ITCareerCoach Training - Coaching » Online Use Cases Courses http://www.it-career-coach.net How To Take Your Career To The Next Level Mon, 06 Feb 2012 01:09:27 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 Learn How to Make Knowledge or Skills Work http://www.it-career-coach.net/2011/03/24/learn-how-to-make-knowledge-or-skills-work/ http://www.it-career-coach.net/2011/03/24/learn-how-to-make-knowledge-or-skills-work/#comments Fri, 25 Mar 2011 01:55:38 +0000 ITCareerCoach http://www.it-career-coach.net/?p=3147

Make your Knowledge or Skills Work

Make your Knowledge or Skills Work


There is such a wealth of information out there that it can be overwhelming to someone trying to figure out what they need to learn.

I mean, when you look in your local bookstore you will see a huge section of books to help, but what you won’t find is the insider information that teaches you exactly the most profitable techniques or what you absolutely must know.

You also won’t find any resources that will give you the inside information about what you need to know so that you stand out from the crowd.

You also won’t find the inside information about what to expect at information technology job interviews and more importantly – how to answer them!

Our online online career coaching or online training classes provides this information and more.

And not only that, but it is structured in such a way that it is easy to learn. Each step builds on what you learn in the previous step so you never get overwhelmed.

Here is how we help make knowledge and skills work.

Learn Whenever – Why Not Learn At Your Own Time?

You may login to our learning management system (LMS) and take your training at a time that is convenient for you.

And you don’t have to worry about following our timetable or rearranging your schedule to meet our class schedules ever!

Open Enrollment – Let the Scheduling Work for You

Registration for our online classes is always open and because of this, you may enroll at any time.

This is quite unlike other vendors that force you to enroll on specific days or restrict enrollments to their own schedule.

Pause & Resume – Take A Break When You Want

You may pause or resume your training at will and you will never be penalized for doing that.

Use this to catch up with pressing work or life commitments and for taking vacations or time off.

This is in contrast to rigid classroom training that forces you to start or finish your at the same time as everyone else!

Progress Monitoring – How Are You Doing?

As you complete learning activities like quizzes and assignments, your grade is recorded in real-time on an online report card that doubles as your virtual transcript.

Your online report card gives a measurable, objective assessment of how you are doing at a glance.

Virtual Coaching – What Do You Want To Learn?

Your ability to post questions for your course instructor as you learn or progress through your material differentiates our training from other vendors that dump videos on you or leave you to figure it out by yourself!

Our instructors do not walk away because online collaboration is built right into our learning management system (LMS) as part of our core service offering and not as an afterthought!

Real Learning – Resources For Work

Did you know that you still retain login access to our learning management system even after your training is completed?

This access allows you to watch your training videos as often as you want or use those videos as a reference resource on the job!

For Utter Beginners or Experienced Professionals

Our classes take you from novice or utter beginner to advanced level topics in a step by step fashion with each lesson building on the topics taught in previous lessons so you don’t feel overwhelmed or dumped on!

We make no assumptions about your background and that is why we also teach all the pre-requisite knowledge as part our classes.

Practice Tests – Better or More Effective Online Learning

Use the online quizzes integrated into our learning management system (LMS) to improve your retention, comprehension or recall for work or job interview purposes.

Retrieval based tests have been scientifically proven to boost your ability to learn new information and that is why we recommend or use them.

In other words, taking our practice tests will help reduce the learning curve typically associated with mastering new concepts.

Assignments – Bridging the Gap Between Knowledge and Practice

We provide assignments similar to those performed on the job so that you get handson practice at solving problems.

Assignments matter because they help you practice putting your knowledge or skills to work in a safe, virtual environment before you tackle them in the real world.

Bridging that gap between what you know and what you can do, helps you become better, more confident and successful at work!

Comprehensive Learning – Stay Ahead of the Technology Curve

Information Technology (IT) skills easily become rusty or out-dated because of the rapid pace of technological change.

Besides, information changes so quickly and so often that keeping up with is a challenge for everyone.

But now, with our comprehensive online curriculum, you may enroll and catchup with what you really need to know just by signing up for a class!

Social Learning – Research Best Practices

While our private discussion groups are for you and the course instructors only, our public study groups are for you and other participants registered for the same course.

Use our public discussion groups for researching best practices employed at other organizations or for learning from other participants who may contribute helpful solutions challenges or problems facing you at work.

Affordable, Convenient & Effective Learning

Our online coaching or training offers are all based on the same premise:

Anyone (regardless) of their background should be able to learn from any location in the world at any time of the day or night that fits their geographic, life or work commitments.

  • We make learning more affordable by combining the information you need including both entry level and advanced topics in one course.

  • Our private, web-based, learning management system allows you to enroll when you want or pause and resume your training at your own convenience.

  • Using practice tests which have been scientifically proven to boost your ability to retain, recall or understand new material, we make your learning more effective.

Right now, we are fulfilling coaching and training services for a world-wide information technology audience which includes course participants from USA, Canada, UK, Australia, United Arab Emirates (UAE), India, South Africa and several other countries … so why don’t you join us?

Let us help make your knowledge or skills work. Our secret is the sequence: what to do, how to do it, when to do it, and for how long, so that it all make sense.

So, why not enroll right now in an online career coaching or online training class and learn how to make your knowledge or skills work?


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]]> http://www.it-career-coach.net/2011/03/24/learn-how-to-make-knowledge-or-skills-work/feed/ 0 Giving Effective Feedback to IT Professionals http://www.it-career-coach.net/2010/01/10/giving-effective-feedback-to-it-professionals/ http://www.it-career-coach.net/2010/01/10/giving-effective-feedback-to-it-professionals/#comments Mon, 11 Jan 2010 03:06:42 +0000 ITCareerCoach http://www.it-career-coach.net/?p=2756

We Give Feedback!

We Give Feedback!

One of the challenges of self teaching, self learning, CBT courses or traditional class room training is the lack of personalized, one on one performance review or feedback.

Training courses where both instructors and trainees can post or respond to questions are few and far in between.

This is the case even when you pay thousands of dollars for traditional class room training!

This is because training providers typically have an in-flexible curriculum and a set amount of training time to communicate their message!

  • Restricted Training Time: In traditional training courses, you have to learn all the information in a few days.

    Though the trainers may answer a couple of questions daily, they cannot take questions from everyone and also hope to cover their entire training curriculum by the end of the week!

    The good news is: we don’t have the restraints of an inflexible training curriculum or a set training time :-)

    You can login to our Web-Based Learning Management System and post questions or discussions on your own time and our course instructors can answer them on their own time.

    Our course instructors are not trying to rush you through the entire training curriculum in a week, so they can afford to engage your questions on a one to one, personalized basis!

  • College Tutoring: In traditional colleges, instructors get to know their students personally and they review student assignments before assigning grades.

    We have adopted the same learning process in our web-based, online learning management system.

    Each of your hands-on assignments are reviewed by a live, human course instructor before they are graded!

    In our web-based, online learning management system, the instructor may choose to post a discussion, comment or review of your assignment … just for you and not for anyone else.

    • Why Do We Incorporate Feedback In Training?

    So, the question is: knowing that feedback is expensive and time intensive, why do we still choose to include it in our training … at no additional cost?

    • We Make Training Interactive: we believe that more interactive training makes for a better experience.

      We emulate the learning that happens in the real world, where you are always receiving feedback from your bosses, co-workers, customers or friends.

    • We Make Training Effective: we believe that personalized, one on one training makes for better learning … especially in the information technology industry.

      Passive learning like the type you find in a lot of CBT (computer based training) or even information technology text books are usually too boring or tedious to be effective.

    • We Make Training Useful: we believe that IT professionals need more real-world feedback during training … before using their skills on the job!

      It is usually better to receive feedback in training because that is the only time when you are 100% certain that you can ask for feedback and improve or act on it without any adverse consequences!

    This post discusses how we make our online, web-based training more effective, interactive and useful by incorporating one on one personalized feedback or performance reviews.

    If you have any questions about our courses or online training services, be sure to contact us and we will answer it for you!


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    ]]> http://www.it-career-coach.net/2010/01/10/giving-effective-feedback-to-it-professionals/feed/ 0 Do Business Analysts Need Computer Programmer Skills? http://www.it-career-coach.net/2009/08/19/do-business-analysts-need-computer-programmer-skills/ http://www.it-career-coach.net/2009/08/19/do-business-analysts-need-computer-programmer-skills/#comments Wed, 19 Aug 2009 18:43:55 +0000 ITCareerCoach http://www.it-career-coach.net/?p=2268

    Business Analysts Learn Computer Programming

    Business Analysts Learn Computer Programming

    Are database development, computer programming, data analysis or web development required skills for Business Analysts?

    Perhaps you’ve seen, heard about or applied for jobs asking for a broad or seemingly impossible range of skill sets?

    Like those job descriptions for business analysts requiring computer programming skills or those for PMP Certified Project Managers with 5 years of software development experience!

    This post addresses “how to bridge the gap between business analyst skills and unfair job descriptions written-up by Information Technology (IT) departments”

    Bridging The Gap Between Business And Information Technology (IT) Careers

    I would like to know if Business analysts are expected to know more about programming.

    I attended a job interview last week and the interviewer was hesitant to consider me for the post of business analyst (BA) as i have no coding experience.

    Do i need to know about database design, structure etc for me to be a good BA?

    All along in my previous projects the database design, architecture and technology were decided by the technical team and DBA’s and i come into the picture as BA only after everything has been finalized.

    But i was a Junior (jr.) BA and now im applying for the position of senior BA and people point out my lack of coding experience.

    “Here is the answer to the challenges created by business analyst job descriptions which are worded to include programming and database skills”!

    1. Looking from the business analysts (job seekers) perspective, you may be tempted to say NO.

      You may also argue that computer programming tasks should be left ONLY to software developer job descriptions.

    2. Looking from the perspective of employers, recruiters or hiring managers, you may say YES because business analyst job descriptions are just a means to an end!

      For employers or hiring managers, the end is always the same (the job that needs to be done) … and job descriptions are just a means to achieving that!

    So, which of these two perspectives (the employers or the job seekers) is the right one?

    1. The employer who only cares about getting work done and will use any job description to achieve that end or …

    2. The business analyst who feels overwhelmed by requirements for computer programming skills on business analyst job descriptions?

    To this question correctly, we need to understand the roots of the conflict! So, let’s take a look at the source of gaps between IT Job Descriptions and Business Analyst Careers.

    Introducing The IT Business Analyst

    • The Information Technology (IT) Business Analyst Role Is Slowly Coming To Maturity

      As the roles of the computer programmer, database developer and systems analyst matured, the “IT Business Analyst” role evolved to fill analysis and requirements tasks left out of software development roles.

    • The Accidental Business Analyst?

      As software development teams improve their requirements management or software development processes, some computer programmers begin picking up the requirements gathering and analysis tasks left undone by their team members.

      These Accidental Business Analysts are usually computer programmers or systems analysts with strong people, communication, business and requirements management skills who transition into or assume the role of the IT Business Analyst.

    Some employers have not achieved a separation between “IT Business Analyst Roles” and “Computer Programmer Roles” in their minds.

    For these employers, the distinctions between IT Business Analysts and Computer Programmers are a superficial play on words … hence the business analyst job description written-up to include computer programming languages!

    So, back again to the question; “should a business analyst learn computer programming languages or acquire database development skills”?

    • Are You Looking For A Business Analyst Job?

      1. If you’re not looking for a business analyst job then you don’t need to learn computer programming (except if your employer mandates it).

        If you’re really that secure in your current business analyst job and know for a fact that you won’t be looking anytime soon … then you may argue that programming is not for business analysts :-)

      2. If you’re looking for a business analyst job and you want to go the extra mile for prospective employers, then go-ahead and learn some computer programming!

        It’s really the attitude that matters because job descriptions are not intended to be perfect and in the employer’s eyes, they’re just a means to an end.

        Put Yourself In The Employers Shoes for a moment and you will begin to see that it’s not personal. The employer only wants what’s best for the company and if they’re so inclined, you may help them by learning some computer programming!

      Give Employers What They’re Asking For

      I strongly believe that you should give employers what they want instead of wondering about the fairness or correctness of business analyst job descriptions!

      1. Perhaps, you feel overwhelmed by the requirements for computer programming or database skills in business analyst job descriptions.

      2. Or you feel that it’s unfair to expect business analysts to perform programming tasks

      Get a clue, if you’re not the one hiring, then your feelings are irrelevant!

      In today’s competitive job market, you will fare better by addressing the employers concerns because if you don’t, someone else … who is more hungry or desperate than you will!

      Another business analyst who wants to provide the required programing services will get the job you need!


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      ]]> http://www.it-career-coach.net/2009/08/19/do-business-analysts-need-computer-programmer-skills/feed/ 21 How Important Is Domain Knowledge For A Business Analyst? http://www.it-career-coach.net/2009/07/19/how-important-is-domain-knowledge-for-a-business-analyst/ http://www.it-career-coach.net/2009/07/19/how-important-is-domain-knowledge-for-a-business-analyst/#comments Mon, 20 Jul 2009 04:38:38 +0000 ITCareerCoach http://www.it-career-coach.net/?p=2089

      The Domain Business Analyst Career Path

      The Domain Business Analyst Career Path

      Is a business analyst with domain knowledge more valuable than a business analyst without domain knowledge?

      By looking at how business analyst job descriptions are written, you may be tempted to say yes!

      Business Analyst job descriptions are written as if there is a distinction between IT oriented business analysts with skills in UML, Use Cases, Requirements Elicitation, Requirements Modeling and domain oriented business analysts with knowledge in specific domains like sales, marketing, customer relationship management, insurance, finance!

      For some reasons, hiring managers, staffing agencies and employers behave as if there is a difference between domain oriented business analyst job descriptions and IT business analyst job descriptions.

      So, the question is How important is domain knowledge for a Business Analyst? and Is a Domain Oriented Business Analyst worth more than an IT Business Analyst?

      A Question About The Value Of Business Analyst Domain Knowledge

      I am a bored corporate research professional working at a big services company and wish to move to a different domain.

      The ones I have identified are pre-sales, business analysis or marketing communications …

      I think BA could be a good step forward from where I stand. But doesn’t a BA require domain specific knowledge?

      Most of the job ads I see prefer a BA in (say) the finance domain to be from that background …

      How important is domain knowledge for a BA? Can it be built on-the-job or is it an absolute pre-requisite?

      Why Do Business Analyst Job Ads Specify Domain Knowledge?

      In the rest of this article, I will discuss why hiring managers, staffing agencies and employers specify domain specific knowledge in business analyst job descriptions.

      I will answer this question by looking at “who is better positioned to increase productivity when hired”.

      1. Who Costs More To Train? Companies that hire business analysts without domain knowledge resort to training the new BA hires by enlisting the help of senior business analysts, subject matter experts or training vendors.

        Even when employers use internal resources for training new BA hires, they incur costs of lost revenue, reduced productivity and increased administrative expenses .

      2. Who Is Positioned To Help The Business Now? Business Analysts lacking industry insight or domain knowledge needs more time on the job to learn and understand their domains before tackling any business problems.

        This may be unacceptable to stakeholders or business managers who can’t wait to get results now!

        A business analyst with domain experience who can start troubleshooting business problems is seen as being worth more than another business analyst (lacking domain expertise) who may only observe, learn or ask questions!

      3. Who Can Lead The Business? Senior Managers, IT Directors, Business Owners and other high level executives place more value on business analysts who can be trusted to lead the business.

        Business analysts unlike their counterparts in computer programming are expected to provide leadership for business-line units and organizations for which they are hired!

        Because of how business is done , managers, directors or business executives place less value on the judgment of business analysts without domain knowledge or industry experience!

        The perception which may be unfounded is that; a business analyst with domain knowledge has more potential to lead than another who lacks domain experience!

      So hiring managers or employers tend to write business analyst job descriptions as if there are two business analyst career paths:

      • The business analyst with IT business analyst training and specialized domain knowledge. This is the Specialist Business Analyst.

      • The business analyst with IT business analyst training only! This is the Generalist Business Analyst.

      Are You A Specialist Or Generalist Business Analyst?

      So, are specialist business analysts worth more than generalist business analysts?

      The answer doesn’t depend on “how you feel about the fairness of business analyst job postings” but on plain common sense which is always hiding in plain sight :-)

      If you’re applying only to IT Business Analyst Jobs, then don’t worry about your lack of domain knowledge.

      If you’re applying to domain specific business analyst job postings like those for healthcare, finance, insurance, marketing, sales, customer relationship management (CRM) domains, then you had better do something about your lack of domain knowledge!


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      ]]>       http://www.it-career-coach.net/2009/07/19/how-important-is-domain-knowledge-for-a-business-analyst/feed/ 0       Alternate Career Paths for Business Analysts http://www.it-career-coach.net/2009/07/03/alternate-career-paths-for-business-analysts/ http://www.it-career-coach.net/2009/07/03/alternate-career-paths-for-business-analysts/#comments Fri, 03 Jul 2009 19:07:36 +0000 ITCareerCoach http://www.it-career-coach.net/?p=1845

      Ask IT Career Coach

      Ask IT Career Coach

      The fundamentals of earning an income is rooted in the exchange of goods, services or skills and having an 8 to 5 job is just one way of doing that!

      This post answers the question of what to do when you can’t get a job! posted by a reader (Kintu Vicent) who is inquiring about “how to earn an income as a business analyst without regular employment!“

      If you need help with a Question or Challenge, be sure to ask it as a comment on this page and I will answer it fully just as I am answering this reader’s question below!

      Please, send this post to your friends using the “Tell a Friend” Button button below. You earn points or cash each time you refer an article to your friends using the Tell a Friend Button.

      Here is the Question:

      dear sir/madam,

      i am an african youth living in Uganda (east african country).

      i would like to be a good entreprenuer (small scale business owner) but also having a profession both beneficial to my own businesses like procurement and logistics and side by employment inorder to accumulate more capital to invest in my projects.

      i have the following to ask you.

      can you give some sophisticated business ideas a business analyst does?

      rather than being a consultant or contract personel ,how better can a business analyst creat his own employment to face the global challenge of un-employment.

      best regards,

      looking forward to hearing from you.

      High Un-employment Rate

      The un-employment rate in the United States is at a 26 year high! and other countries are also experiencing dramatic spikes in un-employment. So, business analysts and other IT professionals need to consider alternative or non-traditional career paths for earning a living“.

      First, Prepare a Strategic Plan Using SWOT Analysis

      You create your own employment by using SWOT ANALYSIS to elicit alternative career paths or prepare competitive services for the business analysis marketplace.

      You have to consider your strengths relative to the business analyst market place because you only get paid for what you can do well compared to others and you have to consider business analyst career paths strategically because you may be thinking in a box.

      By thinking outside of the box, you begin to see opportunities that were hidden because of self-imposed mental constraints or limiting beliefs!

      Alternative Career Paths for Business Analysts

      Let me introduce three career paths for business analysts who don’t want to work a regular 8 to 5 contract or full-time business analyst job.

      1. Business Analyst Blogger Career Path: You may become a blogger for the business analyst blogosphere!

        To become a business analyst blogger, you need a computer, a word processor and an internet connection.

        You can live anywhere in the world as a business analyst blogger because your clients are easily discoverable on the internet.

        There are several ways of monetizing your blogging income streams and you need to choose a profit model that best suits your blogging goals.

      2. Freelance IT Business Analyst Consultant Career Path: You may become a freelance IT business analyst consultant!

        As a freelance IT business analyst consultant, you may specialize in requirements analysis, requirements modeling and documentation, Use Cases, UML or Data Modeling for Software Development Projects.

        As a freelance IT business analyst consultant you may also setup shop virtually and work remotely for clients that need your services.

        You will need a more sophisticated marketing plan so you can discover or engage the types of clients that will be needing your out-sourced business analysis services.

      3. Freelance Web Business Analyst Consultant Career Path: You may capitalize on the opportunities created by the strong demand for web skills by becoming a freelance web business analyst!

        As a freelance web business analyst, your services may include helping companies align their web investments with their business goals using your superior business analysis skills.

        As a freelance web business analyst, You may also decide to help companies analyze how customers use or interact with their websites or help elicit business requirements for web analytics projects.

        If you have developed strong quantitative or analytical skills, you may also help business leaders take advantage of hidden opportunities in their clickstream, search, survey or web usability data.

      The alternative career paths listed above are just a tip of the iceberg … there are more!

      If you need help with eliciting alternative career paths or preparing a competitive service for the market place, feel fee to contact us.

      Career Paths for Business Analysts

      Kintu, it is possible to create your own employment as a business analyst without working a traditional 8 to 5 job.

      Begin by using SWOT Analysis to discover what you are good at and then create a competitive offering for the business analyst marketplace!

      This post answers a question posted by a reader on “how to become a freelance business analyst!!

      If you have any Question about your career, Post IT as a comment on this page and I will be sure to answer it for you!


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      ]]>       http://www.it-career-coach.net/2009/07/03/alternate-career-paths-for-business-analysts/feed/ 3       The Most Valuable Business Analysis Skills Are ?? http://www.it-career-coach.net/2009/06/24/the-most-valuable-business-analysis-skills/ http://www.it-career-coach.net/2009/06/24/the-most-valuable-business-analysis-skills/#comments Wed, 24 Jun 2009 21:09:23 +0000 ITCareerCoach http://www.it-career-coach.net/?p=1717

      What Are The Most Valuable Business Analyst Skills?

      What Are The Most Valuable Business Analyst Skills?

      One of the toughest challenges facing business analysts today is building the domain experience required for business analyst jobs.

      Acquiring business analyst domain experience from scratch is hard because you need to get a job before you can build domain expertise … yet no-one will give you a job without that required domain experience!

      This post however discusses how to get around the business analyst domain experience required for business analysis jobs.

      What is Business Analyst Domain Experience?

      Business analyst domain experience is the hands-on business skills or domain knowledge acquired by working in specialized industries like automotive, banking, insurance, telecom, utilities or working for business units such as customer relationship management, finance, sales and marketing.

      Business analyst domain experience is gained by solving business problems for a specific industry or business unit and it can’t be gained by taking certifications exams or by learning business analysis concepts like Use Cases or Requirements Modeling.

      In other words, business analyst domain experience is gained by getting your hands dirty with work in an industry or by solving real-world business problems for a business unit.

      Don’t Confuse Your Business Analysis Skills With Domain Knowledge!

      There is a difference between your business analyst skills and your business analyst domain experience.

      Your business analyst skills (like Requirements Elicitation, Use Cases, UML etc) are the techniques or tools used in solving business problems.

      They are skills that serve as the means to an end. The end being the business problems or challenges facing your industry.

      What Is The Value of Domain Business Analysis Skills?

      A business analyst transitioning to a new domain starts out with little or no domain knowledge and then builds up the industry knowledge over time.

      That is the reason why some of the most senior business analysts in an organization are those who started out first by learning the ins and outs of their employer’s business before they took formal training.

      Businesses value domain business analysts because their knowledge is not easily transferable and because they know how to run or operate the business units efficiently.

      This is perhaps another reason why it pays to work in an industry for a while instead of hopping from one industry to another.

      When you transition to a completely new business analysis domain, you will have to prove yourself as if you are just starting … even though you may be an experienced business analyst!

      When is Business Analyst Domain Experience Needed?

      Transitioning From One Business Analyst Domain to Another: Business analysts transitioning from a domain like the automotive or auto-finance industry to another domain like healthcare or telecomms have to build their business analyst domain experience completely from scratch.

      Transitioning From One Country to Another: Business analysts transitioning from one country to another may have to re-establish their domain experience.

      New domain knowledge is needed because businesses operate under different laws, regulations, customs and economic climates across national or regional boundaries.

      So, potential employer want to be sure that re-locating business analysts are intimate with the customs or ways of doing business in the countries that they are hired :-)

      How Do You Build Business Analyst Domain Experience?

      If you have already developed domain experience by working in an industry for several years, what you need is not more domain experience but this comprehensive training on the techniques and practices of business analysis.

      On the other hand, if you don’t already have business domain experience and you are open to gaining experience in frontline industries or domains, click here.

      Here is how it works:

      • You Become a Domain Specialist: In the The Business Analyst coaching program, you are encouraged to specialize in a few business analyst domains so you can achieve a reasonable level of mastery or competency within those domains.

        The industries that we are focusing on right now are those that show the strongest promise for hiring or those that are cutting-edge or the frontline of the economy.

        Contact us to see if this will be a good fit for you, OK?

      • Become a Leader: The goal of the Business Analyst Coaching program is to get you networked with businesses and peers in your industry through extensive study, practical handson work and industry networking.

        Instead of just sensing your resume around waiting for someone else to hire you, learn how to the gain the recognition or attention of your peers and hiring managers using social media networking or branding.

      Just remember that you can solve the challenge of acquiring business analyst domain knowledge by specializing in frontline domains, solving real-world business problems and then marketing your profile or brand continually using social media.

      If this sounds like something you will be interested in doing, contact us for more information or learn more about business analysis coaching here.


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      ]]>       http://www.it-career-coach.net/2009/06/24/the-most-valuable-business-analysis-skills/feed/ 3       How To Become A Healthcare Business Analyst http://www.it-career-coach.net/2009/06/14/how-to-become-a-healthcare-business-analyst/ http://www.it-career-coach.net/2009/06/14/how-to-become-a-healthcare-business-analyst/#comments Sun, 14 Jun 2009 19:05:54 +0000 ITCareerCoach http://www.it-career-coach.net/?p=1611

      healthcare business analyst career path

      healthcare business analyst career path

      This question was posted by a Healthcare Business Analyst looking for work!

      If you have a Burning Question or a Challenge that you need help with, be sure to ask your question as a comment on this page and I will answer it fully just as I am answering the question below!

      If you find this article helpful then share it with your friends using the “Share This Post” Link.

      You provide valuable information or advice to others each time you use the Share This Post Link.

      Here is the Question:

      Hi Kingsley,I like your articles and posts and look forward to a good advise from you on the following :

      The toughest challenge for me is to get back into Business Analysis after working for just less than 2 yrs where my domain was government sector projects and a dash of incomplete healthcare knowledge.

      I ‘m neither a fresher nor an experienced guy with very less domain exp. I mostly get healthcare projects ( since my last project was on health care domain) where my knowledge is inadequate and companies do not want to employ me for the same.

      How can I bag such jobs when the domain knowlege is lacking? or how can I convince that my BA skills are good enough for the new domain?

      I am not sure what additional skills I need to gain to be employable.Should I gain any technical knowledge or do IIBA certifications?

      Please advise.

      Thanks 

      Here is my Answer:

      Sri:

      I’m glad that you enjoy reading my articles and posts. I would be glad to answer your questions for you.

      Here are my thoughts on what you need to do to get back in the game.

      1. Learn How To Get A Business Analyst Job Without Applying For Any

      2. Learn How To Ace Business Analyst Job Interviews

      3. Get More Business Analysis Domain Experience

      How To Get More Healthcare Business Analysis Domain Experience

      The main issue facing your business analysis job search based on feedback from employers is inadequate healthcare domain experience.

      You need to address the lack of business analysis domain experience directly by looking for more informal or formal work in the healthcare industry.

      Don’t side-step the main issue by working on getting more educational qualifications because you won’t get more healthcare business analysis experience that way!

      You need to either get more healthcare business analysis domain experience or perhaps start all over with a new business analysis domain!

      If you decide to continue with the Healthcare Industry, then you will be building on your previous healthcare business analysis domain experience.

      If you decide to start over with a new business analysis domain, you may be able to get additional business analyst hands-on experience more easily or quickly.

      You also have the option on working on getting business analysis domain experience in more than one industry!

      For example, you may increase your chances of getting a business analyst job by getting business analyst domain experience in sales or marketing or customer relationship management (CRM) domains in addition to the healthcare domain.

      So, evaluate the availability or accessibility of domain experience in the healthcare industry compared to other industries or expose yourself to additional domains besides healthcare.

      Regardless of which business analysis domains you choose, do not try to bypass the lack of experience issue … be sure to address it directly in your actions

      Learn How To Ace Business Analyst Job Interviews

      It is possible that you are not getting hired because you are not putting up a compelling presentation at your business analyst job interviews!

      You may possess the minimal business analysis domain experience required for a healthcare business analyst job and still not get hired because of weak presentation or interviewing skills!

      A business analyst may get a job where another business analyst else with more experience, skills, training, certifications or educations fails because job interviews are subjective!

      So, you must work on improving your business analyst interviewing skills so you cover all your bases!

      “Click here for more Information on How To Get Through Business Analyst Interviews“

      Learn How To Get a Business Analyst Job Offers Without Applying For Any!

      It is actually possible to get health care business analyst job offers without actively soliciting for them.

      Assuming that the job search process is a marketing process, you are better off getting employers to call you with job offers!

      The problem with the traditional methods of job searching is that everyone who is out-of-a-job is probably doing the same thing! To get a job you have to do more than everyone else!

      So my advice is that; you have to raise the bar higher by getting employers to notice you or call you with business analyst job offers!

      Now, that is quite possible and I am going to show you how!

      The way to get employers to notice you is by becoming a leader in the healthcare business analyst domain or any other domain that you prefer!

      How To Become A Leader In The Healthcare Business Analyst Industry!

      The best way to get a healthcare job is by becoming a leader in the healthcare business analysis domain!

      Becoming a leader in the healthcare business analyst domain means that you do the things that gets you noticed in the healthcare business analysis domain.

      When you become a leader in the healthcare business analyst industry then employers are more likely to call you with job offers and your resume is guaranteed to stand out in any pile of business analyst resumes!

      We have a program that coaches you on how to stand-up and be noticed! . IT helps you “Become a Leader”.

      In that program you are shown or coached on “how to become a leader or gain recognition in the IT marketplace!“

      Sri, feel free to ask for more information by contacting us or by posting a comment, question or reply below!


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      ]]>       http://www.it-career-coach.net/2009/06/14/how-to-become-a-healthcare-business-analyst/feed/ 5       Is the Job Market Good Or Bad For Business Analysts? http://www.it-career-coach.net/2009/06/04/is-the-job-market-good-or-bad-for-business-analysts/ http://www.it-career-coach.net/2009/06/04/is-the-job-market-good-or-bad-for-business-analysts/#comments Thu, 04 Jun 2009 22:27:08 +0000 ITCareerCoach http://www.it-career-coach.net/?p=1590

      Ask IT Career Coach

      Ask IT Career Coach

      This question was posted by a Business Analyst in Milton Keynes, United Kingdom.

      If you have a Burning Question or a Challenge that you need help with, be sure to ask your question as a comment on this page and I will answer it fully just as I am answering the question below!

      Please, send this post to your friends using the “Tell a Friend” Button button below. You earn points or cash each time you refer an article to your friends using the Tell a Friend Button.

      Here is the Question:

      Hi,

      I am looking to go into My first Business Analyst role, I have had a mixture of responses from people here in the United Kingdom (UK).

      Some are saying that the market is bad for entry level Business Analysts and some say its good.

      Is there any one that could give me advise on what I should do and how I should market myself?

      Here is my answer to the question on “getting an entry level business analyst job in a good or bad job market“:

      1. Do not begin or opt-out of the business analyst job search because of the state of the job market.

      2. Do decide to search for a business analyst job because you want to be a business analyst.

      Your decision to become a business analyst or search for business analyst jobs should be based on an interest or dis-interest in becoming a business analyst and not on factors beyond your control like the condition of the business analyst job market.

      Stephen Covey in The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People mentioned that proactive people do not worry or focus on factors over which they have little or no control … instead they focus on their “Sphere Of Influence” … those factors or circumstances over which they can exercise control.

      So, do not focus or worry about the condition of the Business Analyst Job Market.

      Keep your focus on becoming a business analyst and making an effective search for a business analyst job by:

      1. Deciding if you want to become a business analyst by comparing your strengths to the demands of the business analyst profession

      2. Finding out how to get a business analyst job regardless of the condition of the business analyst job market

      Do You Want To Become A Business Analyst?

      Take the first action within your control by first learning the roles, responsibilities or duties of a business analyst.

      Next compare what you have learned about the day to day challenges or the life of a business analyst to what you know about your own abilities, likes or strengths.

      Finally decide if you want to become a business analyst based on all the information you’ve gathered.

      There are several articles on this website that will help you make an informed decision on becoming a business analyst

      Here are some articles on the topic of becoming a business analyst:

      How Do You Effectively Plan The Business Analyst Job Search?

      You need to make an effective plan for finding business analyst jobs because making that kind of plan is within your control or sphere of influence.

      Make an effective plan for becoming a business analyst by improving each of the following areas that impact your business analyst job search:

      1. Business Analyst Cover Letter

      2. Business Analyst Resume

      3. Business Analyst Job Search

      4. Business Analyst Job Interviewing Skills

      5. Business Analyst Hands-On Working Experience

      6. Business Analysis Domain Experience

      7. Business Analysis Skills & Knowledge

      The point here is that job searches fail because they are weak or improperly planned and not because of the condition of the business analyst job market!

      Here are some articles on the topic of creating an effective business analyst job search plan:

      Finally, I want to say that basing decisions about a beginning a career you like … on the job market condition is fundamentally flawed because of two reasons:

      • You cannot not wait till the business analyst job market is good because the market will be saturated with “Me-Toos” or everyone who wants to get a business analyst job because they hear that the market is also good!.

      • You cannot also delay applying for business analyst jobs when the business analyst job market is bad because others will also assume that the business analyst job market is bad. Applying when the business analyst job market looks weak is actually good for you because you will have fewer competitors then!

      So, think positively, focus on factors within your control and remember that if you think that you can become a business analyst … you can!

      This post answers a question posted by a reader. If you have a Question, Post IT as a comment on this page and I will be sure to answer it for you!


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      ]]>       http://www.it-career-coach.net/2009/06/04/is-the-job-market-good-or-bad-for-business-analysts/feed/ 1       Bonus Use Cases Training In The Business Analyst Book http://www.it-career-coach.net/2009/05/06/bonus-use-cases-training-in-the-business-analyst-book/ http://www.it-career-coach.net/2009/05/06/bonus-use-cases-training-in-the-business-analyst-book/#comments Wed, 06 May 2009 15:41:35 +0000 ITCareerCoach http://www.it-career-coach.net/?p=1447

      Top Paying Skills in High Demand

      Top Paying Skills in High Demand

      Use Cases skills are in-demand for documenting or communicating the functional requirements of a system

      Use Cases skills are employed in product design roles, software development or architecture roles and are among the most sought-after skills for business analyst jobs

      Why Use Cases Training for Business Analysts?

      Here are some of benefits of Use Case training for business analysts:

      1. Use Cases are effective for documenting the business processes, requirements (business or system), features and functionality of a system. So Use Cases skills are needed at the problem analysis or requirements gathering phase, software design or development phase or testing phase

      2. Because Use Cases lie at the heart of many software development processes, Use Cases skills are in-demand for business analysts or software developers. Use Cases skills also play a principal role during requirements analysis, business process improvement, software testing, quality assurance and architecture

      3. Use Cases are effective for improving the requirements practices of software development teams or Information Technology (IT) teams and using Use Cases effectively can lead to improved product quality.

        When Use Cases are used in documenting or presenting the requirements of a system, the software development or IT team ends up with a better understanding of the system under consideration or development.

        Because Use Cases are written from the user’s view point in non-technical, implementation or jargon free language, the entire team including stakeholders, users, developers, testers and business analysts communicate or collaborate better resulting in improved product quality and a more efficient process

      How To Learn Or Master Use Cases Quickly

      The The Business Analyst Book is the e-book that provides you with a blueprint for learning business analysis or studying business analysis on your own. It is the teach yourself business analysis book.

      If you prefer step by step, in-depth, video training from Business Analyst instructors, then the The Business Analyst Boot Camp is the right place for you.

      The Business Analyst Boot Camp includes a complete set of business analysis videos, business analysis quizzes, business analysis handson projects and personalized business analysis coaching. The Business Analyst Book now includes select business analysis training lessons and business analysis quizzes adapted from the business analyst boot camp. So, now you are given access to select business analyst boot camp training material when you get The Business Analyst Book

      Bonus Use Cases Training Now Included In the Business Analyst Book

      The Business Analyst Boot Camp includes Use Cases quizzes, Use Cases video training and hands-on Use Cases projects. The Use Cases quizzes helps you master Use Cases in a shorter time and also prepares you for Business Analyst Job Interviews. The Use Cases quizzes are also designed to improve your comprehension, recall and retention of the Use Cases video training sessions.

      However, we are now adding one of the Use Cases quizzes from The Business Analyst Boot Camp to The Business Analyst Book for past or current buyers of the book.

      Included in the bonus Use Cases lessons for all owners of The Business Analyst Book are:

      • A Bonus Use Cases Lesson Summary: The bonus Use Cases Lesson is a downloadable electronic lesson that summarizes a Use Cases video presentation from The Business Analyst Boot Camp.

      • A Bonus Use Cases Quiz or Use Cases Practice Test:  The bonus Use Cases Practice Test or Quiz is adapted from the Use Cases video presented at The Business Analyst Boot Camp. The bonus Use Cases training comes with a private, secure, personal log-in to our web-based training portal or learning management system (LMS) and a Use Cases quiz that you may use to perfect your understanding or mastery of some Use Cases concepts.

      How To Learn or Master Use Cases

      The way to learn Use Cases quickly is by repeatedly practicing your Use Case skills until they are second nature. That is exactly what the bonus Use Cases training and Use Cases practice tests will do for you.

      To learn more about how quizzes or practice tests help you develop mastery or competency, click here.

      Learn Use Cases By Doing – Get Hands On Use Cases Experience

      Note that in the Business Analyst Boot Camp, you are also presented with projects where you apply the information gained from watching the Use Cases video towards solving situations or problems similar to those facing you on the job!

      Who Gets The Bonus Use Cases Training?

      The bonus Use Cases training will be delivered to all buyers (past, current or future owners) of the The Business Analyst Book.

      Note: that if you are subscribed to The Business Analyst Boot Camp, then you already have access to the complete set of Use Cases video training, Use Cases practice tests or quizzes, business analyst mentoring or coaching and hands-on Use Cases projects and this announcement does not affect you

      How Do You Get The Bonus Use Cases Training?

      Go to this link and place an order now for The Business Analyst Book and you will be given access to both the bonus Use Cases Training and the bonus Use Cases practice tests or quizzes


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