There is an interesting trend occurring, one which is becoming prominent because of career-related websites such as LinkedIn, and it is the increase in the number of individuals who are an expert in a particular subject, career field, or career specialty.
I've noticed an increase in the number of experts, especially after the recession, and it has been a way for individuals to distinguish themselves in a competitive job market. As I review professional profiles and resumes from the perspective of a career coach and resume writer, the challenge I find for many is this: while it may be easy to state you are an expert in some particular subject or field, what can you do to support it?
This is not to state that there is not a need for experts or that it is not a helpful method of creating distinction for a person's career. It really comes down to what a person can support and what the targeted audience will accept. Perhaps this is one of the reasons why automated application forms are used now, in place of direct recruiting, to force job applicants to state what can be proven rather than what they would like to market. What I would like to share are strategies for becoming a subject matter expert and doing so in a manner that is credible and adds value to your career, which will help you focus on plans for ongoing professional development as well.
Subject Matter Expert Types
There are generally four types of experts you can find when searching professional profiles. If you are an expert or subject matter expert now, perhaps you will identify with one of these types:
Type #1: A Subject Matter Expert (SME) who holds company knowledge and a related title. They may or may not hold a background in the subject matter or have advanced education in this field; however, they are charged with disseminating information when needed. I have worked in the field of organizational development for many year, in the role of a contract instructional designer and curriculum developer, and I have interacted with many subject matter experts who were organizational employees. Many of the SMEs I have worked with were either knowledge holders or front-line workers.
Type #2: A self-proclaimed expert who establishes a presence on social media. I have seen many individuals decide they are going to specialize in a particular field and in doing so, proclaim their expertise once they are established. There may be a website established, resources available for purchase, and interactivity on social media websites such as LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter. These experts have the greatest challenge as they are creating their own brand and need to convince the public of their expertise. They also have to prove they are an expert and the evidence to support their expertise may be a result of experience and/or education, or simply an innovative new idea.
Type #3: A highly publicized expert who is likely featured on prominent websites and marketed as someone who is an influencer or key person of influence. These experts have the greatest visible success and are often sports figures, television personalities, public speakers, motivational or inspirational speakers, or work in other high-profile careers. When someone works in such a visible career, and they decide to start publishing article and books to share their expertise, their expertise is rarely called into question. It does not matter if someone else writes their articles or their articles and online posts are not always substantive, especially for those who are deemed to be expert leaders, they have reached a career plateau few will attain.
Type #3: A person who holds expertise and naturally acquires the role of subject matter expert. I believe this is where my career has evolved and when you view my professional profile you will see the word expertise appear as it is backed by advanced education and extensive experience. My subject matter expertise was carefully planned and I continue to cultivate it through ongoing professional development, research, writing, and career choices. This is a route many who work in the field of higher education have also followed. They have a particular subject of interest they continue to research and write about, and contribute their ideas to that field. To me, a person who has expertise as a result of their career and education has the most value to be leveraged by a potential employer.
Becoming a Subject Matter Expert
If you are reading this and want to define a particular aspect of your career for the purpose of establishing expertise, you will find it is helpful as it can focus your plans for ongoing professional development. If you are going to leverage your expertise in the job market you will need to convince others that your claim is valid. Below are some strategies you can use to become a SME in a manner that will gain the credibility you need for your career.
Conduct Career Analysis: It is very likely you have several areas of expertise, some you may have not yet identified and that is why a career analysis can be very useful. Take some time and reflect back on your career, specifically what you have accomplished within your jobs, your achievements, knowledge gained, and continuing education completed. This will help you to identify patterns, trends, and more importantly, specific areas where you have gained specialized knowledge and expertise. You can then decide to focus on specific aspects to develop your expertise.
Establish a Career Purpose: If you want to become an expert, you should decide why this is important to your career and establish a specific purpose. This is especially important if the jobs you have held do not provide obvious support for the expert status you would like to claim, and/or you do not hold the education or credentials to validate the expertise. There are no rules concerning how a person can label their career. However, if you are going to promote yourself as an expert, you want to have it backed with a purpose so that you are working toward developing the necessary support to establish credibility within this particular field.
Develop Support for Your Expertise: The need for support can come about when you are applying for a job or even when you are promoting yourself to the general public. If you want to sell a book or other resources, potential buyers are going to want to know about your background and whether or not you have something of value to sell. When you are applying for a job, expertise will help but only to a certain extent. With the increased use of automated online application forms, employers are looking more often at the employment background and education credentials than statements of expertise.
I have found that my expertise statements are helpful when writing a cover letter, and I make certain I can support it through my experience, education, and ongoing work in the field. The best advice I offer to my clients as a career coach and educator is to develop a portfolio of work as support, and this may include actual documents or links to projects completed, to help substantiate expertise. If you have analyzed your career background and determine you need to develop a particular area further, so you can state you are an expert in this field, you can look for courses, webinars, and other professional development activities to begin to develop your expertise.
This all relates to establishing a purpose and why you want to become a subject matter expert. I find that being a SME in the fields of adult education, higher education, and distance education has helped me find projects and positions to leverage my background. I also enjoy conducting research and writing about these subjects, and interacting with other professionals. I do not hold a SME title, rather the expertise held is a culmination of all of my career and academic choices. Yes, anyone can become a subject matter expert and declare they are an expert in any given field. The real test, and the real value for anyone claiming expertise in a particular subject or career field, is not their title or their self-promotion; it is the value the person adds to the field through their ongoing work and contributions made about their area of subject matter expertise.
