September 9, 2025 • 12 mins
Job hunting can feel like a full-time job — one day you’re full of hope, the next you’re wondering if anyone even saw your CV.
In this episode of The Better Business Analyst Podcast, Benjamen Walsh shares his Top 10 job-seeking strategies tailored for Business Analysts, IT professionals, and strategic leaders.
From crafting personalised cover letters to staying visible on LinkedIn, and from working with recruiters to managing your own energy, these are the proven approaches that will help you stand out and stay resilient during your search.
Tune in for practical tips, real examples, and encouragement for your journey to the next role.
🎧 Listen now on Spotify.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:00):
Now let's be honest, job seekingisn't fun.
It can feel like a job itself. One day you're full of hope
after sending in a cracking application, the next you're
wondering if anyone even read it.
I know that feeling personally, and I know many of you listening
(00:23):
right now are either in the middle of a search, considering
a move, or simply wanting to be prepared when opportunity
knocks. So today I want to share my 10
strategies for job seeking, specifically tailored for
business analysts, IT professionals, and strategic
(00:45):
leaders. These aren't generic tips,
they're the proven approaches that I've seen work and we will
cover some of the roadblocks that I've had recently on my
search for my next gig. The Better Business Analysis
Institute presence, the Better Business Analysis Podcast with
(01:08):
Benjamin Walsh. Welcome back everyone to the
Better Business Analysis podcastand I'm your host, Benjamin
Walsh. Now I've been on the job search
and I've been offered a few jobs, turned some down, and I
have secured my next contract. And today I want to share my top
(01:34):
ten job seeking tips for business analysts and IT
professionals. So let's get into it.
The first one is about crafting A personalized cover letter.
Far too many candidates skip this step or recycle the same
boring letter every time. A personalized cover letter is
(01:59):
your chance to speak directly tothe hiring manager and why
you're good at the role. So instead of saying I'm
applying for the BA role at yourcompany, say I'm excited to see
that your organization is investing in data transformation
and the health sector. In my last role, I delivered
something similar. The tip here is to anchor your
(02:20):
letter in their world, not just yours.
So don't. It's not just about me, which
your CV already does, or your resume.
Show them you understand their challenges and that you have
solved similar ones, even if youhave to guess what some of the
problems are. So what HR professionals will
(02:41):
tell you is that the cover letter is sometimes the first
starting point before the CV. So if the cover letter isn't
good or you can't explain why you want to work for the
company, which might be a text field in the application, you
won't get any further. They won't even look at your CV.
So number one is craft. The personalized cover letter
(03:03):
number 2 is to target your CV oryou resume in the States.
Think of your CV as your marketing brochure, not just an
autobiography. Tailor it to the role in front
of you. So what I would say here at the
top tip is you keep a master copy with all your roles, all
(03:24):
the details, and then you might summarize some of those and you
might highlight more informationbased on the role you're
applying for. So if the job emphasizes
stakeholder management, show those skills and achievements
right at the top, even if it resequences the way in which
(03:45):
you, you know, actually did the wrong when you did it.
So you bring those up to the top.
If it's like data heavy, then you might have data analysis or
BA tools or BA tools, sorry, andyou bring those to the top.
Don't send the same CV to every application.
Recruiters spot that and sometimes they move around and
(04:06):
they upload it so they've got a copy.
Keep a master CV, as I said, with all your experience, and
then you trim it and it should take you about 30 minutes to get
it right. So that's how long we're talking
once you've got your master #3 is to keep old roles if they add
value. So here's the mistake I see a
(04:28):
lot. People delete their earlier jobs
because they think they're irrelevant and they will win
when they are more junior. But sometimes those older roles
tell a powerful story. So did you work in retail?
The customer service and stakeholder schools might be
useful. Were you a team leader in
hospitality? That shows leadership under
(04:49):
pressure. Don't undersell your journey.
Employers like to see how you'vegrown over time.
The trick is to frame those roles in terms of transferable
skills and it shows that you're a person.
So I've, I went over to overseasfrom New Zealand to the UK and
to Germany and back again and, you know, travelled around New
(05:11):
Zealand. So that's a useful story.
I also have a diploma in sound engineering and counselling,
which I sometimes drop in depending on the role.
And so it shows a bit of a bit more history and a bit more
about who you are. I was actually told this during
my recent applications to jobs that I had a role earlier along
(05:36):
when I came back from the UK, which was at a web design
company and I was kind of ABA there and it was early day
professional services. And I thought the fact that I
was the BA manager was the best skill.
But actually, what was useful for the role that I've just
acquired is that it was a mobileapp place where I was doing web
(06:00):
apps. And so that became the most
useful skill that I had for thisrole, and that was 10 years ago
and probably 10 roles ago #4 is to highlight projects and the
tech used. It's not enough to say I worked
on system upgrades. Hiring managers want the
(06:23):
details. What project was it?
What was your role? What tools did you use?
And most importantly, what was the outcome?
Even if it wasn't successful, what was the deliverable?
Maybe you said you delivered a new customer portal using Jira,
AWS and Confluence, leading to a20% increase in online adoption.
(06:44):
That's so much stronger then worked on a portal project or
delivered a portal project. I'm still not great.
My CV is still not great at this.
If you look at my LinkedIn profile, you can give me some
top tips where I don't talk about the outcome, which is
really good, strong for ABA because it shows that you care
about those things. But also they do look for
keywords. And if you haven't like used
(07:04):
Jira before, you may even just get culled by the recruiter.
So who cares that it's Jira, butthey might care.
OK #5 is to tell your network. This feels uncomfortable.
It feels uncomfortable for me, but it's incredibly effective.
Your network can help you even if they don't know that you're
(07:26):
looking for a job. You post an update on LinkedIn
or quietly message trusted colleagues.
That's probably a good one individually sometimes.
Like I'm exploring my next BA role.
Really enjoyed working with you.It'd be great to work with you
again. Do you know of any digital
transformation projects or you've heard anything?
Love to have coffee? I'll buy you a beer. 9 out of 10
(07:48):
times. Opportunities come through the
people, not through job boards. And that leads me on to the idea
about recruiters, which is #7 we'll get there in a minute.
Number six is to post regularly on LinkedIn.
It matters. The game being visible matters.
Hiring managers and recruiters often check your profile before
(08:10):
they check your CV. You need to have a photo on
there. You need to have a headline.
You need to share your thoughts,comment on industry use, maybe
write short posts like I do. Three lessons I learned.
You don't need to be a thought leader, right?
Just consistent. So I post a lot of content
because I'm a content provider. That might not be your jam.
(08:32):
So you might just, I don't know,connect with people or write a
response to a post. Think of it as leaving bread
crumbs to show your expertise and actually your engagement
that you're not just doing a job, you're involved in the
community #7 is to meet recruiters.
Recruiters aren't just gatekeepers, they're your
partners. The best ones can open doors to
(08:55):
roles that aren't advertised yet.
That's my experience. So at the moment in New Zealand
there or in Wellington, New Zealand, there are so many BAS
out of work and like 250 applicants per roll.
So who's gatekeeping those recruitment agents?
Generally the book a 20 minute coffee, a call with some
(09:16):
recruiters, tell them you're looking.
Share your goals. Try and be easy.
Try not give them reasons not towork with you.
They make money off placing you.They want to place you if they
can, but if you're a hassle theywon't.
OK Ask them what they're saying in the market.
Treat this like an interview, that you first impressions
matter. You dress like you're going to
(09:36):
an interview and if they believein you or they think that
there's a role they work very quickly.
Generally, they will sell your story to the employees they work
with right before you even walk in the room.
And that's how I've secured my latest role #8 is to reach out
to friends and former colleagues, right?
There's a hidden job market there that LinkedIn or Sync will
(09:58):
never tell you. Roles get filled because someone
says, I know a person, he or shewould be great for this, or they
will be great for this. A simple message can work
wonders, right? And just say, hey, look, you may
have had a matter of work do would you be happy to refer me
for this role of you worked at, say, a bank?
(10:19):
Keep it authentic, right? No one likes begging.
It's not about begging. It's about using relationships
and, and, and, and thank them and be empathetic.
And you know, you scratch their back as well, like if they need
help down the road. So if you're helping someone
while they're looking, that is so important, then you bank that
for the later #9 is to stay on top of industry trends.
(10:42):
You know, I mentioned certificates like you know that
you're a bit of BA or that you've done AI training and BA
or you know about continuous discovery or agile at scale.
Even better, post about these topics on LinkedIn.
It proves that you're engaged and it adds to a professional
credibility. I do a lot of additional
training when I'm in a break time.
(11:03):
And #10 is to manage your energyand resilience.
It's a mental health strain. OK the human side.
Job seeking is tough to condemn.Your confidence, the pace
yourself set, realistic daily goals.
Maybe you know three quality applications a day, meet, run,
recruiter a week. That's probably a good cadence
(11:23):
to start off with. Celebrate small wins, an
interview, a new connection, good feedback on your CV and
rejection is not a reflection ofyour worth.
It's often about timing, budget,internal politics, who they
know. So do not be disheartened.
The jobs will come and just and you'll find that when they do
(11:44):
come after you've added drought,you'll get lots of offers,
right? That's the way it works.
And that wraps up today's episode, The Top 10 Strategies
for Job Seeking as ABA or IT Professional as said by Benjamin
Walsh. Now, you may have some great
ideas, right? The biggest take away here is
that job seeking isn't about sending out CVS at all.
(12:04):
It's about telling your story, building visibility, nurturing
relationships, and every coffee with a recruiter has a chance to
show you who they are and get closer to a job.
You're currently in the hunt. Stay patient, stay consistent,
stay, stay connected, connect with me.
I'm more than happy to help you out if I can, if I'm very time
(12:26):
poor, but if I can, just like your post, I will.
Your next role might be 1 e-mailor one conversation away and
I'll see you next week.
Now let's be honest, job seekingisn't fun.
It can feel like a job itself. One day you're full of hope
after sending in a cracking application, the next you're
wondering if anyone even read it.
I know that feeling personally, and I know many of you listening
(00:23):
right now are either in the middle of a search, considering
a move, or simply wanting to be prepared when opportunity
knocks. So today I want to share my 10
strategies for job seeking, specifically tailored for
business analysts, IT professionals, and strategic
(00:45):
leaders. These aren't generic tips,
they're the proven approaches that I've seen work and we will
cover some of the roadblocks that I've had recently on my
search for my next gig. The Better Business Analysis
Institute presence, the Better Business Analysis Podcast with
(01:08):
Benjamin Walsh. Welcome back everyone to the
Better Business Analysis podcastand I'm your host, Benjamin
Walsh. Now I've been on the job search
and I've been offered a few jobs, turned some down, and I
have secured my next contract. And today I want to share my top
(01:34):
ten job seeking tips for business analysts and IT
professionals. So let's get into it.
The first one is about crafting A personalized cover letter.
Far too many candidates skip this step or recycle the same
boring letter every time. A personalized cover letter is
(01:59):
your chance to speak directly tothe hiring manager and why
you're good at the role. So instead of saying I'm
applying for the BA role at yourcompany, say I'm excited to see
that your organization is investing in data transformation
and the health sector. In my last role, I delivered
something similar. The tip here is to anchor your
(02:20):
letter in their world, not just yours.
So don't. It's not just about me, which
your CV already does, or your resume.
Show them you understand their challenges and that you have
solved similar ones, even if youhave to guess what some of the
problems are. So what HR professionals will
(02:41):
tell you is that the cover letter is sometimes the first
starting point before the CV. So if the cover letter isn't
good or you can't explain why you want to work for the
company, which might be a text field in the application, you
won't get any further. They won't even look at your CV.
So number one is craft. The personalized cover letter
(03:03):
number 2 is to target your CV oryou resume in the States.
Think of your CV as your marketing brochure, not just an
autobiography. Tailor it to the role in front
of you. So what I would say here at the
top tip is you keep a master copy with all your roles, all
(03:24):
the details, and then you might summarize some of those and you
might highlight more informationbased on the role you're
applying for. So if the job emphasizes
stakeholder management, show those skills and achievements
right at the top, even if it resequences the way in which
(03:45):
you, you know, actually did the wrong when you did it.
So you bring those up to the top.
If it's like data heavy, then you might have data analysis or
BA tools or BA tools, sorry, andyou bring those to the top.
Don't send the same CV to every application.
Recruiters spot that and sometimes they move around and
(04:06):
they upload it so they've got a copy.
Keep a master CV, as I said, with all your experience, and
then you trim it and it should take you about 30 minutes to get
it right. So that's how long we're talking
once you've got your master #3 is to keep old roles if they add
value. So here's the mistake I see a
(04:28):
lot. People delete their earlier jobs
because they think they're irrelevant and they will win
when they are more junior. But sometimes those older roles
tell a powerful story. So did you work in retail?
The customer service and stakeholder schools might be
useful. Were you a team leader in
hospitality? That shows leadership under
(04:49):
pressure. Don't undersell your journey.
Employers like to see how you'vegrown over time.
The trick is to frame those roles in terms of transferable
skills and it shows that you're a person.
So I've, I went over to overseasfrom New Zealand to the UK and
to Germany and back again and, you know, travelled around New
(05:11):
Zealand. So that's a useful story.
I also have a diploma in sound engineering and counselling,
which I sometimes drop in depending on the role.
And so it shows a bit of a bit more history and a bit more
about who you are. I was actually told this during
my recent applications to jobs that I had a role earlier along
(05:36):
when I came back from the UK, which was at a web design
company and I was kind of ABA there and it was early day
professional services. And I thought the fact that I
was the BA manager was the best skill.
But actually, what was useful for the role that I've just
acquired is that it was a mobileapp place where I was doing web
(06:00):
apps. And so that became the most
useful skill that I had for thisrole, and that was 10 years ago
and probably 10 roles ago #4 is to highlight projects and the
tech used. It's not enough to say I worked
on system upgrades. Hiring managers want the
(06:23):
details. What project was it?
What was your role? What tools did you use?
And most importantly, what was the outcome?
Even if it wasn't successful, what was the deliverable?
Maybe you said you delivered a new customer portal using Jira,
AWS and Confluence, leading to a20% increase in online adoption.
(06:44):
That's so much stronger then worked on a portal project or
delivered a portal project. I'm still not great.
My CV is still not great at this.
If you look at my LinkedIn profile, you can give me some
top tips where I don't talk about the outcome, which is
really good, strong for ABA because it shows that you care
about those things. But also they do look for
keywords. And if you haven't like used
(07:04):
Jira before, you may even just get culled by the recruiter.
So who cares that it's Jira, butthey might care.
OK #5 is to tell your network. This feels uncomfortable.
It feels uncomfortable for me, but it's incredibly effective.
Your network can help you even if they don't know that you're
(07:26):
looking for a job. You post an update on LinkedIn
or quietly message trusted colleagues.
That's probably a good one individually sometimes.
Like I'm exploring my next BA role.
Really enjoyed working with you.It'd be great to work with you
again. Do you know of any digital
transformation projects or you've heard anything?
Love to have coffee? I'll buy you a beer. 9 out of 10
(07:48):
times. Opportunities come through the
people, not through job boards. And that leads me on to the idea
about recruiters, which is #7 we'll get there in a minute.
Number six is to post regularly on LinkedIn.
It matters. The game being visible matters.
Hiring managers and recruiters often check your profile before
(08:10):
they check your CV. You need to have a photo on
there. You need to have a headline.
You need to share your thoughts,comment on industry use, maybe
write short posts like I do. Three lessons I learned.
You don't need to be a thought leader, right?
Just consistent. So I post a lot of content
because I'm a content provider. That might not be your jam.
(08:32):
So you might just, I don't know,connect with people or write a
response to a post. Think of it as leaving bread
crumbs to show your expertise and actually your engagement
that you're not just doing a job, you're involved in the
community #7 is to meet recruiters.
Recruiters aren't just gatekeepers, they're your
partners. The best ones can open doors to
(08:55):
roles that aren't advertised yet.
That's my experience. So at the moment in New Zealand
there or in Wellington, New Zealand, there are so many BAS
out of work and like 250 applicants per roll.
So who's gatekeeping those recruitment agents?
Generally the book a 20 minute coffee, a call with some
(09:16):
recruiters, tell them you're looking.
Share your goals. Try and be easy.
Try not give them reasons not towork with you.
They make money off placing you.They want to place you if they
can, but if you're a hassle theywon't.
OK Ask them what they're saying in the market.
Treat this like an interview, that you first impressions
matter. You dress like you're going to
(09:36):
an interview and if they believein you or they think that
there's a role they work very quickly.
Generally, they will sell your story to the employees they work
with right before you even walk in the room.
And that's how I've secured my latest role #8 is to reach out
to friends and former colleagues, right?
There's a hidden job market there that LinkedIn or Sync will
(09:58):
never tell you. Roles get filled because someone
says, I know a person, he or shewould be great for this, or they
will be great for this. A simple message can work
wonders, right? And just say, hey, look, you may
have had a matter of work do would you be happy to refer me
for this role of you worked at, say, a bank?
(10:19):
Keep it authentic, right? No one likes begging.
It's not about begging. It's about using relationships
and, and, and, and thank them and be empathetic.
And you know, you scratch their back as well, like if they need
help down the road. So if you're helping someone
while they're looking, that is so important, then you bank that
for the later #9 is to stay on top of industry trends.
(10:42):
You know, I mentioned certificates like you know that
you're a bit of BA or that you've done AI training and BA
or you know about continuous discovery or agile at scale.
Even better, post about these topics on LinkedIn.
It proves that you're engaged and it adds to a professional
credibility. I do a lot of additional
training when I'm in a break time.
(11:03):
And #10 is to manage your energyand resilience.
It's a mental health strain. OK the human side.
Job seeking is tough to condemn.Your confidence, the pace
yourself set, realistic daily goals.
Maybe you know three quality applications a day, meet, run,
recruiter a week. That's probably a good cadence
(11:23):
to start off with. Celebrate small wins, an
interview, a new connection, good feedback on your CV and
rejection is not a reflection ofyour worth.
It's often about timing, budget,internal politics, who they
know. So do not be disheartened.
The jobs will come and just and you'll find that when they do
(11:44):
come after you've added drought,you'll get lots of offers,
right? That's the way it works.
And that wraps up today's episode, The Top 10 Strategies
for Job Seeking as ABA or IT Professional as said by Benjamin
Walsh. Now, you may have some great
ideas, right? The biggest take away here is
that job seeking isn't about sending out CVS at all.
(12:04):
It's about telling your story, building visibility, nurturing
relationships, and every coffee with a recruiter has a chance to
show you who they are and get closer to a job.
You're currently in the hunt. Stay patient, stay consistent,
stay, stay connected, connect with me.
I'm more than happy to help you out if I can, if I'm very time
(12:26):
poor, but if I can, just like your post, I will.
Your next role might be 1 e-mailor one conversation away and
I'll see you next week.
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