Exl's Business Analyst interviews most often run three rounds: many candidates start with an online aptitude test, then face SQL- and guesstimate-heavy technical rounds with puzzles and resume questions, and close with an HR or behavioral conversation.
$95K
Avg. Base Comp
$115K
Avg. Total Comp
3 rounds
Typical Rounds
Not reported
Process Length
Exl's Business Analyst hiring process often opens with an online aptitude test. One candidate described it as covering basic math, Excel, SQL, logical reasoning, and verbal ability. Another was caught off guard by how much quantitative reasoning it demanded after prepping mostly for SQL and Python, so treat it as a real gate rather than a formality.
From there, candidates move into one or two SQL-focused technical rounds covering joins, aggregations, filters, and clause distinctions like AND versus HAVING. Expect guesstimate questions as well, such as estimating the number of cars in Delhi, plus classic logic puzzles like number-sequence patterns. Interviewers wanted to see how candidates broke a large problem into estimable pieces and stated their assumptions, not a perfect number. Resume projects come up often, so have concrete examples ready on the tools you used and what you built. Some candidates also faced Excel or Python questions, a probability concept, a request to briefly explain machine learning, or a business scenario such as budgeting for a technical event. One candidate mentioned Power BI concepts in some rounds, so basic reporting and visualization fluency can help.
The process typically closes with an HR or behavioral round on strengths, weaknesses, and communication. One candidate noted an emphasis on strong English and client-facing presentation. Three rounds is the most common structure, and one campus account fit all three rounds into roughly half a day. One candidate also described scheduling delays and a verbally described role that differed from the posting, so it's worth confirming role scope and timeline with your recruiter.
Synthesized from 9 candidate reports by our editorial team.
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Real interview reports from people who went through the Exl process.
The process at EXL for Business Analyst involved three rounds spread across online sessions. The first round was technical, where I encountered SQL questions, probability concepts, and guesstimate problems—the kind where you're asked to estimate market sizes or user numbers. They also pulled from my resume and project experience, so having concrete examples ready was crucial. The second round was behavioral, diving into my strengths, weaknesses, and how I'd handled specific situations. The final round was an HR discussion that felt more conversational than interrogative—they walked through the role expectations and my background to see if there was alignment.
What surprised me most was how heavily they weighted guesstimate problems. They weren't looking for a perfect answer but rather my approach: breaking down the problem, stating assumptions clearly, and walking through the logic step by step. The SQL questions were basic to intermediate—nothing requiring complex window functions, just solid understanding of joins, filters, and aggregation. They also tested Power BI concepts in some rounds, so familiarity with how to think about data visualization and reporting was important. The overall tone was straightforward and professional. By the end, I had a clear sense of what the role entailed and what kind of analytical work I'd be doing.
Prep tip from this candidate
Focus on guesstimate problems and your approach to breaking them down—they weighted these heavily. SQL should be solid but not advanced; prioritize joins, filters, and aggregations. Be ready to discuss Power BI and data visualization concepts, and have specific project examples from your resume ready to discuss in detail.
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Sourced from candidate reports and verified by our team.
Topics based on recent interview experiences.
Featured question at Exl
Select the 2nd highest salary in the engineering department
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|---|---|
| Employee Salaries | |
| Bagging vs Boosting | |
| Size of Joins | |
| P-value to a Layman | |
| Three Zebras | |
| Precision and Recall | |
| Hurdles In Data Projects | |
| Target Indices | |
| Assumptions of Linear Regression | |
| Duplicate Rows | |
| Swap Variables | |
| SARIMA in Retail Forecasting | |
| Multicollinearity in Regression | |
| Type I and II Errors | |
| Random Forest from Scratch | |
| Your Strengths and Weaknesses | |
| Branch Sales Pivot | |
| Google Earth Storage | |
| Linear vs Logistic Regression | |
| Correlation in Regression | |
| WAU vs Open Rates | |
| Random SQL Sample | |
| Cyclic Detection | |
| Scalped Ticket | |
| Poker Pair | |
| Success Measurement | |
| Classification and Regression | |
| Possibly Biased Coin | |
| HHT or HTT |
Synthesized from candidate reports. Individual experiences may vary.
Many candidates begin with an online aptitude test. One account describes it as covering basic math, Excel, SQL, logical reasoning, and verbal ability. This stage filters candidates before the technical interviews. One candidate found its quantitative reasoning more demanding than expected, so it's worth preparing for as seriously as the technical rounds.
The technical round or rounds center on SQL, including joins, aggregations, and clause distinctions like AND versus HAVING. They also include logic puzzles such as number-sequence patterns and guesstimate questions like estimating the number of cars in Delhi. Candidates across multiple accounts said interviewers cared more about how they broke down a problem and stated assumptions than about reaching one perfect answer.
Interviewers frequently ask candidates to walk through resume projects, so have concrete examples ready. Some rounds add Excel or Python questions, a probability concept, a request to briefly explain machine learning, or a business-oriented scenario such as budgeting for a technical event. One candidate also encountered Power BI concepts in some rounds, so familiarity with reporting and visualization basics can help.
The process typically closes with an HR or behavioral conversation covering strengths, weaknesses, and communication style. One candidate noted an emphasis on strong English and client-facing presentation. Three rounds is the most commonly reported total, and one campus account fit all three rounds into roughly half a day.
