I, EXPERT

In these times of rapidly rising unemployment and increasing competition, jobseekers are turning their thoughts more and more to the question of how to stand out from the competition. Whilst some have resorted to the novelty factor by employing some rather unusual and attention-seeking job search techniques, others continue to stick to their tried and trusted methods of responding to job advertisements and signing up with employment agencies.
At the end of the day, in order to achieve success in finding employment, jobseekers must demonstrate their ability to do the job, and do it well. The only problem here is that, of course, everybody is doing the same. As we all know, our education, our past work experience and, to some degree, our personalities help to determine whether we stand out significantly enough to make us the chosen candidate. If written well, our resumes can help to showcase our accomplishments by making reference to how we achieved specific goals, and if we are lucky enough to get this far, a job interview provides the opportunity to expand on and reinforce our achievements. Another way to show potential employers what we are made of, however, is by demonstrating our knowledge of, and passion for, our chosen field, and by claiming our status as an expert.
Now, of course anybody can just call themselves an expert – and indeed many who are not, do so anyway – but what we are talking about here is proving yourself as an expert. How can you do this? Actually, there are several ways.
In the course of your networking activities (you are networking, aren’t you?), you are likely to come across many opportunities where you can take on a more conspicuous role and increase your credibility and reputation within your field. Clubs, associations, fairs and events commonly invite speakers to present to their members and visitors, and for you this represents an ideal opportunity to stand up and share your expertise with your audience. Not only might your efforts attract the interest of some influential person in the audience, but you can highlight your public speaking activities on your resume and use any positive feedback or testimonials as part of your job search portfolio.
If the very thought of standing on a podium to deliver a speech turns you into a quivering wreck, all is still not lost. The Internet offers massive opportunities to share your knowledge and provide advice to your peers, without ever having to leave home. Online discussion boards and forums, particularly those which are focused on your area of industry, provide an excellent platform from which to demonstrate your expertise. In addition, business networking sites such as LinkedIn, offer the opportunity for members to become one of ‘This Week’s Top Experts’ by answering questions posed by other members. The site is used by professional people from more than 200 countries all over the world, so what better way to put yourself in the spotlight.
By creating and maintaining your own blog or wiki, you can write about whichever aspects of your profession you choose, and prove your expert status at the same time. Writing posts which provide valuable information and insights, and keep readers up to date with the industry, will encourage them to keep coming back to your site, as well as to post comments on your work. To ensure that potential employers find their way to your postings, there is, of course, nothing to stop you from providing the website address on your resume.
Any one of these courses of action will help to raise your visibility within your field and, if done well, will help to secure your reputation as an expert. When faced with somebody who just gets on with the job, and somebody who offers the added value of recognized expert status, which do you think a potential employer is likely to choose?
Have you managed to establish yourself as an expert in your field? Which method worked best for you? Drop me a message and let me know.