How can I move into a BA role without technical knowledge or IT experience?

Yes, you heard it right. You can get into a functional BA role without technical knowledge or IT experience.

Now, if you are finding it hard to believe, then you are obviously someone who is looking at BA jobs asking for R programming, Python and Tableau, and getting overwhelmed by the same.

Let me tell you business analysts can be categorized into 2 types – Functional Business Analysts and Technical Business Analysts.

Technical Business Analysts need technical knowledge and programming skills to perform on the job but functional business analyst doesn’t need the same.

I have been a Functional Business Analyst my entire life and I have not written a single piece of code.

Just follow the 5-step process given below and you will be able to make it.

Step 1: Role Clarity

Gain clarity of the role and understand responsibilities thoroughly. Role clarity holds true for any role, but I would like to emphasis on this for a business analyst role because the role of a BA is a highly misunderstood role.

You will get to hear many versions of what this role is all about.

Some say:

1. It is purely a project coordinator’s role. Just need to speak to customers and understand their requirements
2. It is purely a documentation role. So, if you can write well, you can become BA.
3. It requires programming or coding skills.
4. It requires experience in IT industry.
5. It requires knowledge of Tableau or Power BI
6. It is just requirement gathering

All of this are misinterpretations of a business analyst role.

Watch my video on What is Business Analysis to understand the core responsibilities of the role?

Step 2: Skill Gap Assessment

Every new role will require you to develop some new skills. This holds true for business analysis as well. The good news is that as a Business Analyst you will be utilizing a major chunk of your existing skills in the role. So, whatever is your current role, be assured that you don’t need to start at ground zero.

You just need to identify which skills you already have and which ones you need to build. One of the prominent skills, I have found missing in people moving into a BA role is the knowledge of requirement gathering and management techniques, tools and processes.

Requirements are the heart of a software project and if you get into a BA role without understanding it, very soon you will find yourself in the midst of customer escalations.

Watch my video on Skills required in a BA role to understand what skills you actually need to become a BA.

Step 3: Identify a Learning Program

Having identified the skill gaps, your next logical step will be to identify one such program that will help you achieve your goal to become a BA. The program should teach hands on implementation of Business Analysis because only then you will be able to work on the ground as a BA.

In my Business Analysis Mastery classes, I coach students on Zero-Tech Business Analysis Model, a flagship product which has been developed after years of research. It simplifies business analysis for beginners. It contains formulas, templates, techniques, strategies you can use to handle both requirements and stakeholders effectively in a project. Most training institutes follow the traditional methods of teaching business analysis which focuses heavily on theory and less on implementation.

I believe when knowledge is put into practice it develops into a new skill. So, we focus in developing new skills in our students.

Watch my video: How to become a BA in 60 days?

Step 4: Apply for jobs

Once you finish your training, restructure your resume, and start applying for jobs. Mind you, restructuring resume does not mean faking it. Never, ever claim the experience you don’t have. Organisations have a way for figuring it out, so you will not succeed. Restructuring means highlighting BA skills – the new ones you built and the old ones you already had. This is so very very important because if you continue sending your old resume to organizations, you might not get shortlisted anywhere.

Not having enough BA experience to show in the resume has always been a concern for students. That is the reason I allocate my students in a Bootcamp project during the class, so that at the end of training, they can add this experience in their resumes.

The final sessions of my workshops are usually flooded with questions on how to restructure resume and how to look out for jobs?

And yes, I don’t disappoint my students. They get all the tips and codes to get started their BA journey.

Step 5: Interviews

Arranging mock interviews for my students have always been fun and thrilling experience for me. Before you face the first interview, always have a mock interview with your coach. You will see the immense boost it gives to your confidence, and you know exactly what to prepare.