Recent grad working full-time as a banker — when should I start the Google Data Analytics Certificate?

Hi everyone,

I’m a recent graduate working full-time in retail banking, and I’m planning a long-term pivot into data analytics.

For the past month, I’ve been studying Excel consistently through LinkedIn Learning and Luke Barousse’s YouTube content. Right now I’m focused on:

•	Logical functions (IF, nested IF, etc.)

•	Lookup functions (VLOOKUP, XLOOKUP)

•	SUMIFS / COUNTIFS

•	Pivot tables

•	Basic descriptive statistics (variance, standard deviation)

•	Cleaning and structuring datasets

I’m trying to be intentional about when I start the Google Data Analytics Certificate. I don’t want to jump in too early, get overwhelmed, and stretch out the Coursera subscription longer than necessary. But I also don’t want to “over-study” Excel if the program builds from fundamentals anyway.

For those who’ve taken the Google cert or transitioned into analytics roles:

1.	What Excel skill level should I realistically have before starting?

2.	Should I complete 1–2 small portfolio projects in Excel first?

3.	Is SQL something I should begin learning before the certificate?

4.	Did the program feel beginner-friendly or accelerated?

My goal is to complete the certificate efficiently and have 1–2 strong portfolio projects finished by the end of the year while working full-time.

Any honest insight would really help. I’m trying to move strategically rather than just collecting certifications.