Job Responsibilities
My current responsibilities are to look after an application
used by businesses and funds to lodge activity statements, payg
reports, superannuation reports and so on. The majority of time
I write and maintain business requirements, functional
specifications, test strategies and any other documents required
by changes to the application. Other times, I look after
problems and complaints about the application by internal and
external clients. The remainder of my time, I conduct reviews
for business areas, provide expert advice on potential impacts,
review client support documents, conduct testing on new patches,
and help the team leader manage the team.
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Job Requirements
To get hired directly into a business analyst position, you will
need a IT or Business (IT related major) degree or find a
manager willing to give you a go. Most new business analysts
come through the undergraduate program, graduate program or
someone lucky enough to learn BA abilities through unrelated
positions. IT degrees arent too hard to get in but is quite
hard to complete. This is because you are required to do at
least 20% technical/programming subjects and this is a big ask
if you have no technical experience/interest.
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Uppers
Never repetative, always problem solving and making important decisions,
transferrable skills into other industries and companies, reasonable deadlines,
great travel allowances (around $200 a day in cash).
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Downers
Not learning/working in an extremely efficient environment, a
lot of quiet periods, work with people with lack of IT
knowledge, lack of opportunities to climb to maangement outside
of Canberra, slow paced environment, very political as no one
ever agrees on anything, lack of top-down management control,
and a lot of older/stubbon employees.
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Lifestyle
36 hour weeks, flexi time (up to 30 hours and down to negative 15), travel
frequently to Canberra (once a month)and sometimes for 1 week at a time, social
events depends on the team, and dress code is varied and flexible (usually just
casual business).
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Compensation
Currently on $60,000 but increases 5% mid year and another 5%
every year of the same level. Graduates start on $42,000 and
Strategic team leaders/managers (next level) start on around
$74,000, Directors (2 levels up) start at around $82,000 +
bonuses.
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Advice to Jobseekers
Great area to be if you have interest in IT but not as a
programmer. BA positions usually leads to project management
and thus, big bux. There is going to be increasing number of BA
positions worldwide due to the increase recognition of
implementing an application/system that supports the business's
needs. It is definately an occupation that will be around for a
long long time as the skills required are very different to
business and technical roles.
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