Looking for a job post-college and have no idea what to do? With the next chapter of your life dead ahead, you’ll want to start a business career that will do justice to the effort, time, and the thousands of dollars of tuition you put in over the last four years.

It can be hard to choose a path; however, if you adore statistics, crunching numbers, and employing the scientific method to make the world a better place, consider becoming a business analyst.

If there is anyone who knows about analysis in the business arena, it’s Mark Stiffler. Introduced to this subject while at MIT, he used the skills he learned there to build Synygy into one of the most successful sales management companies in the world.

Providing Big Pharma companies with expert sales analysis, Mark produced results for them which helped elevate his company to unthinkable heights.

Eventually, his accomplishments got him inducted in the Philadelphia Business Hall of Fame, capping off a successful career in fine fashion.

Want to end up like him? Follow the tips mentioned below, and you’ll have an excellent shot at achieving the same success at some point in the future.

1) Be open to alternative conclusions

Whether you want to admit it or not, you have inner prejudices which affects how you perceive the world around you. Once you realize this, you will be able to put in the effort necessary to see the other side of the story.

It hurts to be wrong when you subconsciously invest your emotions in a specific conclusion, but know this: frequently, conclusions opposite to what you are expecting will still achieve the same end goal: to drive improvements for the company that pays your salary.

2) Develop an insatiable sense of wonder

If you are planning on becoming a data analyst, being innately curious about how things could be made better will play in your favor, as those who can ask intelligent questions will reach conclusions that others never come close to unearthing.

New strategies can emerge as a result of your findings, leading to the creation of new revenue streams or the plugging of fiscal holes that could have endangered the company in the future. If you have an idea you want to test out, pursue it, as you’ll never know what you’ll uncover.

3) Don’t believe a word you think

It can be tremendously exciting to find data which appears to confirm your theories. However, reigning yourself in when you might be onto something separates seasoned analysts from impulsive amateurs.

Diligent analysts do everything they can to attribute an effect to anything other what they are proposing in their hypothesis. By debunking other potential causes, the professional BA strengthens their own case, making it less likely that other factors will end up making them look bad in the future.   

4) Be an effective communicator

When you are enthusiastic about your work in data analysis, it can be easy to put together a presentation that wouldn’t be out of place in a college statistics class.

This won’t fly in the real world of work, as using scientific jargon will leave your contemporaries scratching their heads. 

Your goal is to persuade decision makers that your analysis merits a change/adjustment in strategy. Use plain language and compelling dialogue that paints a picture in their heads that will move them towards actions which will improve the companies results.