Microsoft Excel Certification–Is It Worth It?
“Are you experienced in Excel?” is a common, yet poorly-worded question asked by supervisors and hiring managers to weed out inexperienced professionals. What exactly do they mean by “experienced”? And how can you prove or demonstrate your skills on the spot?
Fortunately, Microsoft created a simple solution to this question with Microsoft Excel Specialist Certification. Excel certification from Microsoft means your Excel skillset is substantial. Earning certification removes the relative value judgment from your answer (“I am very capable”) and replaces it with quantitative proof ("I earned a 900 on my Microsoft Excel Certification Exam").
But, why become certified? Excel is easily one of the most in-demand skills required by employers. With the increased focus on data and finding analysts and strategists, proving your ability to manage data quickly and efficiently has never been more critical. It communicates to employers that you possess a certain level of knowledge and mental acuity in data management techniques, which are more effective than claiming to be "really good” at Excel.
How do you become certified? By taking a test; specifically, a 50-minute, 30+ question, task-based exam. If you score 700 or higher, you become certified! A score of 70% doesn't correspond to 700. A 700 score is a scaled-score dependent upon the question difficulty and determined by SME (Subject Matter Experts) before the exam. Once certified, you are certified for life.
Is certification worth it? If you are interested in advancing your career, increasing your earning potential, and proving your experience without having to say a word, certification is certainly something to think about. A Microsoft Excel certification can help you achieve all of these goals. Take the first step and enroll in Microsoft Excel Specialist Training at NYIM today.