VBA has a bad reputation: too old for some, indispensable for others. Yet on trading floors, in finance departments and in management control teams, Excel macros still run a large share of daily reporting. The real question is not "is VBA outdated?" but "how do I present it so that it helps my application without typecasting me as an Excel tinkerer?". Here is the method.
Why VBA matters to finance recruiters
VBA (Visual Basic for Applications) is the programming language built into Excel and the other Office tools. It automates repetitive tasks: refreshing files, consolidation, formatting, sending reports.
What recruiters see in it:
- Real time savings: a monthly report that took half a day can shrink to one click.
- Greater reliability: fewer manual steps, so fewer copy-paste errors.
- Autonomy: someone who can write a macro does not wait for an IT team.
- A signal of rigour: mastering VBA means knowing how to structure logic.
Where it is most requested: trading floors and middle office, management control, treasury, risk, asset management. In investment banking, Excel and its macros remain a daily foundation for an analyst, even as Python and SQL gain ground (see our article on Python on a finance CV).
The flip side: some teams are trying to move away from VBA toward more robust tools. Present it as a means to a result, not an end in itself. The official Microsoft documentation on VBA for Excel 🔗 remains the reference for building skills.
Distinguishing levels: awareness, practice, expertise
A recruiter who reads "VBA" will almost always ask a verification question. Better to state an honest level.
| Level | What you can do | How to write it | |---|---|---| | Awareness | Record a macro, edit it slightly | "VBA: basics (recorded macros)" | | Practice | Write procedures with loops and conditions, handle ranges and sheets, build a simple form | "VBA: reporting automation (loops, arrays, forms)" | | Advanced | Structure code in modules, handle errors, interact with other applications or databases | "Advanced VBA: development of reporting tools [specify scope]" |
If you have only recorded macros, write "basics". It is not a flaw: it is accurate information, and it protects you in an interview.
Where to place it on the CV
In the skills or tools section: a short line with level and context.
Tools: Advanced Excel (pivot tables, Power Query), VBA (reporting automation), SQL (basics)
In an experience: the most convincing place. A listed skill is claimed; an achievement is proven.
In an academic or personal project: if you are starting out, a tool you built during an internship or a course is enough proof.
Keep it in proportion: for a student or junior, VBA should fit on one line, not fill a section. Our guide to essential Excel skills in finance helps you place VBA among the rest.
Wording examples with measurable results
Adapt these templates with your real facts. Invent no figure: if you cannot defend it in an interview, do not write it.
Management control
- Before: "Created macros for reporting."
- After: "VBA macro consolidating 12 subsidiary files into a single dashboard: month-end close sped up by several hours."
Trading floor or middle office
- Before: "Used VBA for checks."
- After: "VBA tool reconciling positions daily between two systems, flagging breaks to resolve before 10 a.m."
Treasury
- Before: "Excel automation."
- After: "Macro updating the cash forecast from imported bank statements, cutting manual entry."
Student or intern
- Before: "Knowledge of VBA."
- After: "Master's project: VBA macro computing the net present value of 20 investment scenarios from assumptions entered in a form."
📊 Go further: to order these lines within a full CV, our guide How to write a CV for finance and investment banking details the structure.
How to prove it in an interview
Possible questions:
- "Tell me about a macro you wrote."
- "How do you handle errors in your code?"
- "What does this loop do?" (on a code excerpt)
- "Why VBA rather than Power Query or Python?"
How to prepare:
- Prepare a three-minute story: the need, the solution, the time saved.
- Review the basics: variables, loops, conditions, Range and Worksheet objects.
- Open your code before the interview and make sure you can explain every line.
- Be ready to compare: knowing when VBA is the right tool, and when another is, shows judgement.
A useful caveat: confidentiality. You cannot show the code of an internal tool. Describe it rather than share it.
Mistakes to avoid
An inflated level. "VBA expert" on a student CV convinces no one.
A skill without context. A single word in a tools list looks like keyword stuffing.
Presenting yourself as a developer. A finance CV must first show that you understand financial issues. VBA serves that understanding.
Neglecting the rest. A candidate who automates everything but cannot interpret a result remains an executor (see our mistakes to avoid on a finance CV).
A file screening software cannot read. Even an excellent technical profile is rejected if the layout is broken. FinanceCV solves this: you write your achievements, and the tool produces a structured, ATS-compatible CV, with no need to worry about formatting.
Ready to build your finance CV? Use our free generator to get a professional document in minutes.