Table 1Transition record

business analysttochief operating officer

A business analyst already meets 23% of what the chief operating officer role asks for. The move turns on 15 required skills not yet in the profile.

From business analyst

23%

Overlap1

To chief operating officer

8 Skills carried over

15 Required, not held

76.4 Difficulty2

adjacent 0–30

moderate 30–55

substantial 55–75

career change 75–100

this move, 76.4

This move: 76.4 of 100 · career change

1 Share of the chief operating officer role’s weighted skill requirement already met by the business analyst profile. Required skills count in full, supplementary skills at 0.35. Directional: the figure for the reverse move differs. 2 Combines what is missing with how specialised it is, so a gap of general skills scores easier than the same number of narrow ones.

Table 2

Table 2 · What you already bring

Of the 8 skills that carry over, these are the ones fewest other occupations ask for. A chief operating officer role needs them, and most people applying for one will not have them already. This is the part of a business analyst background worth leading with.

Skill the target role also needs Area

already held shape organisational teams based on competencies management skills
already held define organisational standards management skills
already held business process modelling business, administration and law
already held make strategic business decisions management skills
already held analyse business plans information skills
already held interpret financial statements information skills

All 8 carried skills, including the 6 the chief operating officer role treats as required.

Table 3

Table 3 · What you would need to learn

The 36 missing skills fall into 5 areas of the ESCO skill hierarchy, numbered below in the order worth working in: the areas carrying the most required skills come first, and inside each one the required skills sit above the supplementary ones.

Skill to acquire Tier

01 communication, collaboration and creativity 5 required, 7 supplementary

required, not held collaborate in company's daily operations required
required, not held conclude business agreements required
required, not held develop professional network required
required, not held establish collaborative relations required
required, not held negotiate with stakeholders required

optional, not held apply import strategies optional
optional, not held implement operational business plans optional
optional, not held apply export strategies optional
optional, not held build international relations optional
optional, not held implement strategic planning optional
optional, not held interact with the board of directors optional
optional, not held liaise with shareholders optional

02 management skills 4 required, 11 supplementary

required, not held evaluate performance of organisational collaborators required
required, not held integrate strategic foundation in daily performance required
required, not held lead managers of company departments required
required, not held plan medium to long term objectives required

optional, not held develop business plans optional
optional, not held develop revenue generation strategies optional
optional, not held assume responsibility for the management of a business optional
optional, not held define the corporate structure optional
optional, not held develop company strategies optional
optional, not held develop organisational policies optional
optional, not held imprint visionary aspirations into the business management optional
optional, not held integrate shareholders' interests in business plans optional
optional, not held manage budgets optional
optional, not held set organisational policies optional
optional, not held shape corporate culture optional

03 business, administration and law 3 required, 2 supplementary

required, not held company policies required
required, not held operations management required
required, not held marketing management required

optional, not held financial management optional
optional, not held lean manufacturing optional

04 assisting and caring 2 required, 1 supplementary

required, not held abide by business ethical code of conducts required
required, not held ensure lawful business operations required

optional, not held follow the statutory obligations optional

05 information skills 1 required

required, not held track key performance indicators required

Table 4

Table 4 · Where to start

The 3 entries a chief operating officer role is least likely to hire without. The ordering is computed from the skill data, not from what pays.

Each entry opens a course search for that skill. Career Overlap earns nothing from these links.

Appendix

Appendix · The rest of the record

All 8 skills that carry over

Skill Type

already held analyse business plans skill
already held business process modelling knowledge
already held financial statements knowledge
already held interpret financial statements skill
already held make strategic business decisions skill
already held shape organisational teams based on competencies skill
already held analyse financial performance of a company skill
already held define organisational standards skill

21 supplementary skills, helpful but not required

Skill to acquire Tier

optional, not held apply import strategies optional
optional, not held develop business plans optional
optional, not held develop revenue generation strategies optional
optional, not held implement operational business plans optional
optional, not held apply export strategies optional
optional, not held assume responsibility for the management of a business optional
optional, not held build international relations optional
optional, not held define the corporate structure optional
optional, not held develop company strategies optional
optional, not held develop organisational policies optional
optional, not held financial management optional
optional, not held follow the statutory obligations optional
optional, not held implement strategic planning optional
optional, not held imprint visionary aspirations into the business management optional
optional, not held integrate shareholders' interests in business plans optional
optional, not held interact with the board of directors optional
optional, not held lean manufacturing optional
optional, not held liaise with shareholders optional
optional, not held manage budgets optional
optional, not held set organisational policies optional
optional, not held shape corporate culture optional

45 held skills the chief operating officer role does not ask for

Skill Type

not needed by the target role advise client on technical possibilities skill
not needed by the target role advise on communication strategies skill
not needed by the target role advise on efficiency improvements skill
not needed by the target role advise on financial matters skill
not needed by the target role advise on organisational culture skill
not needed by the target role advise on personnel management skill
not needed by the target role advise on risk management skill
not needed by the target role align efforts towards business development skill
not needed by the target role analyse external factors of companies skill
not needed by the target role analyse internal factors of companies skill
not needed by the target role apply change management skill
not needed by the target role build business relationships skill
not needed by the target role business analysis knowledge
not needed by the target role business analytics knowledge
not needed by the target role business communication knowledge
not needed by the target role business intelligence knowledge
not needed by the target role business law knowledge
not needed by the target role business strategy concepts knowledge
not needed by the target role conduct qualitative research skill
not needed by the target role conduct quantitative research skill
not needed by the target role corporate law knowledge
not needed by the target role data visualisation software knowledge
not needed by the target role digital data processing skill
not needed by the target role identify undetected organisational needs skill
not needed by the target role interview people skill
not needed by the target role investment banking knowledge
not needed by the target role keep updated on the political landscape skill
not needed by the target role liaise with managers skill
not needed by the target role management consulting knowledge
not needed by the target role management systems standards knowledge
not needed by the target role market entry strategies knowledge
not needed by the target role market research knowledge
not needed by the target role marketing analytics knowledge
not needed by the target role organisational learning knowledge
not needed by the target role organisational policies knowledge
not needed by the target role perform business analysis skill
not needed by the target role propose ICT solutions to business problems skill
not needed by the target role quality standards knowledge
not needed by the target role report analysis results skill
not needed by the target role risk management knowledge

5 further entries not listed here

5 gaps that are knowledge rather than practice

Knowledge gaps usually close through study. Practical skill gaps usually need something you can point at.

Skill to acquire Tier

required, not held company policies required
required, not held operations management required
required, not held marketing management required
optional, not held financial management optional
optional, not held lean manufacturing optional

Index

Other moves recorded from business analyst

Full index of moves from business analyst

Note

How this record was compiled

Both occupations are taken from ESCO, which lists the skills and knowledge each occupation is expected to have and marks every one required or optional. Nothing here is a prediction about hiring, and nothing here knows that a particular employer wants a particular certificate. Treat Table 3 as a starting point for your own research rather than a syllabus. The full method states what these figures can and cannot tell you.