3 ms·
Ask HN: Is it better to specialize or generalize?
I am at a decision-making point in my career, and need some counsel!
The company I work for is offering two different pathways in IT, and I'm not sure which one will give me better options in the future to transition and work somewhere else (which is a foreseeable future goal).
Option A is a very specialized career focused on cybersecurity, ethical hacking, etc. (along with all of the certifications and technical training required to carry out the job description).
Option B is a more generalized management/leadership approach to IT. There won't be nearly as many opportunities to gain technical mastery and improve specific skills, but the opportunities for developing my team-building and leadership skills are appealing.
Is it better to specialize or generalize?
- breckenedge 5y agoIn my humble experience, management is a very dedicated speciality and a lot harder to pick up and do well than other technical talents.
- EastOfTruth 5y agoit is less boring to generalize...
- WheelsAtLarge 5y agoSpecialization let's you charge the big bucks while generalization gives you the longer career.
- MattGaiser 5y agoAnything tying you down to a company or a small set of companies is bad in a career where growth comes from getting a new job.
- gerardnico 5y agoYour salary is a factor of what you are bringing as added value to a company. If you are more Business focus, choose the managing path, if you are more knowledge focus, choose the professional path. You can always switch, no matter what.