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More info
- You'll look at a company's IT infrastructure and work out where to make improvements
- You'll need to have a creative approach to problem-solving and excellent communication skills
- You could be promoted to senior analyst, or into project management or strategic business planning
As a systems analyst your work could range from integrating telephone and computer networks in a call centre to restructuring a bank's customer account database to make it more secure.
DAY-TO-DAY DUTIES
- Working out the business needs of your employer or client
- Drawing up plans to improve or replace an IT system
- Working out the costs and time needed to make your plans work
- Working closely with programmers and software developers to build systems
- Overseeing testing to find problems before the final version of a system goes live
- Training staff and writing instruction manuals for new or upgraded systems
An important part of your job will be to make sure that your designs are future proof, i.e. flexible enough to adapt as the organisation or business grows. You'll use various computer assisted software engineering (CASE) tools and programming methods.
DAY-TO-DAY ENVIRONMENT
You may have to work overtime, including weekends, in order to meet deadlines or solve critical technical problems. You'll be office-based, working either at your employer's premises or at your client's site. Overnight stays away may sometimes be necessary.
You'll need
This role would be ideal for someone with a creative approach to problem-solving, excellent communication and presentation skills, project management skills, budgeting skills.
You'll usually need industry experience and an HND or degree.
Relevant subjects include computer science, information management systems, business information systems, and maths and operational research. Some universities offer an Information Technology Management for Business degree in partnership with TP Degrees.
If you have a non-IT degree, you could complete a postgraduate conversion course which focuses on business skills as well as technical ability.
You could also do an information systems business analyst higher apprenticeship, or a digital and technology solutions degree apprenticeship.
You may be able to take a job in IT or business and build up your experience and qualifications while working. You could do this through online training or by attending short, intensive courses with IT training organisations. You'll need highly developed computer and business skills.
You may find it helpful to get certification of your skills and expertise once you're working.
CAREER PROSPECTS
With experience, you could be promoted to senior analyst, or into project management or strategic business planning. Eventually, you could become a specialist analyst in a particular field like finance or retail. You could set up your own business and work on a contract or consultancy basis.