Analyst

The business analyst will negotiate compromises between departments so that the main project is not put in jeopardy. The analyst has to have good negotiation skills so that they recognize strengths and weakness in departments and help them overcome them.

Analyzing and reporting testing results is another essential task for quality analysts. They often gather extensive statistics and use techniques such as root cause analysis to find the sources of defects. The analyst may make suggestions for improving products and processes to reduce or eliminate defects based on the findings.

Quality analysts are usually detail-oriented and analytical. They must be persistent and willing to work through difficult issues. Learning quickly will be useful in this profession, as is the ability to communicate orally and in writing to people with varying backgrounds.

People employed in these jobs are often highly educated. Employers typically request an undergraduate degree in a related field. Someone who would like to work as a software development quality analyst will benefit from computer science classes. Chemistry or engineering classes may benefit someone who wants to work in manufacturing. A strong mathematics and statistics background will be useful for any quality analyst.

A quality control analyst might be responsible for checking products to make sure they meet the manufacturer's standards for safety and durability. He/she might also train other workers on how to check products. Many times, this individual can give suggestions as to how to make a product better. He/she could also try to determine the cause of problems that arise, in order to correct deficiencies.

A quality analyst frequently reviews product or service specifications as a part of his/her role. He/she can use his/her expertise to suggest improvements in the specifications, which will lead to improvements in the final product or service. Correcting quality issues in the specification phase reduces the organization's costs.

A financial analyst is the person who examines and investigates a company's assets, debts, investments and growth potential. He/she may do this for the general interest of one or several shareholders but more often, the information he/she gathers is used as a guideline for potential investments, mergers or divestitures. A person with this job may work as an independent consultant or for a corporation, government agency, bank, stock brokerage firm or insurance company.

A quality control analyst normally understands the manufacturing process well and as such can often recommend new methods that can both improve the quality of goods and save the company money. He/she may be called on to make presentations to members of management about proposed changes. Also, he/she could be one of the first to test new techniques before they are widely implemented.

A quality control analyst is an important person in a factory setting. This is because he/she can keep faulty products from reaching consumers, which could cause a recall or lawsuit. By ensuring good quality control, the company maintains a profit and also maintains a reputation for providing quality goods. A steady profit and good reputation can be good for the economy, no matter where the manufacturer is located.

Many times, an inspection by a quality control analyst is performed just before goods are packaged and shipped. This worker is often responsible for making sure there are no safety concerns, such as flaking paint or loose parts. He/she could also check to make sure the products are not defective in other ways. This may involve performing a series of tests to make sure all components are working properly.

When problems with a product occur regularly, a quality control analyst might need to find the source of these issues. This might mean he/she could check on workers on an assembly line to see that they are performing their tasks properly. He/she could also try to determine whether or not certain machines are not functioning effectively and ask that they be repaired or shut down in some cases.

While some in this position provide general analyses of all of an organization's financial operations, he/she may specialize in stocks, bonds, real estate or other common areas of investment. He/she may concentrate on only one area of a company, such as pension funds or 401(k) plans. If he/she works for a stockbroker, his/her area of expertise may be limited to advising customers on making investments that meet their needs and growth potential goals.

In addition to field work, interviewing and general research, a financial analyst normally utilizes statistical and industry-specific software to conduct her investigation. He/she is frequently required to provide spreadsheets and narrative reports to reflect her findings. It is common for a financial analyst to be constantly connected to several websites that monitor international financial markets and activities 24 hours a day. To be successful in this position also normally requires excellent communication skills to gain access to sensitive information and build strong relationships within the industry.

Studying different types of investment vehicles is also an important part of the job. Analysts need to know the difference between bonds and stocks for instance and should be able to help a client choose between different monetary deposit opportunities. This often requires a solid understanding of the client's goals and individual values, too. A good analyst will be able to explain why a certain type of account or fund might be strong generally, but might nevertheless be a poor choice for a certain client specifically.

Most people who want to become financial or securities analysts need to earn at least a bachelor's degree, usually in a field like accounting or business. It is sometimes possible to enter the workforce with only a high school diploma or an associate's degree but this is relatively uncommon. In fact, many of the most successful analysts have gone on to receive master's degrees, usually in financial management or business administration. Employers often see university education as a sort of preliminary training for the rigors the job will entail.

A quantitative analyst is a person who works with quantitative finance, using various techniques in a multitude of settings. Also known as a "quant" in the investment industry, this analyst may work in derivatives pricing, risk management or many other financing positions that involve mathematics.

The research sources of a financial analyst may be as academic as researching a company's publicly accessible financial statements or as personal as interviewing the firm's top executives to garner information on their financial health and prognosis. He/she may enlist the aid of corporate insiders to access internal memos, reports and documents. Although he/she is normally perceived as objective, an analyst is commonly accused of occasionally overstepping professional boundaries in performing his/her job.

A financial reporting analyst often is a high level professional. He/she is responsible for seeing the big picture, as opposed to department or branch accountants who oversee financial matters related specifically to their areas. It is common for a financial reporting analyst to meet with department and branch accountants to discuss the needs of their areas. Likewise, an analyst might present them with budgets and instructions for spending.

Financial reporting analysts are usually responsible for gathering and analyzing financial data for an organization. In most cases, these professionals consult financial executives on how best to plan for the future. They might also prepare financial statements that are used in external auditing processes. While this kind of professional might work as an in-house professional in a finance or accounting department, a financial reporting analyst might also work for a financial consulting firm. In these cases, a financial reporting analyst often is contracted by an organization that needs assistance preparing documents for external or internal audits.

Financial or investment analysts can work in many different settings but they all usually have the same set of essential skills and research is high on that list. Analysts need to understand the relevant financial markets well enough to use information about what certain funds or portfolios have done in the past to make informed predictions about what they are likely to do in the future.