Ask HN: Specialist or "Jack of all trades"
Which "mentality" do you prefer. Which do you think would make a better "hire"?
I do not have a definitive answer but would love to know what HN thinks :)
I do not have a definitive answer but would love to know what HN thinks :)
If you can directly tie results to your performance, e.g. contribution to the bottom line, you're fine.
If not... you're at the mercy of a perhaps uninformed (or, with the next changes, soon to be uninformed) management.
Good generalists get shit done. They don't always get credit for this. Make sure, if you're in such a role, it's in a position where you get credit -- and compensation. If either starts to suffer, it's time to make a change.
P.S. My final point may seem obvious. But... it is an all too common trap of the generalist, or "jack of all trades".
Hmm... as one example of this. The fellow who ends up with all the maintenance and troubleshooting, because s/he can understand and fix "anything".
Who gets increasingly disrespected, because they are not "on the front line" working with the latest "cool/in/'it' shit".
Who is the first terminated, because we need some more room in the budget but can't afford to lay off those who are working on the "next project" on which we've "bet the future".
Make sure you are respected, and compensated. And all the vocal support means shit, if the latter isn't happening.
I would have a lot of hesitancy hiring someone who is extremely specialized and can't do anything useful whatsoever outside of their area of specialization, or someone who is so generalized that they can't function at a high level in any one area. To me both of these cases are signs of weakness in someones ability.
But if I had to give a black or white answer I would say specialist. If you are proven highly effective in one area, I believe it's more likely for you to be able to be highly effective in others if need be if given the time. Somebody aiming to be mediocre at everything is not someone I want to work with.
The last part where I stated I would prefer a specialist is a matter of opinion. I believe that being proven at a high level in one area makes transitioning to another area much easier and shows evidence of being able to achieve a high level of mastery. Plus I have a tendency to be drawn to people who are pushing to be the best at what they do, rather then aiming to be pretty good at everything. Maybe thats just my 20-year old bravado.
There is definitely a lot of good work available for generalists and I definitely am not discouraging you from being one. Simply giving my opinion on the subject.