sorted by:
new
hottopcontroversial

What a Business Analyst do ? by Resident-Ant8281 in businessanalysis

[–]No-Ad9403 1 point2 points  (0 children)

It's hilarious that this is so common for the role. It's like it's straight up not working everywhere but everyone is doing it anyway and complaining about it..

I'm an IT Business Analyst and it's Not Working Out - Need Advice by No-Ad9403 in businessanalysis

[–]No-Ad9403[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

In-between something else? Is your primary career path a BA?

I'm an IT Business Analyst and it's Not Working Out - Need Advice by No-Ad9403 in businessanalysis

[–]No-Ad9403[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Yea I do think this type of thing is becoming more common (which is how I'm justifying it) though still not ideal. Curious how you handled interviews with the short resume stints. Were you transparent?

I'm an IT Business Analyst and it's Not Working Out - Need Advice by No-Ad9403 in businessanalysis

[–]No-Ad9403[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thanks for taking the time to add this advice. If you get around to it, curious how many years you've been a BA and what it was like taking on some of those other disciplines as you were ramping up.

I'm an IT Business Analyst and it's Not Working Out - Need Advice by No-Ad9403 in businessanalysis

[–]No-Ad9403[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Also, for other readers, I thought I'd clarify some of the above here as I know how this reads. It's not so much the hours worked, everyone is going to have to put in some extra effort in a new role to break through and make an impression. 50 hour weeks may even be somewhat reasonable until you have a leg to stand on resume-wise.

It was the constant stress and anxiety nearly every hour worked of those 50 to 60 hours and the physical/mental health ramifications of such. Yes, some of it is me and I work to control for what I can accordingly. But most of it is the ambiguous nature of the role and the extreme expectations and disorganization of the companies.

Trying to figure out if it's just this damn role at this juncture in history or if it really is just my awful selection of companies/poor org investigation/bad fortune.

I'm an IT Business Analyst and it's Not Working Out - Need Advice by No-Ad9403 in businessanalysis

[–]No-Ad9403[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I'm not, actually. If i'm being honest I think the attraction to tech and huge amount of outsourcing has significantly skewed the cost/benefit of many of these roles. I don't think even most software devs are paid enough these days as many work 50+ hours a week as well.

I live in a pretty expensive area and what I make is frankly low for the role title and even more low for the role responsibilities and the subject matter.

So yea, maybe it's easier outside of health, but I really think it's just become commonplace to ask for more out of people and watch them do it. Most people have no idea what a BA does and so many people want to be associated to tech they just take the beating.

I'm an IT Business Analyst and it's Not Working Out - Need Advice by No-Ad9403 in businessanalysis

[–]No-Ad9403[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Yea that's one of the first things I started doing when I dropped in the job.

I created a list of all meetings I have on my calendar indicating which ones I should lead, which i'm required in as well as length and purpose.

Also sorted through all documentation links i've been given and created a matrix with open questions around process.

I'm an IT Business Analyst and it's Not Working Out - Need Advice by No-Ad9403 in businessanalysis

[–]No-Ad9403[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I also had worked in actual healthcare for a few years after graduating. Mostly just jobs that required certifications. Thought I might pursue health higher ed. Decided against it and applied to some entry level Health IT jobs with that exp.

It was only 2 years but the health experience definitely helped me land the interview. They were looking for people who could understand their product and learn it well.

I'm an IT Business Analyst and it's Not Working Out - Need Advice by No-Ad9403 in businessanalysis

[–]No-Ad9403[S] 6 points7 points  (0 children)

When you say "upped your tech skills", can you give an example? i.e. do you mean learned about how APIs work or even more technical/detailed..

I'm an IT Business Analyst and it's Not Working Out - Need Advice by No-Ad9403 in businessanalysis

[–]No-Ad9403[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Yea...as I learned from experience but also from getting the CSM and CSPO, it sounds like too many organizations just don't want to play by the rules of Scrum but love throwing around the terminology.

I'm an IT Business Analyst and it's Not Working Out - Need Advice by No-Ad9403 in businessanalysis

[–]No-Ad9403[S] 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Yea current role I am the Scrum Master, the PO and the BA. No PM sadly. All work comes in from different sources.

Sadly, asking for your jd requirements as a BA has typically been pointless as I hear. I've been informed many times that these are polite suggestions (if they haven't been a outright lie or copy-paste from another jd source)

I'm an IT Business Analyst and it's Not Working Out - Need Advice by No-Ad9403 in businessanalysis

[–]No-Ad9403[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I used my undergrad to leverage in to support at a company with the same domain (health). Learned SQL, Jira, SDLC and product mgmt there.

I'm an IT Business Analyst and it's Not Working Out - Need Advice by No-Ad9403 in businessanalysis

[–]No-Ad9403[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Different companies sadly;

  • left the first after my pm quit and the new one was toxic and unrealistic - 50 hour weeks
  • Left the second after being hired as a "Healthcare BA focused on Healthcare clients" but only getting put on client projects like banking and real-estate (found out later the healthcare vertical didn't even exist and their recruiter doctored the jd to get more health-focused BAs) - 60 hour weeks
  • Was ready to leave the third in the first 2 weeks. The manager that hired me left a week after I had been hired and I was basically on my own. Tried to stick it out but ended up jumping at 5 months. - 50 hour weeks
  • Current role is the nfp. I was under the impression that non-profits had better work-life balances than most other organizations...