5 Excel(lent) Ways to Get Out of That Quarantine Slump

With the pandemic continuing on and no end in sight, you’re probably sick of puzzles, TikTok dances, and binge-watching. More than 6 months after the beginning of the pandemic, there are still 9.3 million people in the UK alone who are furloughed, meaning they are staying home, without a chance to work and grow professionally. Another 2.1 million are completely jobless. According to the BBC, unemployment could reach over 4 million this year and learning new skills will be vital. All this to say, there’s a lot of people at home right now (maybe even you) asking themselves: What do I do now?

If you’re looking to change things up, why not use your time at home to level up your productivity, organisation, time management, financial modelling, and data analysis skills and get ready to reenter the job market stronger and smarter than ever? Thanks to the internet, there’s no shortage of opportunities to learn more and fine-tune your work, professional skillset, and digital presence. Did you know that Microsoft Excel can increase your salary 4x over your career? We’ve put together a list of 5 Excel(lent) ways in which you can get started on improving your Microsoft Excel skills, whether you are working from home or simply thinking about the next steps in your career. 

1. Attend a virtual Event.

The Accounting and Finance Virtual Summit took place on 13-14 May, with over 40 expert-led sessions covering 5 general themes: People, Keynote, Technology. Process and Strategy. This FREE event had something for everyone! For all accountants and finance professionals, if you didn’t join in, you can still watch the replays of the Summit.

Last month, on 18 June we had the pleasure of being among the hosts of the Financial Modelling Summit together with Gridlines and the Financial Modelling Podcast. All Speaker sessions were focused on “Financial Modelling in Uncertain Times”. Over 800 people from 55 different countries registered and the winner of the Financial Modelling Innovation Awards was also announced live from the Summit - congratulations to ValQ once again! It was amazing seeing such a diverse community all in one virtual space. In case you missed it, but are still hoping to access this exclusive content, stay tuned as we will be launching on-demand access soon.

And for all Excel users around the world, you cannot miss Excel Virtually Global - probably THE virtual Microsoft Excel event this year. It will be taking place between 21- 23 July 2020. Up your Excel game with this 3 day event, which will present you with the largest collection of Excel MVPs to date, as they explore different topics, answer difficult questions and point you in the right direction towards resolving your professional queries. Best of all, all profits will be donated to a global COVID-19 research charity.

 2. Interact with Microsoft MVPs and Industry Experts via global Meetup Groups.

Another great way to connect with the global Excel community is attending an Excel Meetup event. If you love Excel and want to learn the LATEST, from the BEST, for FREE, these are perfect for you. All you have to do is RSVP. Here are a few of the groups we recommend:

• Join Alan Murray from the UK and the London Excel Meetup Group events. Lots of great content coming up over the next few weeks.

• For all of the latest financial modelling discussions, tune into FM in Excel Meetup Group, hosted by Danielle Stein Fairhurst, Principal of Plum Solutions Australia.

• Celia Alves tunes in from Canada and shares Excel and Power BI expertise via the MS Excel Toronto Meetup Group. Next event’s tomorrow, 7th July.

3. Take your Microsoft Excel skills to the next level.

If you prefer to learn in your own time, at your pace, we recommend checking out Leila Gharani’s Udemy courses, Oz du Soleil’s LinkedIn Learning courses and MyExcelOnline.com's Yotube channel. These are all great ways to turn into an Excel rock star, while sipping your cup of coffee from your living room. It doesn’t matter where you are, what time it is, and what device you are using. The content is all there, ready for you to pick up and enjoy the benefits afterwards. 

As we like to say, “When you learn from the best, you can stand out from the rest.” The Summer 2020 Masterclass Sessions are deep-dive virtual programs, led by Microsoft MVPs and industry experts. Packaged with intensive insight specifically with a remote audience in mind, you’ll deep dive into different aspects of the Microsoft Office Suite so you can become an expert too. From Data Visualization to Building Financial Models to Power Query Fundamentals in Excel, you can take your skills to the next level. The best part? Everyone who subscribes to our page will receive a 10% OFF discount code straight to their inbox. 

Make sure you also check out Gridlines’ FREE Financial Modelling course, developed by Kenneth Whitelaw Jones. Kenny has spent the last 20 years in the world of financial modelling and has trained  thousands of modellers from the world’s leading commercial and investment banks, top tier accounting firms, infrastructure funds and developers.

4. Read/Listen to Business Books and Podcasts

You probably have a stack of business books you’ve meant to read but felt like there was never any time - now there is! If you don’t know where to start, there is endless advice out there on the most influential business books. 

If you’re more the audio type, we have some great podcasts in mind for you! If you are looking to dive into the world of Financial Modelling, well there’s no better podcast to tune into than the Financial Modelling Podcast, led by Matthew Bernath. Join him as he explores the latest trends in the financial modelling field. 

And if you are more interested in writing, designing and delivering truly effective presentations, then join Boris Hristov and 356labs' podcast as they explore the world of presentations from all sorts of different angles. Boris Hristov is a Microsoft Powerpoint MVP, who has presented in 25+ countries and has been rated as the top speaker numerous times. 

5. Network/Reconnect with Past Colleagues 

We all know how important “who you know” is...but how do you network during a lockdown? Start with your existing network. It’s the perfect time to reach out. Or simply reconnect with past colleagues. In this fast changing and uncertain climate, virtual networking has become the new normal. It’s a place to tune into and join global communities, interact with like-minded professionals and even form new friendships!

During these times, it’s important that we all stick together and build each other up. While protecting one another, we can be grateful for the opportunities that today’s Digital world provides in order for all of us to stay connected. 

What’s your Excel(lent) way to get out of the Quarantine Slump? We would love to hear your suggestions in the comments below.