5 MORE Excel(lent) Ways To Get Out Of That Quarantine Slump
This is the second part to our "Excel(cent) Tips” blogs. If you want to see part 1, then click here.
Did you know that being an advanced Microsoft Excel user can increase your salary 4x over your career?
With the pandemic finally coming to an end… you’re stuck in a routine of TikTok dances and binge-watching mediocre reality TV shows on Netflix. But now, all of a sudden, there is the frightening realisation that you might actually have to go back to the office!
If you’re looking to shake things up, why not use this precious time still at home to level up your Excel skills in order to prepare to re-enter the office stronger than ever!
Thanks to the internet, you have a world of knowledge at your fingertips!
We’ve put together a list of 5 MORE Excel(lent) ways to sharpen and improve your Microsoft Excel skills, just in time for going back to the office.
1. Network/Reconnect with Past Colleagues.
We all know how important the phrase “who you know” is… but how did you network during lockdown?
If you joined Zoom calls with your camera off or ignored Susan from HR emails about compliance, now is the time to start showing your face and start building back your relationships with your colleagues.
Who knows what they have learnt during lockdown?
By restarting your relationship back up with your work colleagues you can access all of the information and knowledge they may have learned during the past 16 months.
Who knows… maybe they used there time interacting with like-minded professionals? Or maybe they have attended Online Virtual Conferences like the Global Excel Summit? Or even formed new friendships with industry experts?
2. Read/Listen to Business Books and Podcasts.
You probably haven’t made a dent into that big stack of better help or business books you promised yourself you would read - well there is no time like the present! If you don’t know where to start, the why not check out the most influential business books, from Business Insider.
If you’re more the audio type, then we have some great podcasts suggestions for you:
The Financial Modelling Podcast
Hosted by Matthew Bernath, the Financial Modelling Podcast explores how financial models impact companies and deals, what their role in the global economy is, and how they are used to understand complex transactions. From Artificial Intelligence and machine learning to model auditing and automation, the Financial Modelling Podcast is an excellent source for the latest news, tips and tricks and global developments in the world of financial modelling.
Earlier this year the Financial Modelling Podcast won the award for best “Financial Modelling Resource of the Year” at the prestigious Financial Modelling Awards 2021.
The Project Finance Podcast
Make sure you also check out the Project Finance Institute’s podcast, “The Project”, with Kenny Whitelaw Jones. The podcast covers Infrastructure, Project Finance and PPP, with Kenny covering a wide range of topics within these fields such as, “Biden's $2 Trillion Infrastructure Investment Plan” & “The transformation of aviation”.
The Project Finance podcast is available to stream and download on the Project Finance Institute website, or on Spotify, Apple Podcasts & Google Podcasts.
3. Take your Microsoft Excel skills to the next level.
If you prefer to learn at your own pace while sipping your cup of coffee from your living room, we recommend checking out Leila Gharani’s Udemy courses, Oz du Soleil’s LinkedIn learning courses and MyExcelOnline.com's Youtube channel.
Global Excel Summit 2021 Masterclasses
“When you learn from the best, you can stand out from the rest.”
Our Global Excel Summit 2021 Masterclasses are deep-dive virtual, on-demand Masterclasses, led by Microsoft MVPs and leading industry experts. Packaged with intensive insight specifically with a remote audience in mind, you’ll dive deep into the different aspects of Microsoft Excel so you can become an expert too. From Data Visualization & Analytics to Power Query Fundamentals, you can take your skills to the next level.
These on-demand recordings are currently discounted by 50% and they come packaged up with reference materials and working files too.
Kyle Pew’s Udemy Training Content
Why not try Kyle Pew’s online course Microsoft Excel - Excel from Beginner to Advanced.
The course covers the following topics:
● Master Microsoft Excel from Beginner to Advanced
● Build a solid understanding on the Basics of Microsoft Excel
● Learn the most common Excel functions used in the Office
● Harness the full power of Microsoft Excel by automating your day to day tasks through Macros and VBA
● Maintain large sets of Excel data in a list or table
The online course is currently discounted by over 80%, so grab it soon!
4. Interact with Microsoft MVPs and Industry Experts via Global Meetup Groups.
A great way to reconnect and network with industry professionals is by attending Excel Meetup events. If you love Excel and want to learn the LATEST, from the BEST, for FREE then these meetups are perfect for you.
Here are a few of the groups we recommend:
London Excel Meetup Group
Are you based in London and have a passion for EXCEL? Then join over 2,000+ members, us and Alan Murray for one of our upcoming London Excel Meetup Group events. Here we get together and discuss the latest news and trends in the world of EXCEL. Starting this month, we will be holding our first in-person Meetup event since March 2020. Check out what we will be talking about by following the link above.
Women in Financial Modelling Meetup Group
If you're a woman who builds financial models in Excel for your work, or you're interested in getting into the financial modelling space then they would love to have you. Led by Danielle Stein Fairhurst, the Women in Financial Modelling Meetup Group aims to support and encourage women to become more involved in the financial modelling industry, either through competing in championship events or gaining a qualification.
MS Excel Toronto Meetup Group
Interested in Excel and the new mysterious Power BI? Then make sure you join Celia Alves as she tunes in from Canada and shares her Excel and Power BI expertise via the MS Excel Toronto Meetup Group.
Saudi Arabia Microsoft Excel & Power Platform Meetup
Finally, the Saudi Arabia Excel Meetup Group welcomes tech lovers from far and wide! They are an online and in-person tech-enthusiast group hosting live speaking events on a range of tech topics on Microsoft technologies. If you are based in Saudi Arabia then make sure you attend one of their amazing in-person events. You can also join from anywhere in the world via Faraz Shaikh’s livestreams.
5. Attend a Virtual Event.
The Financial Modelling Summit
Virtual Events have become the norm over the past 18 months, and rightfully so! Being able to access events globally rather than locally has led to a renaissance of information sharing via the internet.
Between the 23rd-25th of June 2021 we had the pleasure of being one of the hosts for the Financial Modelling Summit together with Full Stack Modeller and the Financial Modelling Podcast.
“Over 1200 people from 55 different countries registered.”
It was amazing to see such a diverse community all in one virtual space.
By being able to hear from industry experts from around the world, ranging from South Africa, Australia and the United States, our attendees were able to access information from some of the world’s leading industry experts, all from their living room with their feet up!
The Global Excel Summit
We also proudly host the Global Excel Summit annually every February.
Leading Excel experts from around the world join us to talk all things EXCEL and host masterclasses which dive deep into the latest Excel features and news.
By attending an online virtual event, like the Global Excel Summit, you have the opportunity to network with likeminded professionals from around the globe, not just around the water cooler.
Combining what you have learned across the three days of non stop masterclasses and talks and your new international networking circle of like minded individuals. You can EXCEL your career forward and get out of the Quarantine Slump.
Interested in joining the largest online gathering of Excel Enthusiasts then click the link above to check us out!
Summary
Do not panic. YOU HAVE SO MUCH TIME! You may be catching up, but so is the rest of the professional world. Now is the time to use all of the resources available to you in order to get ahead of the curve and become that Excel(cent) professional you have always wanted to be.
