You Have Expertise

The title was going to be "You Are an Expert" but I know some people don't believe it.

So let's go with this: You have expertise.

When I used to travel and speak at job clubs and outplacement network meetings a lot I'd ask the audience to raise their hand if they had a personal brand. About 5% would raise their hand.

I'd then launch into this thing about how *everyone* has a personal brand, whether they know it or not. Whether they like it or not. Whether it is good or accurate or not. Everyone has one.

Then, I'd talk about this idea of expertise. I'd talk about how I was not the right person to write the first consumer book on how to use LinkedIn (don't buy it, it's terribly outdated). That's another story for another time. But here was the punchline:

My book gave me credibility as an expert.

It didn't make me an expert. It just made me a credible expert.

"Oooooh, he's the author of the book! He must be an expert!"

It was like I cheated my way to expert status. I knew dozens of people who should have written it, who were more qualified. But they didn't, I did. And so I was the one who got all the interviews with media and invitations to speak at conferences (which, I think, became a six figure income stream the 12 months after my first book came out).

I felt guilty being an "expert." I was just a normal dude with normal problems. Nothing special. Expert seemed too heavy.

But once I started digging into the personal branding thing, and talking to my JibberJobber users (professionals in a job search), I came to really understand that we might not use "expert" enough!

I'm not saying you should walk around saying you are expert of everything but I think it's critical that you recognize what you have expertise in.

Perhaps it's not your job title, rather you are the expert at the office printer. Mundane, I know, but it's an important function. Or you are expert at organizing office luncheons. Mundane-ish, but this is an important part of building a good culture at work.

Whether you are an expert at getting hard customers to calm down and focus on the issue at hand or you are an expert at persuading others, figure out what you are expert at.

And then figure out how to build that into your brand. My Pluralsight course Developing Your Personal Brand is a great resource for branding tips and tactics. It's one of the most important things you can do for your career management. Another great resource is the book Brag! by Peggy Klaus (google it and buy it from wherever you buy books).

Please, please be okay with being good, great, maybe even excellent at something. And then start to learn how to talk about yourself in a good way. You deserve it. More, you'll need these skills the next few times you are in a job search.

Reach out if I can help. I'm looking at you, expert!