit Trust to receive their pay. This means an umbrella company that holds an account offshore. The contractor pays into this account and takes an interest free loan out every month from this account in the form of wages.
This method can gain more money to the contractor and it means paying less tax. But recently these schemes have been deemed as “tax avoidance” on 6th and 9th December 2010, HMRC released Ministerial Statements advising that legislation will be introduced to tackle arrangements involving trusts or other vehicles used to reward employees and that of disguised income. They also inserted an „anti-forestalling‟ provision to apply from the 9th December 2010 meaning that any payments (loans) or assets provided between 9th December 2010 and 6th April 2011 would be caught within the new legislation as though it happened on or after 6th April 2011.
This means that contractors using Employee related trusts (EBT‟s) and similar schemes will from the 9th December 2010 be unable to reduce their tax liability using these models and will be forced to look for an alternative solution or switch back to PAYE Umbrella.

Remuneration Trust
Another alternative is a remuneration trust. This is a structure which has been used by high net worth individuals and corporate bodies for over 20 years in tax planning. The remuneration trust is a legally recognised entity provided for in both statute and common law.

You become an employee of a consultancy who contracts you out to your agency or client. The employment relationship is covered by an overarching contract of employment. The consultancy is registered as a PAYE employer and pays you a gross salary of £1,008 per calendar month, which will be subject to full income tax and National Insurance.

Once the consultancy has deducted your salary, they will elect to contribute the remaining profits from your assignments to the remuneration trust. The trust will then pay you your agreed % return of this contribution as a deep discounted commercial loan. As with all forms of commercial credit, this payment is not treated as income and therefore not subject to any form of taxation or National Insurance.

You will receive a signed loan agreement from the trust to evidence the existence of the loan. The loan will be rolled over every 10 years such that it exists in perpetuity and after death will be considered written off, as under English law debt cannot be inherited. The debt can actually also be used to offset against any inheritance tax due by your estate. Payments from the trust will be paid the same day as the trust receives the funds.

This does not fall into the statutory definition of tax avoidance as it is by virtue of your commercial
relationship with the trust that you are receiving the finance.
This method:
• Involves no ‘tax avoidance’
• Full disclosure to HMRC
• Has never been challenged by HMRC in court.
• Loans are not taxable as ‘disguised income’
• Contributions are deductible in computing the profits of the tax payer company
• Full employee status
• Professional Indemnity Insurance on the whole structure of up to £2 million.
• Has been used as sound tax planning for almost 20 years.
• High percentage returns

APS Limited is the first company I have seen using this better structure and I have started to use them for myself. If you are interested in doing so too click http://www.contractorprojectmanager.com/referral or call 0844 5675657 and quote the reference “Contractor Project Manager.com”

Conclusion

There are a number of ways to be paid now and it is up to you which one you choose based on how much hassle versus risk versus money you prefer.

Below is a table comparing the typical pay with each option:

Pay comparison of options
Gross Contract Value £75,000 £100,000 £125,000
Gross Contract Value £75,000 £100,000 £125,000 £75,000 / year £100,000 / year £125,000 / year
Net % Return PAYE 65%
£49,265 65%
£64,015 64%
£78,765
Net % Return PAYE Umbrella
54%
£40,489 53%
£52,039 51%
£63,589
Net % Return PAYE / Trust 84%
£62,921 84%
£84,171 85%
£105,946

(Please note. The below figures are for illustration purposes only. The PAYE figures have been
calculated using a tax code of 747L with applied £1,200 of taxable expenses)

As you may or may not be aware on 6th and 9th December 2010, HMRC released Ministerial Statements advising that legislation will be introduced to tackle arrangements involving trusts or other vehicles used to reward employees and that of disguised income.

They also inserted an “anti-forestalling‟ provision to apply from the 9th December 2010 meaning that any payments (loans) or assets provided between 9th December 2010 and 6th April 2011 would be caught within the new legislation as though it happened on or after 6th April 2011.

This means that contractors using Employee related trusts (EBTs) and similar schemes will from the 9th December 2010 be unable to reduce their tax liability using these models and will be forced to look for an alternative solution or switch back to PAYE Umbrella.

Anti-Avoidance: Employment Income and Pensions Contributions
The Government will be taking action to prevent efforts to avoid Tax and National Insurance Contributions (NIC) on earnings provided through the use of trusts and other vehicles.

Employers and employees are entering into arrangements using trusts and other vehicles that seek to avoid, defer or reduce liabilities to Income Tax and NICs on earnings or that seeks to avoid restrictions on pension’s tax relief. Arrangements in some cases seek to rely on the use of complex intermediary structures, some of which may be offshore. The Government is considering options for tackling these arrangements, including those which seek to avoid the restrictions on Tax Relief for pension schemes.

The Draft Legislation
“The legislation inserts a new Part 7A into ITEPA 2003. The legislation ensures that where a third party makes provision for what is in substance a reward or recognition, or a loan, in connection with the employee‟s current, former, or future employment, an income tax charge arises.”

Now the good news……
There are still some products that remain fully compliant with Government rulings. That do not operate Employee related schemes. That uses statutory reliefs, involves no “tax avoidance‟, can be fully disclosed to HMRC, have never been challenged by HMRC in court, and loans are not taxable as “disguised income”.

APS Group is the example of such a product that I have been personally using. They use a product that has been around for nearly 20 years and is fully transparent to HMRC.

A large part of the fee I pay each month goes directly to Legal Council each month to make sure that we always comply with new laws or legislation.

The APS product is an “Intellectual interpretation of the existing statutory provisions and Fiduciary law”. APS Limited is the first company I have seen using this better structure and I have started to use them for myself. If you are interested in doing so too click http://www.contractbusinessanalyst.com/referral or call 0844 5675657 and quote the reference “Contract Business Analyst.com”

In this article I will explain how and why it is advantageous to tailor your CV / resume to each job role you apply for.

You have crafted the perfect curriculum vitae. You made each line fit to the last remaining space on the margins and the wording is perfect. It took you hours and if you change even a single thing it will ruin it all!

It is really tempting to believe you have the perfect resume and that all you need to do is send this out and you will be getting calls for interviews. That now the resume is complete nothing more needs changing on it.

I have bad news… You will have to change it!

For each role you apply for it is prudent to tailor the CV to make you more suitable for the job.

Often this is as simple as changing only the profile to make the sentence that states what role you are looking for more relevant to the role you are applying for but the following examples are other areas that you may consider changing.

Location
If you are applying for roles in different locations consider putting an address of a friend or family member who lives in that location as the address on your CV. You may wish to relocate to a new location or you may have your parents address as your primary residence. However if the address on your CV is at a location different to where your employer is based then they are likely to question straight away how you will get to work.

You can reduce these question marks over your suitability by making your CV location specific. When applying for roles in Manchester for example ensure your resume has a Manchester address on it. Even if it is a family member or temporary address.

Similar job role specifics
If you are qualified for a a number of job roles and are applying across a spread of roles. For example project manager / business analyst or receptionist / admin assistant. Then consider having a CV for each specific role rather than one that will suit both.
It is often confusing seeing a CV that covers both roles. Consider making a CV specific to each role separately taking out qualifications leaving only those specific to the job role you are applying for. Ensuring the job titles and descriptions are relevant to make you sound like an out and out business analyst for example.

It can only help your case to sound like a specialist in the role you are applying for; like an out and put receptionist when applying for a reception role for example rather than a bit of this and a bit of that. Unless the role you are applying for wants you to be more than one thing at once.

Removing non relevant experience
As above do not be afraid to tailor your curriculum vitae. This means removing experience and qualifications that you may have on your CV currently that is not relevant. Sure you may have all these extra achievements but think of your resume as a snapshot of your experience achievements and qualifications that shows how you are best suited to the job you are applying for as opposed to a catch all for everything you have ever done no matter how irrelevant.

Telling a more succinct story
The above things will make your CV a more succinct story about your professional career. Ensure you have made this clear on your CV and that you are able to describe your past career in the way it is on your CV concisely in an interview.

The purpose of this article was to get you into the mindset to stop and think before you send out that stock CV.

Small changes can make big differences!

This article describes how to write a good CV, regarding the philosophy of how to approach creating the CV and tips on what to include and how to communicate it.

A CV is a sales document; it conveys succinctly the information of what you are looking for and why. Why you are qualified for such work and a story as to how you got to this point, covering your previous work experience, education, qualifications and interests.
I believe a CV should be a succinct story backing up a tag line about yourself. Often in interviews the main asked of the candidate is:

“Tell me about yourself”

This answer and the CV to back it up should be made as succinct, clear and relevant as possible to the position sought.

Obviously life is not as clear and simple as this and many of us have a complicated and confusing history in regards to work experience, education and life story, but effort should be made to make this as clear as possible in interview and on the CV. To present only the relevant facts to sell you most effectively for the post in which you are applying.

Profile
The profile should be a short sentence stating clearly:
• What work you are looking for
• What you have to offer (why you are qualified)
I believe in starting the CV with a profile. This explains to the employer or recruiter what you are looking for and summarises all of the attributes that can be found in detail on the rest of your CV.

The recruiter will know what they are looking for and if your profile states this in summary then you are making their job a lot easier and they are more likely to put you in the “yes” pile, as they quickly check a large volume of CVs.

Remember the recruiter is human too, think how frustrating it is when you look at a website that is not clear and it is hard to find the information you need quickly. Now think of the recruiter who has to look through a large volume of CVs for any advertised positions, if they have to look at a large number and it takes too long for them to find the information they need from your CV they may not take the time to do so.

Work Experience
Work experience should come directly after the profile in reverse chronological order.

The first thing a recruiter or prospective employer will look at is the last job you have had and if you had the relevant experience or achieved something relevant to the job you are applying for in previous roles.

Do them and yourself a favour and put this experience where they can find it easily. I.e. your most recent job at the top and your previous roles below this.

There will always be gaps and times when you worked for a short time, temping, travelling etc. It is your call as to how to include these but remember your story needs to be made as clear as possible, so if you worked somewhere for a short time then make the story relevant as to why or consider omitting some jobs altogether. Maybe include one line with the dates and mention what happened, e.g. temping role, or went travelling between these dates etc. This answers the question quicker than leaving gaps and having to explain them in interview.

Education
Education should be also in reverse chronological order.

Other Qualifications
If you have attended any training courses or have industrial qualifications they should be entered here. Remember this is a sales document – list everything you have done here – sell yourself!

Interests
Qualify your hobbies and interests. Do not mention generic things such as ‘I like to go running’ without qualifying it as to what has been achieved. For example, it would be better to say: “I am part of the Harriers running club” – or “I recently completed the Great North Run”

Good luck!

This article explains how to effectively get the right temporary job in the most efficient way with the least effort and best chance of success…

Temporary work is one of the best ways to gain experience or make money in a set amount of time. It can be a foot in the door to an industry you want to work in. Or a way to earn, even if you are looking for a more permanent job, it can help to fill the gap and take pressure off your finances and your nerves while you job hunt. It also helps out the company that requires temporary work cover!

There are a number of job boards, agencies and temporary work websites available and the options can seem overwhelming. There seems to be so many jobs, but no way of knowing if you are right for them. So most people would sit at home and apply for many different jobs, changing their CV and covering letter many times to suit the variety of jobs they are applying for, using considerable effort to find temporary work.

I would suggest there is a better way to find temporary work, a way that involves no changes to your CV, that guarantees real-time, real-world feedback, instead of sending application after application into the black hole of online applications to receive no feedback or a computer generated rejection email a little too late. This way can increase your chance of getting a job, as there is more than one person with a vested interest in finding you work is selling you to prospective employers.

This method however, requires a courage and willingness to pick up the phone and research, approach and sell yourself to the appropriate person.

This method is simple:

1. Create a good, clear and relevant CV, including in the profile the type of work you are appropriate for and what you would consider and why (see http://www.cvphoenix.com for a CV service that will help you affordably create this CV!)
2. Research employment agencies by location or job type or industry.
3. Call the agency (main number is fine) and explain you are looking for work and ask to speak to, or the name of an agent / recruitment consultant who deals with the type of work you are looking for.
4. Speak to the agent and ask for their email address.
5. Send your CV to the agent via email.
6. Follow-up sending your CV with a call to the agent, to ensure they received the email okay and whether they are able to open your CV in the format it is in.
7. Ask them if they could take a look at your CV, while you are on the phone and give you feedback on the CV whether you are suitable for any temporary work they have available at present.
8. Now that the agent knows your name, CV and how you present yourself on the telephone, he/she is more likely to think of you when a suitable placement there and then, when one is available later, or tell you what you may need to change in terms of your CV or what you are suitable for.

The fact that they have spoken to you puts you in a better position than the hundreds of applicants whose emails and CVs are sitting in their inbox, or received via faceless on-line applications.

I would suggest making a note of what recruiter you spoke to and when and call them back as often as required to see if they have recently got any suitable positions.

SELL YOURSELF!

It may be beneficial to meet the recruiter, if it is possible try and pop into the office and meet the recruiter, if they meet you and like what they see, they will find it easier to sell you too!

If you have one or two recruiters looking to place you, then you have allies looking for work for you: as well as your own efforts! These agents have better contacts than available to you and are motivated by the commission they get from the client in placing you and the job satisfaction in placing you, giving you a job and giving the client what they need.

It is a win-win situation!

Good luck!

Steve

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.