How To Gain Expertise

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Are You An Expert?


In an earlier post, I postulated that expertise is an important contributor to mojo. What is expertise?  Merriam Webster says:that expertise is
1: the skill of an expert
2: expert opinion or commentary
Who is an expert? When is it okay to call yourself an expert? These are some of the questions that will be answered in this post.  Merriam Webster also says that an expert is
“one with the special skill or knowledge representing mastery of a particular subject.”  It is these special skills or knowledge that need to be defined. Someone once said, wryly, that an expert is “anybody with a briefcase who is more than 50 miles from home. While this is funny, it doesn't help us get to the definition of an expert. Most of us would hold a person to a higher standard than the quote suggests, even if it accurately describes the sentiments some feel on the job. Following are a few practical indicators of expertise.  Note the links which I have carefully selected for you.

Credentials, e.g., a college degree, certification, completion of training, or apprenticeship.
These are good indicators, but do not guarantee expertise. They have the advantages of being commonly understood, able to be cited, and recognized indicators of expertise.

Reference by others
Look at Merriam Webster's reference definition No. 4. It is always an advantage to have references which add credibility to your claims and proof of your experience. Be careful that the references are good and don’t prove your lack of expertise.

Comparisons can be tricky, unless their validity can be proven independently, for example, when the “others’ are well known.

It is not often possible to arrange a trial session to prove your expertise. If it is, it can go a long way toward proving your worth.

Unlike a trial , it is simply a recitation of past work. Unlike a reference, it is a referral to actual results that were achieved in the past, not just opinions.

Testimonials are, unlike references, opinions of how good a job you might be able to do, not references to jobs that you already did.

By trying and failing, you can learn a lot. This can give you expertise that is often recognized. The most common example I know of is entrepreneurship. Since 90% of new companies fail, the experience of being in a new company environment can be a positive indicator that you have learned something.

Taking these points to heart should give you a good idea of what an expert is.  Note that some people can learn a subject by reading a book about it and thereby becoming an expert.  
This is rare. Most of us need some experience to go along with building our expertise. To become an expert in anything, just start. By doing a thing, you gain experience, of course, but also expertise.

WARNING: There are legal issues with declaring yourself an “expert,” either orally, on a business card, website, brochure, or other promotional material. It is better to state facts only. For example. It is okay to say ”I have been board certified in “x”. Or, I have a degree from “y” university in “z”. Or, I have done “x” 125 ties in the past. These are verifiable facts that aren’t easily disputed. My advice is to never say something that is your opinion. Instead, simply state demonstrable facts.

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