What analysis should I be able to perform in Excel and SPSS (when working as a consultant in a big firm)?

Question

Hi there,

I was able to find a lot of prep material for quant skills for a management consulting interview. However, I was unable to find any content related the various quant skills needed when you do actual consulting work. I know that a conjoint analysis is quite common, for example. Do you happen to know any resources that list all the analysis that I should be able to perform/ will need to be able to perform at some point in Excel and SPSS when I do actual consulting work (in a big firm)?

Thank you for your time!

Answer 1

Hi, only basic tools in Excel will be needed. My recommendation is not overpreparing excel skills, you are quickly acquiring it on the job

Best,
Antonello

Answer 2

First, you definitely don't need SPSS! The thought of any form of robust statistical analysis occuring at strategy consultancies makes me laugh!

Remember: "Source: Mckinsey/BCG Analysis" often means "numbers are mostly made up"!

The only analytical tools you will need are Excel and Alteryx. Excel is more common and practice beforehand helps. Alteryx you may never use, and, if you do, it's pretty quick/easy to learn. Tableau is useful, but not required (and also dangerous in the hands of someone who doens't understand statistics/economics)

How to Skill Up in Excel

A few good resources:

https://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/learn-excel-resources

https://www.udemy.com/share/101Wde/ (Udemy is excellent. $15...basically free)

Q&A: https://www.preplounge.com/en/consulting-forum/free-online-resources-to-learn-excel-basics-6946

Important Tip: Don't just learn formulas etc. Test yourself! Download a free data set, ask yourself a question, and try to solve for it. Play with actual data solving real questions and building a real dashboard etc. Don't just passively take lessons :)

Answer 3

Dear A,

SPSS is not actually widely used in consulting, but it's rather Excel and other machine automated tools for big data analysis.

Usually, knowing the Macros would be very helpful to start with, but all further learnings in Excel you could acquire during soecific seminars and trainings on the job, since, for example, my employer has provided multiple specific courses in Excel to advance the skills.

So you would also be able to profit from this knowledge after you join the company.

Best,
André