Excel test for a job interview: what to expect and how to prepare
Most interview Excel tests check five things: basic math formulas, conditional functions like IF and SUMIF, absolute references, lookups, and sorting or formatting. Admin roles focus on the first three. Analyst and finance roles add lookups and expect you to work fast.
The three formats you'll see
- Online timed test. A link from the recruiter. Usually short and multiple choice, sometimes with tasks. Vendors include SHL's Kenexa Prove It and TestGorilla.
- Take-home workbook. A spreadsheet and a list of questions, due in a day or two. Common for analyst roles.
- Live test. You share your screen or sit at their computer and answer questions while someone watches. The hardest, because of nerves.
What gets tested, by role
| Role | Expect |
|---|---|
| Administrative assistant, receptionist | SUM, AVERAGE, sorting, filtering, formatting, simple IF |
| Data entry | Text cleanup (TRIM, PROPER), COUNTIF, removing duplicates, accuracy |
| Bookkeeping, accounts payable | SUMIF, absolute references, percentages, VLOOKUP |
| Sales operations, HR | COUNTIF, SUMIFS, dates, lookups |
| Analyst, finance | SUMIFS, XLOOKUP or INDEX and MATCH, IFERROR, pivot tables, speed |
The questions that trip people up
- Adding only some rows. People use SUM when the task needs SUMIF.
- Copying a formula down. Without $ signs, the reference to a total or a rate moves and the answers go wrong.
- VLOOKUP without FALSE. Leaving off the last argument makes VLOOKUP do an approximate match, which returns wrong values on unsorted data.
- Text in quotes. In
=IF(B2>D2,"Yes","No"), forgetting the quotes around Yes gives a #NAME? error. - Including the header. A range like
B1:B7picks up the column title.
How to prepare in a week
- Ask what format and how long. Recruiters usually answer.
- Do short daily sessions of 20 to 30 minutes. Type every formula yourself.
- Each time you get one wrong, redo it with different numbers so you learn the logic, not the answer.
- Learn the functions on our cheat sheet until you don't need it.
- The day before, do one timed run of five questions.
During the test
- Read the whole task before you type. Note which cell the answer goes in.
- Use cell references, not typed numbers. Many tests check the formula, not only the result.
- If you're stuck, skip and come back. One hard question shouldn't cost you three easy ones.
- In a live test, say what you're doing. Interviewers care how you think.
Questions people ask
How long is an Excel test for a job interview?
Online tests are often 10 to 20 minutes. Take-home workbooks can take an hour or two. Ask the recruiter, since it varies by employer.
What is a passing score on an Excel test?
There's no standard. Each employer sets its own bar. Aim to get every basic and conditional question right, since those are the ones employers expect everyone to pass.
Do I need to know pivot tables?
For admin and data entry roles, usually not. For analyst, finance and operations roles, often yes.
Practice on a real spreadsheet
CellReady grades your formula the moment you press Enter and tells you why a wrong answer is wrong. The first 7 lessons are free, with no sign-up to start.
Related guides
What the Kenexa Prove It Excel test covers, the Normal User and Power User levels, who sells it now, and the formulas to practice before you take it.
A one-page cheat sheet of the Excel formulas that show up on pre-employment tests, with the syntax, a real example and the mistake to avoid for each.
How to use SUMIF in Excel, the argument order that trips people up, using cell references in the condition, and a live exercise.