How long should a business analyst resume be?+
One page for most BAs; two only if you have roughly 8+ years or large enterprise programs to detail. Recruiters skim quickly, so front-load your biggest process or cost outcome and keep it single-column so ATS parses cleanly.
Do I need SQL on a business analyst resume?+
Increasingly, yes. Most BA postings now list SQL, and many screen for it before human review. If you can write joins and aggregate queries, say so and show a result — 'built SQL reports that cut a 5-hour manual export to 30 minutes' — rather than just listing the keyword.
Which business analyst certification is worth it?+
It depends on your level. ECBA suits those starting out, CCBA fits a few years of experience, and CBAP targets senior BAs with 5+ years. All are from IIBA and map to the BABOK guide; PMI-PBA is a strong alternative if your work is project-heavy.
How do I quantify business analyst work if I don't own revenue?+
Use operational metrics: hours of manual work removed, cycle time reduced, defects cut, process steps eliminated, stakeholders aligned, or errors caught before release. 'Reduced order-processing time 40%, saving ~$220K a year' is defensible and reads as impact.