If you are a part of the business sphere, there is no way that you haven’t heard of the label ‘Business Strategist’ buzzing from every corner. So, do you ever mull over what it means? Does it make you curious that what do these people do to gain so much attention? And, how can they help you? If yes, then you are going to find this piece of content quite useful as it covers the meaning of a business strategist and explains the pathway to becoming one.

So, let us begin this discussion by throwing light on the word strategy and gradually we will move on to the nitty-gritty of what a business strategist does.

The Essence of the word - Strategy

A strategy is a commonly tossed around term on job portals. Most of the job postings speak briefly of strategy as an essential skill that senior professionals must possess. There is a massive gush of strategist across a multitude of industries – Corporate, social, PR and so on. The list is never-ending. Now, the question arises that what does a strategy mean and why is it so important that every sector is seeking content individuals to design one.

Richard Rumelt, a Professor serving for UCLA describes a strategy as seeking the most appropriate methodology to guide and utilize resources.
As per Michael Porter who is the writer of Competitive Strategy believes that creating a strategy is like making an intentional effort to select s distinct set of actions to provide an eccentric mixture of value.

Business strategists can be seen as professional opportunists who embrace the most suitable opportunity, exploit it in the best way possible and direct resources to conceive the highest effect possible.

Business Strategist – The Creator of a Strategy

By contemplating the above-mentioned definitions, it can be established that a business strategist is responsible for contriving the best techniques that can be applied to optimize the available resources and intensify their impact.

Hence, a well-read business strategist must be capable of carrying out the following activities:

• They should be capable of identifying, understanding and defining the problems in your business.
• Should have the proficiency to explain the factors feeding those problems to grow big.
• Should own the judgment power to pick the factor that needs to be tackled first or else seek an opportunity to get rid of all factors in a single fell swoop.
• Should have the intelligence to create an explicit set of schemes as well as actions to exploit that opportunity.
• Should possess the skills to gauge the progress of the plans.
• Should have the expertise to delegating responsibilities and the route to fulfilling them

It is needless to say that business strategists direct a company and its people toward a common goal. The well-being and success of a firm depend on how well a strategist can explore the best ways to utilize its resources to fetch maximum revenues. Therefore, it is inevitable for them to develop a contrarian thinking to portray themselves as true leaders that others can look up to.

The Path leading to a Career in Business Strategy

Organizations from several industries are on a hunt for business strategists who can analyze business models and transform them into the companies belonging to the private as well as the public sector. They are the scheming ninjas that work towards boosting the effectiveness, growth, and profits of a company.

Considering the fact that this position is high-in-demand everywhere, you will face significant competition when attending job interviews. The destiny of an organizations lies in the hands of strategists, hence, employers are yearning for unmatchable talent. Therefore, how learned you are will certainly play a huge role in landing you a job in this industry.

If you want to be spotted by top companies, it is advisable to go for a bachelor’s and a master’s degree in Business Administration or any other field connected to business and management. In the initial phase of your career, you might be offered with a junior role, but gradually you shall reach your desired position by exhibiting your unrivaled skills.

Now, if you need a booster for your job search efforts, you can always go for a relevant business strategy certification since employers usually show an inclination towards certified candidates. Certifications indicate that you possess a great deal of dedication towards your profession and you went through a structured learning process to gain the knowledge that you shall apply to your work. That being the case, employers have unparalleled respect for certified business strategists and prefer hiring them over others.