Getting a
job is only the first step, being well prepared to build a successful career is
something else.
Here are
the five main areas a Business Intelligence specialist needs to be proficient
in.
All of them
are important, but none are deal breakers.
Even if you only have one or two of the items on this list, the rest can
be learnt.
1. Relational Databases
Understanding
how relational databases work is one of the most important things in Business
Intelligence. Working blindly to the
table schema provided by the database developer will drastically limit what you
can do.
2. SQL
SQL,
Structured Query Language is the programming language used exclusively for
extracting information from databases.
SQL does
not change much between different databases, so learning one version is enough
to apply to all databases.
It is
possible to have a successful Business Intelligence career and never be able to
write a line of SQL, but it can certainly make it easier when trying to
solve more complex problems.
3. Basic Programming Skills
Most
reporting software has an underlying scripting language similar to how Excel
has macros. All these languages have
their own quirks and take some effort to learn, especially as many do not have
many resources to refer to.
But once
learned, it is usual for reporting programmes to only ever be a few lines long
and not the hundreds that application software needs to function.
4. Reporting Software
Just like
the programming languages, it does not really matter which reporting software
you learn, it is more about understanding the theory.
That said,
it makes sense to learn the most popular and that, by far and away, is Crystal
Reports.
It is my
software of choice, but more importantly, it is used by virtually everyone
everywhere and has huge support in the form of both documentation and user
base.
5. Analysis Skills
This is the
trickiest of the five to define as Business Intelligence analysis is different
to what is usually considered to be analysis in the IT industry.
The other
problem is that no materials exist to learn this specific skill set. It is one of the problems of Business
Intelligence for the beginner: it is such a new discipline that the books and
courses have not been written yet!
Summary
None of the
above are essential prerequisites to starting a Business Intelligence career,
but the more you know, the easier it will be.
Every
single one of these skills can be learnt in a reasonable time frame, and I
would advise learning them all to a comfortable level before going after any
Business Intelligence position.
With the
exception of number four, most of these subjects are covered as part of any
computer/IT relate degree, and if you have had the advantage of this level of
training it is usually enough to get you a solid start as a Business
Intelligence analyst.
About
the Author
Jason Dove
is the
author of 'Crystal Reports Formulas Explained' and a Business Intelligence expert who has
worked as a consultant for over a decade providing top notch assistance for the
world's leading companies.
Jason is also
the mastermind behind the revolutionary Scry Career Primer, the only product on
the market dedicated to launching your IT career, covering everything from
gaining industry experience and writing a killer résumé to exploiting the most
popular IT sectors. Subscribe to his FREE Career newsletter here: http://www.scry-business-intelligence.com/ScryCareerGuide.php.