High-Level Data Analyst Interview Questions and Sample Answers
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🔰 Basic-Level Data Analyst Interview Questions and Answers
📌 SQL (Fundamentals)
1. What is the difference between WHERE and HAVING clauses in SQL?
2. Answer: WHERE filters rows before aggregation; HAVING filters after aggregation. Use WHERE
with raw data, HAVING with GROUP BY results.
3. Explain the different types of joins in SQL with examples.
4. Answer:
◦ INNER JOIN: common records
◦ LEFT JOIN: all from left + matching from right
◦ RIGHT JOIN: all from right + matching from left
◦ FULL OUTER JOIN: all records from both sides
5. Write a SQL query to find the total number of orders placed by each customer.
SELECT customer_id, COUNT(*) AS total_orders
FROM orders
GROUP BY customer_id;
1. What does the GROUP BY clause do?
2. Answer: It groups rows that have the same values in specified columns and is used with aggregate
functions like SUM, AVG, COUNT.
3. How would you retrieve duplicate rows from a table?
SELECT column_name, COUNT(*)
FROM table_name
GROUP BY column_name
HAVING COUNT(*) > 1;
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🐍 Python (for Data Analysis)
1. Difference between a list and a tuple in Python?
2. Answer: Lists are mutable (changeable), tuples are immutable. Lists use [] , tuples use () .
3. Handling missing values in pandas?
4. Answer: Use df.isnull() to detect and df.fillna() or df.dropna() to handle missing
data.
5. Difference between apply(), map(), and lambda?
6. Answer: map() works on Series, apply() works on Series/DataFrame, lambda is used to create
anonymous functions passed to apply/map.
7. Reading a CSV file in pandas?
import pandas as pd
df = pd.read_csv('data.csv')
1. Function to calculate mean:
def calculate_mean(numbers):
return sum(numbers) / len(numbers)
📊 Excel (Core Skills)
1. VLOOKUP vs INDEX-MATCH?
2. Answer: VLOOKUP searches vertically; INDEX-MATCH is more flexible and faster with large data.
3. Conditional formatting?
4. Answer: Used to highlight cells based on conditions (e.g., value > 100). Found under the Home tab.
5. Pivot tables?
6. Answer: Allow dynamic summarization and analysis (e.g., sum of sales by region).
7. IF and IFERROR functions?
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8. Answer: IF returns values based on conditions. IFERROR handles and hides errors in formulas.
9. Remove duplicates?
10. Answer: Select data > Data tab > Remove Duplicates.
📈 Power BI (Introduction)
1. What is Power BI?
2. Answer: A Microsoft tool for interactive data visualization and business intelligence.
3. Power BI Desktop vs Service?
4. Answer: Desktop is for building reports; Service is for sharing, collaboration, and scheduled refresh.
5. Load data from Excel?
6. Answer: Open Power BI Desktop > Home > Get Data > Excel > Select file.
7. Common visuals?
8. Answer: Bar chart, line chart, pie chart, table, card, slicer.
9. What is DAX?
10. Answer: Data Analysis Expressions – a formula language for calculated columns and measures in
Power BI.
🧠 Scenario-Based (Basic)
1. Summarizing regional sales in Excel?
2. Answer: Use a pivot table with Region as rows and SUM of Sales as values.
3. Finding repeat customers?
4. Answer: Count unique purchases per customer ID. If count > 1, mark as repeat.
5. Missing values?
6. Answer: Inspect missing values, impute if necessary, or drop depending on use case.
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7. Monthly user growth in SQL?
SELECT MONTH(signup_date), COUNT(user_id)
FROM users
GROUP BY MONTH(signup_date);
1. Sales dashboard visuals?
2. Answer: Total sales (card), sales over time (line chart), product category (bar chart), filter by region
(slicer).
💼 Behavioral (Entry-Level)
1. Used data to make decision?
2. Answer: In college, used survey data to decide best timing for study sessions, improving attendance
by 20%.
3. Ensuring accuracy?
4. Answer: Double-check formulas, validate inputs, peer reviews, use assertions or unit tests in Python.
5. Cleaning messy data?
6. Answer: Handled missing values, removed duplicates, standardized formats using pandas and Excel.
7. Prioritizing tasks?
8. Answer: List all tasks, assess urgency and impact, communicate with stakeholders, use time blocks.
9. Why Data Analyst?
10. Answer: Enjoy uncovering insights, passionate about data-driven decisions, and find value in
simplifying complexity.
Let me know if you'd like these exported to PDF or used in a mock interview format.
