With the role and responsibilities of a Business Analyst (BA) being broad and diverse across organizations, we must possess and employ a wide range of skills. One of the core skills is communication. Communication is critical for BAs to be successful in our role as facilitators, problem solvers, and value creators.

A Business Analyst flexes their written and verbal communication skills when they…

• Elicit and document the needs of the customer and then articulate those details to others in the organization.
   
• Bridge misunderstandings by building and maintaining positive relationships with people at many levels of the organization.
   
• Negotiate to reach an agreement among stakeholders.
   
• Facilitate discussions, meetings, and conference calls to elicit requirements and ensure stakeholders leave with a shared understanding of the issues, current processes, and requirements.
   
• Document and organize clear and concise notes and action items that accurately represent what was discussed and the next steps.
   
• Analyze findings and visually depict options to offer solutions that satisfy the needs of stakeholders.

The Importance of Communication in Career Advancement

With all of that in mind, it shouldn’t be surprising to see that most Business Analyst job postings have communication skills listed as a top requirement. So, when applying for Business Analyst positions, I would recommend your resume or CV include instances and examples where you have successfully performed similar communications tasks. 

For example:

• Did you interview someone to further understand and analyze their needs?
   
• Did you facilitate a weekly team meeting?
   
• Did you create a visual diagram to make it easier to understand some complex topic?
   
• Did you clearly articulate a problem that you uncovered, build a plan to tackle the issue, and communicate how you’re adding value?

Including these types of examples makes it clear to a hiring manager that they can be confident you will successfully apply your stellar communication skills to that role.

Want to learn more? Check out our bonus content to dive deeper into the other core business analysis skills.

– Written by Jeremy Aschenbrenner, The BA Guide