Generalists vs specialists in the job market

Dear Bob …

The down side to the “knowledge” that most people have, that a confident person can be relied on, is that someone like myself, who knows that there is always a better way of doing something, gets ignored even when right (even my wife does a lot of that).

As an always-seeking generalist, it is very hard to find a reasonable (non-clerical level) job since everyone seems to be searching for the most “focused” person for what they are having problems with, rather than someone who can look at the entire situation and possibly remove the source of the problem rather that “fix” it.

– Generalist in a Specialist’s World

Dear General …

I’ll leave alone the confidence question (at least for now) and focus on your complaint about the industry preference for specialists over generalists.

I think the market for generalists is increasing, only it isn’t called that. It’s for business-savvy IT specialists, project managers and so on. Being a generalist is, perhaps, a new specialty.

Another side to this question: For the most part, I think that when it comes to contractors and consultants, companies tend to like specialists – experts in a particular field who can bring in knowledge and experience not available internally for a short period of time.

When it comes to choosing employees, smart employers hire people who will make excellent employees, not “sacks o’skills” who might fit a particular specialized short-term need right now but who won’t be able to adapt to the next situation and assignment.

Not all employers are smart, of course – companies fit a bell curve, just like the rest of us. Some are, though. Your challenge is to explain why you’d make a great employee.

– Bob