One of the first steps in preparing for a business analyst interview is understanding the types of interviews and what your interviewer is seeking from each.  With this knowledge, you can come prepared with the right type of focused answers and be confident in your delivery.

The initial interview will often be a phone screen with the recruiter.  These interviews are often short (30 minutes or less) and are focused on your experience and work history.  The goal of the recruiter is to determine if you have the prerequisite skills, knowledge, and experience required for the position.

To prepare for this interview, review the job posting and qualifications for the position and think about how your experience demonstrates the necessary qualifications and duties.  Be aware that recruiters often may not use the same industry terms you’re used to, so using the language from the posting or explaining how your experience is relevant will be key.

Behavioral Interviews

Provided that you make it past the initial phone screen, you will likely interview with someone in the organization who understands business analysis and the specific role more deeply.  Questions in this interview usually focus on your experience, culture fit, and behavioral interview questions.

Behavioral interview questions and the “Tell me about a time when . . .” questions where the interviewer is looking for a real situation in your past and what you did in that situation.

To answer behavioral questions, use the Situation, Action, Result approach.  Tell the interviewer about the situation that matches their question, explain what action you took because of that situation, and what the result was.  Keep your response to five minutes or less and be prepared for follow-up questions.

Examples of behavioral interview questions include:

To prepare for this interview, review the posting and come up with three or four situations that will likely relate to common questions.

Listen to the full episode to understand how to prepare for different types of interviews and how to really impress your interviewer.  You’ll also find out what not to do during your interview.

http://traffic.libsyn.com/masteringbusinessanalysis/MBA131.mp3

Prepare for your interview by not only thinking about what you’ll say, but also practicing what you’ll say out loud.  You can also role play with a friend or record yourself prior to the interview and adjust what you’ll say in the real interview.

Bridging The Gap

Laura Brandenburg is an internationally-recognized leader known for helping mid-career professionals start business analysis careers. Laura brings more than a decade of experience as a full-time business analyst to help you find transferable BA skills, expand your experience, and start your business analyst career with confidence. Laura is also the author of How to Start a Business Analyst Career.

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The post MBA131: Interviewing for a Business Analyst Position appeared first on Mastering Business Analysis.