Career guide

Top 30 Excel formulas for
graduate job applications

The formulas that come up in Excel tests for graduate jobs, internships, and professional assessments — with syntax and examples for each.

EP

ExcelPro·Sep 22, 2026

Tier 1 — Know these cold (tested in almost every role)

1.  =SUM(range)
2.  =AVERAGE(range)
3.  =COUNT(range) / =COUNTA(range)
4.  =MAX(range) / =MIN(range)
5.  =IF(condition, true, false)
6.  =VLOOKUP(value, range, col, 0) or =XLOOKUP(value, lookup, return)
7.  =SUMIF(range, criteria, sum_range)
8.  =COUNTIF(range, criteria)
9.  =IFERROR(formula, "alternative")
10. =ROUND(number, decimal_places)

Tier 2 — Expected for analyst and finance roles

11. =SUMIFS(sum_range, range1, crit1, range2, crit2)
12. =COUNTIFS(range1, crit1, range2, crit2)
13. =AVERAGEIF(range, criteria, avg_range)
14. =INDEX(range, MATCH(value, lookup_range, 0))
15. =LEFT(text, n) / =RIGHT(text, n) / =MID(text, start, n)
16. =LEN(text)
17. =TRIM(text)
18. =SUBSTITUTE(text, old, new)
19. =TEXT(value, "format_code")
20. =TODAY() / =NOW()

Tier 3 — Advanced roles (banking, data, consulting)

21. =FILTER(array, include, if_empty)
22. =UNIQUE(array)
23. =SORT(array, sort_index, sort_order)
24. =PMT(rate/12, nper, -pv)
25. =NPV(rate, cash_flows) + initial_investment
26. =IRR(all_cash_flows)
27. =DATEDIF(start, end, "Y")
28. =NETWORKDAYS(start, end)
29. =XLOOKUP(value, lookup, return, "not found")
30. =IFS(cond1, val1, cond2, val2, TRUE, default)

Practice strategy

Don't try to memorise all 30 at once. Work through tiers in order. For each formula:

Read the syntax once
Write it from memory without looking
Use it on real data
Make a mistake and fix it

If you can write Tier 1 and Tier 2 formulas from memory without hesitation, you'll pass the Excel test for 90% of graduate roles.

Now practise it for real

Practice these formulas in the Students track — built for university assignments and graduate job assessments. Free to start.

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