This is the most common question that I receive from Business Analysts who have been in the profession for some time or who want to enter the profession. There are many benefits to certification. In this post I will explain the key benefits for being certified.
1. Become a globally recognized Business Analyst
By certifying you are proving to your current employee or future employee that you are not only competent in the field of Business Analysis but that you align to best practices as set out by the governing body of Business Analysis – International Institute of Business Analysis. You are able to compete on an international level with other Business Analysts.
2. Enhance your career prospects and earning potential
In a recent chat with one of my peers in the industry they informed me that due to the pandemic they were receiving double the number of applications for BA job postings than last year. I then asked her what criteria she was using to narrow down the list of candidates – one of the criteria was if the candidates were certified. This shows being certified increases your chance of being noticed and being included in the pool of candidates narrowed down for a job posting.
Being certified also enhances your earning potential – a key finding from the 2019 IIBA Salary Survey was Business Analysts who hold the CBAP certification earn 19% more than average. In the 2020 IIBA Salary Survey, it was reported that Business Analysts who hold one or more IIBA certifications earn 12% more than average.
3. Be seen as competent in your profession
With certification, you are seen by industry peers and stakeholders as competent in what you do. Furthermore, you are equipped with best practices, tools and techniques to competently do Business Analysis work. Being competent makes you confident in the workplace and this helps with your interaction with stakeholders.
4. Self actualization
Maslow’s hierarchy of needs speaks of self actualization. This is where people fulfill themselves and be the best version of what they are capable of doing. There comes a time in everyone’s career where they want to validate that they are fully competent and capable in their domain. In the 2020 IIBA salary survey, 57% of respondents stated that certification made them have higher confidence at work and 29% reported greater fulfilment at work.
Need more convincing on why you must certify? Contact The Skilled Business Analyst and speak to our coach!
Yours in Analysis
Tendai
BA Instructor / Coach