Over the last decade, the demand for expert network services has grown substantially with the industry experiencing tremendous growth and it is only rising. With that in mind, opportunities to participate in projects on behalf of expert networks will only increase.

Professionals who consult through expert networks are typically paid an hourly rate for their time, which they often set themselves. The more experience someone has in their field, the more they can charge for a consultation. There are several ways an expert can increase their chances of being selected for an expert network project. Here are some suggestions we’ve received from experts who regularly participate in projects with our clients:

Keep your LinkedIn profile up to date: LinkedIn has become one of the primary ways that expert networks source professionals for upcoming projects. By keeping your LinkedIn profile up to date with as much information as you can and responding to requests quickly you can increase your chances of being selected for a project. Make sure you review your profile often and list all of your professional responsibilities and achievements. Tip: Try to include popular keywords from your industry in your “About” section and in your experience descriptions.

Set up a profile with Guidepoint: Fill out the Become an Advisor form on the Guidepoint website to get the process started, or if you are already a Guidepoint Advisor make updates to your profile in our Advisor Portal. Through the Advisor Portal, you can provide your employment history and biography and make updates any time your employment or job title changes. By keeping your profile up to date, we can send you the most relevant project requests and you will give our clients a better understanding of the topics you can speak expertly on.

Contribute to the Guidepoint Advisor Blog: Many of our top-performing advisors choose to write articles that cover current trends or future outlooks in their respective industries. By sharing your high-value viewpoints with our audience, you are able to extend your reach and create additional exposure for your expertise. Advisor Posts are shared on our website as well as featured on Guidepoint’s LinkedIn account, which has 100,000+ followers.

There is no one size fits all formula for increasing your chances of receiving more projects, but by following some of these steps and differentiating yourself you can greatly increase your chances of being included in future projects.