Hi Kayla,

Since you have zero experience with the profession, I would suggest that you first try to understand what the role is all about before investing too much time or money in tools and training.

Here are some suggestions:

• Ask yourself why you want to be a business analyst (besides money)?
• Find business analysts that may already work for your current employer and find out what they do.
• Find a local group of business analysts (such as an IIBA chapter) and attend a few meetings.  Ask questions about what it's like to be one - you'll surely get a wide variety of answers but it will give you a good perspective.
• Take one or two senior analysts out to lunch and user the opportunity to learn as much as you can "about the profession" - this is not the time to learn the trade.

Adrian