Let the market recognize you

Are you denying the market the possibility to recognize you as a credible expert?

Over the past 13+ years, I worked with a lot of subject matter experts. Many of them were not that impressed with the work they do ever day. And because of that, they often shied away from showcasing their credentials.

This is not an issue, when your swamped with work. Your clients know you’re credible and trust that you will help them overcome their challenges.

It is an issue, however, when you’re trying to enter a new market, aiming to bring a different kind of service to market, or looking to strengthen your reputation on a specific topic.

Here’s a quick exercise to fix your credentials on LinkedIn.

Step 1 – Find a colleague. Preferably one that doesn’t know you very well.

Step 2 – Give them the URL to your LinkedIn profile.

Step 3 – Ask them to visit your profile and write down the credentials displayed on your profile.

There are 3 categories of credentials that can be found on a LinkedIn profile:

• What you know and understand can be displayed as Education, Licenses & certifications, and/or Skills.
• What you’re capable of (the clients you worked for and assignments you did) can be mentioned in the About section of a profile, under Experience, and/or Projects.
• What others think of you can be found under Honors & awards, as the number of followers, and as reactions to your posts.

Step 4 – Check what your colleague wrote down to see what’s missing.

Step 5 – Improve your profile.

Step 6 – Return the favor!

Don’t be too modest about the work you do and the things you’ve achieved. Don’t deny the market the possibility to recognize you as a credible expert.

Hope this helps!

Thank you for reading Nudge #034, sent to busy subject matter experts on October 15, 2024.