Screening checklist
Business Analyst Screening Checklist
Detailed Business Analyst screening checklist covering requirements gathering, process modeling, stakeholder analysis, and solution design evaluation.
The short answer
Screening Business Analyst candidates well means fixing the pass criteria before the first résumé is opened. The checklist below covers résumé triage, a short phone screen with model answers, a technical check with passing criteria, and the deal-breakers that end a conversation early.
- Must have: 2+ years BA or related experience
- Must have: Strong requirements elicitation skills
- Must have: Process mapping and improvement experience
- Deal-breaker: Cannot elicit requirements beyond surface-level
Cohesyve finds, contacts and tests Business Analyst candidates on the real work and ranks them. Ten candidates free, no card.
Being screened for a role like this? Practise free →This checklist evaluates Business Analyst candidates across requirements elicitation, process analysis, stakeholder management, and bridging business-technical communication.
Résumé screening
- Requirements gathering and documentation experience
- Process modeling proficiency (BPMN, UML)
- Cross-functional stakeholder management
- Agile user story writing experience
- Data analysis skills
- Industry domain experience
Must-have qualifications
- 2+ years BA or related experience
- Strong requirements elicitation skills
- Process mapping and improvement experience
- Excellent cross-functional communication
- Analytical thinking and problem-solving
Phone screen questions
Ask every candidate the same set, in the same order, and note the answer against the model before you form a view.
How do you approach gathering requirements for a new project?
A strong answer Describes stakeholder interviews, workshops, observation, document analysis, and iterative refinement. Shows ability to uncover unstated needs.
Tell me about conflicting stakeholder requirements you resolved.
A strong answer Facilitated dialogue, identified shared goals, proposed compromises, used data to support recommendations.
How do you write effective user stories?
A strong answer Uses standard format with persona, action, benefit. INVEST-compliant with specific, testable acceptance criteria including edge cases.
Describe a process improvement you identified and implemented.
A strong answer Mapped current process, identified bottlenecks, proposed improvements with cost-benefit analysis, gained buy-in, measured impact.
How do you ensure nothing is lost between requirements and implementation?
A strong answer Maintains traceability, participates in technical discussions, reviews designs against requirements, conducts UAT.
Cohesyve
Reach the phone screen with Business Analyst candidates who have done the work
Cohesyve finds and contacts Business Analyst candidates from your job description, tests each one on an AI job simulation of the role and ranks them, so the checklist above starts from a shortlist. Ten candidates free, no card.
Technical screening
| Area | What to test | Passing criteria |
|---|---|---|
| Requirements Analysis | Elicitation techniques, documentation quality, validation | Produces clear, testable requirements understood by all stakeholders |
| Process Modeling | Current/future state mapping, gap analysis | Creates accurate models and identifies meaningful improvements |
| Data Analysis | SQL basics, spreadsheet analysis, business case development | Analyzes data to support decisions and build business cases |
| Communication | Stakeholder presentation, technical translation | Communicates effectively between business and technical teams |
Fit and deal-breakers
Good signs
- Curious about the why behind processes
- Bridge-builder between teams
- Detail-oriented yet outcome-focused
- Comfortable facilitating workshops
- Proactive in identifying improvements
Deal-breakers
- Cannot elicit requirements beyond surface-level
- Writes vague requirements without acceptance criteria
- Unable to communicate with both technical and business audiences
- No interest in business context
Scoring rubric
Analytical Skills
30%- Requirements elicitation depth
- Process analysis
- Data-driven reasoning
Communication
30%- Documentation quality
- Stakeholder facilitation
- Technical translation
Domain Knowledge
20%- Industry understanding
- Business acumen
- Solution awareness
Collaboration
20%- Cross-team effectiveness
- Conflict resolution
- Agile participation
Common questions
Should BAs have technical skills?
Basic SQL, data analysis, and understanding of software development enhance BA effectiveness. Deep technical skills not required but literacy improves communication.
How to evaluate BAs without formal BA title?
Many roles involve BA skills. Look for requirements gathering, stakeholder facilitation, process documentation, and bridging business-technical gaps regardless of title.
Valuable BA certifications?
CBAP, PMI-PBA, and IIBA certifications demonstrate foundational knowledge. CSPO adds value for Agile-focused BAs.
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