100 Interview Questions for Data &

Business Analysts

Table of Contents
1. SQL Questions (20 questions)
2. Python Questions (20 questions)
3. Excel Questions (20 questions)
4. Case Study Questions (15 questions)
5. Product Metrics & Business Scenarios (15 questions)
6. Behavioral Questions (10 questions)

SQL Questions

Basic SQL (1-10)

1. What is SQL, and how is it used in data analysis? SQL (Structured Query Language)
is a programming language used for managing and querying relational databases. It's
essential for data analysts to extract, filter, and manipulate data from databases.

2. What is the difference between primary and foreign keys? A primary key uniquely
identifies each record in a table, while a foreign key is a field that refers to the primary
key in another table, establishing relationships between tables.

3. What are the different types of joins in SQL? - INNER JOIN: Returns records that
have matching values in both tables - LEFT JOIN: Returns all records from the left table
and matched records from the right - RIGHT JOIN: Returns all records from the right
table and matched records from the left - FULL OUTER JOIN: Returns all records when
there's a match in either table

4. When would you use the GROUP BY statement? GROUP BY is used to group rows
that have the same values in specified columns and is typically used with aggregate
functions like COUNT, SUM, AVG, MAX, MIN.

5. What are the most common aggregate functions in SQL? COUNT(), SUM(), AVG(),
MAX(), MIN(), and sometimes MEDIAN() and MODE() depending on the database system.
6. How do you subset or filter data in SQL? Use the WHERE clause to filter rows based
on specified conditions, and the HAVING clause to filter groups after GROUP BY.

7. What is the difference between WHERE and HAVING clauses? WHERE filters
individual rows before grouping, while HAVING filters groups after the GROUP BY
operation.

8. What is an index, and why does it speed up queries? An index is a database object
that improves query performance by creating a faster path to data. It works like a book
index, allowing the database to quickly locate specific rows.

9. How do you handle NULL values in SQL? Use IS NULL or IS NOT NULL to check for
NULL values, and functions like COALESCE() or ISNULL() to handle or replace NULL
values.

10. What is the difference between UNION and UNION ALL? UNION removes duplicate
rows from the result set, while UNION ALL includes all rows, including duplicates.

Intermediate SQL (11-15)

11. Write a query to find the second-highest salary in a table.

SELECT MAX(salary)
FROM employees
WHERE salary < (SELECT MAX(salary) FROM employees);

12. How do you find duplicate records in a table?

SELECT column_name, COUNT(*)

FROM table_name
GROUP BY column_name
HAVING COUNT(*) > 1;

13. What are window functions, and when would you use them? Window functions
perform calculations across a set of rows related to the current row. Examples include
ROW_NUMBER(), RANK(), LAG(), LEAD(). They're useful for running totals, rankings, and
comparisons.

14. How do you calculate a running total in SQL?

SELECT date, amount,

SUM(amount) OVER (ORDER BY date) as running_total
FROM transactions;
15. What is a CTE (Common Table Expression)? A CTE is a temporary result set that
exists only during the execution of a query. It's defined using the WITH clause and makes
complex queries more readable.

Advanced SQL (16-20)

16. How would you optimize a slow-running query? - Add appropriate indexes - Avoid
SELECT * - Use WHERE clauses to limit data - Optimize JOIN conditions - Consider query
execution plan - Use LIMIT when appropriate

17. What is the difference between a clustered and non-clustered index? A clustered
index determines the physical order of data in a table (one per table), while a non-
clustered index is a separate structure that points to data rows (multiple allowed per
table).

18. How do you handle hierarchical data in SQL? Use recursive CTEs, self-joins, or
specialized functions like CONNECT BY (Oracle) to query hierarchical data structures.

19. What are materialized views, and when would you use them? Materialized views
are precomputed result sets stored as physical tables. They're useful for improving
performance of complex queries that are run frequently.

20. How do you perform data quality checks in SQL? - Check for NULL values: SELECT
COUNT(*) FROM table WHERE column IS NULL - Check for duplicates: Use GROUP
BY with HAVING COUNT(*) > 1 - Validate data ranges: Use WHERE clauses with conditions
- Check referential integrity: Use JOINs to find orphaned records

Python Questions

Basic Python (21-30)

21. What is Python, and why is it popular for data analysis? Python is a high-level
programming language known for its simplicity and readability. It's popular for data
analysis due to its rich ecosystem of libraries like Pandas, NumPy, Matplotlib, and Scikit-
learn.

22. How do you install external libraries in Python? Use pip (Python package
installer): pip install library_name or conda: conda install library_name

23. What is Pandas, and what are its main data structures? Pandas is a data
manipulation library. Its main data structures are: - Series: 1-dimensional labeled array -
DataFrame: 2-dimensional labeled data structure (like a table)
24. How do you read a CSV file into a DataFrame?

import pandas as pd
df = pd.read_csv('filename.csv')

25. What is NumPy, and why is it important for data analysis? NumPy provides
support for large, multi-dimensional arrays and mathematical functions. It's the
foundation for most Python data science libraries and offers efficient numerical
computations.

26. How do you handle missing values in Pandas? - Check for missing values:
df.isnull() or df.isna() - Drop missing values: df.dropna() - Fill missing
values: df.fillna(value) - Forward fill: df.fillna(method='ffill')

27. What is the difference between loc and iloc in Pandas? - loc : Label-based
indexing (uses index/column names) - iloc : Integer position-based indexing (uses
numerical positions)

28. How do you group data in Pandas?

df.groupby('column_name').agg({'other_column': 'mean'})

29. What is Matplotlib, and how do you create a basic plot? Matplotlib is a plotting
library. Basic plot:

import matplotlib.pyplot as plt

plt.plot(x, y)
plt.show()

30. How do you filter data in a Pandas DataFrame?

filtered_df = df[df['column'] > value]

# or
filtered_df = df.query('column > value')

Intermediate Python (31-35)

31. What are lambda functions, and how are they used in data analysis? Lambda
functions are anonymous functions defined inline. They're often used with apply(),
map(), and filter():
 df['new_column'] = df['column'].apply(lambda x: x * 2)

32. How do you merge DataFrames in Pandas?

merged_df = pd.merge(df1, df2, on='common_column', how='inner')

Options for 'how': 'inner', 'outer', 'left', 'right'

33. What is the difference between apply() and map() in Pandas? - apply() : Works
on DataFrames and Series, can apply functions along axes - map() : Only works on
Series, maps values using a dictionary, Series, or function

34. How do you handle categorical data in Pandas?

df['category_col'] = df['category_col'].astype('category')
# or
df['category_col'] = pd.Categorical(df['category_col'])

35. What are list comprehensions, and how do they help in data analysis? List
comprehensions provide a concise way to create lists:

squared = [x**2 for x in range(10) if x % 2 == 0]

Advanced Python (36-40)

36. How do you optimize Pandas operations for large datasets? - Use vectorized
operations instead of loops - Use appropriate data types (e.g., category for strings) - Use
chunking for very large files - Consider using Dask for out-of-core processing

37. What is the difference between shallow and deep copy in Python? - Shallow copy:
Creates a new object but references to nested objects are shared - Deep copy: Creates
completely independent copy including nested objects

38. How do you work with time series data in Pandas?

df['date'] = pd.to_datetime(df['date'])
df.set_index('date', inplace=True)
df.resample('M').mean() # Monthly aggregation
39. What are generators in Python, and when would you use them? Generators are
functions that yield values one at a time, saving memory. Useful for processing large
datasets:

def read_large_file(file_path):
with open(file_path) as file:
for line in file:
yield line.strip()

40. How do you handle errors and exceptions in data analysis scripts?

try:
result = risky_operation()
except ValueError as e:
print(f"Value error: {e}")
except Exception as e:
print(f"Unexpected error: {e}")
finally:
cleanup_operations()

Excel Questions

Basic Excel (41-50)

41. What's the difference between VLOOKUP and HLOOKUP? VLOOKUP searches
vertically in the first column of a table and returns a value from a specified column in the
same row. HLOOKUP searches horizontally in the first row and returns a value from a
specified row.

42. How do you apply conditional formatting in Excel? Select cells → Home tab →
Conditional Formatting → Choose rule type → Set conditions and formatting options.

43. What does the IF function do, and what's its syntax? IF function tests a condition
and returns different values based on whether the condition is true or false. Syntax:
=IF(logical_test, value_if_true, value_if_false)

44. What are absolute vs. relative cell references? - Relative references (A1): Change
when copied to other cells - Absolute references ($A$1): Stay fixed when copied - Mixed
references ($A1 or A$1): Fix either row or column
45. How do you use SUMIF and SUMIFS functions? - SUMIF: =SUMIF(range,
criteria, sum_range) - SUMIFS: =SUMIFS(sum_range, criteria_range1,
criteria1, criteria_range2, criteria2, ...)

46. What are named ranges, and why are they useful? Named ranges assign
meaningful names to cell ranges, making formulas easier to read and maintain. Create
via Formulas → Define Name.

47. How do you remove duplicates from data in Excel? Select data → Data tab →
Remove Duplicates → Choose columns to check → OK.

48. What's the difference between COUNT and COUNTA functions? - COUNT: Counts
cells containing numbers - COUNTA: Counts non-empty cells (numbers, text, etc.)

49. How do you freeze panes in Excel? View tab → Freeze Panes → Choose option
(Freeze Top Row, Freeze First Column, or Freeze Panes at current position).

50. What is data validation, and how do you create a dropdown list? Data validation
restricts input to specific values. For dropdown: Select cells → Data tab → Data
Validation → Allow: List → Enter source values.

Intermediate Excel (51-55)

51. How do you create and interpret a Pivot Table? Insert → PivotTable → Select data
range → Drag fields to Rows, Columns, Values, and Filters areas. Pivot tables summarize
and analyze large datasets by grouping and aggregating data.

52. What's the difference between COUNTIF and COUNTIFS? - COUNTIF: Counts cells
meeting one condition - COUNTIFS: Counts cells meeting multiple conditions

53. How do you use INDEX and MATCH together? INDEX returns a value at a specific
position, MATCH finds the position of a value. Together they create flexible lookups:
=INDEX(return_range, MATCH(lookup_value, lookup_range, 0))

54. What are array formulas, and how do you enter them? Array formulas perform
calculations on arrays of data. Enter with Ctrl+Shift+Enter (creates curly braces {}).
Example: {=SUM(A1:A10*B1:B10)}

55. How do you handle missing or error values in Excel? - IFERROR:

=IFERROR(formula, value_if_error) - ISBLANK: =IF(ISBLANK(A1), "Empty",
A1) - ISERROR: =IF(ISERROR(A1), "Error", A1)
Advanced Excel (56-60)

56. What are Excel macros, and how do you create them? Macros automate repetitive
tasks using VBA code. Create via Developer tab → Record Macro → Perform actions →
Stop Recording.

57. How do you use Power Query for data transformation? Data tab → Get Data →
Choose source → Transform data in Power Query Editor → Apply transformations →
Load to worksheet.

58. What's the difference between a Table and a Range? Tables are structured ranges
with automatic filtering, sorting, and dynamic referencing. They expand automatically
when data is added and use structured references in formulas.

59. How do you create dynamic charts that update automatically? Use Tables as data
source, or create dynamic named ranges using OFFSET and COUNTA functions, then
base charts on these ranges.

60. What are some advanced functions for data analysis? - XLOOKUP: More flexible
than VLOOKUP - FILTER: Returns filtered array of data - UNIQUE: Returns unique values
from a range - SORT: Sorts data dynamically - SEQUENCE: Generates sequences of
numbers

Case Study Questions

Business Problem Analysis (61-70)

61. How would you investigate a decline in website conversion rates? 1. Define the
timeframe and magnitude of decline 2. Segment analysis (traffic source, device,
geography, user type) 3. Funnel analysis to identify drop-off points 4. Check for technical
issues or site changes 5. Compare with external factors (seasonality, competition, market
trends) 6. A/B test potential solutions

62. A company's customer acquisition cost (CAC) has increased by 40%. How would
you analyze this? 1. Break down CAC by channel and campaign 2. Analyze changes in
conversion rates at each funnel stage 3. Examine cost changes (ad spend, competition,
market saturation) 4. Compare customer quality (LTV, retention rates) 5. Investigate
external factors (market conditions, seasonality) 6. Recommend optimization strategies

63. How would you measure the success of a new product feature launch? 1. Define
success metrics (adoption rate, engagement, retention) 2. Set up A/B testing framework
3. Monitor user behavior and feedback 4. Track business impact (revenue, conversion,
satisfaction) 5. Analyze different user segments 6. Measure long-term effects on key
metrics

64. Sales have dropped 20% month-over-month. Walk me through your analysis
approach. 1. Confirm data accuracy and define scope 2. Segment analysis (product,
region, channel, customer type) 3. Time series analysis to identify patterns 4. Compare
with historical trends and seasonality 5. Investigate external factors (competition,
market, economy) 6. Analyze leading indicators and correlations 7. Develop hypotheses
and test them

65. How would you analyze customer churn for a subscription business? 1. Define
churn metrics and cohort analysis 2. Identify churn patterns (timing, customer
segments) 3. Analyze customer lifecycle and engagement metrics 4. Build predictive
models to identify at-risk customers 5. Investigate root causes through surveys and
feedback 6. Test retention strategies and measure effectiveness

66. A marketing campaign shows high click-through rates but low conversions. How
would you investigate? 1. Analyze the conversion funnel from click to purchase 2.
Examine landing page performance and user experience 3. Check for technical issues
(loading speed, mobile optimization) 4. Analyze traffic quality and source 5. Review
messaging alignment between ad and landing page 6. Investigate pricing, product, or
competitive factors

67. How would you approach analyzing the ROI of a $1M marketing investment? 1.
Define clear success metrics and attribution model 2. Set up tracking and measurement
framework 3. Establish baseline and control groups 4. Monitor incremental impact vs.
organic growth 5. Calculate direct and indirect revenue attribution 6. Consider long-term
customer value and brand impact 7. Compare with alternative investment opportunities

68. User engagement has plateaued. How would you identify growth opportunities?
1. Segment users by engagement levels and characteristics 2. Analyze user journey and
identify friction points 3. Benchmark against industry standards and competitors 4.
Conduct user research and feedback analysis 5. Identify features or content driving
highest engagement 6. Test new engagement strategies and measure impact

69. How would you analyze the impact of a pricing change on business
performance? 1. Set up before/after analysis with control groups 2. Monitor key metrics
(revenue, volume, customer acquisition/retention) 3. Analyze price elasticity and
demand curves 4. Segment analysis by customer type and product 5. Track competitive
responses and market share 6. Measure long-term customer lifetime value impact

70. A new competitor has entered the market. How would you assess the impact? 1.
Monitor market share and competitive positioning 2. Analyze customer acquisition and
retention changes 3. Track pricing and promotional responses 4. Assess product/service
differentiation 5. Monitor brand perception and customer sentiment 6. Evaluate strategic
response options and their potential impact

Data Quality and Methodology (71-75)

71. You notice inconsistencies in your dataset. How do you approach data quality
assessment? 1. Document all data sources and collection methods 2. Check for missing
values, duplicates, and outliers 3. Validate data types and formats 4. Cross-reference
with external sources 5. Implement data quality rules and monitoring 6. Create data
lineage documentation

72. How would you design an A/B test for a new website feature? 1. Define hypothesis
and success metrics 2. Calculate required sample size and test duration 3. Ensure
random assignment and control for confounding variables 4. Set up proper tracking and
measurement 5. Define stopping criteria and significance levels 6. Plan for post-test
analysis and implementation

73. You have limited data for analysis. How do you proceed? 1. Clearly state
limitations and assumptions 2. Use external benchmarks and industry data 3. Employ
statistical techniques for small samples 4. Focus on directional insights rather than
precise estimates 5. Recommend data collection improvements 6. Use qualitative
research to supplement quantitative analysis

74. How do you handle conflicting data from different sources? 1. Investigate data
collection methodologies 2. Check for timing differences and data freshness 3. Validate
data quality and completeness 4. Understand business context and definitions 5.
Reconcile differences through data triangulation 6. Document assumptions and
limitations

75. Describe your approach to presenting analysis results to different stakeholders.

1. Tailor message to audience (technical vs. business) 2. Start with key insights and
recommendations 3. Use appropriate visualizations for the data 4. Provide context and
explain methodology 5. Address limitations and confidence levels 6. Prepare for
questions and follow-up analysis
Product Metrics & Business Scenarios

Product Metrics (76-85)

76. What metrics would you use to measure user engagement for a mobile app? -
Daily/Monthly Active Users (DAU/MAU) - Session duration and frequency - Screen views
per session - Feature adoption rates - Retention rates (Day 1, Day 7, Day 30) - Time to first
value - Push notification engagement - In-app purchase conversion

77. How would you define and measure customer lifetime value (CLV)? CLV =
(Average Purchase Value × Purchase Frequency × Customer Lifespan) - Track revenue
per customer over time - Calculate retention/churn rates - Consider acquisition costs -
Segment by customer type - Use predictive modeling for future value - Monitor CLV:CAC
ratio

78. What are the key metrics for an e-commerce platform? - Conversion rate (overall
and by funnel stage) - Average order value (AOV) - Cart abandonment rate - Customer
acquisition cost (CAC) - Return on ad spend (ROAS) - Inventory turnover - Customer
satisfaction scores - Revenue per visitor

79. How would you measure the success of a recommendation system? - Click-
through rate on recommendations - Conversion rate from recommendations - Revenue
attributed to recommendations - Diversity and novelty of recommendations - User
satisfaction and feedback - Coverage (% of items recommended) - Serendipity
(unexpected but relevant recommendations) - A/B test against baseline

80. What metrics would you track for a SaaS product? - Monthly Recurring Revenue
(MRR) - Customer churn rate - Net Revenue Retention (NRR) - Customer Acquisition Cost
(CAC) - Time to value - Feature adoption rates - Support ticket volume - Net Promoter
Score (NPS)

81. How would you measure content performance on a social media platform? -
Engagement rate (likes, comments, shares) - Reach and impressions - Click-through rate
to external links - Time spent viewing content - Content completion rates (for videos) -
User-generated content volume - Viral coefficient - Content quality scores

82. What metrics would you use to evaluate marketing campaign effectiveness? -
Return on Investment (ROI) - Cost per acquisition (CPA) - Conversion rate by channel -
Brand awareness lift - Customer lifetime value of acquired customers - Attribution across
touchpoints - Incremental impact vs. baseline - Share of voice

83. How would you measure operational efficiency in a business? - Process cycle
time - Error rates and quality metrics - Resource utilization rates - Cost per transaction -
Automation percentage - Employee productivity metrics - Customer satisfaction with
operations - Compliance and audit scores

84. What are the important metrics for measuring team performance? - Goal
achievement rates - Project delivery timelines - Quality metrics (defect rates, rework) -
Employee satisfaction and engagement - Skill development and training completion -
Collaboration and communication effectiveness - Innovation metrics (new ideas,
implementations) - Customer/stakeholder feedback

85. How would you design a dashboard for executive leadership? - Focus on high-
level KPIs aligned with business objectives - Use clear visualizations with traffic light
indicators - Include trend analysis and forecasting - Provide drill-down capabilities -
Show comparative metrics (vs. targets, previous periods) - Include external benchmarks
where relevant - Ensure real-time or near-real-time data - Add contextual annotations for
significant changes

Business Scenarios (86-90)

86. A startup wants to expand internationally. What data would you analyze to
inform this decision? - Market size and growth potential in target countries -
Competitive landscape analysis - Customer demand and behavior patterns - Regulatory
and compliance requirements - Operational costs and infrastructure needs - Currency
and economic stability - Cultural and localization considerations - Success metrics from
similar expansions

87. How would you approach pricing optimization for a new product? - Analyze
competitor pricing and positioning - Conduct price sensitivity analysis - Test different
price points with customer segments - Calculate price elasticity of demand - Consider
cost structure and margin requirements - Evaluate psychological pricing effects - Monitor
market response and adjust accordingly - Model long-term revenue impact

88. A company is considering acquiring a competitor. What analysis would you

perform? - Financial due diligence (revenue, profitability, cash flow) - Market share and
competitive positioning - Customer overlap and retention analysis - Technology and
intellectual property assessment - Cultural fit and integration challenges - Synergy
identification and quantification - Risk assessment and mitigation strategies - Post-
acquisition success metrics

89. How would you evaluate the business case for implementing AI/ML in
operations? - Identify specific use cases and potential impact - Assess data quality and
availability - Estimate implementation costs and timeline - Calculate expected ROI and
payback period - Evaluate technical feasibility and risks - Consider change management
and training needs - Benchmark against industry standards - Plan pilot programs and
success metrics

90. A retail company wants to optimize inventory management. What would you
analyze? - Historical sales patterns and seasonality - Demand forecasting accuracy -
Inventory turnover rates by product/category - Stockout frequency and lost sales -
Carrying costs and storage efficiency - Supplier performance and lead times - Customer
satisfaction with availability - Economic order quantity optimization

Behavioral Questions
91. Tell me about a time when you used data to solve a complex business problem.
Use the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result): - Describe the business context
and problem - Explain your role and responsibilities - Detail your analytical approach
and methodology - Highlight the tools and techniques used - Quantify the impact and
business outcomes - Discuss lessons learned and follow-up actions

92. Describe a situation where you had to present complex data insights to non-
technical stakeholders. - Explain how you simplified technical concepts - Describe your
visualization and storytelling approach - Discuss how you handled questions and
pushback - Share the outcome and stakeholder feedback - Reflect on what you learned
about communication

93. Tell me about a time when your analysis led to an unexpected finding or
challenged conventional wisdom. - Describe the initial hypothesis or expectation -
Explain your analytical process and methodology - Detail the unexpected findings and
validation steps - Discuss how you communicated these findings - Share the business
impact and decisions made

94. Describe a project where you had to work with messy or incomplete data. -
Explain the data quality issues encountered - Describe your data cleaning and validation
approach - Discuss how you handled missing information - Share the techniques used to
ensure reliability - Reflect on the impact on your analysis and conclusions

95. Tell me about a time when you disagreed with a colleague or stakeholder about
data interpretation. - Describe the disagreement and different perspectives - Explain
how you approached the conflict professionally - Detail the steps taken to resolve the
disagreement - Discuss the final outcome and lessons learned - Reflect on how it
improved your collaboration skills

96. Describe a situation where you had to learn a new tool or technology quickly for
a project. - Explain the business need and timeline constraints - Describe your learning
approach and resources used - Detail how you applied the new knowledge - Share the
project outcome and your proficiency gained - Reflect on your adaptability and learning
strategies

97. Tell me about a time when you made a mistake in your analysis and how you
handled it. - Describe the mistake and how you discovered it - Explain the potential
impact on business decisions - Detail the steps taken to correct the error - Discuss how
you communicated the mistake to stakeholders - Share the lessons learned and process
improvements made

98. Describe how you prioritize multiple projects with competing deadlines. -
Explain your prioritization framework and criteria - Describe how you communicate with
stakeholders about timelines - Detail your project management and time management
techniques - Share an example of successfully managing competing priorities - Reflect
on strategies for maintaining quality under pressure

99. Tell me about a time when you had to work with incomplete data to make a
recommendation. - Describe the business context and data limitations - Explain how
you assessed the reliability of available data - Detail your approach to filling gaps and
making assumptions - Discuss how you communicated uncertainty and limitations -
Share the outcome and validation of your recommendations

100. Describe a situation where you influenced a business decision through your
data analysis. - Explain the business context and decision being considered - Describe
your analytical approach and key findings - Detail how you built a compelling case with
data - Discuss the stakeholders involved and their concerns - Share the final decision and
its business impact - Reflect on your role as a data-driven advisor

Conclusion
This comprehensive list of 100 interview questions covers the essential areas that data
and business analysts should be prepared for in interviews. The questions range from
technical skills in SQL, Python, and Excel to practical case studies, product metrics,
business scenarios, and behavioral situations.

Preparation Tips:

1. Practice coding questions - Set up a practice environment for SQL and Python
2. Work through case studies - Practice the structured thinking approach
3. Prepare STAR stories - Have 5-7 detailed examples ready for behavioral questions
4. Stay current - Keep up with industry trends and new tools
 5. Mock interviews - Practice with peers or mentors
6. Know your resume - Be ready to discuss any project or experience mentioned

Key Skills to Highlight:

• Technical proficiency in relevant tools and languages

• Business acumen and ability to translate data into insights
• Communication skills for presenting to different audiences
• Problem-solving approach with structured thinking
• Collaboration and stakeholder management
• Continuous learning and adaptability

Remember, the goal is not just to answer questions correctly, but to demonstrate your
analytical thinking, problem-solving approach, and ability to drive business value
through data analysis.

Good luck with your interviews!