How to Start a Business Analyst Career: A Roadmap to Start an IT Career in Business Analysis or Find Entry-level Business Analyst Jobs Paperback – September 12, 2010

This book won't teach you *how* to be a BA. If you want a book that goes over very specific skills such as requirements, UML, and so forth, you'll need different books for those. This one is more of a strategic approach to leaving one occupation to become a BA. The author does a fantastic job of highlighting skills and experience you may already have that applies to BA work that you might not have identified on your own. This is valuable because it can really help you speak to your experience in an interview as well as make your resume truly applicable to the BA job you're applying for. It can also help you identify certain tasks and projects in your current work that translate to BA skills that can help you land your first bona fide BA job.If you're thinking of, or have already decided to, become a BA, this is easily the first book you should read. Hands down. Then, start perusing some specific skills books. But start here first.Many thanks to the author for writing this. It's a completely unique approach to a "business" book. Everyone else is trying to prove their expertise about a very narrow aspect of BA work (which, don't get me wrong, can be helpful), but this one can really help ease you into the transition. You can't go to college to be a BA like you can an accountant. So how do you break into the field? This book does an excellent job of explaining it and offering numerous suggestions. I felt noticeably more confident about pursuing my next job as a BA after reading this.

I'm looking to make a career transition from independent consulting back into the corporate environment. I decided to revisit business analysis, a job I'd held several years ago. I found Laura's book via her fantastic website, Bridging the Gap. After reading the Table of Contents, I figured this book would provide a great overview of the current BA market and the skills I'd need to upgrade.The book covers both the skills required by today's BA and an approach to conducting a successful job search. I found the writing personable and the information accurate. The suggestions are very practical. (You can tell a seasoned BA wrote it!) The book is a useful companion to Laura's site and regular newsletters. It provided just enough information to help me decide whether BA was going to be the best career option for me.I would definitely recommend this book! I purchased the Kindle version, so I could read it on whatever device I had handy. I found the Kindle format to be well done, including graphics/charts.

I do believe this book is a good read for those starting as a BA. I decided to read the book to find out if there was something I could do to expand on my current BA role, and I found several good ideas. Unfortunately, the author did not utilize a good editor. The book is full of sentences that are nearly impossible to decipher. Frankly, the book reads as if the author sat down and wrote the book in only the amount of time it took to type it, i.e., no proofreading. So, take the author's advice. But don't use her writing as a model for your own BA work, or you might find yourself losing the job you gained.

I have a passion of becoming a Business Analyst in the IT area and Laura's book does inspire me with her insights and guidance which help me leverage my necessary experiences to qualify as a BA using different tools and techniques mentioned in the book."How to Start a Business Analyst Career" is a comprehensive and informative book which covers steps on what it takes to become a BA and what to expect as a BA and also professional networking, ways to build beneficially relationships with people who might help open opportunities for you.I find this book very well-thought and resourceful and would recommend this book, as a start, to anyone who has passion and is committed to the business analyst career.

A knowledge based book that is both honest and realistic about the future of a Business Analyst.This book gives the reader a clear view of what to expect in this exciting career.

Hello,The content of this book is very helpful for any professional that wishes to start this career path.I've been in the profession for many years now and some areas of the book brought new ideas on how to approach some situations.Others areas, confirmed the learned lessons. It's great to see that other BA's experience the same.Best regards

For those who wanted to be BA, this is your shortcut. You'll get to know just enough.For those accidental-BA, it confirms your roles.For those already a BA, it tells you the gap.For those Professional BA, what are you doing here!? (Just joking)This book actually can save you from running like a headless chicken through every BA blogs, forums, speak to specialists, or podcast you can find. Trust me, I was the headless chicken. :)

this was a pretty decent overview of the BA function and career. I have been working as a BA for 2 years and still found this book helpful although i know the author has a second book which i havent looked at yet. If you want a layman's guide to what a business analyst does and how to get into the field this book is what youre looking for.In general a BA is an awesome job if you have good analytical skills and ALSO good people skills. This book approaches the BA career with all the energy and enthusiasm it warrants .Im only two-thirds done with the book but this has been my experience with it thus far

Einfach,nützlich und informativ für den Anfänger. Trotzdem möchte es ein bisschen tiefer noch detaillierter sein. Allerdings kann man einen guten erster Ansatz haben!

Book arrived in excellent condition and is rapidly becoming a book not to put down. The book arrived ahead of time and makes a wecome addition to my bookcase.

Excellent starting point.

awesome read so far

This book is excellent !!! It has helped me in transiting towards BA role.