Why Power BI, Excel and a willingness to learn could help you stand out in today's finance job market.
Finance roles are changing, and one thing I am noticing more and more when speaking with hiring managers is the importance of strong technical skills, particularly Power BI and advanced Excel.
Does this mean you need to be a Power BI expert to secure your next finance role? Absolutely not! But could having these skills help you stand out in a competitive job market? Definitely.
Why Is Power BI Becoming More Important in Finance?
Power BI is becoming increasingly valuable in finance, particularly in roles involving financial reporting, analysis, FP&A and business partnering.
It allows businesses to turn large amounts of financial data into clear, easy-to-understand dashboards, helping finance teams identify trends, monitor performance and make better-informed decisions.
While Excel remains an essential tool for finance professionals, Power BI can take reporting a step further, making it easier to analyse and present information.
From a recruitment perspective, I am seeing Power BI mentioned in job specifications more frequently, particularly for Finance Analysts, Management Accountants and commercially focused finance roles.
Sometimes Hiring Managers Need Technical Skills More Than Finance Experience
A good example of this was a Commercial Finance Analyst role I previously recruited for in Reading.
One of the hiring manager's biggest requirements was strong Power BI experience, particularly the ability to create dashboards.
The team needed someone who could come in with these skills already, as this was an area where they lacked experience internally. The hiring manager was happy to train someone on the finance side of the role, but they needed someone who could immediately support the team with Power BI and reporting.
It really highlighted to me that sometimes hiring managers need the technical skills more than the finance experience, particularly when they are looking to fill a specific skills gap within their team.
It's Not Just About Power BI
Although Power BI is a great example, I am also seeing employers place more importance on wider systems knowledge and a willingness to embrace change.
I recently recruited for a finance role where the company had a significant systems implementation project coming up. The hiring manager wasn't necessarily looking for someone who had used their exact systems before, but someone who was confident with technology, willing to learn and enthusiastic about getting involved in the project.
It shows that having the right attitude towards learning new systems can be just as important as having previous experience with them.
How Can These Skills Help You Stand Out?
Having strong technical skills isn't just about what you can do with them. It can also show a hiring manager that you have a positive attitude towards learning and development.
Taking the time to improve your Excel skills, learn Power BI or develop your wider systems knowledge can demonstrate that you are:
- Proactive about your professional development.
- Open to change and new ways of working.
- Willing to learn and develop new skills.
- Interested in improving processes and working more efficiently.
- Comfortable adapting as finance roles continue to evolve.
These are all qualities that employers value. And remember, you don't need to know everything already or have experience using every system! There are plenty of online courses and training resources available, whether that's learning how to build a Power BI dashboard, improving your Excel skills or getting to grips with new technology.
And don't forget to add any relevant courses or training to your CV! Even if you haven't used these skills in a working environment, showing that you've taken the initiative to develop your knowledge can really help you stand out to employers.
Final Thoughts
Power BI isn't essential for every finance role, but it's certainly a skill worth considering if you're looking to develop your career, particularly in reporting, analysis or commercially focused positions.
My advice would be to look at the roles you're interested in and pay attention to the technical skills employers are asking for. If Power BI keeps appearing, it might be worth investing some time in learning the basics.
Sometimes it's those additional skills, alongside a willingness to learn, that can make the difference when securing your next opportunity.