Business intelligence analysts are people who use technology to manage information for companies so that they can use it to develop long-term plans and strategies for their businesses. If you want to work as a business intelligence analyst after high school, you should train for four years and intern in a real-world setting to gain experience. Completing graduate school improves your chances of landing a job in this field.
A four-year bachelor’s degree in computer science is required for those who want to work as a business intelligence analyst. Fill out an enrollment form and submit a copy of your high school diploma or equivalent certification to your potential training institution. Admission to this type of undergraduate degree program requires you to submit your standardized exam results along with your high school transcript.
Computer courses will prepare you to succeed in this field. Classes teach you how to manage databases, which a person aspiring to be a business intelligence analyst must be able to do in order to initiate queries that produce the organizational data that his or her company requires to make critical business decisions. Sales figures or costs incurred by various departments at a company are examples of data stored in business software programs.
Even if your technology training degree program does not require you to complete an internship prior to graduation, you must still gain work experience. As an intern, you should become familiar with the use of industry software to organize data into tables and other forms that are easy to track and interpret. Your company may also ask you to assist with marketing activities by applying your knowledge of consumer relationship management (CRM), which is the process of using data on current customers to help the company better cater to them and thus retain them. As you work toward becoming a business intelligence analyst, gaining field experience will help you improve your analytical and communication skills.
Although a four-year degree is required for employment in this industry, some employers prefer candidates with two-year master’s degrees. You must submit your bachelor’s degree program transcript, fill out the institution’s enrollment form, and submit scores from a recently taken graduate school entrance exam to get into your desired graduate school. Before you can graduate and become a business intelligence analyst, you must be prepared to study computer topics in greater depth and complete a large research project during your advanced training. A graduate degree effectively increases your job market competitiveness.