Re:Ask HN: Is it OK to not have a “thing”?
by eyelidlessness on Thursday November 26, 2020 @07:01PM
(#25224426)
I think as a counterpoint I’d offer that you don’t need to find a common thread. Breadth is a value in its own right. Demonstrating that you have such a wide base of experience shows that you can adapt to new challenges, and reduces the applicability of any lack of direct prior experience. Finding a common thread may help you refine your own ambitions, and that’s great. But you don’t need to sell a specialist narrative to explain your generalist background. Embrace it! A lot of roles value it over specialization!
All of that said, regardless of what larger orgs may say about preferring candidates who can be effective across the org, I think you’ll find that generalists are more valued in smaller teams/startups/etc. And if that’s your cup of tea, go for it! There’s a ton of business [co]founders looking for someone with a broad skillset.
All of that said, regardless of what larger orgs may say about preferring candidates who can be effective across the org, I think you’ll find that generalists are more valued in smaller teams/startups/etc. And if that’s your cup of tea, go for it! There’s a ton of business [co]founders looking for someone with a broad skillset.