Our world is a noisy place. When you are looking for guidance, whether in your personal or professional life, how can you sort through all the hype and get the honest, expert advice you need? I want to challenge you to do your homework and look for 2 key indicators before you let yourself be influenced by an expert.
1 – Qualifying Experience – The most important thing to look for in an expert is someone who has genuine experience in what they claim to be their area of expertise. Too many “experts” out there tout the secret to success, when in reality, they have never achieved that success themselves! I didn’t start teaching you about podcasting after doing 3 months of shows. I teach because my company books hundreds of interviews a month! Jim Palmer, my coach, became a business coach only AFTER starting and growing multiple 6 figure businesses FIRST.
Would you hire a flying instructor to teach you to become a pilot, if they had never flown a plane? No way! So do your research and make sure the experts you are allowing to influence you have the credentials to back it up.
2 – Sterling Reputation – Just because someone has experience in a particular field does not mean it is reputable experience that you can learn from. You’ll need to do your research and check out their professional reputation. Do they have testimonials from actual clients on their website (heck, do they even have a website)? If so, are the testimonials descriptive and specific to what this person has actually accomplished?
You are only going to to get a true sense for their reputation if you go beyond what they publish about themselves and look for some objective opinions. Google their name, their company, and their product and see what you find. Do they have a social media presence? What are people saying about them? If you have a trusted network, what are they saying about this expert? There are, unfortunately, a lot of snake oil salesmen out there, so it is entirely in your best interest to make sure they are above reproach.
These two indicators might seem completely obvious, but more and more, they are being completely overlooked. Flashy marketing and bold claims have blinded many to what tragically turned out to be empty promises and misdirective guidance. So BEFORE you invest your time and money in someone, do your research!
Are you looking for the experts on podcast guests? Don’t be fooled by imitators! My team at Interview Connections and I have the experience and reputation you can trust.
