Ok, I know its another poll amd I know we did profiles before but I'm curious. If I read a question in the nail Geek forum I always look at the profile. If it doesn't say anything about training I dont say much more other than to ask what training they did and then I wait. This is because when I joined there was a real feeling of help being given to trainees and profesionals but advice to train for people who were basically hobby techs. back then though almost always if you clicked on a profile you got lots to read from hobbies to training to a brief life history. Now though I see more and more that advice is given despite a total lack of anything in the profile. What I am wondering is probably clear enough from the poll

The profiles are very important as it is a way of introducing yourselves to us that we can view over and over again without having to trawl through all posts to see what information you have given in previous posts.

If for example you are a newly trained technician and you ask a question, if we know you are newly trained then we will answer in hopefully a way which you will understand. However if you are say having lifting problems and have been doing nails for a long time then we will assume that you have already covered the basics yourself and it might be something out of the ordinary causing these problems.

Equally we need to know whether you are a nail geek, skin,or hair geek or all of the above.

The Nail Geek is for qualified nail technicians (or in training) to ask other qualified nail geeks for help and advice. It is not for "consumers" to come on with their home care kits and ask how to do their own nails.

Same goes for the other forums.

I wish the profiles were made compulsory.

I almost said this in my post, so do I. I was hoping this might make Geeks who don't have theirs filled to take a look at others and then do theirs as it could well be that the advice they do or don't get is very much linked to it.

yep profiles are imposrtant factor in how and even IF i answer. if they cant be bothered to fill in their profile and tell us about them, why should we be bothered to answer them? that sounds harsh, but i think most people feel that way. We need to know who we are spilling the beans to!

I agree with you all that Profiles are very important not only as a way of introducing yourselves but have to be kept updated to let others know what area and systems you have trained in and normally i ask first before answering if their profile isn't stating otherwise.

We need to know whether you are a nail geek, skin,or hair geek or all of the above thats important to.

as with all the forums of Nail,hair and skin Geek it is for qualified nail technicians,beauty and skin therapists and hairdressers and those in training to ask other qualified geeks for help and advice and It is not for consumers to come on with their home care kits and ask how to do their own nails as we have seen recently..not to mention the dreaded R word that seems to be cropping up again.

I know it may sound silly in a way but is there a way that when you register with salon geek that you can email copies of your certificates and diplomas or your qualified number on the documents to actually clarify that you are qualified as i thought this before registering this had to be done as it is a site for professionals

I think they are really important and find it infuriating when they are not filled in.

Why, can't they be bothered, have they got something to hide ? - beats me.

I check profiles, and I wish they were compulsary too....... To me profiles are almost a sign of how committed to the site members are - if they truely want to be part of the site and give as well as take they fill them in, if they are only here for what they can get they don't bother......

I know that sounds judgemental but I've been around a long time and it's what I've experienced.

Nice poll Min!

i've just finished training so not in the position to offer much advice but i love reading other people profiles, get to see what training and systems are being used plus it makes it more friendly when you know a little about someone..xx

When I first joined I didn't really have anything to put on mine,as I didnt have any training but I tried to fill out what I could, soon as I started training and my progress from there on, I always update my profile, it also gives me a sense of achievement..xx

See thats the thing, if anyone is here waiting to start training don't be afraid to say that in your profile. The most that will happen is like a few Geeks who were practicing ahead of the courses was the advice was usually "Wait until you start training" as its better to learn new good practices and hard to unlearn self taught bad ones.

Any information gives everyone something to go on

same here,i was a lurker for a while until i was nearly finished my courses then i registered..but will always update my profile when new skills have been done.

This is what i look out for....when they ask "can i apply arylic on a nail" then alarm bells ring and i think are you just asking because you got your kit from argos or tesco's.

My answer is yes min , it does effect how i answer , because in these cases i ignore the post,which is not fair as they could have done training .

Well over 100 views, 17 votes and not as many posts as votes. Does the same Geek checking back on new posts counts a fresh view?

Yup I'm pretty sure it does - I checked/read the post and then went for my tea so there will be two views from me

I haven't ticked an option on the poll, as I realised that although I haven't been around much lately, I did answer a question the other day and didn't check their profile and "assumed" that they were trained/training!

Mental note to self - must do better!!!!!

Yep me to I like to see whats in the profile, I'm dead nosy too and if its not filled in then I usually say something like, please fill your profile in so we can better target our answers to help you.
I to would like this bit to be compulsory I don't think some peeps realise that the more they fill in the less assumptions others jump to