How to Represent Excel Knowledge on Resume or Interview

Hi everyone,

A conversation with a friend got me thinking about this topic. If going to a job interview or writing a resume, you can say you know excel, but everyone and their grandmother says they know excel. I know someone who "knows" excel and didn't know what the "=" key did. So the question is: if you were writing a resume or going to a job interview, how exactly would you communicate to your prospective employer that you *actually* know excel.

P.S. Obviously if you can list off some impressive experience/accomplishment that's the best, but if you can, then either say exactly how you'd phrase it, or what you would say if you didn't have it.

Moderate to Advanced Excel Programmer
- Formulas and Functions
- VBA Programming and Automation of Data transformation
- Charts and Dashboards
- Optimization

That's a good idea. I think if the job seemed more technical, I'd mention having written and optimized macros. If it seemed less technical, I'd probably just say that I'd used excel to automate business processes. Tough to phrase it though in a way that doesn't sound like B.S.

The #1 tip I have regarding resumes is to rewrite your resume for every company you are submitting to. Your wording for each of your skills should be optimized for your target each and every time. One client may find the VBA stuff inspiring, others be clueless about what you mean.

basically lie a lot

If you're active in the online Excel community (forums, blogs, your own website, etc.) provide links to some of your most impressive work.

If you're a Forum Expert and/or Guru, you should say so - Although it hasn't done me much good

Tony - Good idea. Most of my work is either confidential or helping others with random requests. Do you think employers would take the time to look at it? Or would they just be impressed that it's there?

xladept - I wondered about that. I have no idea how much weight forum ranking carries outside of the forum. Anyone else care to comment?

I always struggle with interview/resume type things in that I don't want to brag or honestly think I'm that good. There are tons of people here who can school me at excel. But if I don't say anything special, they would think I'm like their average applicant, who is probably one of the people I'm helping on here.

If Excel is an important aspect of the job, the employer should ask you questions about it or make you take a test. As far as the resume goes, I think mentioning online status/contributions might at least make you stand out a bit from every other "I have good Excel skills" applicant.

Modesty has little place in a job interview, though arrogance has none. Tout your abilities proudly and with confidence and examples. It's not the same thing as bragging when the point of the interview is for you to brag, at least a little.

Originally Posted by k64

Tony - Good idea. Most of my work is either confidential or helping others with random requests. Do you think employers would take the time to look at it? Or would they just be impressed that it's there?

It seems that more and more employers go online to see what they can find on prospective employees. This can be both a good thing and a bad thing depending on your online content.

If you're not a radical flame-throwing online troublemaker then having an employer look at your online content should be a benefit.

They may look whether you want them to or not!

Good point! I think online is becoming increasingly important. And JBeaucaire, I like your idea of putting "Excel Programmer". It seems to carry a lot more weight than "proficient in excel".