While talking with my roommates the other night, the topic of career paths came up. My roommates are all engineers in some regard, and as a result, they each have a decently defined career path. I, on the other hand, continue to think about what my career path as a business analyst looks like.
As a kid, I wanted to be a lawyer because I liked arguing. I yearned to be a music producer because I loved music. But, I never thought I’d become a business analyst. Don’t get me wrong, I excel at what I do, and it is challenging at times. But, I never aspired to be a business analyst.
While thinking about my future and my career path, I contemplated what it is I actually do.
I often picture Peter Gibbons from Office Space or Chandler Bing from Friends when I think of business analysts. But if I examine the things I’ve done in the past two years, there is one major theme: learning.
I’ve always been a curious person. Whether in grade school science class or middle school band, I always loved learning. I worried I wouldn’t find a career path that made me happy, but in examining my past two years at work, I realized I have found exactly that.
As a business analyst, I am constantly learning new things. Learning is simply a necessity when you are a consultant. Projects change. People leave. As a result, you are constantly receiving new information. Good consultants are those who thrive in an environment where they can learn quickly. In addition, the desire to learn and grow must be present.
While the details of being a business analyst may sound vague, I like to think that my job is about learning. As long as I continue to learn and apply that knowledge, I will be successful.
When I think about my job, I don’t think of it as work. I think of it as the opportunity to learn. And when a job is no longer work, it becomes a passion.
