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Business Analytics

Commerce to Business Analyst: What does the learning journey look like?

Blog Date
August 28,
2023

Today’s business landscape is rapidly evolving, where adaptability and diverse skill set are invaluable assets. Here, business analysts use accurate data analytics to form insights and recommend profitable changes for the company. They help identify organizational issues, including IT processes, structures, and other staff developments.

So, can a commerce student become a business analyst? If you are intrigued by data-driven decision-making and strategic planning, then business analysis can be a great career option for you.

Business analysts closely collaborate with stakeholders like business leaders, developers, and other end users to ensure that the projects align with the organization’s objectives and measurable values. They blend analytical skills, financial expertise, and business knowledge. This blog will disclose the exciting transition from Commerce to a BA role.

Understanding the Role of a Business Analyst

A business analyst looks after an organization’s business processes and finds ways to optimize the same for better productivity. It includes identifying opportunities for improvement and translating business requirements into goals for IT projects. Moreover, these analysts perform a multifaceted role involving analyzing data and systems and collaborating with several stakeholders so that different initiatives and changes align with the business goals.

The key responsibilities of business analysts include:

  • Analyzing the existing business processes for inefficiencies, bottlenecks, and areas that need improvements
  • Proposing solutions to streamline the workflow, enhance productivity, and reduce production costs
  • Performing data mapping, modeling, and validation to maintain data quality and accuracy in the systems or reports

Assessing Your Current Skills and Knowledge

Here are some relevant BA skills development from Commerce that Commerce students already know:

  • Knowledge of financial statements, budgeting, cost analysis, and financial modeling
  • An overall understanding of sales, marketing, supply chain, and revenue generation
  • Risk assessment and management skills

In addition, to become an impactful business analyst, it is essential to recognize and fill the gaps in skills. Let’s see the business analyst learning path:

  • Commerce graduates can assess their strengths and weaknesses in a technical domain or using tools like Excel, SQL, or business analysis software.
  • Online platforms like Coursera, edX, Udemy, or LinkedIn offer courses on business analysis.
  • Consider getting certifications from The International Institute of Business Analysis (IIBA).

Core Skills and Knowledge for Business Analysts

  1. Data Analysis

Data is one of the crucial assets of practical business analysis because it helps in decision-making, identifying trends, and delivering insights. Students should learn the following:

  • Data analysis concepts like data types, sources, and lifecycle
  • Basis statistical concepts, like mean, median, standard deviation, and correlation
  • Data mining methods, such as classification, clustering, and regression
  1. Business Domain Knowledge

Students or professionals should understand the sector’s context, challenges, and opportunities in the following ways. It helps in building credibility with several stakeholders.

  • Participate in conferences, workshops, or webinars.
  • Organizations like the American Marketing Association, Project Management Institute, and Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society provide industry-specific resources.
  • Gain knowledge through blogs, journals or magazines, and podcasts shared by industry experts.
  1. Communication and Presentation Skills

Strong communication skills help business analysts manage conflicts, negotiate solutions, and foster collaboration among diverse teams. Master the following:

  • Organized presentation skills with a clear introduction and conclusion
  • Visual contexts, such as charts, graphs, and infographics
  • Public speaking and effective writing

Technical Skills for Business Analysts

  1. Introduction to Data Tools

Data tools empower business analysts to extract meaningful information from raw data, enabling informed decision-making and providing valuable support to organizations. 

Tableau and Power BI
SQL (Structured Query Language)
  1. Excel and Spreadsheet Analysis

Excel is the foundational tool for business analysts because it helps create graphs or charts, organize information, and manipulate data. Excel functions and formulas relevant to data analysis include:

VLOOKUP and HLOOKUP
COUNT, COUNTA, and COUNTIF
AVERAGE, MEDIAN, and MODE
PivotTable
  1. SQL Fundamentals
SELECT
GROUP BY and Aggregate Functions
JOIN Operation

Education and Training Options

Pursuing a Formal Degree in Business Analytics

  1. MSc in Business Analytics

Manipal Academy of Higher Education, or MAHE, offers an online MSc for students or working professionals. It provides advanced knowledge in statistical analysis, data mining, predictive modeling, machine learning, data visualization, and business strategy.

As the demand for business analysts is rising, it opens doors to different roles like data analyst, business intelligence analyst, data scientist, or managerial roles with expertise in data-driven decision-making.

  1. PGCP in Business Analytics 

This course offered by MAHE is a specialized program to equip individuals with the knowledge of data analytics for making informed business decisions. It relies on data collection or cleaning, statistical analysis, predictive modeling, etc. The business analyst certification course also focuses on business strategy, problem-solving, and the ethical considerations of data usage.

Benefits of formal education in business analytics:

  • Specialized knowledge and skills in data analysis, statistical modeling, and data visualization
  • Various career opportunities like data analysts, business intelligence analysts, and data scientists
  • Networking among fellow students, faculty, and industry professionals for job opportunities and collaborations

Drawbacks of formal education in business analytics:

  • Expensive, including the cost of tuition, textbooks, and other materials
  • Takes several years to complete
  • Fixed timetables are a barrier for working professionals

Online Courses and Bootcamps in Business Analytics

  • Essential tools and methods by edX
  • Business Analytics specialization by Coursera
  • Data Analytics Bootcamp by Thinkful
  • Machine learning career track by Springboard
  • Business Intelligence Analyst course by Udemy
  • Bob, the BA’s Business Analyst Boot Camp
  • ASPE Business Analyst Boot Camp
  • IAG Consulting Business Analyst Boot Camp

When selecting an online learning platform, you must consider the platform’s reputation and accreditation, fees, course quality, mentor support, learning format, flexibility, and reviews and ratings.

Also read: Data Analyst vs Business Analyst

Job Search and Interview Preparation

Resume Preparation

  • Mention the courses related to data analysis, statistics, or business fundamentals in the resume from a commerce background.
  • Highlight complex challenges from the commerce background to demonstrate your strengths to analyze problems and develop solutions.
  • Use the Situation, Task, Action, Result (STAR) method to describe experiences from past jobs.
  • Mention technical proficiency in Excel, SQL, and data visualization tools.

Interview Preparation

  • Prepare a concise introduction of background, relevant experience, skills, and the reason behind transitioning from a commerce background.
  • Talk about your passion for problem-solving and data-driven decision-making.
  • Describe your approach to prioritization, time management, and communication.

Become a Business Analyst the Manipal way!

The Master of Science in Business Analytics (MSC-Business Analytics) helps individuals thrive in the data-driven business world. People from a commerce background understand business operations and management but need more analytical skills. The program teaches advanced quantitative and statistical techniques. With a master’s degree, individuals can become data analysts, business analysts, marketing analysts, operations analysts, or management positions.

Conclusion

A business analysis career switch from a commerce background helps individuals take a pivotal step toward a successful and rewarding career. MAHE’s program accelerates advanced quantitative techniques and data expertise, bridging the gap between business theory and data-driven decision-making. Business analysts have become an asset for various industries for their ability to extract valuable insights. Therefore, embrace this transition, and you will thrive in a rapidly evolving business world.

Disclaimer

Information related to companies and external organizations is based on secondary research or the opinion of individual authors and must not be interpreted as the official information shared by the concerned organization.


Additionally, information like fee, eligibility, scholarships, finance options etc. on offerings and programs listed on Online Manipal may change as per the discretion of respective universities so please refer to the respective program page for latest information. Any information provided in blogs is not binding and cannot be taken as final.

  • TAGS
  • Business Analytics
  • online degree
  • Online MSC Business Analytics

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