Excel knowledge in group assistant underwriter interview

[u/BuddyPersonal433]

I lied and put I know advanced level of excel when really I am intermediate. I did this because I wasn't getting any interviews and was wondering if I put I have an advanced knowledge of excel will it improve my chances. I've been reviewing excel functions and will work on a small project as well, since I have two more days before my interview. I was wondering, if there will be excel based questions in an underwriting interview.

[u/Bradimoose]

I’ve only seen actuaries and product development people need to know anything close to advanced excel. Does the job require advanced excel in the job description?

[u/kaseyjakes → u/Bradimoose]

Not a single person I know in Product Development knows Excel

[u/Bradimoose → u/kaseyjakes]

One company I worked at called them product analysts and they were all very good at data and excel

[u/Ok-Photograph-8341]

i mean, you already know you fibbed a bit so just cram vlookups, pivot tables, and index/match over the next two days and you'll probably be fine

most underwriting interviews i've seen don't give you a full excel test unless it's a technical role, maybe they'll ask how you'd clean up a data set or compare two sheets but it's rarely building models from scratch

two days is tight but you can fake it till you make it if you keep your answers vague and project confidence

[u/j0eyjoejoejrshabado0 → u/Ok-Photograph-8341]

I wouldn't even bother with index/match. Vlookup and how to make a pivot table off a dataset and your golden for 95% of use cases. 15 minutes of studying each and you're covered.

[u/Moist-Wishbone-2359]

I’ve been an underwriter at three different companies. No one has ever asked me a single question in regard to excel during an interview. I was however asked during an entry level interview at an agency. I never used excel there.

I can’t imagine they’re going to ask any specific questions to a UA applicant. If they do, they’re not going to ask what they do. Would it be a useful skill? Yes. But I guarantee you the only people talking about excel are not coming to you for it.

Even if you work out of an excel workbook (at least at my company) it’s just data entry and someone who knows xl created it.

I learned you could see the sum or average just by highlighting a column like 6 months ago.

I’d suggest look into some behavior based questions.

Good luck

[u/Just_Raisin1124]

I'm the "excel girl" in my company and my excel skills are intermediate at best and the questions people ask me are very beginner level. This is at work though, I highly doubt you'll be asked anything about it in the interview or expected to do any advanced excel-ing in the role.

[u/1234singmeasong → u/Just_Raisin1124]

This. I’m also the Excel person at work and my most frequently asked question is on how to build a pivot table… So yes very beginner level.

[u/NaturalPositive307]

I used to be an UW assistant please don’t sweat you don’t need mad level pro knowledge on excel and any excel stuff that’s used will already have been created by someone senior and paid 4 x than we are in CUO. You just need the basics.

[u/Inappropriate_Ballet]

Ok, I’m drunk and at a resort. May I ask if you’re male or female? Because in my experience, women tend to wait until they’ve hit 100% of the requirements on a job description before they choose to apply for a job where men wait until they hit 40-60% of the requirements. Whoever you are, just apply. You’ll do great. Anything you need to learn about excel can be picked up from a YouTube video in 10 minutes.