Question: 1 Tell me about your educational background and the business intelligence analysis field you’re experienced in.

Answer:

How to Answer
A business intelligence analyst can concentrate on various industries, such as finance, economics, IT, statistics, manufacturing, and more. Share with the interviewer which area you specialized in while obtaining your university degree, and briefly outline where your career journey has taken you so far. Make sure to demonstrate a keen interest in the company’s industry or business sphere.
Answer Example
“I’m a Finance Graduate specialized in Business Administration. My education has helped me greatly on my business intelligence career path, as my interest and expertise evolved in fields such as business law, microeconomics, and financial accounting.”

Question: 2 What’s your experience in SDLC and UAT?

Answer:

How to Answer
A seasoned BI analyst will have exposure to systems development life cycle (SDLC) and user acceptance testing (UAT). When a company introduces a new software or application to their business, the transition must be well thought out, carefully tested, and then effectively deployed within the organization. An experienced business intelligence analyst can facilitate this process, saving the company time and financial resources. Talk about your exposure to SDLC and UAT. In case you lack the experience, emphasize your interest in becoming familiar with these activities and learning.
Answer Example
“Although I have limited exposure to SDLC, I’ve been involved in the UAT phase of some projects. I enjoy analyzing which aspects of a new software program or application are the hardest to implement, which are the easiest to accommodate, and how to proceed from there.”

Question: 3 Do you plan on continuing your education with an MBA?

Answer:

How to Answer
A lot of accomplished BI analysts have a Bachelor’s degree, while others hold an MBA. With this question, the hiring manager wants to assess your interest in further development that would result in greater career opportunities. As a Master of Business Administration, you’ll have an in-depth understanding of enterprise business, the economy, and how various economic and social factors affect the business environment. That said, an MBA isn’t a must-have for BI analysts. However, showing an interest could give you some competitive edge.
Answer Example
“I have certainly thought about earning an MBA parallel to advancing in my career. As a Business Intelligence analyst, I believe that having an MBA will undoubtedly expand my knowledge of business economics. And that will definitely be beneficial to my future employer and their clients.”

Question: 4 What is your opinion about Agile software development for BI projects?
Do you support employing Agile methodologies with your company’s clients?

Answer:

How to Answer
Agile software development has received a warm welcome from companies worldwide since its onset. Agile stimulates collaboration with a team’s clients and the end-users, enabling more cross-functional projects to run smoothly. However, there are still some who strongly prefer the structured development methodology of Waterfall, for example. So, before sharing your thoughts on Agile with the interviewer, make sure you know where the company stands on Agile.
Answer Example
“As far as I know, Agile software development is much more collaborative in comparison to other software development models. I believe Agile can be the best solution for many projects. However, maybe that’s not always the case. That said, I’d love to get familiar with the methodologies employed here. At the end of the day, it’s the end results that matter most, and not the methodologies behind the projects.”

Question: 5 In your opinion, what are the key strengths a business analyst should possess?

Answer:

How to Answer
A great business analyst should have a strong analytical mind, an “out-of-the-box” approach to solving problems, and the ability to handle pressure. Those are just a few of the strengths that a business analyst must possess. However, to avoid searching for an answer on the spot, carefully review the job description for the role. Make a note of the key strengths listed by the employer, and base your response on that.
Answer Example
“When it comes to key strengths, I’d say business analysts should have a profound understanding of the business and its processes. They should also be able to collaborate efficiently with company executives, even if the latter lack technical or analytics background. Last but not least, attention to detail is crucial in this line of work. That said, I’ve worked hard to develop those skills, and I can’t wait to put them into practice in your organization.”

Question: 6 Do you have a B-plan when faced with a change of course on a moment’s notice?

Answer:

How to Answer
Every skilled business intelligence analyst knows how to pivot, adapt, and change when the plan suddenly falls apart. The ability to solve problems creatively in tense situations is one of the most valuable assets of a business intelligence analyst. So, don’t be shy to go into detail about coming up with a number of alternative scenarios for your clients. Although you may never have to resort to them, the fact that you’re prepared for emergencies is a great sign for the interviewer.
Answer Example
“Contingency plans are my favorite! As a business intelligence analyst, I know it’s great if we can do “X”, as planned. However, things aren’t always perfect, and plans can change quickly. Especially, if there are a few decision-makers involved in a project. That’s why I’m always ready to go with “Y” if the situation calls for it. Having a B-plan takes the edge off, and reassures the whole team that we have a go-to strategy in case we encounter any issues.”

Question: 7 Have you worked with teams from various departments in a company?

Answer:

How to Answer
Being able to work in a cross-functional environment is certainly a plus for larger companies. Hiring managers are aware that you’ll probably have to collaborate on projects with teams from other departments, such as HR, IT, or Marketing. Therefore, they want to know more about your exposure to the challenges that may arise in this line of work. That said, make sure you share how you’ve solved any issues you’ve faced in your experience.
Answer Example
“In my last job as a business intelligence analyst, I was often exposed to cross-functional teamwork. I’ve mostly worked with our HR and IT departments. In my experience, if the team is attuned to the needs of the company for that particular project, it can turn out to be a huge success. I do my best to communicate expectations clearly. In addition, I take into account that everyone has different work styles, strengths, and weaknesses. Usually, that largely depends on their expertise and job role.”

Question: 8 Tell us about the last presentation you gave. In your opinion, how did it go?

Answer:

How to Answer
As a business intelligence analyst, giving presentations to the executives of your company or the company’s clients, will be an important part of your work. You’ll often be expected to extract the insights from the data, prepare the presentation, along with compelling visuals and dashboards, and then deliver it – all by your own efforts. If you have plenty of experience, discuss the topic of your presentations and the feedback you received. If you’re straight out of college, think of a presentation you had to prepare as a part of your education. Of course, it would be more than great if you have a sample of your best presentation on your phone or tablet to show to the hiring manager.
Answer Example
“One of the presentations I’m proud of was related to the launching of a client’s new app. I had to share the results from the preliminary user testing. What I came up with was an engaging presentation with lots of eye-catching visuals. I believe the latter, together with intriguing content, is key to a well-received presentation. I highlighted both the areas of strength and the areas of improvement. After that, I shared some actionable tips for product improvement with the client. The feedback was positive, and I can actually show you a copy of my presentation on my tablet.”

Question: 9 What does the acronym INVEST stand for?

Answer:

How to Answer
As a business intelligence analyst, you should understand what the acronym INVEST means to technical teams and product managers. It stands for:
– Independent
– Negotiable
– Valuable
– Estimable
– Sized appropriately
– Testable

If you’re familiar with the term, break down each word to show the interviewers you know what you’re talking about. If not, make sure you show interest in understanding the concept and which industries mostly use it.
Answer Example
“I’ve mostly worked in the banking and telecommunications fields. My business analysis was mostly done on the strategic side, and I have limited exposure to this term. I know INVEST is mostly used by business intelligence analysts collaborating with IT and developers teams. As far as I remember, it stands for Independent, Negotiable, Valuable, Estimable, Sized appropriately, and Testable. I’ll be happy to gain better knowledge about INVEST and how it is utilized in your company.”

Question: 10 Are you Six Sigma certified? Do you think that’s important and why?

Answer:

How to Answer
A Six Sigma certification is not a must, but it’s certainly a plus for a BI analyst. Six Sigma certifications have different levels, starting from white belt through yellow, green and black belts to master black belt and champion belt. If you have completed the training, talk about your experience, the skills you’ve acquired, and how you apply them in your job as a BI analyst. If not, share your perspective on why you would consider taking the training.
Answer Example
“Although I haven’t started any Six Sigma training yet, I’m aware that expertise in lean management
BI ANALYST INTERVIEW QUESTIONS / GENERAL BI ANALYST INTERVIEW QUESTIONSwill certainly be helpful to my clients, as I build up my professional portfolio. So, earning a Six Sigma certification is definitely an option I intend to explore in the future.”

Question: 11 What does the acronym PEST mean?
Have you used it in your business intelligence experience?

Answer:

How to Answer
The acronym PEST stands for Political, Economic, Social, and Technological. A PEST analysis is a strategic business tool that allows BI analysts to discover, evaluate, organize, and track macro-economic factors that can influence their business and make them more competitive in the future. If you’re experienced in the business intelligence field, you should have some knowledge of PEST and how it works.
However, if you haven’t had the chance to employ PEST in your work experience, show the hiring manager you have a basic idea of the concept and that you’re more than willing to apply this form of analysis in your future job.
Answer Example
“I am just starting my career in business intelligence, so I haven’t applied PEST analysis in my work just yet. Nevertheless, I’ve implemented PEST in a case study while in college. I had to discover the political, economic, social, and technological factors affecting the airline industry in recent years. I think it’s a really efficient type of analysis and I’d be happy to become proficient in it in the future.”

Question: 1 Which data modeling software do you prefer to use?

Answer:

How to Answer
BI analysts mostly use Microsoft Excel or Power BI for their data modeling needs. The required or preferred tools will be most probably listed in the company’s job description, so it would be best to refer to those. If you have relevant experience, share your level of expertise with the interviewer. In case you lack exposure to their preferred software or programs, explain how you can incorporate your skills into their systems.
Answer Example
“I do most of my data modeling in Excel, as I find it most convenient for data mapping. I have some exposure to Power BI, as well. However, I believe I can benefit from sharpening my skills in that program. That’s why I’m currently taking a Power BI online training.”

Question: 2 What specific technical skills do you have as a BI analyst?

Answer:

How to Answer
Your BI analyst experience and skillset are closely related to the focus of your career. Depending on whether you are a data BI analyst, an IT BI analyst, or a strategic BI analyst, your answer to this question will be different.
If you’re applying for a data-focused role, your technical skillset may include proficiency in data analysis software and visual presentation tools, such as Power BI. A BI analyst in the IT field would probably have exposure to some software development programs. While a strategic BI analyst would be well-familiar with business case analysis software and applications. Taking that into consideration, share with the interviewer the technical skills you will bring to the company.
Answer Example
“As a data BI analyst, I’ve been exposed to data mining and big data software, such as LIONsolver and Oracle. I’m highly skilled in Microsoft Excel which I use for data modeling and Power BI where I create rich visuals and client presentations.”

Question: 3 Specify two important chart types in your BI analyst arsenal. Why do you find them important?

Answer:

How to Answer
The hiring authority wants to see that you have basic knowledge when it comes to the diagrams and charts that you will be using during your business analyst career. Some examples include:
The interviewer wants to check your basic knowledge of charts you’ll be using in your BI analyst’s tasks.

Some examples include:

• area charts;
• bar charts;
• clustered column charts;
• combo charts;
• doughnut charts;
• funnel charts;
• gauge charts;
• line charts;
• pie charts;
• scatter plots;
• waterfall charts.
  You are probably familiar with most of these, so just choose two options which you have experience with and can easily talk about.
  Answer Example
  “The two types of charts I use most often are area charts and bar charts. In my role as BI analyst, area charts have helped me display where a specific trend is headed in the future, which, in turn, makes planning easier. Bar charts, on the other hand, can show clearly which products are most popular among customers or display the number of unique visitors on a landing page based on various criteria.”
  If you want to learn more about the different chart types, read our article on visualizing data through charts. And, by the way, if you’re finding this answer useful, consider sharing this article, so others can benefit from it, too. Helping fellow aspiring BI analysts reach their goals is one of the things that make the data science community special.

Question: 4 How would you define benchmarking and why do you consider it important?

Answer:

How to Answer
Benchmarking is the practice of evaluating and comparing the business processes in a company with the best competitors’ practices and use these insights to set standards and make improvements to your company’s business performance. When a BI analyst is benchmarking, they study various metrics and processes, such as product development, manufacturing procedures, and more. Discuss with the interviewer how you use benchmarking to help your company achieve its goals.
Answer Example
“Benchmarking is an important practice of comparing your business against other businesses that are already very successful. It’s like a smart, analytical comparison. I believe it’s essential to benchmark when a company is looking at making a significant change, are seeing a loss of revenue, are anticipating the launch of a new product, or need to recalibrate their business operations in one way or another.”

Question: 5 How do you differentiate between a risk and an issue?

Answer:

How to Answer
If you’re an experienced BI analyst, you know for sure there’s a tremendous difference between real risk and an issue. The interviewer wants to check if you can be mindful of probability, while, at the same time, stay focused and hands-on when it comes to current issues.
Answer Example
“In my role as a business intelligence analyst, my focus is more on risk than issues. I view risk as a predicted problem that could come up in the future, so it’s up to me to assess this risk and help my clients prevent it. An issue, on the other hand, is a risk that has already happened. In such cases, I can advise my clients on how to do damage control. But I’d strongly prefer helping them avoid the issue altogether.”

Question: 6 What’s your preferred decision-making technique?

Answer:

How to Answer
The interviewer wants to see what you know about decision-making and what techniques you use to arrive at reliable conclusions in your projects. Some of the common decision-making techniques are T-Chart Analysis, Pareto Analysis, a.k.a. the 80/20 rule, etc. Discuss the techniques you utilize with the interviewer and the reasons for your preferences.
Answer Example
“I don’t limit myself to one technique only. In decision-making, my choice depends largely on the stage of the project. That said, sometimes, I use a variety of techniques within the same project, such as Pareto Analysis, T-Chart Analysis, SWOT Analysis, or decision trees. All of these help me resolve certain issues and come to a decision.”

Question: 7 Explain Selection Bias.

Answer:

Selection bias is the bias introduced by the selection of individuals, groups or data during the sampling process when randomization is not achieved. This means that the sample we created does not represent the general population properly. It is called ‘selection’ because it refers to the ‘sample selection’.
Selection bias is a very broad term which encompasses many different biases.
Here are some examples:
• Sampling bias – or also known as ‘sample selection bias’ occurs when not everyone in the general population has an equal chance to be in the sample. Let’s say that we want to make a survey about students in one university. We can go to the university, enter random classrooms and ask all of them to participate in our survey. Great, right? Well, not exactly. There are two main issues:
»
We assumed that everyone who is a student at the university will be present at the chosen time and date. And that’s never the case, since students don’t have lectures every day, work part-time, get sick or even go on holiday.
»
We also expected that everyone who is present will want to answer the survey, which is a very optimistic assumption. Students can be forced to, but in that case, one shouldn’t expect a great quality of answers.
• Length time bias – occurs when different observations in our sample have different development cycles. The most common case is when we are dealing with diseases like cancer. Some types of cancer develop faster than others, so examining 6 months of disease development for 2 different individuals may result in one having no change, while the other passing away. The reason is that they may be in different stages of cancer or different organisms react differently to the disease so time is extremely problematic in general for our sample.
• Exposure – This one is very common and problematic. Imagine you’ve got funding to explore everything about a group of your customers, for instance, female customers. You complete your study and everything is great. However, you are then asked to conduct another study – about the shopping habits of your customers overall. Problem is – you don’t have data on the male customers. Using only the female data would lead you to some results, but they would definitely be problematic. If you are not provided with male data and are forced to complete the study, you will experience exposure bias. This is not uncommon when resources are limited – sampling has been done once and nobody wants to pay for another sampling process.
• Data – there are several popular examples, but one such case is removing outliers with correct data. Usually, we remove the outliers to get better results, but sometimes some important patterns may be contained there.

• Studies – occurs when we use only the studies, where we have reached a good result. Often, we have formed a hypothesis and we look for studies that support it. In this effort, one could be misled to reference only papers that support their claim and thus introduce a bias. Note that in general academia is extremely biased in that regard. There is research that suggests that papers that reach results are 4 times more likely to be published than papers that have non-satisfactory results. This is very problematic as we know that determining there is ‘no effect’ is still a valid result.
• Attrition – it is related to survivorship bias. The most common example that everyone uses is businesses (e.g. startups). All companies that could be studied are successful (profitable ones). Those that are non-successful seize to exist and cannot be studied.
• Observer – is the tendency to see what we expect to see – meaning we have already “decided” what outcome we want and we strive for them to be right. As you can sense this one is related to the ‘studies bias’ from above.
Okay. So, there are a lot of problems around selection bias, right?
The best way to get rid of selection bias… is to not introduce our sample to it. No joke, right? What we mean by that is that selection bias is formed in the sampling process. If we are not careful when we collect our data, our analysis will definitely be flawed.

Question: 8 What is Kano Model Analysis and why is it important?

Answer:

How to Answer
The Kano Model Analysis taps into customer’s emotions and needs to improve product development.
It helps a company add certain features to their product that would increase customer satisfaction without costing a fortune. According to the Kano Model Analysis, there are 3 types of attributes to products:
• Basic attributes;
• Performance attributes;
• Excitement attributes, a.k.a. Delighters.
When answering this question, demonstrate that you’re not only familiar with the three points of satisfaction but you also know how they act together to help customer satisfaction analysis.
Answer Example
“Kano Analysis is of major importance to developing new products and services. It helps companies understand customer needs and make sure they have a competitive edge before launching them on the market. The threshold attributes are the basic features a customer expects from the product. The performance attributes also called “satisfiers”, are additional features that increase customer satisfaction. And “delighters” are the elements of surprise that can really increase the product’s competitive edge.”

Question: 9 What are the most important SDLC models?

Answer:

How to Answer
SDLC denotes Software Development Life Cycle. It’s a concept in IT that is often employed by BI analysts in the field. In its essence, SDLC is a process that starts with the decision to launch a product and ends with the full removal of the software product from exploitation. There are various types of SDLC models, each predetermined by the software product type in development. The most popular are:
• Waterfall model;
• Iterative model;
• Spiral model;
• V-shaped model;
• Agile model.
Even if you have no experience in the field, show the interviewer that you understand the differences between the models by briefly outlining them.
Answer Example
“Although I don’t have practical experience with ADLC models, I learned in college that there are 5 primary SDLC model types: Waterfall, Iterative, Spiral, V-shaped, and Agile. The Agile model is related to flexibility and adapting to change. The Iterative model refers to the “incremental build” approach in large development efforts. I’m less familiar with the rest but I would enjoy diving deeper and learning more.”

Question: 10 How would you create a taxonomy to identify key customer trends in unstructured data?

Answer:

First, you have to understand the company’s objectives prior to categorizing the data. Once you’ve done this, it is always good to follow an iterative approach by pulling new data samples and improving the model accordingly. And you do this by validating it for accuracy through solicited feedback from the stakeholders of the business. This helps ensure that your model is producing actionable results and improving over time.

Question: 11 What is an SQL View?

Answer:

A view is a virtual table whose contents are obtained from an existing table or tables, called base tables. The retrieval happens through an SQL statement, incorporated into the view. So, you can think of a view object as a view into the base table. The view itself doesn’t contain any real data; the data is electronically stored in the base table. The view simply shows the data contained in the base table.

Question: 1 How do you demonstrate to your clients the importance of dialogue during a project?

Answer:

How to Answer
When it comes to clear communication through every stage of a project, leading by example is key. As a business intelligence analyst, it is your job to establish the tone of the dialogue and the means of communication. Show the interviewer that you know how to set the foundations of proper communication with your clients and their teams. If possible, give examples of projects you’ve worked on.
Answer Example
“As a business intelligence analyst, I like to keep everyone in the loop about the development of a project. I often promote the use of project management apps that make collaboration easier and gives access to every detail of the project at any stage.”

Question: 2 As a business analyst, when do you regard a project as complete?

Answer:

How to Answer
A great business analyst knows that when a client signs off a project, it doesn’t mean it’s successful (or finished) yet. So, make sure you explain to the interviewer that you remain available to your clients and you support them until you’re sure their expectations are met and they are happy with the results.

Answer Example
“As a BI analyst, I always make sure there are no unresolved issues when the client signs off a project. Nevertheless, I’m available in case their expectations aren’t fully met and I need to make adjustments to deliver what has been promised. However, this rarely happens once there are no outstanding invoices and documentation is archived.”

Question: 3 How often do you brainstorm new ideas with your coworkers?

Answer:

How to Answer
Having regular discussions with other team members is of great importance when it comes to project plans and aligning ideas. Let the interviewer know that you’re a team player who is open to others’ views and opinions.
Answer Example
“I believe learning from each other’s working styles and approaches is invaluable for any project. I support the collaborative spirit in my team and I’m sure we always come up with better ideas together rather than individually.”

Question: 4 Is there a case in your experience when you broke a confidentiality agreement?

Answer:

How to Answer
Confidentiality agreements ensure the protection of company trade secrets. This question gives you a chance to present yourself as a trustworthy individual that abides by their company’s policy and respects their clients.
Answer Example
“I have signed NDAs on countless occasions in my career as a business intelligence analyst. When working on a project, confidentiality is one of my team’s top priorities. None of us has broken the trust of our company and clients.”

Question: 5 How do you respond when you’re unhappy with the end result of a project?

Answer:

How to Answer
Even the best BI analysts experience failure at times. Not all projects are perfect, and not all clients can be satisfied. What the interviewer would like to know is if you’re capable of accepting disappointment and responding in a mature and productive way.
Answer Example
“I think business intelligence requires perfectionism at all times. When I’m not happy with my performance, or I make a mistake, I take a step back and take my time to fine-tune my work before submitting it.”

Question: 6 How do you plan to improve yourself professionally this year?

Answer:

How to Answer
Employers are seeking BI analysts who are constantly upgrading their skills and strive to stay relevant. You can set career development goals and accomplish them by attending conferences, earning online certificates, listening to podcasts, or even joining a mentoring program. When you mention some of these examples and the goals you’ve set for yourself this year, make sure you bridge the knowledge you’ll gain with the benefits you’ll bring to the company.
Answer Example
“This year, I’ve enrolled in a Power BI online course to refresh my expertise, and I’ve also signed up for a few TDWI seminars in Predictive Analytics and Data Modeling. I can’t wait to take my skills to another level and, hopefully, apply what I’ve learned as a BI analyst in your company.”

Question: 7 What do you do if you disagree with someone at work?

Answer:

This one is part of the business analyst behavioral interview questions and answers. It is perfectly normal to disagree with someone at work. Similar situations occur all the time. When answering this question, do not speak about the person that you disagreed with. This is really important, as you do not want to come off as someone who bad mouths people; this is unprofessional. The Hiring Manager is not interested in learning saucy details about the bad habits of that other person. Instead, he/she wants to know more about your conflict management abilities. He/she is eager to learn whether you are an active listener and whether you are good at persuading people.
Every behavioral question comes together with a story that supports the answer given by the candidate.
When you answer this question, try to think of a disagreement that was not personal, but derived from different views regarding the execution of a certain task. It is much safer to have this type of disagreement, as it does not suggest you are someone that is difficult to work with.
There are a few key points which you should concentrate on:
• You listened actively
• looked for the best possible solution
• had at heart the team’s success rather than
showing muscles
• were persuasive
Here’s an example of such a situation:
You and three of your classmates were asked to prepare a Business Plan.
Probably the most important part of the whole Business Plan is the prediction of the top-line – revenues. You wanted to use a bottom-up approach and one of your classmates thought that the top-down approach would be more useful. Both you and your colleague were convinced that your own approach was correct. The work could not continue before resolving this issue.
So, you asked your classmate to elaborate on his point and demonstrated that you are interested in his idea; he made a valid point. There was a recent market study that your team could use as a reference. It predicted the overall dimensions of the market for the next five years. This was a valuable piece of information, although it is difficult to predict the firm’s market share. You explained that the advantage of the bottom-up approach is that you can base your growth assumptions on historical data and incorporate data that is specific for the firm under consideration. After each of you explained your points of view, you came to the conclusion that the best thing to do is to use both approaches and obtain a range that would indicate the company’s revenues.

Question: 1 Imagine the following situation:
You have 100 balls (50 red balls and 50 blue balls) and 2 buckets. You can choose how to divide the balls into the two buckets so as to maximize the probability of selecting a blue ball if 1 ball is chosen from 1 of the buckets at random.

Answer:

Put 1 blue ball in one of the buckets and put the rest of the balls in the other bucket. This way you will have 50% chance of selecting the bucket with only 1 ball and then, even if it is not selected and you have
to draw a ball from the other bucket you would have almost 50% chance of selecting a blue ball (49 blue balls versus 50 red balls). The joint probability of the two events would equal almost 75%.