The era of specialized career paths is fading.
The Baby Boomer generation and those before them had the luxury of mastering one skill to ride out their careers. Nowadays, hiring managers seek employees with a range of skills.
No specific skill will get you ahead in the future. Say goodbye to specialization in your field.
The odds are in favor of generalists.
Expertise in one area won’t die off completely, but with the rapid changes in technology (i.e., AI) and organizational structure, generalists (those with an array of professional skills and know-how) will have a better chance at navigating the workspaces of the future.
What is a generalist?
As the article put it, generalists “read the whole paper, not just the section about your industry.”
Generalists have a bird’s-eye perception. They examine the big picture and how all the moving parts relate to one another before reaching conclusions or solutions.
Generalists also have more than one tool in their toolbox.
Administrative professionals, executive assistants, or office managers are examples of generalist roles.
Compared to the acute training required in careers such as bankruptcy law or cardiac surgery, administrative professionals, admins, virtual assistants, secretaries, receptionists, and personal assistants often support their employers in more than one way.
An administrative assistant may do anything from running email marketing campaigns, managing social media, picking up dry cleaning, stocking inventory, performing cold calls, conducting research, and much more.
These professionals remain assets to their teams because of their depth of knowledge and ability to support leaders and organizations. In short, they know a little about a lot.
Their exposure to different industries, workflows, and leadership styles helps them perform work on a variety of levels.
Are we throwing away specialized training?
Speaking of support, the evergreen trajectory of technology means companies and the employees that support them must continue adapting, learning and applying new skills in their work.
A potential opportunity for advancement in team productivity tools may be with parents in the remote work sphere.
The Great Resignation and imploding of remote work have caused 78% of Americans to say they’d like to continue working remotely after the pandemic.
An IT professional with training in app development can manage and troubleshoot the team’s tools but may not see opportunities beyond their specialized training.
But perhaps an experienced office coordinator with a background in several industries can see a more profound connection, specifically with daycare.
A big picture observation may connect daycare feeds to parents’ productivity tools.
Realizing some parents will utilize daycare again even after they continue remote work could be an opportunity for the company to fill a gap in their industry.
Are we throwing away specialist training entirely? Of course not! Mechanics, beauticians, lawyers, and doctors will always be a necessity. But the workforce favors those with an array of skills.
Have you noticed a renewed focus on continued education or diverse professional backgrounds in your job? We’d love to hear what’s taking place in your corner of the world.
Chassidy Michelle | Founder