In the world of technology you face new challenges each and every day. It’s a continuous learning curve where your knowledge is continually increasing. You might even consider yourself an expert in a particular area. Have you ever felt a burning desire to demonstrate your level of technical expertise to your peers, your organization, or even the world?

With the phenomenal growth of easy to use Web 2.0 applications, you have a plethora of opportunities to display your expertise across a variety of social media venues. Although Twitter and Facebook are high profile social networking sites, there are many less well-known sites with question and answer technical forums. These are the perfect vehicles to share your expertise.

How to Display Your Expertise

• Answering questions on forums asked by other technical, and not so technical, people.
• Start a technical blog focusing on your specific area of expertise.
• Contribute articles or white papers to technology sites that solicit information.

Where to Displaying Your Expertise

There are many sites with forums specifically geared toward technically oriented people. Most sites require you to register as a forum member before allowing you to ask a question or post an answer. Registration is usually free and takes less than five minutes. I recommend these sites to get you started:

• www.techsupportforum.com – Forums include security, software, operating systems, hardware, networking, web design, and more.
• www.tek-tips.com – Forums include Avaya IP, Cisco, Nortel, Mitel, as well as software, graphics, programming, PC hardware, and more.
• www.techrepublic.com – Forums include networking, software, operating systems, security, project management, careers, and more. 

You can Benefit by Displaying Your Expertise

Not only can you help your peers by sharing your knowledge and experience with them, but you can also benefit personally in several ways:

• By developing your reputation as an expert in a particular area, readers will, in time, seek your advice and possibly extend additional writing opportunities to you.
• Networking with peers in other companies and around the world opens a new learning environment. This could lead to invitations to participate in unique projects and ventures.
• Being known as an expert adds credibility to your reputation. This could enhance your career path within your own organization and create career opportunities elsewhere.

Is it time for you to take an active role in social media discussions? If you want to display your expertise and establish a following, then become an active contributor in this worldwide online community. Whether your motives are purely altruistic or to gain personal recognition for career advancement, displaying your technical expertise and connecting with like-minded people is exhilarating and will produce positive results for you.

~Mike Mitchell

The copyright of this article is owned by Mike Mitchell. Permission to republish the complete article, in print or online, is granted providing the author is notified prior to republishing and proper credit accompanies the article.

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