# Off Topic > Suggestions for Improvement >  >  Judging a poster's competency

## dflak

Is there some way that a person could self-identify their skill level with Excel in their profile, maybe on a scale of 1 to 5? For example 1 being a complete novice without little or no experience to 5 being well-experienced in an area. I see possibly 4 main areas: Excel Formulas, VBA, Forms and Charting.

Sometimes a person will admit their lack of competency in a certain area or you can tell by the kind of questions they ask where their skill level is. Other times all you have to go on is the number of posts they have made which is an exceptionally crude measurement. Everyone here had a first post, and some could have jumped on the wagon already running at 100 miles per hour.

Knowing a person's skill level really helps with tailoring a response.

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## FDibbins

While that suggestion has merit, it is not without it's own problems.

Until I joined this forum (and a few others), I would have put my excel skill level at good/high - mainly because I knew of no-one else that was at my level, and everyone came to me for help.  Then, after a VERY short while here, some of the top members here showed me what good really looked like.  And while I would still have placed myself as "competent", I  realized that I was so far from being at "good" level, that it wasnt even funny

I now take the approach that I offer suggestions at low-to-intermediate level of explanation, unless the OP has proved to be at a different level.  If I get asked for a more detailed explanation (or I ask if what I said was understood), I give a more detailed breakdown

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## sandy666

Do you understand my explanation?

or

Is my explanation is not too stupid for you?

or

Is my explanation appropriate for your high level of excel skills?

which one?
 :Smilie: 

sorry for the pidgin-english :Roll Eyes (Sarcastic):

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