Hi Su
Starting out is the hardest step. It is especially hard when you have changed cities as your personal network isn’t around to help connect you to people. I hope we can help you here at Modern Analyst.
Let me help you out with a couple of links;
The difference between a systems analyst and business analyst is discussed here.
Another discussion on starting out exists here. Have your say on the topic, and maybe share your job hunt experience.
Also different people have different ideas about entering the field with no experience. In some discussions I have had recently three paths have been talked about;
1. Come in via testing - junior testing roles require some technical expertise which gives you experience in IT project environments and a practical experience with the software development process.
2. Become a business process analyst – junior business process analysts require the skills you picked up in college, and some basic domain knowledge. And they often pay a bit less so people expect less experience. Look for jobs advertised by operations teams rather than IT departments.
3. Get an operations job (frontline or team leader type roles) and after a while get yourself onto projects – the long, but tried and tested way in.
There is a fourth as well – consulting firms. Consulting firms pay lower rates and work you long hours. In exchange they offer you a wide range of experiences and a quick learning curve. Eventually you get offered partnership or get out of the consulting firm and into a client. Consulting firms like juniors because they have structured ways of dealing with problems and often want to train you into their way of doing things.
Why starting is hard in a nutshell;
You need to demonstrate capability through experience or else you present as untested and thus risky. Will you handle the deadlines, the competing priorities and the complex stakeholder environment. And will you have what it takes to deliver quality. Frankly most undergraduate assignments are nowhere near the quality expected in the corporate world in terms on analytical rigour or in presentation gloss. This is why untested people are a risk to hire. Be aware of this when you start and make sure you are asking for help from you colleagues.
Lastly – apply with your resume to a bunch of jobs. Treat it like research. Ask recruiters for advice on your resume also. Go and see them and discuss your options. When you get interviews but don’t get the job remember it’s a race not a reflection of your worth as a person. And ask for feedback from the interviewer afterwards. (Rowan Manahan has a recruitment blog you might want to take a look at.)
And you can always come back here for advice. Good luck.