Readers of our monthly ‘The Recruitment Landscape‘ blog posts will know that companies are looking ahead. They are seeking data-driven and business-centric professionals with the skills to leverage and translate organisational data into progressive business knowledge.
In many organisations, the job of a Business Analyst involves includes conducting market analysis, and examining product lines, while developing and monitoring data metrics. These components all add up to help steer the course of an organisation toward growth and profitability.
No matter the sector, business analysts require a particular set of skills. They’ll need solid tech skills as well as being adept with data and data analysis. They will also need to be able to interpret this data into actionable insights and communicate this information to their colleagues.
The requirements of a Business Analyst will vary from company to company, however there are some common themes and requirements.
6 Business Analyst Interview Questions.
Whether you’re preparing for your first Business Analyst interview or getting ready to take the next step in your career, these are some key Business Analyst interview questions you should expect, and a little advice on how to answer them.
In your opinion, what is the role of a Business Analyst?
This question aims to assess your understanding of the work a Business Analyst does. In your answer talk about how you’d approach the job and what your priorities would be. When preparing for this question, use the job description as a starting point. Look at what the key role responsibilities are. Create an answer that highlights the duties and responsibilities listed in the ad and relate these back to the issues facing the sector currently.
Which business analytics tools or systems have you worked with?
Aimed at assessing your technical skills, this question requires more than just a list! The interviewer is asking examples of how you’ve used them. If you are experienced with the system this employer uses, then reference these in your answer. If you aren’t, then use this as a chance to demonstrate what you DO know. Remember to evidence how you have approached learning new systems in the past, and how you’d get up to speed with this new process.
When starting a new project, what would you make your first task?
Project Management is an important part of Business Analyst work. There is no one right answer to this question. A great response would include clearly communicating your project management style, including the different phases and the types of deliverables you might create. You could also offer examples of situations when you have changed your methods to better fit a particular project. This is evidence of your ability to be flexible and adapt your processes to suit the work.
Tell me about a time when you’ve had to recommend a colleague change their direction or approach?
Behavioural questions such as this demonstrate how you might react to problems at work and how you’d use your professional knowledge to influence others.
Business Analysts sometimes have to convince managers, executives, and colleagues to alter or abandon a planned course of action. These situations can be sensitive, and the hiring manager is looking for how you might handle them.
Demonstrate your skills in professional influence by referring to a time when you arrived late to a project. You may talk about how your past experiences taught you a better way of doing things, and how you approached communicating this. Tell your interviewer the outcome of the situation and if your knowledge, tact, and influence had a positive impact on the project and organisation.
How do you handle changes to requirements?
This question is asked to assess your work style and how you adapt to change. It is also a way for the interviewer to consider your ability to problem solve and think critically.
A good answer would demonstrate your ability to assess the implications of the change across key metrics such as time, cost, and resources. Additionally, you will need to demonstrate you would evaluate the requirements of the change across the whole lifecycle of the work. Think about the implications it may have on the design, delivery, and testing, for example.
How would you explain data findings to colleagues who are not technical or familiar with business analytics?
Business Analysts often must create reports and give presentations about their findings to colleagues who are not familiar with data analysis and business information systems.
To be a successful business analyst, you must be able to communicate complex ideas in clear terms everyone in the organisation can understand.
Think of a situation, report, or presentation where you had to use your verbal and written communication skills to explain its concepts and recommendations. To score extra points, demonstrate how your explanation allowed a colleague to make a better decision or positively move the project forward.
Use your skills!
When you are preparing for your Business Analyst interview, use your BA skills! Analyse each question and think critically about the skills each question is looking to unearth.
Do you want more advice on preparing for your business analyst job interview?
Read more here – Preparing for your Business Analyst Interview.
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