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Mike Jacobsen

Interview Question: Tell me about a time you have had to manage a difficult stakeholder – Answer Tips

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Watch the video or carry on below for the written version.

Question forms part of

MOST POPULAR INTERVIEW QUESTIONS
Civil Service Question Bank
Project Manager Question & Answer Sheet

Other interview questions that are similar

  1. How do you handle difficult people?
  2. Do you get along with everyone you work with?
  3. What do you do if someone is not responding to your requests?
  4. Have you ever needed to go ‘over someone’s head’ because they were not responsive to your requirements?
  5. Describe a time when you had to deal with a difficult coworker or team member. How did you handle the situation?
  6. Can you share an example of a time when you had to resolve a conflict with a customer or client?
  7. Have you ever had to persuade someone to support a decision they were initially opposed to? How did you go about doing it?
  8. Tell me about a time when you had to change your approach or strategy to achieve a goal. How did you identify the need for change, and what steps did you take to implement it?
  9. Describe a time when you had to manage multiple competing priorities or stakeholders. How did you prioritize your tasks and manage expectations?

What the interviewer is looking for by asking this question

This is an extremely popular question so you need to make sure you have an answer prepared and ready.

This question tests you across a range of things. Firstly in the basics; do you know what a stakeholder is? Do you know their importance and can you analyse their needs and manage them adequately?

Further than that the question is asking for your experience in managing difficult stakeholders. Not every project is going to go smoothly and not everyone you meet will be open and supportive to your aims.

If you are in a professional working environment for any amount of time you will encounter difficult stakeholders. It is important that you are able to manage these stakeholders so that you can meet your goals and further the aspirations of your organisation.

How you will manage these difficult stakeholders is what the interviewer is interested in when they ask this question. Most stakeholders are not ‘difficult’ just for the sake of it:

  • Some will be incredibly busy people who cannot devote the time you want
  • Some will have been given different targets which your project will impact so they will not be excited about helping you
  • …and of course some people are just awful people!

Your interviewer wants to see how you approach all of these types of people. And of course the best way to find out how someone will approach a scenario in the future is to look at how they have reacted to similar scenarios in the past and understand if they learned anything from the experience.

And that my friends is the crux of why we get asked this question.

The best approach to answering this question

As this is a “Tell me about a time” interview question your answer is going to need to include an example. The best answers will be detailed while also being concise. In order to achieve this the B-STAR technique should be used.

Let’s see how that would work in this question.

B – Belief – What are your thoughts / feelings / processes regarding the subject matter? – Here you should talk about how whenever you are facing difficulties with a stakeholder that you always seek to understand the issue first before engaging with the stakeholder, then you approach with empathy and attempt to resolve the issue to everyone’s benefit.

S – Situation – Set the scene of your example – This is an interview so you wont have all the time in the world to describe what was happening. Explain the situation briefly, leaving more time for the steps that you took. A good scenario to describe would be one where the stakeholder was being difficult due to outside pressures that you then helped to alleviate.

T – Task – What was your role in the situation? – Talk about what you had been tasked to do and how this stakeholder being difficult was impacting that. Ideally you will be in a project management or equivalent role where stakeholder management is one of your key responsibilities.

A – Activity – What did you do? – Lay out all the steps you took to manage this difficult stakeholder. Good answers will talk about how you investigated the issue to understand the concerns of all parties and then approached the stakeholder with empathy toward their point of view. In the end though you need to talk about the action you took to remediate the issue.

R – Result – How did everything end up? – This is an interview so it is best to talk about times in which you were successful in your endeavour. Good answers will talk about how the stakeholder’s concerns were removed and they were no longer difficult or a hinderance to your goals. Talk in this section about any lessons you may have learned for the next time you face a similar scenario.

How NOT to answer this question

Do not dismiss the premise of the question. It is quite easy to fall into the trap of saying that you have never worked with a difficult stakeholder before. Some candidates will say this thinking it shows how well they get along with everyone. But this will not endear you to the interviewer. There are difficult stakeholders in every workplace up and down the country. It is not a reflection on you that someone else is difficult, saying that you have never had to deal with someone like that is showing your inexperience.

Do not ‘steamroll’ the stakeholder. I’ve seen this time and time again in work settings and in interview settings. An ambitious PM looking to force their project through will smash through any barrier that comes their way. Mostly what happens is a stakeholder raises an objection and the PM will remove the stakeholder from the project or go above their head to report the stakeholder for creating obstacles. This is not the right way to approach these issues. A PM should try to understand the issue in the first instance and resolve with the stakeholder. Ignoring the issue and pushing ahead regardless is not a good answer.

Tell me about a time you have had to manage a difficult stakeholder – Example answers

The examples provided below can serve as a foundation for creating your unique answers. For additional inspiration, our new guide includes five sample responses to this question and over 100 answers to all of the most common interview queries.

Check out “INTERVIEW SUCCESS: How to answer 20 of the Most Popular Interview Questions (with over 100 sample answers!)”

Project Manager Example

“Difficult stakeholders are unavoidable when you have been in the industry for any amount of time. It is just one of those things that you need to be aware of, not everyone is going to be on the same page or have the same goals as you and you will need to handle these people appropriately in order to deliver on your goals.

Whenever I find someone being difficult or not giving me the level of support I require in my projects I tend to do 2 things. Firstly I make sure that I fully understand the issue and therefore my colleague’s concerns and secondly I approach my colleague to discuss potential remedies to get things back on track.

For example, recently I was working on a project that would automate a key data gathering task within the process. This task was performed by 2 teams within the organisation and the lead SME of the teams was assigned to my project.

After some time I found that the SME was not participating in project meetings and any actions they would pick up would go incomplete or be delivered very late.

I spoke to the rest of my team individually as well as some contacts I had in the wider department. I learned that there was a rumour going through the two teams that once the project was delivered that the organisation was going to fire the 2 teams as they would no longer be needed with the new automation process going live.

This was not true however. Our actual plan once we delivered the project was to train these colleagues on a different process where more resources were required. I approached my senior manager to discuss a change to our communication strategy so that a notice could be sent to all impacted parties.

Once the communication was confirmed I approached the SME to explain the situation and remind them that the project still required their 100% focus. Thereafter the SME was much more involved in meetings and all actions were delivered on time. The project ending up a success and the teams were successfully trained on the new project with no colleagues being let go.“

Sales Rep Example

“In my previous role as a sales representative, I managed relationships with key clients in the healthcare industry. One of our largest clients was becoming increasingly difficult to work with, as they were consistently requesting changes to our contract terms and were not receptive to our proposed solutions.

To address this, I reviewed the client’s contract and conducted research into their industry to better understand their needs and priorities. I then worked closely with our internal team, including legal and operations, to determine what changes we could make to the contract while still meeting our company’s needs.

I set up a meeting with the client to discuss their concerns and present our proposed solutions. During the meeting, I made sure to actively listen to their concerns and provide them with options that addressed their needs while still meeting our company’s objectives. I also kept the lines of communication open by providing regular updates and ensuring that both our team and the client were aligned on the changes being made to the contract.

As a result of these actions, we were able to successfully negotiate a new contract with the client that addressed their concerns while still meeting our company’s objectives. The client was satisfied with the changes and ultimately remained a loyal customer.

Through this experience, I learned the importance of active listening, research, and collaboration in stakeholder management, regardless of the role or industry.”

Marketing Coordinator Example

tell me about a time you have had to manage a difficult stakeholder interview question and answer

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Interview Question: What would you do if a Stakeholder approached you with a change midway through a project? – Answer Tips

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Question forms part of

Civil Service Question Bank
Project Manager Question & Answer Sheet

Other interview questions that are similar

Are you able to adapt to change?
How do you respond to change within a project?
Do you prefer waterfall projects or agile for change management?
Are you interested in a change management position?

What the interviewer is looking for by asking this question

This is a fairly typical PM question. You can expect this question to be asked if you are applying for Junior Project Manager or Business Analyst roles, you are less likely to receive this question if you are in other project support functions but it is a possibility. Similarly you are not likely to get this question if you have a large amount of project experience and are going for more senior positions with more responsibility.

The interviewer is looking for 2 things when asking this question:

  1. Are you aware of the best practices with regard to Change Management within a project? Do you understand the difference between Agile and Waterfall projects when it comes to making changes midway through a project, and can you articulate the differences when prompted?
  2. Given 1. above how do you communicate with stakeholders?

The first thing the interviewer is looking for is a fairly ‘by the book’ response. Change Management is a fairly defined process and this should not cause any issues for anyone who has studied Project Management previously. The second part of the question is more about you and your stakeholder management skills. This part of the question is not ‘by the book’ and should allow you the opportunity to describe your communication style – and hopefully differentiate you from the other candidates.

The best approach to answering this question

The best approach to this question will hit on the 2 key points raised above.

Firstly describe how if it was one of your projects, that there would be a defined change management process in place. This process should have been approved by the client/customer, supplier, project team and all relevant stakeholders.

Once you have gone over that you can now talk through how you would remind the stakeholder of this change process and offer to walk them through getting their Change Request submitted for review by the project team. The best candidates will weave into the response an example from their prior experience. Talk about a project that you recently led that had a change request come up right in the middle (Use the B-STAR technique)

Make sure that you are prepared for follow-up questions such as:

  • What would you do if there was no defined change process?
  • What would you do if the stakeholder in question held great authority over the project?
  • What if the change that was raised is considered a show stopper?

Finally ensure that you make the interviewer aware that you are answering the question assuming a waterfall approach was undertook. If the project was being ran using Agile methodologies talk about how the change would be looked at and prioritised immediately and adjustments made to the sprint plans and backlog catalogue.

How NOT to answer this question

Don’t refuse the change point blank. There are well defined processes for how to handle changes within all project methodologies. Flat out saying NO is not in any of them. Talk about how you worked with the stakeholder and guided them through the previously agreed process.

Don’t just accept the change without review. Similar to above, there is a process for change management. This process should have been approved prior to the project initiation. Do not just say that you would accept any changes, mention how you would put the CR through the defined process and go with the decision that is produced.

Don’t just give an example. Weaving an example into your answer is what separates a good answer from a great answer. However you still need to describe the theory behind your answer. You need to explain and detail how you are aware of proper project management processes only then can you show that you have real world experience with an example. Otherwise the interviewer may not be assured that you know the process or if the example was just a fluke.

What would you do if a Stakeholder approached you with a change midway through a project? – Example answer

“If this was one of my projects then there would be a clearly defined change request process that should be followed for all requests. This will have been discussed with all stakeholders and approved by all. Given this I would speak to the stakeholder in question and guide them through the Change Request process so that their request could be reviewed and actioned if necessary.

When these type of requests occur I find it best to gently remind the stakeholder that there was a process agreed at the beginning of the project and to remind them of that process and how changes are reviewed and progressed. I had a similar request recently where a senior stakeholder wanted to increase the scope of the software product we were deploying in a month’s time, the stakeholder reached out to me directly and requested it was added for the first release. I gently reminded my colleague that all change requests needed to be raised to the CR portal and would be triaged by a member of the project team, as his change was above the agreed small change limit it would need to be approved by the Change Board. The colleague was content with this and progressed his item through the proper channels were the request was approved for deployment in second release.

Of course this all assumes that the project was being deployed using waterfall methodologies, if we were following a more agile approach the change request would have been prioritised and added to the sprint plan where appropriate.“

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Interview Question: What Project Management Methodology do you believe is better? – Answer Tips

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Question forms part of

Civil Service Question Bank
Project Manager Question & Answer Sheet

Other interview questions that are similar

Are you familiar with Waterfall Projects?
Are you familiar with Agile Development?
Tell me about a time you had to choose a Project Management methodology
What are the advantages and disadvantages of each methodology?

What the interviewer is looking for by asking this question

This is a pretty common interview question for everyone who works in projects. This can be asked to a Project Manager, Project Coordinator, PMO, Business Analyst, etc.

The interviewer is trying to understand how much you know about project management and the different ways a project can be approached. This is something that is taught early on in most PM courses so a failure to answer this question shows the interviewer that you have not done much studying in the field.

The interviewer wants to know if you understand the difference between certain methodologies. The key methodologies that you should be aware of are:

  • Agile
  • Waterfall
  • Hybrid

You should also be aware of specific Agile techniques such as Scrum, Lean & Kanban. If your interviewer is passionate about software development do not be surprised if a discussion breaks out into whether these are actual Agile techniques or Project Management methodologies of their own. But we are not getting into that mess here!

When asking this question the interviewer is most interested in seeing how you approach a new project and choose the methodology by which you will run the project.

The best approach to answering this question

This is a trick question!

The premise of the question is asking you to decide which methodology is better, or rather, which methodology do you perceive to be better.

There is no right answer. That is the trick. Each methodology has it’s own advantages and disadvantages. And each methodology suits itself best to different types of projects.

The best approach to answering this question therefore is to say how you don’t believe either methodology is better and that prior to initiating any project you choose the methodology that best suits your project, it’s deliverables and it’s aims.

Feel free to mention that you have a personal preference for one style of project and why – for me I prefer the simplicity of waterfall, in that you know exactly where you stand with it: you start a project, you deliver on its aims then you close the project. With Agile, it can be a never ending beast, particular with a regularly updated piece of software. But that is just my personal preference, I would still use Agile when the situation lends itself to a more iterative approach that Agile can support.

How NOT to answer this question

Don’t say one is better than the other. As previously mentioned no PM methodology is better than the others. Regardless of what some proponents might tell you. Stay neutral and talk about how you use the methodology that is best for the situation.

Don’t confuse terms. Project Management “Methodology” refers, primarily, to Waterfall and Agile. This is not to be confused with any other terms. Lean, Scrum & Kanban are tools and techniques used within Agile. PMP, PRINCE2, PMBOK are certifications and not methodologies.

Don’t answer a different question. This question is asking you for your opinion on which methodology is better. It is not asking you which methodologies you know, or which methodologies you have experience in – although you should weave into your answer your experience with each methodology you discuss. This question is asking which you think is better, highlighting that the interviewer is interested in what you believe the relative strengths and weaknesses of each methodology are.

What Project Management Methodology do you believe is better?- Example answer

“My preference is for Agile. I find that it is the most adaptive methodology meaning that we can pivot on a dime and be able to deliver quickly and often. Something that I don’t believe is possible when working with a Waterfall or even a Hybrid model.

That is not to say though that I believe Agile is better. I think all of the methodologies have their place in an organisation. I have worked Waterfall before and believe that it is better adapted for complex projects with a single one time delivery, like the time I oversaw the opening of a new call centre wing. That was better suited to Waterfall as there were defined stages and a handover to the business.

Contrast that with the time I managed a software deployment (to the same call centre in fact). This was better suited to an Agile-based deployment as we initially delivered a MVP of the software and then deployed multiple releases that introduced new features as we went. Agile was the better choice in this instance as it allowed us to deliver a working product much earlier than we would have done had we used Waterfall.”

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Interview Question: Tell me about a time where you were responsible for bringing people together to work on a project or piece of work? – Answer Tips

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Question forms part of

Civil Service Question Bank

Other interview questions that are similar

Tell me about a time when you managed a project team of people from different areas of the business
Have you ever needed to form a new team to get the job done?

What the interviewer is looking for by asking this question

Working Together is one of the core behaviours / competencies that is assessed when applying for jobs at the Civil Service. But it’s not just public sector jobs that will assess you on this, a lot of private sectors will as well. It probably won’t be called ‘Working Together’ when they ask but the questions will be similar. All about bring people together and working together to maximise output. Oftentimes cross-functionally.

A cross-functional team, also known as a multidisciplinary team or interdisciplinary team, is a group of people with different functional expertise working toward a common goal. It may include people from finance, marketing, operations, and human resources departments. Wikipedia

With this particular question the interviewer wants to see that not only are you able to work cross-functionally but that you are capable of being the one that brings people together in the first place.

This means they want to know if you are able to understand the importance of bringing people together, whether you possess the people management skills required to facilitate working between different groups and finally they want to know if you have the experience of doing this before.

The best approach to answering this question

This is a ‘Tell me about a time’ question so your answer needs to use a relevant example. The best answers will follow the B-STAR method.

Here’s how that would look for this question:

B – Belief – What are your thoughts / feelings regarding people working cross-functionally. Talk about how you appreciate that some projects require different people with a range of skills and expertise and the best way you have found to get the most out of these people is to have them all work together, sharing ideas without any obstacles.

S – Situation – Describe the scenario to the interviewer. Remember that you only have a short amount of time to answer each question so ensure that you don’t get too involved in describing every minute detail of your example. High level descriptors only, if the interviewer wants to learn more they will ask follow-up questions at the end.

T – Task – What was your role in the situation? Take another look at the question, it says to talk about a time where you were responsible for bringing people together. So ensure that your role in the tale is correct and that you were the one in charge of setting up this cross functional team.

A – Activity – What steps did you take? Talk about how you first identified the need to bring people together, then talk about how you set about doing that.

R – Results – How did it all turn out? This is an interview so your example should have positive results that benefit the company. Try to mention how the result was a direct consequence of the team working together.

How NOT to answer this question

Do not have a passive role. It is not enough to have just worked together will people from different areas. This question is specifically about you bringing people together. Make sure your answer touches on how you sought out other people to work with for the betterment of your piece of work or project.

Do not talk about a failure. This is an interview, if you are allowed to boast at any time it is in an interview. You need to sell yourself to these people in order to land the job. It is much harder to do so if you give an example of a time that failed. Sure you might be able to spin the failure into a good learning experience and the interviewer might score that response highly. But it is much, much easier to score highly by giving a successful example.

Tell me about a time where you were responsible for bringing people together to work on a project or piece of work? – Example answer

“As a project manager I often have to deal with people from various areas of the business. At the start of every project I feel that it is important to have a range of differing expertises within the project team as I believe this produces a better environment for the fostering of ideas and eventually a better run project.

There was a project in my organisation recently which was established to deliver a new finance tool that would seek to automate some of the current manual functions being performed by the business.

I was asked to be the project manager on this project. In my first meeting with the project sponsor I advised that I would need to establish a cross-functional team to act as the project team.

The first step I took was to identify who I needed, I did this by examining the project scope and determining what expertises would be required and matching this to the expertises available within the organisation. I quickly realised that we were missing crucial team members so sought approval to being in vendors to fill the gap.

Once I had established all of my key players I produced a roles and responsibilities report so that all team members were aware of what was required by them, when it was required and who they could lean on for support.

I held daily stand-up meetings with the whole team so that any issues could be raised quickly and be resolved then and there. These meetings proved very useful in facilitating conversations between the various different business groups.

In the end the project was delivered successfully and the new automation tool reduced the process time by around 75% in the 3 months post-launch, a success I attribute in no small part to the smooth working of the team.

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Are Business Analysts Considered To Be Well Paid?

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Is business analysis a high paying career?

The Business Analyst position is considered to be popular and there are many job opportunities in this sector. Almost all kinds of organizations require a Business Analyst at some point in their trajectory. 

There is usually always a requirement for Business Analysts and the number of job vacancies have been increasing over recent years for this position. 

Important questions that need to be answered is whether Business Analysts are paid well and what are the contributing factors that determine the level of salary for a successful Business Analyst?

Let us try to answer these questions with the help of the following article.

Experience:

Like all job positions, the level of salary is directly proportional to the level of experience and expertise a Business Analyst candidate has.

If a candidate has a higher level of experience, then in most cases they can determine and negotiate their salary for their skill sets. On the other hand, if a candidate has only recently completed their education, the salary for the candidate would depend more heavily on the organization they wish to join, rather than negotiation alone.

For Business Analysts in the United States of America, the average starting salary is around $70,000 per annum and would be expected to increase according to the experience and skills the candidate gains.

For seasoned Business Analysts with a higher level of experience, the salary can reach up to $100,000 and beyond per annum, according to the organization.

There are also many Fortune 500 companies that provide a higher level of salary for the right candidate.

Skill Sets:

Even though experience plays a major role in determining the salary for the Business Analyst, the skill sets of the candidate should also be taken into account when determining the salary.

To negotiate a higher salary, the analyst needs to update their skills according to the market needs. Like any other job positions, Business Analysts are also required to have all-round skills and should have a full understand the operations of working of the business.

Can it be said that Business Analysts are well paid?

Now, let us attempt to answer the most important question; do Business Analysts get paid well?

The answer is both yes and no. 

If we look at the broader picture and view the market as a whole, there is more supply than demand.

Every year there are thousands of graduates looking for a Business Analyst position, this imbalance naturally reduces the salary prospects for these fresh graduates.

When we consider the tuition fee paid by these new graduates, then the obvious answer is they are not getting paid as well when in entry level positions.

However, when looking at long-term opportunities and scope for growth, we can say yes for the above-mentioned question.

As we said earlier, there are many reputable organizations who are looking for the right candidate for the Business Analyst position. With the right experience and right skill sets, it is possible for a successful candidate to achieve a position with a high-paying salary.

Not only in business organizations there is also scope of work in other industries like tutoring. So, an analyst with a high level of skill sets can earn a good living as a Business Analyst.

Can a Business Analyst become a Project Manager?

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The role of Business Analyst and Project Manager have been considered to be interchangeable terms in the past due to the overlapping responsibilities.

However, more recently, companies have differentiated the scope and responsibilities of each role. The scope can vary within each individual company. 

Some companies still use Business Analysts as Project Managers due to budgetary reasons. We are unable to draw a firm line between these two roles within certain companies. Many Business Analysts who have years of experience within their role desire to change their career and become out and out Project Managers. 

They may feel overqualified in their role, or they may want to learn and earn more in another challenging role. To those people, a Project Manager role is often considered the next logical step in their career progression. Let’s look at the overlapping qualities and responsibilities of a Business Analyst and a Project Manager.

Business Analysts serve an important purpose in an organization. They are responsible for identifying problems, analysis of said issues, evaluating the solutions, sharing their insights with the cross-functional teams, recommending suitable solutions and presenting it to the relevant departments and stakeholders of the company. 

Business Analysts need strong analytical and communication skills, as well as interpersonal experience. A competent Business Analyst must have extensive problem-solving familiarity and a vast industry knowledge. Through their diverse skills, they must ensure that their solutions are implemented with the correct approach going forward. 

Their scope of responsibilities go well beyond a particular project and they have to ensure that business runs without any disruption. 

Project Managers, on the other hand, are responsible for initiating the project, planning it perfectly for successful completion, executing the plan and overseeing it, and then finally closing the project.

Their responsibilities are restricted only to the project but the process which they go through to finish a project requires responsibilities that are similar to a Business Analyst. 

In order to complete a project, Project Managers need to build a team, recruit suitable human resources, assign tasks to each of them and make these tasks achievable. Further to this, they have to monitor and evaluate the completed tasks on a regular basis to reduce the risk of errors. 

They are expected to lead and influence the team without authority. The decisions and solutions they make should be rooted in deep analysis of a project. 

Now that we know the roles and responsibilities of a Business Analyst and a Project Manager, let us look at some of the skill sets that overlap with each other. 

  • Analytical skills – both the roles require analytical skill to identify the problems and provide suitable solution
  • Communication skills – communication is essential for the two roles, as both have to interact with the concerned teams and relevant departments.
  • Managing and presenting to stakeholders – Business Analysts and Project Managers have to meet up with the stakeholders of a company, and effectively put forth their idea to complete the tasks successfully. 

Conclusion:

In conclusion, Project Managers have to gauge the progress and ensure that the objectives of the project suit the overall business objectives. 

Business Analysts focus on improvements to business and on strategy development. A Business Analyst can manage various aspects of a project, but they would need to upgrade their skills and should look to get a proper certification in Project Management to take on this role. 

Differences between Business Analysis and Change Management

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Occasionally, it is possible to interchange the usage of Business Analysis and Change Management in our conversations. However, there are notable differences in both these positions, each of the positions has its own goals and definitions.

It is not necessarily immediately obvious the differences between the two roles, but both Business Analysts and Change Managers are essential for a successful organization. 

Will we attempt to show in this article the notable differences between the two roles.

Goals:

A Business Analyst is an employee who analyzes the business processes in an organization and proposes solutions to any issues or problems for the betterment of the organization.

On the other hand, when it comes to Change Management, the major goal of the management team is to propose changes that would affect the whole organization according to the business environment and practices.

Change Management makes sure that the business does not become complacent and is always updated with the innovations in the market. Management is expected to think long term and to suggest and perform changes to the organization.

A Business Analyst’s goals are much broader and involves the day-to-day work of the business. Here the analyst would collate the day-to-day activities of the organization and implement solutions according to the need.

An organization could depend on a Business Analyst for its day-to-day operations and it can take the advice of Change Management for future course of action for the business.

Way of working:

There is also a great deal of difference in the way both the Business Analysts and Change Management operate.

A Business Analyst looks through the inefficiencies within the business operations and would be expected to provide solutions to solve the identified vulnerabilities within the operation. 

On the other hand, a Change Management team would look at the operations of the business and compare it with the prevailing market conditions. If the Change Management team discovers if there is any change required for the organization, then the team would propose it to the organization.

Skills Required:

Skills required also differ in both these job positions, within business analysis, the analyst needs to have an eye for detail and should have good investigation skills to determine problem areas or issues within the business.

Whereas, in a Change Management, the team member should have extensive knowledge of the market conditions. The team member should have the skills to think for the long term and should be able to assess and forecast the impact of the proposed changes to the organization.

Scope of the Job:

Both of these roles offer good scope for growth within an organization, but there are still some minor differences in terms of salary and growth market.

The average pay for an entry level Business Analyst in a reputed organization is $70,000 per year and the year-on-year growth percentage for the job stands at close to 10%.

Whereas, the average pay for an entry level Change Management team member is around $90,000 and the growth rate in this industry is around 5%.

We can see that the Change Management has an upper-hand in salary, but still there is a lot of room for growth within the Business Analyst position.

If you are interested in the Business Analyst role you should prepare for interview questions. Check out this bank of questions and see how you get on

Which Business Analyst Certification is Best?

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For any type of work, certification gives credibility for the professional and the same applies for becoming a Business Analyst. When hiring Business Analysts, in addition to experience, recognised certification is also required by a lot of major Multi-National Companies (MNCs).

So, it is important to know about the best Business Analyst certifications available. Before choosing a certification course, you must understand what the course provides for the betterment of your business skills.

This article will attempt to explain the best certification courses for a successful Business Analyst.

IIBA Certified Business Analysis Professional (CBAP):

CBAP is a certification provided for Business Analysts with extensive experience in this field. The certification is issued by IIBA (International institute of business analysts), which is a non-profit organization that serves the field of business analysis.

Certification Requirement:

  • 7500 hours of Business Analysis experience within the last 10 years.
  • In this 7500 hours, 3600 hours (900*4) of experience should be in 4 of the 6 BABOK Guide Knowledge Areas.
  • 35 hours of professional development in the last 4 years.
  • At least 2 references.
  • Agree to terms and code of conduct
  • A successful passing grade on the exam.

There is also an online option available to take this certification exam, so anyone from any part of the world can get this certification, if they can fulfill the above-mentioned requirements.

PMI Professional in Business Analysis (PMI-PBA):

PMI-PBA certification is suitable for Business Analysts with a medium level of professional experience. With this experience, they have the ability to jump start their career and can give further credibility to their skill sets.

Compared to CBAP, the requirements for this certification are considered easier to fulfill. The requirements for this certification are:

  • Secondary degree (high school diploma, associate’s degree)
  • 60 months of business analysis experience
  • 35 contact hours of education within business analysis

(Or)

  • Bachelor’s degree or the global equivalent
  • 36 months of business analysis experience
  • 35 contact hours of education in business analysis

A candidate has to earn at least 60 professional development units (PDUs) in the PMI-PBA exam to get the certification. The certification is recognised within places like Europe, UK, USA, India, China and also in other parts Asia.

Business Analyst Master’s Program by SimpliLearn:

SimpliLearn is one of the most popular online platforms and if you are looking for a certification with good online course materials, then this certification would be worth consideration. 

There are over 90+ hours of online videos and there are also real-life projects which can give a glimpse of the responsibility of  a Business Analysts position.

Unlike the other two certifications, a business analyst certification provided by SimpliLearn does not require any experience. Candidates with a bachelor’s degree in any discipline can attend this course.

The course is designed perfectly for beginners and it is easy to follow with a defined learning curve.

The course tries to cover almost all major parts of business analysis like analyzing data, SQL querying, understanding business transactions and many more.

Should you be looking to start your career into business analysis then you can consider the online masters program provided by the SimpliLearn. It can give both credibility and skills to become a professional Business Analyst.

Certifications are not all you need to become a business analyst. You also need the experience and good interview skills. Check out these Business Analyst Interview Question and Answers for help in securing a new role

Can a Business Analyst become a Scrum Master?

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Switching roles within the company has become quite common recently. IT industries are evolving every year, and they require even more manpower to handle the various aspects of software development. 

Scrum master position comes under agile software development, which focuses on setting a goal and developing a new software. 

Since agile software development is gaining in popularity, many Scrum Masters are required. Either people with knowledge about scrum are recruited or sometimes people with different responsibilities within the team take up the role as a Scrum Master. 

So, who is a Scrum Master? What do they do? And can anyone with the existing responsibilities within the company take up the role as a Scrum Master?

Whilst the title of the role may have the word “master” within it, this doesn’t mean that the Scrum Masters are automatically considered as Team Leaders. They typically don’t have a leadership role, rather it is usually referred to as a “servant leader” role. 

They act as an intermediate between Developers and Product Owners. The Scrum Masters are a facilitator, an adviser, and a guide to the team that works with him or her. 

The main objective of the Scrum Master is to keep up the Scrum Team’s effectiveness. Their responsibilities include:

  • Training or coaching the Scrum Team.
  • Conduct daily meetings with the team to review the progress.
  • Product backlog is controlled by the Product Owner. It records all the duties that the Scrum Team has to complete during a project. The Scrum Master acts as a facilitator and helps the Product Owner to modify the product backlog based on the updates provided. 
  • Helping  the team to be productive and removing obstacles that prevent work from being completed efficiently.
  • Teaching and providing their knowledge about scrum work to the team.

The role of the Business Analyst is to identify problems in the business, provide technical solutions, and implement solutions to facilitate the growth of the business. 

They must keep the team updated with their insights, provide improvements, and regularly communicate their strategy with the stakeholders and the relevant teams. Occasionally, the Scrum Masters have a Business Analyst in their team. 

Business analysts could hold the responsibility in agile software development as a product owner. If they are a product owner, they control everything about the product backlog. Such being the case, it would be too many responsibilities for a business analyst to also become a scrum master within the same team. 

Common skill sets that a Scrum Master and a Business Analyst share are communication, interpersonal and listening skills, and facilitation. 

Despite sharing a few common skill sets, the Business Analyst cannot be termed Scrum Masters for the following reasons: 

  • Scrum Master only focuses on improving the Scrum Team.
  • Business Analysts can be product owners, and deal with business and strategy, which is outside the scope of Scrum Team.

On the whole, their main domains of responsibilities differ. Also, when compared to the Project Manager role, the Business Analyst has less in common with the Scrum Master role. It would not be difficult for a Business Analyst to become a Scrum Master but it would require further training and certification should a candidate wish to progress their career to a Scrum Master. 

Are Business Analysts in High Demand?

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The main role of a Business Analyst is to identify problems within the business, provide achievable solutions based on the data, and contribute to the growth of the company. 

Business Analysts play a crucial role in business development. This role is considered to be a new or modern career in more recent times however, the presence of Business Analysts in a company has quickly become indispensable. In this article, we will endeavour to understand about the role of Business Analysts and why they are considered an asset by companies all around the world. 

Why do companies need Business Analysts?

Problems and risks become part and parcel of every business and it is inevitable that issues will arise. But if companies keep focusing on solving problems, they may not have enough time to focus on other important issues.

A successful and forward thinking business would require a worker with an analytical mindset to help them make better decisions, and to assist in driving revenue and profits to the company. This is why the majority of companies are earnestly seeking employees with business analyst expertise. 

There are different roles within the company that a Business Analyst can slip into, some of which are: Operations Research Analyst, Financial Analyst, Management Analyst, and Market Research Analyst.

Business Analysts have to use research methodologies to gather information about problems that restrict the company from achieving their targets. Once the issues have been identified, the next step is to communicate the problems with the concerned team and share their insights. 

They would be required to complete a critical analysis of the information gathered so far and arrive at a solution that is confirmed by the available data. By presenting their strategies to the company, they can pave the way for improvements, adjustments, and ensure smooth flow of the business. 

This is also a growing field, with an increase in job vacancies year on year. With new types of industries popping up, we can expect a greater demand for Business Analysts in the near future.

To name a few, the demand for Business Analysts is constantly increasing in business like Information Technology, Finance and Insurance, the Public Sector, the Health Care sector, and within Business Consultancies. 

The U.S Bureau of Labor Statistics have advised that there would be a rapid increase in demand for all Business Analysts roles. Please note that the U.S Bureau of Labor Statistics use ‘Business Analysts’ an umbrella term to refer to other analysts’ roles previously mentioned. 

In particular, the demand for the Technical and Information Security Analysts role will see a 31% increase by 2029. This sudden rise in demand for Business Analyst may be due to the COVID 19 pandemic period. COVID 19 and subsequent lockdowns have had a huge and mostly negative impact on many businesses and industries. Many businesses are struggling to navigate their way in this ‘new normal’ and this may explain why Business Analysts became essential for even small-scale companies. 

While the demand is on the rise, there is a question if there is enough labour force with relevant analytical skills. IBM has advised that people with the relevant skills serving in different roles would have to switch their career to meet the growing annual demand for a Business Analyst role.