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A Generalist's Guide To Confidently Navigating Corporate Careers

Forbes Coaches Council

Micha Goebig, founder and CEO of Go Big Coaching, helps women in tech and other male-dominated spaces lead with confidence.

Being a generalist can be both a blessing and a curse, and at times it can feel like a great way to ensure you won't have a successful career. Am I advocating that you go back to school and learn to code or get a law degree? Not necessarily. If you are drawn to it, by all means do—because no matter where you are in life, you are not too old and it's not too late. But for those of us who are generalists at heart, there are many ways to embrace our non-specialist status and navigate the corporate world successfully and with confidence—not despite, but because of our skill set.

Much has been written about the downsides of being a generalist, and there are certainly plenty of obstacles to overcome. That's why today I want to share five reasons you should embrace being a generalist.

1. Generalists excel at thinking outside the box.

Being a generalist is not the same as being a jack-of-all-trades. If anybody calls you this, you may want to explain that the term refers to someone with only superficial knowledge of many different things, while you as a generalist bring a deep understanding of a variety of subjects, a broad range of skills and the ability to see connections and patterns across different fields.

The ability to connect the dots alone is a highly valuable asset in fast-paced, innovation-driven business environments where the idea to move a project forward can come from just about any member of the team. As author David Epstein puts it, generalists "dance across disciplines"—which is, of course, where true innovation lives. (I recommend his book to boost your confidence or gift to people who give you a hard time for not specializing: Range: Why Generalists Triumph in a Specialized World.)

2. Generalists have a ton of transferable skills.

Most generalists have a wealth of what we used to call "soft skills." (Until a better term has established itself, I will join the ranks of those advocating to call them "power skills.") The amazing thing about power skills is that they transfer across different roles, business units and even industries. No matter if you go on to become your team's secret weapon in communication, problem-solving or networking, your skills will never go out of style or be unneeded, regardless of the specific project or task at hand.

Of course, some companies and industries are more open to celebrating power skills than others, and accordingly show greater appreciation for generalists. Especially easily bored multi-interested people may find, for instance, that younger and/or smaller companies give them more leeway to work their magic.

3. Generalists can specialize, too.

Another way to embrace being a generalist is to find ways to specialize within your generalist skill set. For example, you might focus on a specific industry or region, or develop expertise in a specific aspect of a broader subject. Alternatively, you can focus on a particular strength or outcome: Are you a pro at communicating with tech and non-tech people alike? Or are you the one who can take a new team or project from chaos to first iteration? This will give you a niche to focus on while still allowing you to leverage your generalist skills.

Becoming this kind of master generalist may give your career path a more defined structure. So if you are part of a larger corporation or have it on your wish list, this may be the way to "fit the mold" without having to give up the variety.

4. Generalists embrace change.

Most generalists have worn a number of different hats over the years, as there are fewer straightforward career paths outside of specialist fields. If that is you, chances are that you are more open to learning and new experiences than the average person and are okay with or even thrive in chaos. Guess what? In a world that's constantly changing at a fast pace, companies rely on people who learn quickly and, even more importantly, are not scared of change but excited about it.

Plus, if you are willing to raise your hand when new opportunities and challenges come your way (no matter if you feel ready or not), you will continue to build skills and knowledge, and potentially do so in entirely new areas. If that doesn't sound like someone who is and will remain relevant to a company's success, I don't know what does!

5. Generalists are better networkers.

These are all good things, right? But I'm not ignoring the fact that job descriptions usually don't list "20 years of experience in being insatiably curious" among the must-haves. Which means that, on top of everything else you bring to the table, chances are you've become quite good at connecting with people, at building and leveraging your network. Most generalists thrive in their careers, not through applying to roles at companies where they have no "in," but through discussing challenges with people who know them and trust in their talents and diverse skills.

The same applies when you plan to stay with your current company: As a generalist, you most likely have the opportunity to interact with people from different backgrounds, which can help you expand your network and gain new perspectives that benefit your closer professional environment as well. And you'll probably have some memorable stories to share at meetups and networking events!

Final Thoughts

I hope these points give you a confidence boost about being a generalist in today's corporate world. By providing out-of-the-box thinking, focusing on your transferable skills, becoming a master generalist, embracing change and/or rocking the networking arena, you'll offer so much value to your team or your company. You've got plenty of reasons to chart your course with confidence. And trust me, this confidence will turn into the master key to doors you didn't even know were on your path!


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