The Expert
I responded to a job post recently that was asking for people who are experts in a handful of different specialties. I understand what they're asking for, but I have a particular bone to pick with the word "expert". Two things:
First, people always tend to assume they know more than they think they do. It's a neat little trick our egos play on us to make life bearable. Even right out of the gate, we assume we know more than we think we do. So asking for experts doesn't necessarily eliminate all of the unqualified applicants.
Second, and more importantly, the more expert a person is, the less likely they are to refer to themselves as an expert. Part of being a true expert, in any field, is being able to clearly see what you don't know. Expertise is a journey, not a goal, and people who are on the right path know how much further they have to venture.
An expert isn't someone without limits; they're a person who starts with an awareness of their own limitations and goes from there.
First, people always tend to assume they know more than they think they do. It's a neat little trick our egos play on us to make life bearable. Even right out of the gate, we assume we know more than we think we do. So asking for experts doesn't necessarily eliminate all of the unqualified applicants.
Second, and more importantly, the more expert a person is, the less likely they are to refer to themselves as an expert. Part of being a true expert, in any field, is being able to clearly see what you don't know. Expertise is a journey, not a goal, and people who are on the right path know how much further they have to venture.
An expert isn't someone without limits; they're a person who starts with an awareness of their own limitations and goes from there.