Jumat, 19 April 2013

Is a Degree Necessary to be a Business Analyst

The lack of proper education can be a major drawback for someone breaking into the business world. Many people study business management and other business related courses. There are many diplomas issued each year to hopeful business prospects. When it comes to being a business analyst all the rules change. Although a degree can be helpful, it is not necessary. Experience is the key to success when it comes to a business analyst.

Many great business analysts did not even go to college. If they did it was not in the field of business but technology. A business analyst can earn a degree. There are certification classes one can take to hold the title of certified business analyst. Most have learned from experience not from books.

A good business analyst is one who has prior experience in the business world with trouble shooting. They will be able to assess a business proposal or project and determine needs from data gathered. A book or white paper may not tell a business analyst what needs assessments to to prepare. Only experience can do that in certain businesses.

To better understand what degree a business analyst must have consider it only takes 8 weeks to become a certified business analyst. 2 months of study can explain what the job description is and how to implement it. When you put it in those terms, it may be a little unnerving to some. Those 8 weeks are crammed with information straight from a text book. The real world is slightly different.

A good business analyst is going to understand the concept of code. He or she is going to know there is something amiss when they start researching the problems reported by management. There may be simple solutions which only require added code to justify the means. Other projects many require extensive analysis to determine where the problem lies and how to correct it. Someone with business savvy can figure it out. The problem lies in implementing the plan of action.

The reputable business analyst will be able to speak with management and other stakeholders to hear what problems and solutions have been ascertained. These issues may or may not be the root source of the conflict. The business analyst can determine this. He or she can weed through what management thinks is necessary information to glean the truth. He or she will be able to drop in on IT and see what their take on the problem is. The business analyst will also speak to other low end users who know more about the application of the program. This is where other departments fail in providing what works and what does not compute with real life scenarios.

Does someone need a degree or license to understand the issues of business? No. Does it help to have an understanding? Yes. It certainly looks good on a resume to list degrees and certifications. Past experience and a portfolio of solved issues will go farther than any framed paper.

Customer Relations and the Business Analyst

In today’s market the customer should always come first. This has been the bread and butter of many industries throughout the ages. A satisfied customer is one who will keep coming back. The customer is the one who helps the bottom line. This is true in the field of business analysis. It is the customer’s needs which the business analyst is fulfilling. The business analyst should help to strengthen customer relations. Time put into this is time well spent. Finding the customer to be unhappy is never a good thing. Ask any good business manager what their number one priority is and they will answer customer relations. Sometimes it does not always show.

Many of today’s corporations utilize a big part of their budget on improvements in operations. The target is the bottom line. What they fail to realize is this can and will drive customers away. Targeting the needs of the customer is first and foremost in any business. The same holds true with business analysts.

When going in to trouble shoot a system, the business analyst becomes a production manager. If he or she does not put the needs of the customer first, the project will undoubtedly fail. Listening to the customer to determine what is needed and desired is the start of a good relationship. When the business analyst fails to listen the entire project could not only start on the wrong foot but end in disaster as well.

The business analyst must encourage feedback. He or she must understand just what the customer is wanting, even if they do not know themselves. The customer may know what he or she wants the project to accomplish. They may know how they want something to run. The customer just may not know how to say it. He or she may collect data imperative to the project program. It is the business analyst’s job to determine if the data is even relevant. He or she is the liaison in this relationship. He or she must have good customer relations skills. The business analyst must speak the customer’s language.

Putting the customer relationship first can be a daunting task at times. The bottom line is critical to success on any project. There are times the business analyst will be caught up in keeping cost down and compromise the relationship he or she has with the customer. The customer will be much happier if you go a little over budget and keep him or her happier in other areas of the project.

Sometimes it is easier to prepare reports and allocate spending to IT to accomplish a task than it is to spend time or money developing a plan for customer satisfaction. The price any company could pay for this is a high one. The business analyst is no different. Customer satisfaction means keeping them informed of progress. Speak in a language they understand. Consult with them when a roadblock is met or when a progress point is passed. Either way, keeping a constant rapport with the customer ensures a satisfied client. This can lead to repeat business. This helps the business to grow.

Being Flexible as a Business Analyst

Sometimes the business analyst can be so caught up in a project he or she forgets tried and true methods do not always work. The analysis team is trying to get done what the customer has scoped out and sets up a plan of action. The plan of action requires certain fundamentals. There are times when these rudimentary ideas just do not work for the client. The client can not understand why these steps may be so important. This is when the business analyst needs to step back and ask the same questions as the client. It is all in communication.

The professional business analyst must understand success of the project is not only about requirements documentations it is about how those requirements are handled. The business analyst is the acting liaison between the client and IT. The documentation may be required for the IT team to do their job. Certain explanations may be necessary for everyone to understand what is needed. Yet the client may not understand the documentation or have no need for it to begin with. Communication skills are what is required.

The business analyst may get further and move faster with just a simple meeting to explain the methods and procedures being used. The client can ask questions and the business analyst can explain. The case studies and other documentation would not in any way assure the client of progress. There are those who need to hear it because to them it may look good on paper, but how is it supposed to work? A good business analyst can explain the intricacies of what is taking place. The client can sign off. The work can continue. The goal is being met.

This is where the business analyst must be flexible. Just because he or she has done this a thousand times with other clients does not mean this client is like the other thousand. The job of the business analyst is to determine what the client wants. Paperwork may be a burden to the client. The business analyst should comprehend how information is delivered. He or she must be flexible enough to deliver what the customer is requesting. The business analyst must ensure the client is comfortable with how information is delivered. Not the other way around.

There will be times the business analyst must learn to be flexible when it comes to dealing with information. Not everyone can do the job of a business analyst. This is why he or she was hired in the first place. However, there may be no documentation for certain things the analyst is normally made privy to. The business analyst must be flexible in knowing how to work around this barrier. He or she must know how to gather the information needed to perform the task. Flexibility comes in handy at this point. The business analyst may have to do what he or she can at present and wait for statistics to be gathered. Instead of getting a concise written report from the team, the analyst may have to interview each member to gather what he or she needs.

The key is to work within the boundaries of the client. Do what the client feels comfortable with. The business analyst may not be as comfortable. Being flexible in any situation will do away with this unease. The task at hand can be accomplished.

Kamis, 18 April 2013

Requirements for law school-Get it Right

As in other courses, there is a different set of requirements for law school and each also has different admission requirements. The competition to get in is fierce. There are more candidates than there are seats. To be accepted into law school, he would do well in your courses, standardized tests and personal statement.

Your Law School Admissions Test score or Last is critical. Be sure to take your last in your junior year to make sure you have time to resume testing. Consider as many practice tests as possible. 180 is the highest and a score of 120 is the lowest you can get. Many buyers tend to LSAT score in the middle that puts them in a score between 145 and 160. Of course, the better you do on LSATs more chances you have to get into a really great school. There are many schools that will only take students who sign a certain score or higher on their LSATs.

Law schools seek specific courses on your transcript as political science, philosophy, sociology and history. However, it is equally important to have a well rounded individual. Schools like this also seek candidates with quantitative courses such as economics, business, mathematics and finance. Once you’re done with the school, will deal with the world of daily work and you will need to understand.

Carefully consider the courses you take at the undergraduate level. While your LSAT score is critical, a commendable GPA and course load are important. An admission is more likely to look favorably on a candidate who has double degree in biology and philosophy with a GPA of 3.25 for someone who graduated in political science with GPA.

The Admissions Committee will know who you are through the personal statement. Tell them about your significant achievements and what distinguishes the other applicants. So you better make sure it counts very much his personal statement is true of the Admissions Committee’s first impression of you. It’s better to choose reviewers are really tough critique your essay when you are done writing.

Many schools have started to review applications in November. Know your needs and get your application in early.

Law school essay-this is your Personal Statement

An essay of law school is a personal statement about you. All requirements and documents that will be submitted with your law school application, this is what you have more control over.

This is where you can have a direct influence on what the admission Committee will think of you and why you should be chosen over all other candidates. This is not a rewrite of your resume or summary of your transcript. This is your opportunity to demonstrate to them because it would be a great lawyer.

Present the facts about yourself and give reason overwhelmed on why you should be at their educational institution. Demonstrate that can contribute to your class and those around you.

One of the best ways to get your point across is knowing your target. It is a group of people who are reviewing many applications every day. Explain in detail why you want to become a lawyer and life experiences that can contribute to your success in this field of study.

You should also have some real life qualifications with the law. This does not include being arrested, but possibly working with a free law clinic or help lawyers in some other way. Explain your experiences, but get to the point. Remember, these comments do nothing but read applications all day. Do what you can to set yourself pieces without boring them.

If you have a disability or of a persecuted minority, exploit for everything it’s worth. Separate yourself from the masses and stay focused, then the essay will be a compelling read.

The law school has the best chance to shine. Make the most of it.

Selasa, 16 April 2013

A Primer of Corporate Finance

Corporate finance can be complicated. They are financial instruments to increase the company’s business value and reduce possible risks associated with the company, such as credit, liquidity and operational risks. Credit risk refers to the risk of a borrower not paying back debt. Liquidity is the ability to modify an asset into cash. The faster the well can be converted to cash, more liquid. Liquidity risk is the risk that a particular asset cannot be converted into cash fast enough to bring a profit or avoid a loss. Operational risk addresses the risk inherent in the operations of a company. This is a bit wider than other types of risks. Operational risk includes fraud and other illegal practices.

When a company makes a profit, distribute dividends to their shareholders. Shareholders are investors in the company. Dividends are simply part of the company’s profit that is paid to the shareholders of that company’s shares. Dividends can take a variety of forms, including cash payments, stock dividends (further action) or property dividends. Property dividends can be activities such as titles, as well as products and services. In the past, they have also involved the Earth’s surface. Sometimes a company to reinvest dividends. This is what is part of net profit of the company.

Occasionally, an individual or a company wants to buy another company. There are several ways to accomplish this. One way is an acquisition. The acquisition, also known as acquisition or buyout, involves the buyer of the company buying the target company. MBO (Management buy-out) and MBI (Management Buy-In) are two types of this. MBOs occur when existing management company acquires a large part, or all, of the company. Contrast with this MBI, which happens when no individual or group of people from outside the company took over the company and gives themselves as the new management of the company.

Another form of acquisition is known as the consolidation or merger. The merger occurs when two similar sized companies join together to form a completely new company. A friendly merger is one in which both companies are negotiating the terms of the merger. On the contrary, a hostile merger is one in which a company does not want to join another, or the Council of the society does not know before the merger bid.

Financial markets-an overview

FINANCIAL MARKETS-AN OVERVIEW:

In common parlance, a market is a place where trading takes place. Whenever we think of the markets, an image that flashes through our minds is a place which is very busy, with buyers and sellers, some sellers, shouting at the top of their voices, trying to persuade customers to buy their products. A place teeming with vitality and energy.

In the early stages of civilization, people were self-sufficient. They grew everything they needed. The food was the main product, which could be easily grown in the yard, and for non-vegetarians, jungles were open without restrictions on hunting. However, with the development of civilization, the demands of every being has grown; they needed clothes, objects, tools, weapons and many other things which could not be easily made or produced by a person or family. Therefore, the need for a cliché has been heard, which could collect people who had a good offer and people who needed that product, meet their mutual needs.

Over time, the way the markets have worked changed and developed. Markets became increasingly sophisticated and specialised in their transaction to save time and space. Different types of markets are that specialize in a particular type of product or transaction. In today’s world, there are markets that meet the needs of manufacturers, vendors, consumers, children, women, men, students and what not. For discussion of the topic at hand, the different types of markets that exist nowadays can be classified as goods markets, markets and service markets. This article tries to give an overview of the financial markets.

WHAT IS A FINANCIAL MARKET?

According to encyclopedia II, «Financial Markets» means:

“1. the organizations that facilitate the trade in financial products. i.e. stock exchanges facilitate trade in stocks, bonds and warrants.
2. the coming together of sellers and buyers to trade financial products namely stocks and shares are exchanged between buyers and sellers in a variety of ways including: the use of bags; directly between buyers and sellers, etc. ”

Financial markets, as the name suggests, is a market where securities are traded. The instruments that are traded in these markets vary in nature. They are actually tailored to meet the needs of different people. Macro-level, people with excess money offer them money for people in need of investments in various types of projects.

To simplify the discussion, let’s take an example. Mr.x has 10 rupees lacs as his savings that lie down with him. He wants to invest this money so that over a period of time he can multiply this amount. Mr. Y is the promoter of ABC Ltd. Has a business model, but does not have sufficient financial means to start a company. So in this scenario, Mr. Y can use the money that lies idle with people like Mr. X and start a company. However, Mr. X can be a person in Kolkata and Mr. Y may be in Mumbai. So the problem in the current scenario is that as Mr. Y learns that some Mr.x has the money he is willing to invest in a company that is similar to what Mr. Y wants to start?

The above problem can be solved by providing a common place where people with liquidity can mobilise their savings to those who need to invest. This is precisely the function of financial markets. They, through various tools, solve only one problem, the problem of mobilizing the savings from people who are willing to invest, who can invest in reality. So from the above discussion, we can apply as financial markets are no different in spirit from any other market.

The next issue that must deal with is the distinction between the different financial instruments that are launched on the market? The answer to this question is the nature or the needs of investors. Investors are of various types and therefore have different needs. Various factors that motivate investors owned controlling interest in a company, security, trade, economy, etc. Some investors might want to invest time and earn an interest on their investment; others can make a short-term investment. There are investors who want a different kind of investment so that their investment is safe in the event of an investment. Therefore, the needs of investors who have brought many financial instruments on the market.