There is data all around us, and in every field that you might want to enter as a career, data will form some part of it. If this is something you are interested in, you may choose to make data part of your career completely and develop as a business analyst. There are many reasons why this is a good plan for now and for the future, since this field is one that is constantly evolving and growing.
If you graduate with a degree in business analytics, you will have a huge array of choice ahead of you when it comes to what you can do with that degree. If you’re working out why you should put in the hard work, read on to find out some of the answers.
High Demand
Not all careers have a high demand. You might earn a degree, just like many other people, and then try to apply for the same jobs that everyone else is applying for too. This can make finding the right job extremely stressful; you might even start applying for jobs that you know you would not enjoy simply to become employed. This is a bad idea, but it will sometimes be necessary.
This is not the case when it comes to having an Aston University degree in business analytics from Aston University Online, for instance. There is a high demand for business analysts since they are seen as something of an investment. A qualified, professional business analyst can save a company a lot of time, effort, and money, even if they are paid a high salary. For this reason, business owners and stakeholders are always going to be on the lookout for exceptional business analysts.
Not only can you work for a specific company to carry out their business analytics, but you might prefer to join an agency so that you can work in a freelance capacity. Unlike other sectors in which freelancing can be difficult because there might be times when you are unable to find work, when you are a business analyst, these lean times are much less likely since boosting business and solving problems will be required at all times.
Short Degree
It can take a lot of time to obtain some degrees. Some will take upwards of five years, and even more when you consider the work experience that is needed as part of the course. If you are studying for a business analytics masters, for example, you may be surprised to find that the degree duration is much shorter than many others. It might even be as little as 12 months in some cases. Why is this?
The answer is that much of the business analysis work will be done through experience. A degree will teach you the ultimate basics of what you need (and the truth is that you won’t be able to find the best jobs without such a qualification), and once you have those skills mastered, you can then go on to start working for businesses and gain even more experience and expertise. So, although the degree is only done over a short time, the learning never really ends. For those who are keen to get out and start earning, this can be an ideal way to do it.
High Salary
Due to the fact that a business analyst is so crucial to a company’s success these days, no matter what sector they might be working in, the salaries are high enough to reflect that need and the hard work put into obtaining not just the degree, but the experience too.
Some careers are poorly paid despite how hard the employees work or have studied, but business analysis is not one of these. In fact, average starting salaries are around the $80,000 mark, and they rise exponentially from there. Compared to many other careers, especially those in business, a business analyst can do very well for themselves.
Plus, there is a high employment rate for business analytics graduates, with over three quarters being employed at any one time.
Diverse Job Profiles
If the idea of being a business analyst sounds rather dry and dull — and if that is the reason you’re not sure whether you should try it or not, despite having the drive and the ability (if not the qualifications and experience) — then consider the fact that there are many different ways that a business analyst can work. There are also many different job profiles that can fit them.
If you have a degree in business analysis, you don’t have to work only in this field. In fact, there are a variety of career paths that will be open to you apart from business analysis. These include market researcher, financial analyst and statistician. There are many more as well, so it is worth researching exactly what this useful degree could do for you if you were to work for it. You will find that there will be many doors opened up to you.
A Growth Industry
More and more people are opening up businesses and discovering that there are problems that they simply cannot find solutions for. It’s not just start-ups either; well established businesses are also having difficulties determining what their next course of action should be.
This is not something that will go away; business problems and challenges are always going to be there. The realization that there are people whose job it is to determine how to solve these issues – that is, business analysts – is becoming more widespread, and therefore the industry itself is growing year on year. For job security, as much as any industry can have it, this is a good option.
What Can You Do with a Business Analytics Degree?
You have seen why gaining a degree in business analytics is a good idea, but once you have it, what can you really do with it? Here are some ideas that mean you can do anything you want to. The key is obtaining that all-important qualification.
- Business Consultant
A business consultant is a catchall term that means someone who comes into a business to fix the issues that it might be having. Data analysis is a big part of this, and any business consultant who thinks they simply need to come up with different systems and marketing strategies is very much mistaken. They also need to look at the business data and analyze how it can make a difference or be made different and enhance the business.
If you like the idea of being paid to be a freelance consultant or trouble shooter, it’s a good idea to have a business analytics degree behind you.
- Data Scientist
A data scientist’s job is to analyze the risks that are present within the business after looking at the decisions that have been made. They can dig deep into the reasons for the issues, and they can then come up with solutions that will be presented to stakeholders. The data scientist’s challenge at this point is to turn complicated technical language into something that all parties can understand. This is certainly a skill, and it is one that a professional will be able to do easily; it is the key to being successful as a data scientist. Plus, you will need to be able to deduct issues from historical data.
- Technical Business Analyst
There are different types of business analysts, but since technology is such a big part of the world today and such a big part of business in general, it seems to make sense that you might choose to focus your attentions on it, and become specifically a technical business analyst.
In order to be able to do this job well, you will need to be proficient at coding, using a variety of different methods. You should also be able to carry out machine learning, understand databases, and know about parallel processing. These are highly specialized skills and therefore you may need to carry out additional training, but once you have the knowledge, you can command a high salary and you will always have work.
- Business Analyst Manager
Although this position might sound like any other business analyst role, there is a difference, and it is in that word ‘manager’. Not only will you have the work to do as a business analyst, but you will also be in charge of a team. For those who prefer working with others, and who like to lead rather than follow, this can be an ideal combination of roles.
In order to be a good leader and manager, you will need to have patience, experience, expertise, and the ability to inspire. Not everyone has these abilities, and if you don’t feel that a leadership or management role would be right for you, there are plenty of other jobs you can pick from. That’s why having a degree in business analytics is definitely worth the work, and why once you have this qualification, you have a lot of choice in many different areas.