How long does it take to become an Expert?

It takes 3 years of professional experience to become an expert. That is the time it takes to learn specific expert skills, but does not account for time spent in formal education.

How To Become An Expert: What It Is and Career Path

What is an expert and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

4 min read

An expert has extensive knowledge, skill, and experience in a particular field or subject matter. They are recognized as authorities in their field and use their knowledge and experience to solve complex problems, provide advice, and make informed decisions. They are often called upon to provide training, mentorship, and leadership to others in their field. Expert stays up-to-date with the latest developments and trends in their field and continually develops their skills to maintain their expertise.

ScoreExpertUS Average

Salary

7.3

Avg. Salary $94,068

Avg. Salary $59,228

Diversity

6.9

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.56%

Asian 8.28%

Black or African American 10.22%

Hispanic or Latino 19.17%

Unknown 5.30%

White 56.46%

Gender

female 44.43%

male 55.57%

Age - 39

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 39

Stress level

6.2

Stress level is manageable

7.1 - high

Complexity level

4.5

Complexity level is intermediate

7 - challenging

Work life balance

8.5

Work life balance is excellent

6.4 - fair

What are the pros and cons of being an expert?

Pros

Recognition and respect from peers and clients
Potential for high-income and job security
Networking opportunities with other experts in the field
Flexibility to work as a freelancer or consultant
Sense of satisfaction from solving complex problems

Cons

Pressure to maintain a high level of expertise and stay current with industry changes
Potential for stress and anxiety from high-pressure situations or difficult clients
Difficulty in finding work-life balance due to demanding schedules
Risk of losing credibility if you make mistakes or provide incorrect advice
Need to constantly market yourself and build a client base, which can be time-consuming and stressful

Key steps to become an expert

Explore expert education requirements

Most common expert degrees

Bachelor's

50.3 %

Associate

15.0 %

High School Diploma

14.7 %

Start to develop specific expert skills

Skills	Percentages
Sales Floor	15.51%
Strong Customer Service	10.54%
Product Knowledge	8.24%
Customer Service	6.05%
POS	5.49%

Complete relevant expert training and internships

Accountants spend an average of 1-3 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New experts learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as an expert based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real expert resumes.

Gain additional expert certifications

Expert certifications can show employers you have a baseline of knowledge expected for the position. Certifications can also make you a more competitive candidate. Even if employers don't require a specific expert certification, having one may help you stand out relative to other applicants.

The most common certifications for experts include Certified Pharmacy Technician (CPhT) and Certified Sales Professional (CSP).

More About Certifications

Research expert duties and responsibilities

Manage full life cycle development / deployment of focuse business intelligence solutions (SDLC).
Manage 20 Lean/Six sigma projects in 2005 enabling annualize savings of $1.42 MM vs. goal of 1.2 MM.
Develop talent management plans, set goals, and provide motivation to achieve client and program objectives (KPI's).
Manage back-end operations to ensure quality and timely delivery of product.

Prepare your expert resume

When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your expert resume.

You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on an expert resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

Choose from 10+ customizable expert resume templates

Build a professional expert resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your expert resume.