Business Analyst

Tina P. "Business Analyst is a relatively new career path, and the scope of the job varies widely across different industries. As a Business Analyst in the technology sector, I help our tech team (developers and test analysts) build the right product. I'm essentially the 'middle man' between the tech team and the rest of the business. I often consult our product manager, sales team, and other business stakeholders to gather requirements, and then share them with the tech team. If any technical issues come up, I translate that to the business stakeholders in a way that they can easily understand."

Education

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Required License(s) None

Required Degree(s) None, but it would significantly help if you had a university degree (e.g., Bachelor of Arts) related to IT, business, or finance.

Importance of GPA somewhat important

Tina's Highest Degree: Bachelor's Degree (Bachelor of Arts)
Tina's College Major: Psychology and Criminology.
Tina's College GPA: We don't have GPA in New Zealand.

Salary

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NZD $50,000 - $100,000+ (about $36,000 - $73,000+).
Salary varies depending on your experience and which sector you're working in.

Getting the Job

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How did you get your job?

After graduating from university, I started my career as a Data Analyst. I didn't realize that a job like Business Analyst actually existed until I started full-time working and was researching for career development options. In my second job as a data/reporting analyst, I asked my manager for more work experience related to business analysis and was fortunate that he was supportive of this. I also started getting mentored by a Senior Business Analyst in our company. All that experience helped me land my first official role as a Business Analyst.

How important was networking to landing your position?

I didn't need any external network to land my first Business Analyst job. But I definitely couldn't have received the work experience I needed without my manager and mentor's support. If you're interested in working as a Business Analyst, I highly recommend that you approach your manager to ask for more work experience related to business analysis. Business Analyst skills are transferable, and you could gain experiences in so many different ways. If this isn't possible, then at least seek out an experienced Business Analyst, either within your company or outside, and ask them if they could mentor you. Many Business Analysts would be more than happy to help!

Life on the Job

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What is a typical day (or week) for you like?

The beauty of working as Business Analyst is that your work varies a lot so you'll hardly ever be bored! A typical day for me is to start the day with a 'stand-up' meeting where each person from the tech team quickly shares what they've achieved yesterday, what they plan to work on today, and any impediment that's blocking their work. After then, my tasks vary. I might: Follow up with my product manager to clarify some requirements, Hassle our web designer for design mock-ups we need for upcoming work, Brainstorm with the tech team for solutions, Help the UX team to test our latest designs with external users, Tidy up business documentations, Facilitate a workshop to kick-off a new project, and the list goes on!

How closely does your typical day (or week) match up to the general "job description" for your position?

It's relatively close. You'll find that most Business Analyst job descriptions ask for you to elicit, analyze, and document requirements. And this is exactly what you do. But, HOW you do that can differ greatly between industries and companies.

Does being a woman affect any aspect of your career?

Aside from the usual gender inequality that happens everywhere else, being a woman hasn't affected me much as a Business Analyst. There's usually a good mixture of women and men among the Business Analysts, and I've always found great support from all my Business Analyst peers. The only thing I'd note is that as a Business Analyst, I'm often in meetings full of men and no other women. This could be because of the industries I've been in (i.e., technology, banking, energy), and the fact that I'm often in meetings with the management team that's usually dominated by males. In situations like that, I'm assertive and try to contribute as much as I can. I often forget about the gender ratio when I'm just being myself and my coworkers react to my personality and not my gender.

What is the best thing about your job?

Being able to connect and establish relationships with lots of different people across the business. And not having to do the same type of work every day.

What is the worst thing about your job?

My workload as a Business Analyst is usually not consistent. It's dependent on how many projects I'm involved in, and which stage the projects are at. Some days I have a million different tasks to do and close to having a meltdown. Other days I'm going insane with boredom and begging my manager for more work.

How demanding is your job?

The job can be mentally draining when I'm receiving conflicting requirements from different people; I try to manage relationships to keep everyone happy but nail down the final decision without wasting too much time. Fortunately, these don't happen too often!

Do you have any advancement opportunities?

Yes, since being a Business Analyst gives you so many transferable skills, there are so many career opportunities from here. But that's a problem in itself; there are too many options and many Business Analysts are not sure what they should move onto. The most common progression I've seen in Business Analysts I know are to either: Stay as a Business Analyst, and lead and mentor other Business Analysts, Become a project/product/delivery manager, or Become a Scrum Master or Agile coach. Those are only some examples of what a Business Analyst could move onto. For me, I flipped between wanting to move into project manager or business consultant roles. But now, I'm looking into product manager roles. I'd like to get involved in more strategic work. Outside of work, I love to blog and am planning to start my own business in web content consultancy soon.

Advice for You

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What are the skills, characteristics, or talents that are most important to be effective in your position?

The most important thing you need as a successful Business Analyst is good communication skills. Once, I heard in a Business Analysts seminar that 80% of failed projects are due to misunderstood or missed requirements. Without good communication skills, it's impossible to nail down requirements effectively.

What advice would you give to someone thinking about pursuing a career like yours?

Try to gain any work experience in: Interviewing stakeholders (i.e., anyone who cares about or will use the final product/solution) and eliciting requirements from them; Documenting and managing the requirements; Using the documents to either build the product/solution yourself, or share it with someone else who will build it (preferable); and Facilitating meetings and workshops. All of the above tasks will provide you with work experience for your future Business Analyst job. It'll also serve as a taster to see whether you'd even want to get into a Business Analyst career.

If you could do it over again, would you still pursue the same career?

Yes, definitely! I love my job as a Business Analyst, and I wouldn't change anything.

Follow Up

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Want to learn more? Check out Tina's site here. Want to read later? Pin me -->

Middle School Counselor

Kylie L. "A middle school counselor is someone who has completely lost their mind and chosen to spend their days in the company of 1000 teenagers. (Just kidding.) But in all honesty, I do a little of everything. My previous co-counselor and I used to joke that people thought all we did was make macaroni necklaces with sad kids,but it's so much more."

Education

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Required License(s) For my position, I need an Educators Certificate in Guidance and Counseling K-12. I am also a Registered Mental Health Intern, working my way towards taking the state board exam.

Required Degree(s) Master's degree (generally in school counseling), but some states allow other counseling related majors if your internship fits the right requirements.

Importance of GPA not very important

What do you need to do to maintain your license(s)?

The school district requires professional development often. Once I am a Licensed Mental Health Counselor, I will have to participate in continuing education as well to maintain my license.

Kylie's Highest Degree: Bachelor's degree (Bachelor of Arts) and Master's degree
Kylie's College Major: Bachelor's in Psychology and Criminal Justice; Master's in Mental Health Counseling
Kylie's College GPA Range: 3.6 for Bachelor's; 4.0 for Master's

Salary

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Counselor salaries vary in every state.
(But I will tell you that we do not get paid enough.)

Getting the Job

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How did you get your job?

I have a mental health background, as well as experience providing therapy and other services in schools.

How important was networking to landing your position?

Not at all. I randomly applied from out of state.

Life on the Job

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What is a typical day (or week) for you like?

There are no typical days in a middle school counselor's life.

How closely does your typical day (or week) match up to the general "job description" for your position?

... And even if I did have a typical day or week, it wouldn't match up to any job description.

Does being a woman affect any aspect of your career?

Actually, no. I'm pretty fortunate in that my administration supports me above and beyond.

What is the best thing about your job?

Getting to hang out with kids all day. It's never dull. Every single day something happens that makes me laugh. I work with some amazing people. My kids need me.

What is the worst thing about your job?

Sometimes it's heavy (if that makes sense). I see and hear a lot.

How demanding is your job?

Very. I work over my contracted hours often. I definitely earn my summer vacation for all of the hours I put in and don't get paid for. Physical toughness isn't necessarily required, but mentally, you better be a ninja.

Do you have any advancement opportunities?

Once I become a Licensed Mental Health Counselor, there will be a lot of opportunities to grow. Not so much as a middle school counselor, but I truly love my position regardless.

Advice for You

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What are the skills, characteristics, or talents that are most important to be effective in your position?

Being able to connect with kids, truly hearing them, taking the time to build relationships, compassion, and patience.

What advice would you give to someone thinking about pursuing a career like yours?

It is one of the most worthwhile careers there is.

If you could do it over again, would you still pursue the same career?

I do love being a counselor, but my bank account would want me to pursue another career.

Follow Up

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Want to learn more? Check out Kylie's site here. Want to read later? Pin me -->

Licensed Massage Therapist (LMT) & Skin Care Specialist

Michelle S. "Through different techniques, my goal is to balance your body while simultaneously calming your mind."

Education

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Required License(s) In order to be a massage therapist or skin care specialist (esthetician), required schooling and licensing test must be completed before obtaining your license. Requirements vary by state.

Required Degree(s) Usually to apply for a massage or esthetics school, a high school diploma is the only education required.

Importance of GPA somewhat important

What do you need to do to maintain your license(s)?

Both massage and skin care require continuing education in order to renew your license every 2 years. Requirements vary by state.

Michelle's Highest Degree: Bachelor's degree (Bachelor of Arts)
Michelle's College Major: Psychology
Michelle's College GPA: 3.6-3.9

Salary

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Salary range varies greatly, especially depending on if you are an independent therapist or an employee.

An individual therapist may may approximately $20,000 per year, increasing steadily as your practice builds. How much money you make depends on how much you want to work. When employed, pay usually varies, but 60% commission on services is about average. 

Getting the Job

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How did you get your job?

As a massage therapist and skin care specialist, I have always been a sole-propietor, which means that I own my own small business.

How important was networking to landing your position?

As a sole-proprietor, networking was not very important to opening my business, but finding a shared location with other therapists that I felt I could work with took a lot of research.

Life on the Job

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What is a typical day (or week) for you like?

I wish I could tell you! Every day is very unpredictable. A fully booked day can easily go kersplat in an hour. A slow day can become booked just as fast. In a perfect day, all 4-5 clients show up for their appointments on time. I book a client every other hour, which is a lot of time in between compared to other therapists.

How closely does your typical day (or week) match up to the general "job description" for your position?

Because massage therapists and skin care specialists have a distinct scope of practice, a typical day matches the job description.

Does being a woman affect any aspect of your career?

I think it does and, in this case, it may be a positive thing to be a woman. Women are seen as more nurturing and skin-savvy, which draws the women clientele. Because massage and skin care are so intimate (think laying on the massage table with only a sheet covering you), there are women who may not be comfortable with a male therapist. I've also met men who, for whatever reason, do not want to be massaged by a male.

What is the best thing about your job?

Seeing the relief and smiles on peoples' faces after their sessions.

What is the worst thing about your job?

People think you work all. the. time.

How demanding is your job?

I can be both physically and mentally demanding at times. Sometimes you'll have the client who takes a lot of work physically (needing deep tissue or stretching work, for example) or the client who confides in you about her troubles. And sometimes you'll have the "easy" clients. It is important to schedule enough time in between clients and take days off. In this profession, balance is highly encouraged and I definitely put in effort to practice what I preach!

Do you have any advancement opportunities?

I would say yes. Advancement can mean specializing in a particular modality or becoming a teacher in a massage or esthetics related field. As of right now, I am not looking to become a teacher. It takes a while to build a practice and moving to a more admin role would mean cutting my private practice hours, which I am not willing to do just yet.

Advice for You

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What are the skills, characteristics, or talents that are most important to be effective in your position?

Massage and facial techniques, as well as the knowledge needed to run a business, can be taught and learned, but what you portray through your touch cannot. Being grounded, showing compassion, and truly caring about your clients has to come from an innate passion for helping people. The combination of knowledge and passion are most important to being effective.

What advice would you give to someone thinking about pursuing a career like yours?

Massage and skin care are so much more than just "rubbing people" or "making people look good". Be sure it's your passion. Can you imagine spending the rest of your life doing this job? Because you will spend a lot of time and money on this career. If it's your passion, it's totally worth it. And when you do get into this career, take care of yourself and go slowly. It's easy to get caught up in the worries of making enough money, especially in the early days, but it's also easy to get burnt out. Breathe. You'll be fine.

If you could do it over again, would you still pursue the same career?

Yes!!! I have often wondered what I would do if I couldn't do massage and skin care... and I haven't come up with an answer. I cannot see myself doing anything else. I love it!

Follow Up

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Want to learn more? Check out Michelle's sites here and here. Want to read later? Pin me -->

Social Media Director & Events Coordinator

Emelia "I oversee the promotion of our salon and spa through social media and creating ads, images, and more that make people want to visit. I also coordinate the part of a bride's wedding day or someone's special event that takes place in the salon...including the schedule and chilling the champagne to making sure the day is flawless from start to finish."

Education

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Required License(s) None

Required Degree(s) High School Diploma

Importance of GPA not very important

Emelia's Highest Degree: Bachelor's degree (Bachelor of Arts)
Emelia's College Major: Communication & Media Studies with a Minor in Psychology
Emelia's College GPA Range: 3.6-3.9

Salary

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$30,000 to $70,000

Salaries are typically consistent, but can vary by company. 

Getting the Job

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How did you get your job?

I started in a different role at our salon and spa, as our Front Desk Coordinator and worked my way up in to this position. I had previous experience in another career where I put on many events and promoted the business which helped me coming in to my current role. My part time blogging hobby has taught me so much about social media that I incorporate in my professional position daily.

How important was networking to landing your position?

It's always great to have a mentor and a handful of people who share the same ideas, visions and understand what you are doing on a daily basis. I think discussing opinions, struggles and meeting people in the same field can do nothing but help you.

Life on the Job

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What is a typical day (or week) for you like?

A typical day for me usually starts with e-mail. I review any incoming requests for events, or questions from brides or hosts of parties. While I'm reviewing e-mails, I'm also on social media seeing what is happening on our channels, along with checking out the competition. While we don't sale shop or put up discounts to compete with other businesses in our area, it's good to see what everyone is up to. I work on Excel sheets updating schedules for events making sure that the group is leaving the salon when they need to and that all our appointments are arranged so that the whole day runs smoothly. I may also be working on a promotion for an upcoming holiday, or taking a picture of some new jewelry that just came in from New York in our boutique to put on Instagram. I have a lot of hats to wear within my position, so staying organized with my to-do list is most important as I go about my day.

How closely does your typical day (or week) match up to the general "job description" for your position?

Very closely. My job description is a few pages long, but I love it. I'm a creative soul so I like working on many things at once. I enjoy big challenges, making things happen on a tight deadline and being busy.

Does being a woman affect any aspect of your career?

I think the industry I'm in helps me connect with the people I'm working with because they are mostly women.

What is the best thing about your job?

The best thing about my job is being a part of a special event in someone's life to make it memorable. Whether I'm hosting a 7 year old's birthday party or walking a bride out our front door I love making people feel great about themselves. I get to be part of their day from start to finish and beyond...when I share it on social media.

What is the worst thing about your job?

I never turn myself off. I wouldn't blame this on the job itself, rather the way my brain works. I get ideas, I become inspired... and I'm always curious.

How demanding is your job?

In terms of physical toughness, I wouldn't say my job is too demanding. Mentally, I'm always on. I can't help but check our social media sites in the evening at home and being on top of it all.

Do you have any advancement opportunities?

Not necessarily. I work for a small business (with less than 50 employees) as opposed to a large corporation, but the owner is very open to adding duties to my title as our business grows. I would love to see where this takes me next as social media evolves.

Advice for You

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What are the skills, characteristics, or talents that are most important to be effective in your position?

Being organized, on top of the business, and very outgoing is extremely important in my position. I am always dealing with people, so I always need to be ready.

What advice would you give to someone thinking about pursuing a career like yours?

Look at it as an adventure. What can you do next? How can you make this next promotion, event, or advertisement better? Every day is different, so be ready for change, but enjoy the ride... it's such a fun one to be on.

If you could do it over again, would you still pursue the same career?

Yes, I would never think that my previous positions would have led me here but they all have added to my skill set that I continue to use now.

Follow Up

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Want to learn more? Check out Emelia's site here. Want to read later? Pin me -->

ESL Teacher

Amy "I'm currently teaching first graders in a bilingual school here in Budapest. As an ESL teacher, I've also taught in Prague. In Prague, I taught pre-school, kindergarten, English club, and had private child clients and private clients at businesses. It's a job that varies wherever you are in the world!"

Education

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Required License(s) Some countries require a TEFL/TESOL certificate

Required Degree(s) A Bachelor's degree

Importance of GPA not very important

What do you need to do to maintain your license(s)?

To obtain my certificate, I took a month long intensive course in Prague. There are many of these courses, all over the world.  As tempting as it is to live in say, Paris, for a month, it is best to take a course somewhere you will more likely to be able to find a job, since you'll have built-in networking at your program.

Amy's Highest Degree: Bachelor's degree (Bachelor of Arts) and Master's degree
Amy's College Major: Bachelor's in English and Master's in Psychology.
Amy's College GPA Range: 3.1-3.5

Salary

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ESL teachers have a huge range of pay, primarily depending on the country. Generally, an ESL teacher can get paid more in Asia or the Middle East. While I don't make very much here in Budapest, at least by US standards, my salary package includes perks: like a free apartment! Plus, the cost of living is quite low here. 

Getting the Job

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How did you get your job?

I found my job thanks to the internet (research!), and then I happened to meet a woman teaching for my current program in Hungary, which solidified my decision. From there, I reached out to see if there were any openings in the program, interviewed for a few, and the rest is history.

How important was networking to landing your position?

For this particular position, not so important, although it helped to have good references. In Prague, I found the best jobs through networking, so it depends on where you are.

Life on the Job

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What is a typical day (or week) for you like?

My days vary greatly, but here is one example: I wake up at around 6am, take an hour-long commute and begin teaching at 8:45am. I teach in 45-minute blocks approximately, with breaks in between, although my breaks still involve supervising the children. I have lessons until about 1.30pm, then a staff meeting, then planning for the following days. Depending on the planning and the commute, I get home anytime between 2-5pm. Often I plan at home, too.

How closely does your typical day (or week) match up to the general "job description" for your position?

My job description is not entirely accurate, as I am not a main class teacher. Rather, I co-teach with a Hungarian teacher. This is not necessarily unique to be an English teacher, although I wasn't expecting this dynamic in this particular job. However, I do teach less than I thought—and on the flip side, I plan much more than I thought I would have to.

Does being a woman affect any aspect of your career?

Teaching is often a female-dominated field, especially while working with elementary age children, and in more old-fashioned countries, they still don't hire men to work with very young children. Since I am newly married, many people have questioned if I will be leaving soon to have children—perhaps if I ever say yes to this question while being interviewed, I wouldn't get the job!

What is the best thing about your job?

The students!

What is the worst thing about your job?

The politics!

How demanding is your job?

It was quite demanding at first, but now that I have been here over 3 months it is getting better. I always get very invested in my students, so it is hard on me mentally and emotionally if I don't practice self-care. Physically, I am on my feet and moving most of the day, which is great for my health but also exhausting!

Do you have any advancement opportunities?

In my current position, there is little room for advancement, unless I stay for over 5 years. However, I will be taking a different position next fall—same job at a different school. I'm not sure how long I will be staying there, but there is more opportunity for advancement.

Advice for You

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What are the skills, characteristics, or talents that are most important to be effective in your position?

Creative, open-minded, interest in new cultures, adaptability.  Teaching is not easy, and going overseas will present its own set of different challenges.

What advice would you give to someone thinking about pursuing a career like yours?

Do it! ;) It's amazing to get the chance to live somewhere else and have a job, which is the main reason people are drawn to this career. Many people do it for the short-term, however, and it is a great experience just for a year or two. I would recommend, though, that you take the teaching aspect seriously as well as the traveling aspect, no matter how long you are going to do it—it might be just a way to help you fund your travels, but for your students, their education will impact their whole lives!

If you could do it over again, would you still pursue the same career?

Yes! I love my job and I love that I get to live in different countries while I do it. I would do a few things differently, however: get started sooner, maybe right of out of my undergrad, and I would get certified to teach in the United States as well.

Follow Up

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Want to learn more? Check out Amy's site here. Want to read later? Pin me -->