When Would You Consider Yourself An Expert?

Today at work I was thinking about at what point would you consider yourself an expert on a piece of technology? Some of the work I've been doing could be useful in a consulting role, but my fear is that I won't have an immediate answer without doing some research. A lot of the technology doesn't have certifications and not that a cert in and of itself makes you an expert, but it certainly helps in that realm. Just looking for some thoughts!

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Comments

Shdwmage

I will never consider or call myself an expert on any subject matter. I may an advanced user on some things, but expert puts to much weight on my shoulders. I'm not a big fan of the stress that comes with that weight.

I've always subscribed to Albert Einstein's philosophy - Never memorize what you can look up in books.

Sure there is stuff that I remember, and memorize, but I never make it a point to. If I need to know what port does something, I have a list in a notebook I keep. If I need to remember a command, I either use help, or I have it in my notebook.

DevilWAH

Shdwmage wrote: »

I will never consider or call myself an expert on any subject matter. I may an advanced user on some things, but expert puts to much weight on my shoulders. I'm not a big fan of the stress that comes with that weight.

I've always subscribed to Albert Einstein's philosophy - Never memorize what you can look up in books.

Sure there is stuff that I remember, and memorize, but I never make it a point to. If I need to know what port does something, I have a list in a notebook I keep. If I need to remember a command, I either use help, or I have it in my notebook.

Einstein was an expert! and like you say he remembered very little. Facts != Expert, neither does pure understanding. How you apply it and how others see you applying it are the key factors.

DatabaseHead

Love this post, want to revive it.

I personally think most people (95%)+ never reach an expert level at anything.

Looking at my skills in Development, I would consider myself a solid intermediate writing SQL(Probably my strongest skill), and while I am better than 80% of the people I work with, maybe more I am still not advanced or expert. You have to really grind and learn and have some natural aptitude to get to that level IMO.

Most people don't have the ability to become an expert IMO.

jeremywatts2005

This is the question when I was a hiring manager I would make people wet their pants over. Have them fill out their ranges from no experience to expert. Then I would look for the expert areas. When the time for the interview came I would say " so you say you're an expert in XYZ" what makes you an expert. What has qualified you as an expert in XYZ area? Man people have trouble answering that question. I would be careful saying your an expert if you cannot define what an expert is and how you view an expert. Me I always I have a reasoning for saying I am an expert or a path to make it to an expert if I need to explain why I didn't check it on the application.

kurosaki00

I'm pretty sure I'm @ expert level in pre PS2 Castlevania games.

UnixGuy

I think people have the ability to become experts, but most people won't because they lack the discipline and motivation.

Example, you can (theoretically) become an expert in Operating systems, but are you willing to study/learn for 5 yrs daily for 10 yrs...going into internals and kernel coding and everything else....you will ask yourself the question, what's the reward?

Intermediate is good

DatabaseHead

NetworkNewb wrote: »

lol... such a motivational person. I'm guessing most people actually become in expert in something. Whether or not it is useful is each person's opinion. I could sit on my butt all day and watch the episodes of the Simpsons and become an expert on Simpsons knowledge.

I consider myself a realist.

DatabaseHead

UnixGuy wrote: »

Intermediate is good

Agreed. Not only good, it's great. IMO it means you have a strong working knowledge of something that can be applied immediately.

Ertaz

DatabaseHead wrote: »

Agreed. Not only good, it's great. IMO it means you have a strong working knowledge of something that can be applied immediately.

A "journeyman."

DatabaseHead

Ertaz wrote: »

A "journeyman."

You really think intermediate is Journeyman level?

a worker or sports player who is reliable but not outstanding.

Ertaz

DatabaseHead wrote: »

You really think intermediate is Journeyman level?

a worker or sports player who is reliable but not outstanding.

A "journeyman" is a skilled worker who has successfully completed an official apprenticeship qualification in a building trade or craft. They are considered competent and authorized to work in that field as a fully qualified employee. So, I guess what you're referring to would be a master craftsman level?

kurosaki00

Ertaz wrote: »

A "journeyman" is a skilled worker who has successfully completed an official apprenticeship qualification in a building trade or craft. They are considered competent and authorized to work in that field as a fully qualified employee. So, I guess what you're referring to would be a master craftsman level?

It goes like this:
Apprentice > Journeyman > Expert > Artisan, Master > Grand Master > Illustrious > Zen Master > Draenor Master > Legion Master

DatabaseHead

@ Kurosaki

That is some breakdown!

I was thinking Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced and Expert.

Legacy User

I would say an expert would be someone who knows how a technology works at a deep level that they can provide a detailed argument of pros and cons of a technology and how it will react within an environment based on experience and functionality and provide possible alternatives. Also, be able to troubleshoot and understand what is happening with the provided output.

Dojiscalper

I think about things a little differently. Over my career mostly MSP types of positions, there's lots of people who are "confident" will sell you something, help you repair things and they even win most of the time. Doesn't necessarily mean they are or aren't experts, but to the client they helped they are for most situations "expert enough".

I spend a lot of time going behind other companies fixing what their "experts" did, but we both got paid.

PC509

I am an expert in some things, but I'm very far from knowing it all and there is always much, much more to learn.

I used to say "I'm not an expert, there's so much I don't know". But, there will ALWAYS be so much that you don't know and so much more to learn. I felt it was time to boost the ol' self esteem and say that I am an expert. Because I am very knowledgeable in certain things.

I'm usually very humble about things like that, but I guess there came a time when I just said screw it. Yes, I am an expert. I think when you say that, you accept that you'll never know it all and the more you learn, the more you find that you don't know. When did I become an expert? Who knows.... I keep learning more and more. I know more now that I did yesterday. Was it when I passed my first cert? My last one? Who knows. Only you can say when you consider yourself an "expert". Others may consider you one, but that's relative to their own knowledge. Someone that knows a lot more can claim they are an expert and you're not (I don't like those people. YOU are an expert!).

You're valuable. What you know is valuable. Be proud of how valuable you are. You are an expert.

EANx

The old definition of an expert was someone more than 50 miles from home who carried a briefcase.

thomas_

When I've written a book that other people are studying to become experts and/or when I've made something that other people are trying to become experts on.