ExcelExperts.com is HIRING !

Nick's picture

Yep, that's right, ExcelExperts.com is looking for Excel Experts to get paid for Excel consultancy.

...but this is no ordinary interview.

To apply for this job, you need to prove the following:

  1. You must be an Excel Expert, or be smart enough to learn quickly.
  2. You need excellent communication skills. (Written more important than verbal)
  3. You have to prove that you have the tenacity to see problems through to completion.

How do you prove this ?

  • Get active on the Question and Answer forum
  • Answer / ask as many questions as possible
  • Create an interesting Excel-related blog
  • Bring people you know to the forum, and get them to ask questions there.

Why would you want to do this ?

  • You can work from wherever you want in the world
  • You can pick your hours
  • No commuting on smelly trains !

Based on performance on the forum / blogs, I will then contact you for specific targetted work.

I have the business... do you have what it takes to do the work ?

Nick

Excel Contractor

Hello Nick,
I love Excel and provide reporting for my company. I have also provided unique excel solutions to other areas of my company(QA, budgeting, Project Management). I believe that Excel can provide a number of automated solutions to things people haven't even thought of. I'd love to start contracting.

Regards,
-Scott

Excel Quiz

Your quiz is highly flawed. Firstly, it is possible to test the options out when taking it, invalidating the results.

I also query your answers:

1) Ctrl-End could select the last populated cell, saying it is wrong is true only in certain circumstances

3) None of them should take 5 seconds on a decent PC.

8) Most traders I know are well aware of month numbers, so dd-mm-yyyy is the more likely display format

10) showed n/a not that function the answers show

11) You say
Sub DisplayOne()
MsgBox 1
End Sub

is best, I say

Const intOne = 1
Sub DisplayOne()
MsgBox intOne
End Sub

is best as the Const is stored in memory at compile time, and the code sets a pointer to that memory which is used at run time, more efficient than hard-coding the value in the run time code

13) Shift-F( recalculates on my machine

Nick's picture

RE: 1. Pressing CTRL + END

RE: 1. Pressing CTRL + END will select that last populated cell on a worksheet

NICK:
- this statement is false...

Pressing CTRL + END might select that last populated cell on a worksheet

- this statement is true...

how would you rank this statement:
"Pressing CTRL + HOME will select A1"

RE: 3) None of them should take 5 seconds on a decent PC.

NICK:
- Agree, none of them "should" and that's why the question is:
"Which of the following lines of VBA might.. "

RE: 8) Most traders I know are well aware of month numbers, so dd-mm-yyyy is the more likely display format

NICK:
- "dd-mm-yyyy" should never be used in any production system.... ever.... inexcusable

RE: 10) showed n/a not that function the answers show

NICK:
don't understand the query.. the question is about what is a possible output

RE: 11) You say
Sub DisplayOne()
MsgBox 1
End Sub

is best, I say

Const intOne = 1
Sub DisplayOne()
MsgBox intOne
End Sub

is best as the Const is stored in memory at compile time, and the code sets a pointer to that memory which is used at run time, more efficient than hard-coding the value in the run time code

NICK:
- in my opinion (and I agree that this question is open to interpretation) anything other than the simplest solution is overkill.. Your solution unnecessarily adds complexity to a simple problem. I am looking to work with people who can produce a solution that's fit for purpose, and not overengineered.

13) Shift-F9( recalculates on my machine

it will only work in the case where the formula is on the active sheet...

Quiz Results

1) That is pedantry of the highest order. What is your point about Ctrl-Home? When you said Ctrl-End, you din't use a direct cell reference.

3) I might get squashed by a runaway hippo on my way home tonight, but believe it or not, it doesn't figure in my thoughts

8) In your view ...

10) When I looked at the quiz, there was no code, just a line saying n/a, so it was impossible to see which choice might apply

11) That is not over-engineered. Most developers will never build such code, most don't use named ranges and hard-code all over, but you gave options, and that is the best one. Actually. MsgBox is usually an inappropriate feedback mechanism.

13) I don't recall it saying in all circumstances.

So the quiz is not to test any ability, just too test if they hold the same views as you? Uumh, that's a novel approach.

Nick's picture

Bob - the quiz was taken by

Bob - the quiz was taken by the world's best recognised Excel VBA experts, all feedback was taken into account, and overall, I was happy that the scores obtained were reflective of the depth of understanding.

The top scorer was Bill Jelen (AKA Mr Excel)

what I didn't want was anyone half decent getting 100%...

But your test fails in that regard

My point is that your test is a poor measure. Far too much is easily checked whilst you take it, the rest is subjective.

I took the test and got a measly 23%, 3 out of 13, whereas I consider myself a decent Exceller. I failed on

1) I maintain your wording is poor here for the answer that you believe is correct.

2) You say the text version is correct, I said no because the question asks which returns the first day of the month, text returns a string showing that date, the visual representation is not the same as being a date

3) As I said I cannot see any taking 5 seconds in a normal situation. In abnormal situations I guess even i = i + 1 could take more than 5 seconds, but highly unlikely.

6) OK, hands up on this one, I didn't include 1 which is possible.

7) I thought this was a very poor example, but I admit I didn't identify two.

8) You are just wrong here

10) There was no code so I couldn't possibly answer this one

11) Again, you are wrong here

12) Missed one here

13) You said nothing about the sheet in the question, so you are wrong here.

So, I got 3 out of 13. In 7 that I failed I would contest. So your poor test rejects me because I really do understand what is going on.

Nick's picture

Bob - you've answered the

Bob - you've answered the questions as you would have liked them to have been asked, not how they are...

1. The answer is correct

2. Read the question... the answer is correct

3. Can you think of a way that the line of code: i = i + 1 could take longer than 5 seconds on a functioning computer ?

8. Take me through your thought process..

there are 2 bonds... the A) 5% of 02/01/2013, and B) 5% of 01/02/2013
I ask you for a price in the 5% of 02/01/2013
what price do you give?

10. Odd, maybe you're browser is out of date.

11. no.. if the sub routine were called DisplayNumber, you'd have the right answer... but it isn't

12. no, you missed 2... the answer is correct

13. Read the question... the answer is correct

All feedback is good feedback Bob, and I appreciate the time you have taken to look at the quiz.

On the back of your comments, I've added "When answering the questions, assume that your computer is functioning properly, and that you have only 1 Excel version open" to the quiz instructions..

You should also add

That they should assume that they might not be on the sheet that is being discussed, and that every word in the question has to be interpreted specifically., for instance 'will' means 'always will'.

If the computer is functioning properly, none of those actions will take 5 seconds!

If you use the same sort of logic when assessing results, your developers have little chance of producing 'correct' solutions.

Hi

Hi,

I am moderately proficient in excel
I would like to work on a few projects and hone my excel skills.
I have worked as a Financial analyst and have made various complex excel models

Megha

Interested to Work as Freelance

Hi Nick,

I'm interested in working with you.

Currently I'm working as Report Analyst.

Please advise me further.

Regards,

Sharaf

macromatician@gmail.com