Ask The Big Game Hunter: Generalist or Specialist?
By Jeff Altman, The Big Game Hunter
Jeff Altman, The Big Game Hunter answers this question directly and clearly.
Instead of a Permanent Position
“Can I avoid becoming obsolete,” is the title of the original video. Someone, in response to that wrote to me asking, “Is it better to be a specialist or generalist?” I want to go to the basics of the question because it is unnecessary. He’s broaching this as an IT professional where I have a lot of expertise.
Financially, it’s always better to be a specialist there generalist. HOWEVER, this is the big however and all this, there are COBOL programmers who knew IMS and/or DB2 who are specialists at that time. There are people who are UNIX/C developers who knew databases and they were specialists for their times.
The bar is always moving and if you think you can be static, particularly in IT, as a specialist in one domain, you are mistaken. You always have to be alert to the trends. You always have to learn with the next new thing is and start moving to them.
If you start specializing in the area like those or my personal favorite used to be Lotus Notes, eventually, what happens is that there is something else that comes along that surpasses it. Do you remember VisiCalc? Okay! Remember Lotus 1-2-3? Okay! You get my point.
Look for areas that are hot and follow directions in those fields. If you start noticing that there is something else that is becoming stronger, start migrating to that technology. That’s because, at the end of the day, for you to work, whether you’re generalist or a specialist, you’re going to need to be up to date. You’re also likely be paid more as a specialist than as a generalist, particularly if you are a consultant.
Minimizing Risk with Your Job Search or Career Change
ABOUT JEFF ALTMAN, THE BIG GAME HUNTER
Jeff Altman, The Big Game Hunter is a coach who worked as a recruiter for what seems like one hundred years. His work involves career coaching, as well as executive job search coaching, job coaching, and interview coaching. He is the host of “No BS Job Search Advice Radio,” the #1 podcast in iTunes for job search with over 2500 episodes.
Are you interested in 1:1 coaching, interview coaching, advice about networking more effectively, how to negotiate your offer or leadership coaching? People hire me to provide No BS career advice whether that is about a job search, hiring better, leadership, management or support with a workplace issue. Schedule a discovery call at my website, www.TheBigGameHunter.us
My courses are available on my website, www.TheBigGameHunter.us/courses The courses include ones about Informational Interviews, Interviewing, final interview preparation, salary negotiation mistakes to avoid, the top 10 questions to prepare for on any job interview, and starting a new job.
I do a livestream on LinkedIn, YouTube (on the JobSearchTV.com account) and on Facebook (on the Jeff Altman, The Big Game Hunter page) Tuesdays and Fridays at 1 PM Eastern. You can send your questions about job search, hiring better, management, leadership or to get advice about a workplace issue to me via messaging on LinkedIn or in chat during the approximately 30 minute show.
Classes On Skillshare https://thebiggamehunter.us/Skillshare
Freelancing or hiring a freelancer: fiverr.com https://thebiggamehunter.us/fiverr. or Freelancer: https://thebiggamehunter.us/freelance
To set up your freelance business correctly: incorporate https://thebiggamehunter.us/incorporate
Connect with me on LinkedIn www.linkedin.com/in/thebiggamehunter
Watch my videos on YouTube at JobSearchTV.com, the Job Search TV app for fireTV or a firestick or Bingenetworks.tv for Apple TV, and 90+ smart tv’s.
Thinking of making a career change and need some ideas that fit you. CareerFitter offers a free test and if you want more you can upgrade for the paid version.https://thebiggamehunter.us/Career
We grant permission for this post and others to be used on your website as long as a backlink is included and notice is provided that it is provided by Jeff Altman, The Big Game Hunter as an author or creator.
