Over the course of my non-linear career, I have become a strong generalist and have experienced both the benefits and challenges of having a broad skill set.
To become a generalist, I had to be exposed to a variety of industries, work in different types and sizes of organisations, engage in different roles and be employed at times and self-employed at other times.
My wide range of experience has enabled me to develop as a leader, with enough knowledge of different disciplines such as marketing, sales, finance, systems and operations to set up and run initiatives and lead diverse teams.
I can see the big picture, drive a vision and connect the dots between different functions, domains and stakeholders. This has made me strategic and innovative.
A good mix of competencies has made me adaptable and able to work in agile, shifting environments and teams.
Yet, despite all my generalist capabilities, when I relocated to the UK and wanted to seek employment, I found this incredibly challenging.
Many job roles are structured to favour specialists.
Employers often look for candidates with highly specific expertise that fits neatly into pre-defined job descriptions.
I realised that while my versatility has made me an asset in leadership roles, it would be a struggle to position myself effectively in the UK job market unless I chose an industry to focus my broad skills on and then developed my specialist skills further in this industry.
The question was then how much should I showcase myself as a specialist versus as a generalist?
Specialists tend to have higher job security. Their highly developed skills are not easily replicated, and they may have higher earning potential if their expertise is in high demand. They also find it easier to gain professional recognition, join relevant professional associations, achieve awards and develop their career in their field. Specialists also make good consultants if they ever choose to be self-employed.
As a generalist, I sometimes envied specialists.
Yet specialists also have their disadvantages. Career flexibility is limited, specialist jobs are vulnerable to market and technological change, continuously educating oneself in a specialised profession can be very expensive and time-consuming, career change can be difficult, and careers can stagnate.
The answer lies somewhere in between, in the notion of being a ‘jack of all trades and a master of one, or some’ (instead of none).
This is where the idea of T-shaped and Pi-shaped workers comes into play.
A T-shaped worker is someone who, like a generalist, has a broad knowledge base across multiple disciplines (the horizontal bar of the “T”) but also has deep expertise in one specific area (the vertical bar). This makes them adaptable and able to collaborate effectively across teams while still bringing specialist-level depth in at least one key domain.
On the other hand, a Pi-shaped worker (π-shaped worker) takes this a step further. Instead of specializing in just one area, they develop deep expertise in two distinct disciplines. This dual specialization, supported by a broad foundation, makes them valuable in cross-functional roles—allowing them to bridge different domains, integrate knowledge, and create innovative solutions across industries. Pi-shaped professionals are often found in roles such as product management, business strategy, or data-driven decision-making, where the ability to navigate multiple fields is essential.
In today’s job market, professionals who strike this balance—either as T-shaped or Pi-shaped workers—are often the most resilient.
They are specialists and generalists at the same time.
They can dive deep where needed while also connecting the dots across functions. This combination of adaptability and expertise allows them to stay relevant in shifting industries, work across different domains, and create their own opportunities rather than waiting for the perfect job description to appear.
For me, this realization helped shape how I positioned myself. Instead of struggling to fit into predefined specialist roles, I have been focusing on strengthening my expertise in areas where my generalist background could provide a competitive advantage. I have embraced my ability to connect, strategize, and innovate across disciplines, while also honing my expertise in key fields that align with my interests and market demand.
At the end of the day, it’s not about choosing between being a generalist or a specialist—it’s about being the right mix of both for the career path you want to build.
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