Tertiary and Continuing Intermediate Excel

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Selective Retention

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This is listed on practically every job advert but what do they actually expect someone at an intermediate level to do in a job context.

I've done stats units at uni so have used solver and other add ins like that but I don't see stuff like that as a day to day necessity in the workplace?

Are they just referring to if statements, vlookup etc as intermediate excel?
 

Colin D'Cops

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Are they just referring to if statements, vlookup etc as intermediate excel?

I guess it would vary from job to job.

I'm no expert at all myself, I just completed a spreadsheet test a week ago now as part as my Business course. We used the IF function, VLookup, conditional formatting, data validation, protecting parts of the sheet and were expected to know the formulas like the back of our hand [eg. =MIN(), =MAX(), =AVERAGE()].

I'm tipping this is entry level stuff, but if you've got this all sorted I wouldn't be too hesitant in applying for jobs, except in the IT industry. There'd be [strike]clowns[/strike] nerds who'd know a few more tricks for sure.
 
I guess it would vary from job to job.

I'm no expert at all myself, I just completed a spreadsheet test a week ago now as part as my Business course. We used the IF function, VLookup, conditional formatting, data validation, protecting parts of the sheet and were expected to know the formulas like the back of our hand [eg. =MIN(), =MAX(), =AVERAGE()].

I'm tipping this is entry level stuff, but if you've got this all sorted I wouldn't be too hesitant in applying for jobs, except in the IT industry. There'd be [strike]clowns[/strike] nerds who'd know a few more tricks for sure.
:thumbsu:
From the sounds of it, Selective Retention, you should be fine to apply for anything involving intermediate Excel skills. For everything else, what Colin said.
 

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checkraiseulite

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I (really) sucked at excel during a couple of internships in the accounting/finance sphere.

I went an did an Advanced excel short course at TAFE, that was 1 evening a week for 6 weeks or so. It helped a lot and wasn't too expensive.

Also a good thing to put on the resume. Good luck.
 

Selective Retention

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Thanks guys. I'm reasonably confident I know enough in excel, or at least have the resources from uni to brush up on what I need to know.

I'm more angling towards if I'm asked in an interview what I can do in excel that my response matches up with what they consider "intermediate excel".
 

Simon_Nesbit

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From my experience as an unofficial "Tech Support" in non-IT roles,

If you can type numbers into a cell = basic.
If you can make the program do "something" (basic math functions +-/*) = intermediate.
If you can use more advanced methods (min, max, avg, mode) = advanced.
If you can completely stuff things up = expert.

90% of "basic level" IT is just google....and "Microsoft did it".
 
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Thanks guys. I'm reasonably confident I know enough in excel, or at least have the resources from uni to brush up on what I need to know.

I'm more angling towards if I'm asked in an interview what I can do in excel that my response matches up with what they consider "intermediate excel".

Pivot tables, Vlookup, Sumif, if


If you've got the handle on them, you're intermediate.
 

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