Excel Consultant

[baraq]

Hi. I am looking at a possible slight career change to become an Excel Consultant.

I have been a business analyst for the last 15 years using Excel as a tool quite extensively and I have a few questions.

1. How do I formalise my Excel skills so I can cover all functionality - MCAS a good option.
2. Should I wait for Excel 2010 or get certified in 2007?
3. Is is necessary to become expert in Access as well to complete the Excel functionality
4. To ensure I am well skilled in all functionality...are there any books, web sites, training one recommends?
5. How does one become a MVP?

Many thanks for any guidance.


Barry

 

[SydneyGeek]

Hi Barry,

Welcome to the Board!

Probably the simplest definition for a consultant would be...
1. Know your toolset
2. Know your clients' business needs
3. Use your tools to meet their needs

For Excel, I don't think a formal qualification really matters that much. Start in your field of work / study, use your contacts to get some work, and move on from there.
Your skills will grow as you tackle new projects, and clients are much more interested in solutions than letters.
Access is definitely a useful complement to Excel (or at least some database skill ... whether it's Access, SQL Server, or something more Web-oriented like MySQL -- depends on what your clients do, and where you're pitching your services. I learned Access and it's served me well).
For resources, you've just found the best general Excel resource on the Web. Hang around, ask and answer questions, and your learning curve will take off. If you're looking for VBA books anything by Walkenbach, Bullen, Bovey or Jelen (Bill runs this site and his books are available through the Store) are good value.
As for becoming an MVP, that's not something you plan for. It happens if your peers (other MVPs) recognise your work as being good enough to warrant an invite. But stick around and you could be a MVP if you have the goods.

Denis

 

[baraq]

Brilliant. Thanks Denis. Appreciate your reply.

 

[RoryA]

Hi Barry,
Did you mean an MVP here, or an MS MVP, or both?

 

[baraq]

Thanks Rory.
Was looking at MS MVP, but realise its not something that one goes and qualifies for.

 

[RoryA]

Bribery can work quite well, if you know the right people...

 

[Norie]

Barry

You might want to look into learning a wee bit Access.

The only BA I've ever worked with only lasted a few weeks - probably because he was getting paid £500 a day.

He was a nice guy, enjoyed his coffee - all day.

In fact he enoyed his coffee so much that he'd created a couple of hundred lines of Excel VBA code that ran all day.

He would occasionally pop in to see how it was faring, with a cup of said coffee not far from his lips.

After he left I was asked, this was some time ago and I was still a bit of an Excel VBA novice, to take a look see.

Managed to import the data into Access, no code, query took 10 secs and returned the needed results.

I got a 50p an hour rise.

One of the best tools in Excel to help you learn code is the Macro Recorder.

PS Apologies for the rant, but that guy really had an annoying jumper.

 

[baraq]

Cool. Thanks for the insight. Already know a fair bit of Access so one step ahead.
I'll be sure to leave annoying jumpers at home

 

[Norie]

Well the jumper perhaps wasn't that annoying.

I was maybe a wee bit more annoyed that I had to wear the full suit/tie every day, and they never used to tell me when it was a 'Dress-Down Friday'.

Mind you I'd did actually find this site there, somehow my boss found it anyway(looking for some CF stuff I think).

And also I managed to get high-speed internet, develop some particularly good keyboard skills - especially ALT+TAB and learnt (well taught myself) a hell of a lot.

 

[ZVI]

Bribery can work quite well, if you know the right people...

Rory, looking at the bottom of your signature ... do you know that “right” people?