How to decide between a business analyst vs data analyst career path
In the world of security cleared jobs, there are lots of job titles that have a certain amount of overlap with other positions in terms of everyday responsibilities. Before applying for a new role, it’s a good idea to look at the nuances of the job descriptions to decide which is best suited to you.
The roles of business analyst and data analyst are a perfect example, with both occupations dealing in data. What may seem like small differences in the roles when you’re completing applications can become more pronounced once you’re working full time.
Business analyst vs data analyst
To make a fair comparison of the two roles, it's vital to identify the key responsibilities of each, so you understand where the focus lies. Always remember that while job titles tell you something about a position, every organisation will have its own take on what a business analyst or data analyst does, so read the job description carefully.
What is a business analyst?
Business analysis is a discipline that involves maximising the effectiveness and efficiency of a business through data-driven decisions. It’s a business analyst’s responsibility to identify stumbling blocks in all areas of a company, from IT processes and organisational structures to staff development, then put forward recommendations.
Key responsibilities include:
- Identifying functional and technical needs within an organisation
- Defining how to prioritise these needs
- Analysing big data sets using SQL and Excel
- Creating assets for data visualisation
- Designing financial models to help make business decisions
- Implementing enterprise architecture to improve the structure of a business
- Forecasting and budgeting for future endeavours
- Performing variance analysis and financial analysis
What is a data analyst?
Data analysis is made up of a process that collects, cleans and analyses data for use in informed decision making. The main forms of data analysis are descriptive, diagnostic and predictive, with each one having its own place within the discipline to offer actionable advice.
A data analyst’s main responsibilities include:
- Gathering data through a variety of means, such as conducting surveys or buying datasets
- Cleaning data to prevent skewed results
- Modelling the data to structure it in a way that best suits the needs of the business
- Interpreting data to answer specific questions
- Creating reports to communicate findings to other areas of the business
- Using tools like SQL, Python and Microsoft Excel.
The key differences between a business analyst and a data analyst
While both positions use data, the role of a business analyst is more broadly aligned with business needs than that of a data analyst, who works much more closely with the data itself. If you’re good at extrapolating solutions from data then being a business analyst could be the right career path for you, while those with a passion for statistics should take the data analyst route.
Whether you’re tempted to be a business analyst or a data analyst, we’ve got a wide selection of the latest vacancies for you.