"What defines an Expert?"
One of the things I have noticed during my time as a doctoral student is the fact that we are encouraged not only to establish a clear and distinct research line in our disciplines, but by the end of our time in the PhD program, we are supposed to be considered to be “experts” in our study. The question that I ask is what does it mean to be considered to be an “expert?” Does this mean that you have published several research papers with other people in journals, or does it mean that you have worked on many campaigns with several clients in this respective area in the field, or is it a combination of both?
During my time in the PhD program, I have tried to make sure that I am present and have several papers in the works for conferences, and now I am getting active in transforming these papers into journal articles. There are times where it has been fabulous, and other times where it has been challenging.
However, what I have noticed is that you have to be present at both conferences and in the journals, but having a strong online presence helps as well. If you are known online as being a go-to person for information on a specific topic (ex. reputation management and social media), this does help in establishing yourself as a credible, trustworthy, and professional resource for people to talk to about this. Having a website and being willing to share your knowledge with others is another important element into the expert equation that I feel is sometimes missing, or overlooked, in some circles. By managing your reputation proactively by writing about these issues and areas within the discipline, you will be establishing yourself as an emerging scholar in this area – which could lead to future internships, job opportunities, and consulting opportunities at conferences.
Also, being not only willing to share your knowledge online is important – but also being open to come to classes and guest lecture on topics. Since my time at Tennessee, I have been actively talking about social media from communication to research methods courses, to graduate classes in public relations. It is fun to be able to share your knowledge and stories about your field with future scholars and practitioners, and see the excitement in the material being presented. One of my favorite presentations to give is how to manage your online reputation – it is fun! Not only is it great to help out students, but fellow graduate students and professors in this area. I always enjoy talking with others about social media and some of the current trends, and I try to give people the resources that they could possibly use in their classes as well. Learning and growing as a scholar / professional is all about a positive and interactive environment build on sharing knowledge with each other.
In other words, I believe that someone should be considered an expert when they not only have established a reputation in both the academic and professional circles, but they are viewed as a resource that is willing to share their knowledge openly and engage with others on the related topic.
Hope you all are having a wonderful day!
Best Wishes,
Karen
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