Has your Excel knowledge helped your career?

[Cbrine]

I've taken my vba knowledge and actually moved into a role as an IT Business Analyst within my company. Considering I stated out in customer service role and didn't start any post secondary eduction until after I assumed my current role, I think it's a pretty cool progression. I learned most of what I know about VB from creating advanced VBA processes. Prior to this position, I was working in HR as a compensation/system analyst. VBA process automation came in very handy there. I wouldn't be doing what I am today without knowing VBA.

 

[litrelord]

As a standalone skill it's not always worth that much

If I had a glove, I'd slap you with it. Now, good day sir!

Should have known better than to make that comment on this board shouldn't I

 

[njimack]

Officially I'm employed as an accountant, but I spend about two-thirds of my time developing applications or improving existing spreadsheets for colleagues.

These range from basic accounting files, to a system for booking and reporting absence.

In the next few months I'll be leaving the accountancy stuff behind for good, and working full-time at going through every process used within Finance, looking to automate anything that's done manually.

So yes, my Excel knowledge (most of which was gained via MrExcel!) has definitely helped my career!

 

[PA HS Teacher]

As a teacher I've created 10's of spreadsheets, userforms, codes etc that make my job easier, and hundreds, well really thousands that aren't directly related to what I do but were fun to make. Most of my colleagues don't understand what I do but they think I'm really, really smart (far smarter than I actually am) and they come to me with computer problems, and occasionally some problems that allow me to use excel.

Like the rest of us here I enjoy solving problems. I enjoy knowing that I'm helping someone else, and it is always interesting when I realize the person I'm helping may be halfway around the world. I enjoy gaining some insight into someone else's life. I always wonder what would it be like to work in accounting, or engineering, or healthcare or any number of other occupations. I think we all enjoy the thought that someting we did is saving someone else time. (It's certainly not saving us time!) I guess it is human nature to wonder what the grass is like on the other side.

Interesting Posts that I've helped people with in the past. (that I can remember.)

- Data Analysis, Fit Lines, Predictions etc.
- Data Tabulation and analysis
- Text manipulations, formatting etc.
- Tournament Brackets, Pools etc.
- "Magic Square Generation"
- Solving Word Puzzles (e.g. letters add up to 1,000,000)
- Various math problems (Trig, Missing Sides Etc.)
- Physics Problems
- Financial Optimization Problems.
- Engineering Problems.
- Simulations (numerical and graphical using graphs or conditional formatting)
- Simulated two cars racing once.
- All sorts of automation of mundane tasks
- Generated Pseudo random data sets of a Bison Population Once.
- UDF for calculating the Area Under a Curve
- Seating Chart Generator for randomly seating students.

I'm curious what some of the interesting posts you've had in the past.

Am I straying from this thread? (Greg Truby would approve)

 

[TrippyTom]

I work as a Presentation Designer for a popular bank in USA. The main product we use is, sadly, PowerPoint. I started out learning VBA in excel, and believe me, adapting that knowledge to the PowerPoint model was no easy process! But it was worth it.

I have made several PowerPoint macros specific to my job that have tremendously helped out my department around the world. Without the help from everyone in this forum, and the vast number of books I've purchased through this site and Amazon, and a few CDs as well, I wouldn't be where I am today.

 

[WillR]

Yes, i guess on balance it has.

But actually it was probably discovering the incredible learning resources available on the .net that has helped me to advance my career, not just specifically knowledge of the Excel software itself - although it has helped.

 

[Fazza]

My Excel knowledge is my career.

I enjoy using Excel and have focussed on that. My role has me using Excel all the time. I have rejected offers of career promotions so that I can stay working 'in the corner' with Excel!

 

[TiffanyG]

I, too, work in accounting. I have only been at this job a short time. The department I was in prior to this had 4 employees. After downsizing I was left doing the job of 4. Thus, the door to VB was opened. I had to learn a way to automate.

My present employer has finally allowed me to write some VB to automate some reporting. I absolutely love it, but get very frustrated when I can't get it to work! Thank goodness for this site! I buy books and spend hours researching to learn more. I hate to think eventually I will be back running numbers again all day. I wish I could find a job where excel and VB would be my primary function.

 

[Fazza]

I wish I could find a job where excel and VB would be my primary function.

Tiffany, just make it so. It is exactly what I've done. Fazza

 

[SydneyGeek]

As a standalone skill it's not always worth that much

Yes and no. Just being an Excel whiz won't help a lot unless you turn out something useful. If you do, and you can enhance your role with those skills, then it's a huge benefit.

Denis