Hiring a Business Analyst

Hiring a Business AnalystThere are times when a company must hire abusiness analyst. When searching from anoutside source there are certain things anemployer should determine when hiring the perfectbusiness analyst. Some of these suggestions arecommon sense. Other items listed may beoverlooked in the desperation to find a qualifiedbusiness analyst.The first question one should always ask is \"Whatdo you know about our company?\". This is a keyquestion in the interview process. You will want

someone who is familiar with what your companydoes. He or she should know what products youmanufacture or services you provide. Beingfamiliar with your industry makes it easier foryou and the business analyst to understand eachother. He or she will know exactly what you areexpecting without much training.When hiring a business analyst another questionto ask is \"How much experience do you have withthis type of project?\". You will want someonewho has been there before. You want to know thebusiness analyst you are hiring will be able tohandle the pressure needed to get the job done.Hiring a business analyst means knowing the typeof person you are interviewing. This is not aneasy task. First impressions may not always beright. You are looking for someone who iscreative. He or she will be able to think ontheir feet. Find out what their main short termgoals are. Someone who says they hope to be

starting their own consultant group is probablyone who is not planning to stay long. You willwant to have someone who can start the project andsee it through to completion. There are timesthis may take several years.Another attribute to look for when hiring abusiness analyst is team player capabilities.Someone who confesses to being a loner may notwork well with others. He or she may bring anattitude to the table you just do not want. Watchfor indications of self assurance but not selfabsorption. Hiring a business analyst meansfinding someone who is friendly and easy going.One who is not shy or submissive. You are notlooking for a yes man. You are looking for someoneto tell you if a solution will work or if it willfail.When hiring a business analyst ask for worse caseand best case scenarios from past experience.Listen carefully to the response. Did they make

reference to who was to blame for any failures orshortcomings? Someone who puts the blame oneveryone else is someone you do not want in yourorganization. There is usually enough of thatgoing around for everyone. Someone who is ableto stand and say they made a mistake or did notdo everything to avoid the failure is an honestperson people will trust. This is someone otherswill respect. It will be easier to introduce anew player into the team if others can trust them.The best thing to do when hiring a businessanalyst is to first determine what attributes youare looking for. List qualifications second.Third is the experience. This will be aguideline for hiring the perfect business analystto do the job.