You're the person who notices things others miss. When processes break down, you instinctively map backwards to find where it went wrong. You love puzzles—not jigsaw puzzles, but system puzzles. "Why does this take three days when it should take three hours?" That question genuinely excites you. You'd rather understand how something works than just use it. Data doesn't intimidate you; patterns in data intrigue you. Business Analysts bridge the gap between problems and solutions. You interview stakeholders to understand what they need (which is rarely what they think they need). You map current processes to find bottlenecks. You analyse data to prove hunches. You document requirements that technical teams can actually build from. You test whether solutions actually solve the problem or just move it somewhere else. The cognitive work is investigation. You're constantly asking "why?" and "what if?" You translate between different business languages—operations speaks in processes, finance speaks in budgets, IT speaks in systems, executives speak in outcomes. You become fluent in all of them.

Career Progression

• Business Analyst → Senior Business Analyst
• Lead Business Analyst → Business Analysis Manager
• Head of Business Analysis
• Alternative paths: Product Management, Project Management, Operations Management

What You'll Need

• Qualification:: Diploma of Business (industry standard)
• Skills:: Requirements gathering, process mapping, data analysis, stakeholder management
• Traits:: Curiosity about systems, comfort with ambiguity, ability to see both detail and big picture

How to Get Started

Start with our Diploma of Business to build core business skills. Learn SQL, Excel advanced functions, and process mapping tools. Pursue CBAP or similar analyst certifications. Gain experience through internships or junior analyst roles. Build a portfolio showcasing process improvement projects and data analysis skills.