Business Analyst LinkedIn Guide & Tips

This article will provide some tips for Business Analysts to use when creating a professional LinkedIn profile. It will also offer some sample LinkedIn profiles for aspiring Business Analysts to use as models for creating their own.

How to Make a Business Analyst LinkedIn Profile

Although there is no one “right” way to make a LinkedIn profile in business analytics, there are some common elements that are included in those that gain the most online attention. For those who are interested in creating an engaging, attention-grabbing Business Analyst LinkedIn profile, the following components can help gain the attention of a recruiter:

A professional photo

The first thing recruiters will see when they research a prospective employee on LinkedIn is their profile. That’s why it’s imperative that the picture used on LinkedIn presents the Business Analysts as competent and confident. Because LinkedIn is a business network, it’s essential for Business Analysts to present themself in the same manner they would at a professional event, such as a meeting, conference, or networking function. While it may be tempting to include a picture with a family pet, with children, a wedding photo, or a selfie, a professional headshot is a much better option. If the Business Analyst doesn’t want to have a professional picture taken, at the least, they should select an image in which they are alone in the photograph and where they are smiling and wearing business-appropriate clothing. 

A strong headline

LinkedIn’s default setting is to include the user’s most current position alongside their professional photo. However, the 120 characters allotted to this purpose can be customized to more effectively highlight the Business Applicant’s specific expertise. 

Some Business Analysts, especially those whose job requires them to perform many different functions, opt to use keywords in their headlines, which are more likely to be flagged by recruiters. Some elect to use one pointed, clear sentence that showcases what they do and how they serve their organization. By briefly touching on what they specialize in at their current organization, the headline can be used to tell a more detailed story of sorts that signals to recruiters that the individual has expertise in a business-related niche.

An effective summary

The summary on LinkedIn is the Business Analyst’s opportunity to tell their professional story in 2,000 characters or less. While summaries vary depending on the Business Analyst’s current employer and specific job title, effective summaries often include the following elements:

• A brief introduction of who the applicant is
• A discussion of what the Business Analyst does in their current position
• A summary of any stakeholders who are helped by this employer
• A mention of any professional accomplishments the Business Analysts is especially proud of or ones that have made a difference for their organization.
• A call to action that specifies how the Business Analyst can be reached for further correspondence.

Strong summaries begin with powerful first sentences that invite readers in and leave them wanting to read on to learn more about the Business Analyst. It should illustrate what makes this Business Analyst unique and also indicate where their career is headed. Summaries are generally written in the first person, which is more likely to connect with a reader than the third person. When writing a summary, it’s important to avoid wordiness and thoroughly proofread the content before it is posted.

References and endorsements

References and endorsements on LinkedIn can take the form of colleagues, managers, and others who have worked with, or currently work with, the Business Analysts. Reconnecting on this platform with those who can provide professional references is a good way for Business Analysts to indicate to recruiters that they are a professional with a record of performing good work and that others will vouch for this. When a Business Analyst receives endorsements from those who are respected in the business world, it can also indicate that they have acquired valuable skills and training that were an asset to their workplace.

Professional work samples

In some ways, LinkedIn profiles can function as professional portfolios. The “Project” section on a Business Analyst’s LinkedIn profile provides them with an opportunity to highlight any relevant professional work that they are proud of, or that helped their organization achieve specific goals. When deciding what to include in this section, some Business Analysts opt for videos, media, or presentations that illustrate their professional projects, volunteer experience, or publications.

5 Business Analyst LinkedIn Tips

The following five tips can be used to help Business Analysts create strong LinkedIn Portfolios:

Make sure to use the correct job title

Business Analysts are known by different names depending on the organization where they work. Some professional titles are less common than others. In instances when a Business Analyst’s current title isn’t a commonly used title in the field, they should consider adding the more well-known title to the lesser-known title so that their portfolio won’t be overlooked.

It’s important to include all technological skills

Recruiters sometimes perform Boolean searches when looking for Business Analysts. These searches typically involve technology-related keywords. Including the various forms of technology a Business Analyst has used makes their profile more likely to appear in Boolean searches.

Be specific when listing skills

Even though a Business Analyst’s most relevant skills are listed in their headline and summary, it’s a good idea to also include them in the “Skills and Endorsements” section. When listing skills, it’s important to keep in mind that recruiters may be performing searches that use a very narrow definition of a particular skill. This is why it’s essential to offer specific names for programming languages, software, or applications. 

Proofread

Typos in a LinkedIn portfolio not only distracts readers but also may indicate to a recruiter that the Business Analyst hasn’t taken the necessary time to proofread the page. Because business analytics requires attention to detail, having a clear, grammatically clean LinkedIn profile is a great way to demonstrate this careful eye. Because it can be difficult to spot errors in one’s own writing, it’s always prudent to ask others to proofread content before posting it online.

Don’t forget to include domain-specific experience

Because Business Analysts work in so many industries and perform various roles depending on their industry focus, it’s common for them to be contacted by recruiters on LinkedIn based on their specific domain focus. This is why it’s imperative for those interested in pursuing a career in business analytics to clearly list any domain-specific experience they’ve acquired. 

Get Started Learning Business Analytics by Enrolling in Hands-on Classes

Business analytics is currently an in-demand profession around the U.S. For those who are interested in breaking into this field, courses are currently available for students looking to brush up on their business and analytic skills. Noble Desktop’s Business Analyst Certificate is a great learning option for any aspiring Business Analyst. Relevant tools and skills such as data analysis, Excel, Tableau, and SQL are covered in this program. Those enrolled in this intensive course can elect to study online or in person in Manhattan. This class comes with the option of a free retake for learners who wish to revisit course material. 

Noble also offers a Data Analytics Certificate that covers core skills for aspiring Business Analysts or Data Analysts, such as statistical analysis, data visualization, and business intelligence. 

In addition, a great resource for finding business analytics classes close to home is Noble Desktop’s Classes Near Me tool. It can be used to search more than 250 live online and in-person business analytics courses currently available in topics such as SQL, PowerPoint, and Excel for Business, among others.