How to Become a Business Analyst With No Experience

Business analytics has become an essential function in many industries. The discipline seeks to make sense of all the data a company captures, interpreting and analyzing to produce actionable insights for decision-makers.¹

In a data-driven business world, business analysts are in high demand. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics forecasts that the number of management analyst jobs in the USA will grow by 10% from 2025-2035.² That’s three times the BLS’s overall forecast for U.S. jobs growth in the same period.² High demand also means relatively high compensation—the BLS estimates the median annual salary for management analysts at $101,860,² which is more than double the estimated national median salary.²

That combination of strong demand and high compensation can make business analytics an appealing career path, even if you don’t yet have direct experience in the field. So how can you break into business analytics without an established track record?

This article explores the skills you’ll need to demonstrate to a potential employer to secure a business analytics role and offers practical ways to prepare for a business analyst career before you land your first job.

Understanding the Role of a Modern Analyst

Modern business analysts help organizations use data to understand problems, evaluate options and make decisions. The role can cover a potentially broad range of activities, from relatively straightforward reporting of performance metrics to forecasting based on an evaluation of market conditions or deriving customer behavior insights from sales data.¹

A typical day’s work for a business analyst is likely to include a variety of tasks.³ An analyst might start the day with some research into an existing problem, reviewing market trends or reading project documentation. They might then move on to analyzing existing data, looking for patterns or insights to address an issue such as the impact of a pricing change or the cost impact of various stages of a manufacturing process. The analyst might then turn that analysis into a report tailored to its audience, avoiding unnecessary jargon and using clear, impactful language to convey actionable recommendations. After distributing the report, the analyst might then meet with stakeholders to discuss the findings or meet with a different set of colleagues to evaluate needs for a new project.

Business analysts are often confused with data analysts, in part because they may use the same tools and information. In some companies, the two roles might be almost synonymous. But strictly speaking, data analysts and business analysts are different professional roles.⁴ Data analysts work more with data and spend less time applying that data to business problems. Business analysts are more focused on using data to solve specific business problems. The difference between the two roles is sometimes described simply as “storytelling.” Data analysts focus on gathering, organizing and interpreting data. Business analysts focus on figuring out what the data says about a particular business process or strategy and making a plan for how to move forward.

That distinction matters when preparing for an analytics career. If you’re looking to get a data analyst job with no experience, you may need to focus more heavily on developing technical skills and know-how. To become a business analyst, you will need a combination of hard technical knowledge and so-called “soft skills,” such as communication and consultation.

Essential Skills You Need to Build

To become a competitive candidate for a business analyst role without prior experience, focus on building two broad types of relevant skills: “hard” or technical skills and “soft” skills.⁵

Critical hard skills include knowledge of data visualization software, SQL (a programming language used in database management), analytical techniques and a solid understanding of how businesses work.

Important soft skills include excellent communication and presentation skills, problem-solving, critical thinking and the ability to work productively with diverse groups of stakeholders.

Without experience, you can start to acquire technical knowledge through online courses and tutorials or formal education programs. Soft skills can be developed across a range of activities, including unrelated jobs and education and training in school and college.

Actionable Steps to Gain Practical Knowledge

Aspiring business analysts are encouraged to build a strong professional portfolio as a way of showcasing analytical abilities and technical understanding to employers. The best portfolios include a variety of projects, each demonstrating a different proficiency.⁶ You might, for example, include projects that analyze different industries to show the breadth of your business knowledge. Alternatively, your portfolio might look at different areas of a business, such as sales or operational efficiency.

Throughout a portfolio, it’s critical to showcase clarity of thought and analysis, as well as technical ability. Clearly define the problem you’re examining, identify the tools and techniques used to analyze it, and present actionable, evidence-based recommendations.

You can find opportunities for projects to pursue through internships and volunteer work, or even simply by asking local businesses if you can use them as case studies.

Find industry groups online or locally and attend meetings. This can be both a source of networking opportunities and a chance to observe and learn from senior professionals. Platforms such as LinkedIn allow you to join groups based on professional ambition, experience or outlook. These groups can be invaluable for meeting industry insiders and developing an understanding of the issues that are important to today’s business analysts.

Educational Pathways for Aspiring Analysts

Formal education is perhaps the quickest and most efficient way to bridge the experience gap and develop the skills you need to become a business analyst.

A specialized master’s degree in business analytics can give you both a solid technical foundation and practical experience that can help you stand out to potential employers.

For example, the Online Master of Science in Business Analytics (MSBA) program from William & Mary’s Raymond A. Mason School of Business provides a wide-ranging curriculum that covers essential technical knowledge and principles, business acumen and the opportunity to apply your knowledge to practical, real-world scenarios.

Core courses cover programming languages such as Python and SQL, data visualization, and presentation techniques, and analytical methods and techniques. The curriculum also includes a capstone project that provides an opportunity to showcase your technical skills, apply them to a real-life scenario and gain experience working in small teams.

Accelerate Your Analytics Career at William & Mary Mason 

To become a business analyst without experience, focus on developing relevant skills that will demonstrate to an employer that you have the knowledge and drive to be successful in the role. This includes developing an understanding of analytic tools and methods, as well as showing you are a high-level problem-solver and critical thinker.

The Online Master of Science in Business Analytics from William & Mary’s Mason School of Business is designed to equip graduates with the tools required to excel in a career in business analytics. This includes courses in artificial intelligence applications for business and machine learning and predictive analytics.

The online MSBA program can be completed in 16 to 18 months. When you enroll in this accelerated program, you’ll complete the Foundations in Business Analytics Certificate within just five months at no additional time or cost. This valuable credential immediately enhances your resume while you continue toward earning your full master’s.

Visit our website for detailed course descriptions, admission requirements, career resources and our online admissions portal. Contact us directly with any questions or schedule a call with an admissions outreach advisor today.