How to Become a
Cyber Security Analyst
Education Pathways, Skills, and Certifications
Application analysts and systems analysts organize application systems, provide solutions, and design and develop application software. An application analyst must be proficient in programming languages like JavaScript, CSS, HTML, and SQL.
This guide can help you learn how to become an application analyst. It covers the qualifications, skills, and degrees you need to succeed in this profession. Read on to see if this is the right path for you.
What Is an Application Analyst?
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An application analyst is an IT professional who develops, maintains, and designs software applications. They make sure that the development team meets their goals. The application analyst provides technical support and protects application data.
What Does an Application Analyst Do?
An application analyst’s role is to monitor the app development process to make sure software systems run smoothly. They perform tests and research to evaluate the company’s need for new software and updates. Take a look below at some duties that application analysts have.
Determines Company Goals
Application analysts work with the managers and leaders in the company to determine objectives in the organization. Based on these goals, they come up with a strategy that the application development team must follow.
Analyzes Current Applications
They should also analyze programs to spot errors and failures. The most important role of an application analyst is to analyze the organization’s IT development process to see if it’s meeting its goals. If they identify any issues, they work with developers to solve them.
Protects Data
An application systems analyst has a role in the data security process. Their job is also to back up information from software applications to protect a company’s valuable data. Application analysts must be familiar with cloud systems.
Creates Reports
When analyzing an organization’s apps, the application analyst must create reports and documents that show the current status, deficiencies, and potential improvements in the programs. This is a crucial task in this profession.
Application Analyst Education Pathways
To become an application analyst, you need at least a Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Science or a related field like information technology. You can advance your career by earning a master’s or doctoral degree in a specialization like database administration or software engineering.
Application Analyst Degrees
A Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Science will provide you with all the skills you need to become an application analyst. You will learn about programming practices and coding languages like JavaScript, Ruby, C#, C++, CSS, HTML, and SQL.
A Bachelor’s Degree in IT will lead you to a career path focused on computer networks, databases, and software engineering. Bachelor’s degrees are four-year programs and will provide you with several career opportunities. You can also try for a master’s degree or PhD to continue your studies.
Application Analyst Bootcamps
Attending a coding bootcamp is also an excellent way to start your career as an application analyst. A coding bootcamp is a short-term computer programming course that will teach you both front end and backend software engineering.
Most bootcamps last from six months to a year. Since many companies are ditching their bachelor’s degree requirements for more flexible options, this could be a great way to build your career in IT.
Application Analyst Courses
Some courses are complementary training programs that could help you get familiarized with computer science fundamentals. There are popular Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) that offer free remote programs in software engineering, database administration, and data science.
How to Become an Application Analyst: A Step-by-Step Guide
To become an application analyst, you need to develop your skills by attending a technical program. This can be a university degree or a coding bootcamp. Below you will see the other fundamental steps that can help you get an application analyst job.
1
Earn a bachelor’s degree
A bachelor’s degree is a great way to build your technical skills. A Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Science will teach you about databases, software development, and systems architecture.
2
Obtain a master’s degree
Earning a master’s degree isn’t mandatory to become an application analyst. However, it might be a good way to stand out from other candidates and even become a senior analyst. You can earn a higher application analyst salary this way.
3
Get some experience
To work as an application analyst, you will need some work experience in the tech field. To do this, you can join an internship program or even work on your own projects. Remember to have somewhere to showcase your skills, such as a website or online resume.
4
Prepare your technical resume
Now that you have worked on your own projects, you can prepare your technical resume. Try to highlight your programming and database management skills.
5
Networking
Once you’re ready to start submitting your resume, it is important to practice networking. Attend tech-related events and meetups to get to know relevant people in the industry, and they could provide you with career opportunities.
Top Application Analyst Skills
Apart from having skills like communication efficiency and attention to detail, application analysts must have other skills like project management, data protection, and data visualization. However, this profession is constantly changing, so you must remain a lifelong learner to be up-to-date with the latest trends.
Project Management
A systems analyst must have project management skills. This is a leadership position that requires planning, directing, and monitoring strategies. You will be working with managers in the company to develop and design plans for the software development team. It is your role to make sure everyone works efficiently and accurately.
Data Security
As an application analyst, you must protect the organization’s data within the apps. You must become an expert in access control, authorization, backups, and recovery. You should also learn database management.
Programming
Depending on the size of the team, you may also have to code and develop projects. That’s why it is so important to have programming skills. You must be able to understand and implement different programming languages depending on the type of project you’re working on.
Application Support
Application support is the process of evaluating systems to ensure everything is functioning properly. Application support skills include analyzing the information systems, apps, and all types of organizational software.
Application Analyst Salary and Job Outlook
Glassdoor indicates that the average salary of an application analyst is about $81,579. However, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reports that their average salary is $93,730. They may also receive bonuses and benefits worth $964 to $10,000 per year.
The BLS also indicates that the demand for computer systems analysts will grow by seven percent by 2029. This is due to the increased demand for cloud services and web applications. This growth rate includes application analysts, which means you will be able to find many jobs over the next decade.
Entry-Level Application Analyst Job Requirements
To work in an entry-level application analyst position, you must have a Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Science or IT or have equivalent experience in the field. You must have programming and project management skills that you can demonstrate in your interview.
How to Prepare for Your Application Analyst Job Interview
The best way to prepare for an application analyst job interview is to go back to your roots and study computer science fundamentals. Remember that this is a technical occupation, so they might ask you to go through a technical interview. Check out the following questions to get an idea of what they may ask.
Application Analyst Job Interview Practice Questions
- Show us the techniques you used to improve a particular application.
- What are the biggest challenges you’ve faced as an application analyst?
- What are your go-to practices to analyze and evaluate software?
- How do you help to determine the company’s goals regarding software development?
Application Analyst Certifications
An excellent starting point for your application analyst career is to obtain a certification. Although there aren’t any credentials available specifically for application analysts, there are others that validate your proficiency for certain skills like data protection or IT support. These certifications are not mandatory, but they can help you prove your skills.
Certified Associate in Project Management (CAPM)
As an application analyst, you need to be able to design plans and budgets and determine goals for the organization. You must also make sure everyone is following that strategy as well as meeting deadlines and expectations.
A CAPM certification is something you can put on your resume to showcase your project management skills. To earn a CAPM certification, you need to have a secondary education and 23 hours of project management training. The CAPM exam has 150 questions. It costs $225 for Project Management Institute members and $300 for nonmembers.
Certified Information Security Manager (CISM)
This certification is provided by the Information Systems Audit and Control Association (ISACA). It proves that you can implement the best organizational security practices in web applications.
To be eligible for the certification, you must have worked five years in the IT industry with a focus on data security, pass the CISM exam, pay the $50 fee, and agree to the institution’s educational policy.
Certified Information Systems Auditor (CISA)
This certification demonstrates that you’re able to evaluate and audit IT systems and software. You will need to pass the CISA exam, agree to the code of professional ethics, and have one year of experience in the information technology field.
The cost of the exam is $575 for members and $760 for nonmembers. This credential is also provided by ISACA.
How Long Does It Take to Become an Application Analyst?
The duration will depend on whether you earn a bachelor’s degree or attend a coding bootcamp. However, it may take you from one to four years to become an application analyst.
If you’d like to further your career and obtain a Master’s Degree in Computer Science or an IT-related field, it might take you another two years. A master’s degree can help you earn a higher salary.
Why You Should Become an Application Analyst in 2021
Computer systems analysts and application analysts are in high demand and earn great salaries. If you’re looking for a lucrative and technical career, this profession might be for you.
However, you should know that this job requires a lot of preparation and technical training. If you’re into programming, software analysis, and application support, this could be a great career path. You can become an application analyst in only a few years.
Application Analyst FAQ
An application analyst in healthcare is in charge of maintaining software systems at clinics, hospitals, or any other healthcare institution. They evaluate the organization’s needs and provide them with the particular tools they need to make their job more efficient.
They both work in the same department but have different responsibilities. While a developer builds products from scratch, an application analyst works on existing programs to provide improvements and maintenance.
The BLS indicates that the average hourly pay for application analysts is $45.06.
It can be considered a stressful job if you’re not used to the mechanical effort and technical problems. You may also be responsible for a team, which can be somewhat challenging.
