Some professionals in many types of fields make money on the side in less-conventional ways. One of these ways is by providing expert services to those who are less knowledgeable in a particular field. People use these experts in all kinds of ways. Here are two ways they are often used.

In Court          

Expert witnesses are an important part of many trials. For example, in a medical malpractice lawsuit, both sides could potentially benefit from the opinion of a medical expert who can provide the jury with his or her professional opinion on the matter. However, medical professionals are not the only people who provide expert witness services. Attorneys often bring in financial experts, forensic experts, or vocational experts depending on the type of case. These experts usually get paid several hundred dollars an hour, so it can be beneficial for anyone to take these jobs when they are available.

In Evaluations

This use of experts was widely popularized by the television show Pawn Stars and the many similar programs that spawned from its success. The show depicts one of the shop’s employees encountering an item he knows very little about and calling in one of his friends to take a look at it and evaluate how much it is worth. These professionals can range from experts in history, celebrities, cars, and almost anything else that could be related to an item a customer is trying to sell or pawn. While the experts on the show were not normally paid for their services, many of them reported a boost in business after the show aired.

Being an expert in any field has its benefits. People frequently need information on a variety of subjects, and even if the expert does not receive any monetary compensation, he or she can be repaid in other ways.