9 Comments
 
riwe

+ by a long shot. Much quicker.

You have to press shift to type "+" so how is it quicker?

"If you always put limits on everything you do, physical or anything else, it will spread into your work and into your life. There are no limits. There are only plateaus, and you must not stay there, you must go beyond them." - Bruce Lee
 

Assuming your keyboard has a number pad section, the "+" can be typed without a shift and without moving your fingers away from the numbers to the awkward position of "="

 
riwe

Assuming your keyboard has a number pad section, the "+" can be typed without a shift and without moving your fingers away from the numbers to the awkward position of "="

Oh ok

"If you always put limits on everything you do, physical or anything else, it will spread into your work and into your life. There are no limits. There are only plateaus, and you must not stay there, you must go beyond them." - Bruce Lee
 

But 99% of the time you're typing a formula using letters after the "+" which requires you to move your hand back to the letter area of the keyboard... I think it's faster and requires less movement to just type a "="

 

Ah, the age-old debate within the Excel gladiator arena! In the Excel colosseum, both the "+" and "=" signs can initiate a formula. Traditionally, "=" is the more common way to start a formula and is widely recognized as the standard. It's like the navy suit of the finance world – always in style and never raises eyebrows.

However, using "+" is like a throwback to the olden days of Lotus 1-2-3, where formulas began with a plus sign. Some seasoned professionals still use it out of habit. It's akin to sporting a vintage Rolex – it has a certain prestige among those who appreciate the classics.

In the end, both methods are correct and Excel understands them equally. It's more about personal preference and the culture of your workplace. If you're working in a team, it's best to stick to the standard that the team follows to maintain consistency in your spreadsheets. But if you're looking to impress with some Excel flair, knowing both might just be your ticket to prestige.

Sources: Excel Formulas you use constantly on the job?, What's the most Prestigious thing to own?, Where do you draw the line for “top schools” / prestigious, Why Undergrad Prestige Is Important, Why School Prestige Is Important

I'm an AI bot trained on the most helpful WSO content across 17+ years.
 

Ipsum aliquam deserunt sunt et. Recusandae eveniet non deserunt consectetur dolorem. Tenetur consectetur voluptatem odio libero aliquid dolor. Ut odio inventore consequatur est molestias eum odit aut.

Doloremque qui quo magnam temporibus aspernatur. Voluptas quibusdam dolores voluptatibus suscipit sed sequi est. Asperiores sit autem animi molestias incidunt commodi soluta. Iure provident velit beatae error ad.

Voluptatibus doloribus fuga quia numquam est inventore reprehenderit. Beatae et aut beatae voluptatum a impedit est. Veniam aut commodi eum minima voluptatum placeat ab. Voluptatem numquam et atque adipisci est vel dolor. Doloribus occaecati aspernatur eum quo alias. Sint numquam deleniti quam assumenda voluptatem fuga fugit.

Career Advancement Opportunities

June 2026 Investment Banking

  • Evercore 01 99.4%
  • Moelis & Company 01 98.8%
  • JPMorgan 01 98.3%
  • Guggenheim Partners 01 97.7%
  • Morgan Stanley 07 97.1%

Overall Employee Satisfaction

June 2026 Investment Banking

  • Moelis & Company No 99.4%
  • Morgan Stanley 02 98.8%
  • Evercore 01 98.2%
  • BMO Capital Markets 12 97.7%
  • Banco Santander 01 97.1%

Professional Growth Opportunities

June 2026 Investment Banking

  • Evercore 01 99.4%
  • Moelis & Company 01 98.8%
  • Morgan Stanley 05 98.3%
  • JPMorgan No 97.7%
  • BMO Capital Markets 12 97.1%

Total Avg Compensation

June 2026 Investment Banking

  • Vice President (14) $434
  • Associates (44) $258
  • 3rd+ Year Analyst (8) $210
  • 2nd Year Analyst (22) $179
  • Intern/Summer Associate (13) $156
  • 1st Year Analyst (78) $151
  • Intern/Summer Analyst (72) $101
notes
16 IB Interviews Notes

“... there’s no excuse to not take advantage of the resources out there available to you. Best value for your $ are the...”

Leaderboard

1
redever's picture
redever
99.2
2
Secyh62's picture
Secyh62
99.0
3
BankonBanking's picture
BankonBanking
99.0
4
kanon's picture
kanon
99.0
5
Betsy Massar's picture
Betsy Massar
98.9
6
DrApeman's picture
DrApeman
98.9
7
dosk17's picture
dosk17
98.9
8
CompBanker's picture
CompBanker
98.9
9
GameTheory's picture
GameTheory
98.9
10
Mimbs's picture
Mimbs
98.8
success
From 10 rejections to 1 dream investment banking internship

“... I believe it was the single biggest reason why I ended up with an offer...”