Tag Archives: career

Value your contacts, not your experience

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So as we develop our careers, we tend to do two things, acquire vast experience, and make acquaintances. When we write our resumes, we put a lot of emphasis on the years spent on a project or in a role. We demonstrate the amount of experiences we’ve had but what about the relationships?

We don’t tend to disclose how many people we are friends with. How many industry peers we network with or how many mentors we’ve had along the way.

When I look back on all the jobs I’ve had, I cherish the people I met and worked with more so than the experiences they gave me. Sure, I value the maturity and confidence that experience has afforded me but I tend to value the relationships even more.

On LinkedIn, it’s possible to get a glimpse of how well connected and regarded someone is. This is the benefit of having social media enhance your CV rather than just publish it. Firstly you can observe how many contacts a person has. You could also note the number of recommendations the person has received. Lastly, whilst it has received a lot of criticisms for not being validated, the endorsements someone has received can also be an indication. I understand that endorsements are easy to achieve and most of them are “thank you” gestures for having endorsed someone else but quantity can still be still indicate confidence in someone. I have been endorsed for one skill by 45 other connections. Whilst other more connected people might be endorsed by hundreds, it’s worth noting that 45 people who know me, acknowledge the skill I declare to have.

Returning back to my original topic; human relations are unique. You could be working alongside the same people however, each team member will develop relationships differently to everyone else. Whilst I am grateful for all the jobs I’ve had in the past, the most rewarding aspect has been to know the many people I’ve met along the way.

I look forward to meeting so many more people whom I can build relationships with far more than the great experiences that await me.

Business Analysis certification

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To become certified as a Business Analyst, the most relevant qualifications are given by the IIBA. After roughly two and a half years of experience, you can be recognized as a BA practitioner by having a Certificate of Competency in Business Analysis (CCBA). After roughly five years, you are considered a professional and duly receive Certified Business Analysis Professional (CBAP) status.

While waiting, what can you do before achieving these certifications, or in between them? Continue reading →

How to take career advice

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Throughout life we are lucky to have people around us that care enough about us to wish us the best. Due to this care, advice is always given around your career and what one should do next.

People in Canberra tend to advise others on joining the public service as it’s a great career option that offers job security. I find that this advice comes from people of an older generation. Perhaps a generation that values job security more than career diversity and exposure to different job roles.

So it’s no surprise that many local graduates aim towards the APS after finishing University. And this isn’t a bad option. Graduate places are limited so getting a job there can certainly be a confidence boosting achievement. Continue reading →

Why business analysis?

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When I was growing up I had a few ideas of what I wanted to become in the future but none of them were about business analysis. In the early nineties, not everyone had a computer. I remember our family first got a computer in 1996.

From what I can remember, these are a few of things I wanted to be when older:
An ironman triathlete
A writer
A politician (prime minister of Australia to be completely truthful)

As a teenager, I had to revisit what I would become as it was becoming more urgent. By then, I at least knew I had to attend University to get ahead – I thank my parents for instilling this thought into my head. The things I realised by year nine (ninth grade) was that I liked solving problems and I could figure out how to use a computer relatively quickly. Little did I know that this would be influential in my decision to become a business analyst later on. Back then, I didn’t know what business analysis was but I was confident that the IT industry would provide a career that would utilise my interest in computers and pay well – the late 90s was a great time for IT professionals. Continue reading →

Getting a job and knowing when to move on

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One thing I’ve noticed is that when it comes to landing a new job is that the organisation you work for will welcome you aboard the ship (so to speak). However, it’s up to you to realise when to get off. Unfortunately, you won’t receive help in that part. You’ve got to get onto your next ship on your own.

It’s been a bit tricky for me. I constantly receive contrasting advice. Recruiters tell me that I don’t have enough time built up in my current job to move on. Mentors tell me to move onto something bigger and not settle at a non-ideal place for too long.

In the end, you are in the best position to assess what to do. If you are no longer learning new skills, if there are no more challenges, if there is no space to explore your leadership qualities, if you cannot go on the training courses that you need…then perhaps you’ve given your part and done all you can in that position.

My view is that if it’s no longer fun, no longer exciting, then it would make sense to start looking elsewhere to find new challenges.

For me, the realisation came the moment I decided that I am ready to go out there and risk it. Risk failing, risk not getting the job, risk making mistakes. If you no longer feel scared about putting your reputation on the line then it’s time to pursue the career you really want.