Cambridge Who’s Who offers a number of tools and resources that you can use to position yourself as an expert in your field. The most important of these tools is your online member profile at www.cambridgewhoswho.com. Your profile contains the first bits of information that other Cambridge Who’s Who members will read about you. To make a great impression, first make sure that you have completed your profile and filled in any missing information. You want to show members that you care about yourself and your profession, so do not leave your profile blank, with errors or with outdated information. Second, enhance your profile’s overall appearance by uploading a photo, company logo or business card. See My Online Profile: Picture Perfect.

Next, be sure to include any information about yourself that showcases your experience in and passion for your profession. Have you been published in any journals, magazines or other industry-related publications? Do you hold any advanced degrees or professional certifications? Have you participated in public speaking events to educate others on what you do? If so, list them! Think of them as credibility points – the more points you have, the more weight your credibility holds and the more likely that others will view you as an expert.

Here are some profile fields that you should pay special attention to:

• Area(s) of Expertise: Be as specific as possible, so that members clearly know what your strong points are, what skills you possess and why they should seek out your expertise or advice on a particular subject. Include keywords that will make it easy for other members to find you using the Advanced Search.
• Education Degrees: Include your full educational background. Indicate your graduation year, major, minor, any honors you received and the name of the university or college where you completed your degree(s).
• Certifications: Listing your certifications is just as important as listing your degrees. Professional certifications usually specify your area and level of expertise and are tailored to the industry that you work in.
• Affiliations: List all of your affiliations, associations and societies. The more involved you are in your industry, the better. This also shows your passion and commitment for what you do. Be sure to specify if you hold leadership positions in any of the organizations you have listed.
• Awards/Honors: Listing awards and honors always increases your credibility. Include any type of recognition that you have received in your field.

This is the first step in using your Cambridge Who’s Who membership to attain expert status. In the future we will discuss other valuable tools that Cambridge Who’s Who offers to help you gain strategic positioning within your industry and profession.