Excel Based work

SandP_2

DiscoPistol wrote: »

With this in mind do you think it would be worth the OP (or anyone really) looking to get a MOS or MCAS qualification to help them get a job?

Or are they seen as irrelevant in the workplace?

I wouldn't say that they're irrelevant but as with everything in depends on the marketplace in which you work. I've recruited into IT focused roles for a few companies and there was no specific requirement for Microsoft Office qualifications. I have however worked with other clients who are keen to see these qualifications. So it's probably a 'horses for courses' scenario.

My personal view is that qualifications are only worth while if they help you get your foot in the door for an interview, beyond that it's down to the individual. I tend to prefer workplace experience to loads of qualifications - having said that, if you are starting a new career what qualifications do prove is that you have potential and that you're serious about progressing.

Sorry, typical 'sitting on the fence' answer (these splinters are starting to hurt......) but I don't think it's something that can be stated definitively one way or the other.

BackOnTrack

What are wages like for excel/office developers? I'm pretty good at the whole vba thing and have done quite a number of projects in the past, have turned into more of a manager these days, automating data analysis and manipulation from SQL server through excel and access into word and powerpoint with some pretty complex stuff in between, statistical analysis, monte carlo simulations etc. I always had contracting in the back of my mind but have always had good jobs for good companies and never really looked into it.

DiscoPistol

Thanks for the input. Its nice to get the perspective of someone in the business of 'hiring' rather than of an Excel geek (hello!)

I've always thought that for someone who can put a Vlookup statement together or create a Pivot Table the exam should be pretty easy to pass. And as you say having a Microsoft Certification can only enhance your chances of getting into the interview door.

One more thing to add for the OP. You have no idea how many times I've seen a person doing a particlar job in a company who with the aid of a well placed IF statements and some simple Macro recording suddenly becomes the 'Excel' guy and makes themselves invaluable. Its a tool that 99.9%* of companies use but only they only touch the surface of what it can do!

*okay so I made the figure up but you get the idea

DiscoPistol

BackOnTrack wrote: »

What are wages like for excel/office developers? I'm pretty good at the whole vba thing and have done quite a number of projects in the past, have turned into more of a manager these days, automating data analysis and manipulation from SQL server through excel and access into word and powerpoint with some pretty complex stuff in between, statistical analysis, monte carlo simulations etc. I always had contracting in the back of my mind but have always had good jobs for good companies and never really looked into it.

It's a wide spectrum is all I can say!

I've seen jobs advertised where they need VBA, Advanced Excel, Crystal Reporting, Access, Sql etc where they are offering £18k :eek:

But then I've seen pure excel jobs that paid over £40k

Sorry. Not the most useful answer I've ever given!

BackOnTrack

Yeah saw a lot of that variability myself. I've was once offered an excel job (SQL, vba and some c# or vb.net) in a London trading room for over 50k but judging from what I saw when I was there I would have had a breakdown within 2 years. I have also seen the sort of reqs you are talking about for 18-20k, personally I would rather stay in bed. Think I'll just stick where I am.

qwerty112

Have a look on freelancer, elance, and guru. You'll find plenty of work along those lines there.

jauntyangle

From my experience, Excel is a "tool of the trade" - accountants and anyone in a finance or analytical job should know how to use it at an advanced level to make their job a lot quicker/easier. Most offices will use spreadsheets for something, and it seems everyone puts "Excel" on their CVs, but that seems to encompass everything from adding two cells together to complex analysis via macros and VBA.

I've never heard of a pure Excel job though.

DiscoPistol

jauntyangle wrote: »

I've never heard of a pure Excel job though.

I've had several pure Excel projects (Usually 6 -12 month contracts) but you're right, it's much rarer to get a permanent pure Excel job.

SandP_2

jauntyangle wrote: »

.........and it seems everyone puts "Excel" on their CVs, but that seems to encompass everything from adding two cells together to complex analysis via macros and VBA.

I've never heard of a pure Excel job though.

A few years ago I needed a new HR Analyst and one of the key aspects of the job was being able to use Excel to interrogate data and draw conclusions. As part of the interview process applicants had to analyse some datasets using Excel and then give a presentation on their findings - they were all made aware of this in advance.

One applicant hardly touched the keyboard during their allotted 30 minutes and their presentation consisted of pointing at a spurious line in the raw data and stating 'this figure was low at the start of the year, by the end of the year it was bigger'. She then admitted that she'd only used Excel briefly at Uni some years before, had lied on her CV and thought she could blag the analysis section of the interview (for an HR Analyst role!).

Nice person but she didn't get the job.................