Struggling to find a good source of information on VBA career interviews? Look no further! Learn the 10 basic VBA interview questions from the basic “What is VBA” to the more critical “What Are Your Salary Expectations” for fresher or experienced professionals. Examples accompany the answers to prepare candidates for the VBA job interview and ensure a swift transition towards the job offer.
Going for interviews has never been a candidate’s cup of tea. People don’t mind working as long as they bypass the interviewing part. Worry no more! The following 10 VBA interview questions and their answers will prepare you to answer explicit questions and anticipate and visualize them.
Interviews and Perceptions Towards the Occasion
If you are reading this article, you probably have a VBA interview scheduled in the next few days or just scrolling through to better understand the VBA career in preparation for that elusive job interview. Either way, many people dread job interviews, with only 1 in 10 Americans expressing confidence in tackling interview questions. While a variety of concerns ranging from jitters about going to the interview to being underqualified, 15% and 10% of candidates fear the questions and acknowledge not being prepared for the interview, respectively.
It’s understandable if you feel the pressure of going for an interview, especially as a first-timer. Accordingly, over-preparation to the detriment of contradicting oneself when answering questions is commonplace for first-timers. For other candidates, even professionals who have been in the field for a while, anxiety, and fear are inevitable. It is how candidates perceive the interview process that navigates the process by astutely responding to the interview questions.
However, before preparing for the VBA interview, it is important to understand some basics such as background, skills, responsibilities, and salary. Research suggests that recruiters and companies fact-check and verify the information provided during the interviewing process. If you lied about your skills, background, or experiences, there is a 100% chance that you will not be hired. Unrealistic salary/pay expectations are a huge turnoff, making identifying salary trends in this industry. Here is some background, skills, and career responsibility information that might interest you.
Education Background
- Bachelor’s degree in Business/Computer Science/IT/Business Analytics/Finance/Economics/Accounting
- Knowledge of various computer programs such as Java, C++, SQL
- Professional Certification in PHP, C, C++, JavaScript
- Background Knowledge in Coding and Scripting
Skills
- Knowledge in all Microsoft Office tools, more so Excel
- Algorithmic skills
- Workbooks
- Open-source languages such as Python
- Analytical and troubleshooting skills
Responsibilities
- Developing MS. Access databases
- Using VBA in MS. Office Applications
- Advanced Excel in solving complex formulas
- Streamlining graphical information
- Working in teams for various development activities
- Facilitating code reviews
To the Interview Questions….Some are Straight Forward but Others Require In-Depth Answers
Q1: Kindly inform us of your understanding of the term VBA
This is the easiest but also the strangest question that your interviewer will ask. Yes, you know the definition, but can you “discuss” the concept. The best answer would therefore be:
A: Visual Basic for Application (VBA) is a programming language in MS Office used to complete tedious mathematical or analytical tasks. The program is most effective in evaluating, categorizing, and calculating datasets, thus reducing the time taken to understand trends in the market while creating future insights.
The answer above covers all aspects of defining what VBA is, its role in computer systems, and its importance to business operations.
Q2: How can you use VBA and Macro at the same time?
As I noted earlier, when discussing perceptions towards the interview process, the interviewer wants to know whether you have the appropriate skills or lied in your resume! (Yes, those Goosebumps and butterflies!) The closest answer would therefore be;
A: First, you need to understand VBA Objects and Modules. After opening the VBA Editor, the Project Explorer window will pop up, revealing a module set of rows and columns where you write the Macro program. This is achieved by navigating to the ‘insert’ menu.
The answer is correct and best suited since you have not been presented with a workstation or a computer to show them the interplay between these two systems visually.
Q3: Differentiate procedure from function
Again, this question is aimed at testing you knowledge of VBA and you VBA skillset. The best possible answer should be;
A: In the VBA module and in the Macro, all values are supposed to indicate/symbolize details. However, while functions return values, procedures do not.
Q4: What are arguments and how can they be passed to VBA functions?
A: Arguments are data sets filed in the Macros for manipulation and to provide insights. Under VBA, arguments are passed to functions by reference, but in some instances, specific instructions can be provided depending on requirements or trends to be identified. The process is effective as it uses the minimum time and space in forming argument data types.
The answer provided here, while being technical and wide, fits your skill assessment analysis as you have explained what arguments are, how they are passed to functions, and more importantly, why the process is cost-effective to the individual, the systems in place, and the organization as a whole. More information on arguments and VBA functions can be located on the Microsoft website.
Q5: Explain function pointers
A: VBA undertakes a lot of functions and information, but there are limits to function pointers. Due to limited APIs in the window’s set-up, function pointers cannot provide functional support, especially if you want to undo a function. Functions can therefore call data sets, but they cannot call back the information.
The aim of this question and the subsequent answer is to test your understanding of VBA and also its compatibility with windows or IOS systems. Interviewers are keen to understand if you can meet your roles and responsibility and also if you can troubleshoot problems with little technical support.
Q6: What do you understand by Component Object Model Objects?
Like in the first question, the interviewer wants you to elaborate more on the concept to gauge whether you can apply the concept in any given situation within the VBA role.
A: VBA programming relies on several files, some of which are the .dll files. .dll files constitute Component Object Model (COM) objects and refer to executable programs within the VBA framework.
Q7: How do you debug a VBA Code?
This is also a technical skills question to gauge whether you can navigate your way through the various computer set-ups, both hardware and software, apart from computer programming.
A: When debugging a VBA code, the following steps will be necessary;
- Press F9 as breakpoints
- Press F8 to facilitate a step-by-step execution process
- Press Print + Window
Q8: Why does a career in VBA Interest you?
Almost all interviewers are interested in getting an honest opinion about your decision to venture into a specific field and, most importantly, why working for them is of interest to you. At this juncture, your intrapersonal skills and motivation will be examined, and therefore, it’s crucial that you understand your skillset and how your previous opportunities have shaped your career. In this case, you can frame your answer as follows;
A: Over the years, I have used my VBA and computer programming skills to improve database management and help various organizations reduce cost overruns emerging from the lack of programmable data sets. I believe that my technical and interpersonal skillsets and previous experiences make me the best candidate to manage the organization database and accounting roles confidently. At the same time, maintain positive relationships with key partners.
The aim here is for the interviewer to gauge whether you understand the position and what it entails and if your skills, goals, and experience are in line with the position’s role.
Q9: If you were to be selected for this role, what’s your salary expectation?
No matter how experienced or skilled you think you are, you should not be overzealous when quoting your monthly or annual payments. First and foremost, understand the VBA industry and build a case that affirms your successful track record. You can also use a calculator to identify salary differences between regions since not all regions pay the same. Remember, all this should happen once you have received the interview invitation and factor in perks and benefits. Your answer will heavily depend on your experience, an understanding of salary trends in the industry, and national salary distribution.
Q10: Do you have any Questions for Us?
Every interviewer will ask these questions regardless of the position being applied for. It is important to have a few questions beforehand to ask the interviewer or any company members if the interviewer has been outsourced. However, the questions must be limited to the organization and involved questions such as “what are your long-term aspirations,” “are you affiliated to members outside your scope of operations,” etcetera.
Remember the above VBA questions have been generalized and although they seem basic.
Also read Convincing Answers To Interview Questions: Why You Want To Work Here
