In 2008, when interviewing for my first accounting job, I was asked to rate my knowledge of Excel. I answered 5/10.
I was asked whether I knew how to use V Lookup, I said “no”, but went on to describe what I can do with Excel.
Actually, my proficiency then should be 1/10, but I never knew there was significantly much more to it than I knew, hence safely gave myself 5/10, which still didn’t trigger much drilling, compared to if I had mentioned 8/10.
It was when I started working that I knew I knew nothing about Excel.
I went on to use Excel every day for the next 15 years, until 2023, and at the time I was quitting, if asked again to rate myself on Excel, I won’t rate myself higher than 6/10.
The 2023 proficiency was 50x the 2008 proficiency, but I still see don’t believe I knew up to 70% of what can be done with Excel.
On Google Sheet, I never touched - probably never even heard of - it until I joined PwC in 2022. Managed to be familiar with it as worktool for the one year I spent there, but never liked it.
I’m a little traditional in adoption of tools. I find it difficult to change whatever I’m used to. Ran back to Excel for my business.