Opportunities in VBA

[mikeymay]

I have been using VBA mainly with Excel for a couple of years now and would like to know of any career opportunities available to me with my recent experience.

I have looked on the internet and can't seem to find anything that is predominantley VBA based.

I have a backgorund of 10 years in accountancy and reckon these 2 skills are pretty good ones to have.

Can anyone direct me towards any sites/organisations that might be of interest to me?


Thanks

 

[theLama]

Jobs in VBA

Have you tried looking at opportunities at consulting firms? The nature of being an Excel/VBA guru lends itself to being project based. The combination of Accountancy and VBA might make you an ideal candidate for a consulting role. You should be willing to travel, though.

If you are in a cubicle in a standard type company, you will likely only be producing work for your immediate supervisor. There's only just so much call for your new skills in that environment. I learned and then forgot VBA working in that environment, having not used them for a while.

Good luck!

 

[Joe4]

If you are in a cubicle in a standard type company, you will likely only be producing work for your immediate supervisor. There's only just so much call for your new skills in that environment.

That really depends on the circumstances. I am in a cubicle in a standard type company, and that is how I learned to use VBA for Excel and Access! The work I do every day calls for it. I work for one supervisor, but support a whole department.

It depends more on the position than the type of company you work for. Mid size to big companies often specialize and have people just for this purpose.

 

[WillR]

To get a job with Excel/VBA skills that might be advertised, you'll probably need to move to London - specifically the financial services sector. Although you might well find some jobs up there in Leeds - my guess is they'll be well hidden.

That said, it's very unusual to find such a job advertised for those skills alone (Excel/VBA) even in finance.

For example, i'm in Birmingham & my role is Head of MI for a niche UK Bank - I do use Excel/VBA extensively, but that's only about 50% - the rest revolves around developing reporting from SQL databases, using a variety of tools (VB, Crystal Reports, SQL 2005 reporting services)... aslo my current role was created to suit my skills & keep me interested/rewarded & I guess would only ever be advertised if I left.

You may well find that this is that case with many companies - in that the "person" comes first, the "job" later. For example, in alot of companies, over time, someone becomes extremely useful by way of developing primarily ad-hoc solutions, until that person might be regarded as a "guru". The company may then create a role to suit them/retain them as opposed to the role existing first, so to speak.

Take a look at this link

http://www.itjobswatch.co.uk/jobs/uk/vba.do

Notice that it lists a number of other skills required as opposed to just Excel/VBA

• 1 3279 (36.03 %) SQL
  2 3009 (33.06 %) VB
  3 2965 (32.58 %) Front Office
  4 2963 (32.56 %) Finance
  5 2525 (27.74 %) Banking
  6 2346 (25.78 %) .NET
  7 2319 (25.48 %) Microsoft
  8 2222 (24.41 %) Graduate/Degre...
  9 2118 (23.27 %) C#
  10 1966 (21.60 %) SQL Server

That said, you may find the following link useful

http://www.jobsite.co.uk/

Register & set up some searches using Excel & VBA as keywords - you'll quickly get an idea of what's available... Hope this helps.

 

[MarkAndrews]

Alternatively search on the net for "Employment Consultants" rather than agency's - Consultants are better

www.jobserve.co.uk
www.jobsearch.co.uk

 

[mikeymay]

WillR - Posting here as pm I sent to you seems to be stuck in my 'to be sent' box!!

Hi WillR

Thanks for the piece of advice with regards to opportunities in VBA

I am currently in the middle of a 3 month contract with a large UK organisation. Initially there was a role for me within the Finance department of one of the divisions, but since completing the remit of that role I have found myself being 'pimped' out to other areas of the same division. I suppose while I am still in contract I am being used where possible.

My problem at the moment is that my boss is leaving in 4 weeks and I relied on him to market my skills to other areas. Now I am in a position of potentially not get that exposure and my contract not being renewed.

Ideally what I need to do now is to do to attempt to market myself as a floating resource for the organisation as a whole.

As you mentioned your position was created specifically for you, do you have any advice on how I can do that now. I am going to get busy with emails to the various heads of department/divisions and see if that will produce any results, but if you have any other tips I would greatly appreciate it.


Many thanks

Michael

 

[WillR]

Hi mate,

I did get the PM & have replied.

As you mentioned your position was created specifically for you, do you have any advice on how I can do that now. I am going to get busy with emails to the various heads of department/divisions and see if that will produce any results, but if you have any other tips I would greatly appreciate it.

True, but it took five years of hard graft in the Finance Dept and teaching myself as much about XL & SQL etc from places like this & the odd book for that to happen.

Sometimes it just takes time, and sometimes it's down to being in the right place at the right time with the right skillset (i.e. luck!)

Keep plugging away & good luck!

Will