In my experience with recruitment, the job market for Business Analytics (BA) majors in North America is a mix of highs and lows. Not long ago, I helped a mid-sized e-commerce company find a business analyst. We received 237 resumes, and the candidate we selected didn’t have an outstanding academic background, but what stood out was his real-world experience working on an industry-level practical project, which impressed us.
When it comes to salary, the market can feel a bit unpredictable. I interviewed a fresh graduate from UBC last month who was asking for a $90K base salary, but we ended up offering $65K, which was already a strong offer. However, it’s interesting that those with 1-2 years of experience often end up with 40%-50% more in salary than fresh grads. I know a young woman who started at $58K in Vancouver and, after switching to Toronto, saw her salary jump to $83K.
The actual job responsibilities may not always align with what students expect. The senior-most analyst on our team recently spent three days just cleaning data—sorting through messy sales numbers. In reality, modeling and analysis only take up about 20% of the job, while most of the time is spent battling data quality issues.
As for skills, the bar has definitely risen. Five years ago, knowing Excel and basic SQL was sufficient, but now you need to know Python and have some understanding of machine learning. Just last week, I interviewed a candidate who knew PySpark. Even though our company doesn’t use this technology yet, the manager decided to hire him because he could be a valuable asset in the future.
Location can make a big difference too. While West Coast jobs seem appealing, the competition can be fierce. New grads might want to start in smaller cities to build experience. I know of a graduate from the University of Alberta who worked in Edmonton for two years before moving to Silicon Valley, where her salary package ended up being higher than the packages offered to those who moved straight to California.
One of the major issues in this industry right now is the confusion around job titles. The role of "business analyst" can vary a lot from one company to another—some are focused on data visualization, some on product analysis, and others are more focused on sales support. It’s important to clarify the actual job duties during the interview process, and it’s always a good idea to ask for a detailed job description.
For current students, here are some tips: First, figure out which direction you want to go—whether it’s financial analysis, marketing analysis, or operations analysis. Second, get really good at Excel; VLOOKUP and pivot tables are just the start. Third, internships are much more important than your GPA. Fourth, work on your writing skills—80% of an analyst’s time is spent writing reports. Fifth, consider certifications in tools like SAS or Tableau.
Lastly, here's the reality: more and more companies prefer hiring candidates with experience and are less interested in training new hires. So, try to gain practical experience during your studies—whether that’s by helping professors with projects or participating in data analysis competitions. The industry is shifting away from being degree-driven and moving toward valuing practical skills, so recognizing that shift early on can really help with your job search.
Release time:2025-04-29
