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Ask HN: Word for Jack of All Trades

4 points by beefield 4y ago

Some time ago I remember seeing here at HN an excellent word for a type of (startup) employee that: - likes to solve - and is good at solving - all kinds of problems. - once the problem is solved, is not jealous about it, but is happy pass the solution for someone else to polish and maintain - dislikes routine work And so forth. Unfortunately I can't recall it anymore. There was even a career site mentioned that was dedicated for/named after these kind of folks. Closest my research brings up is CWTFO ( https://klinger.io/posts/joining-hypergrowth-startups-%F0%9F%98%AC ) But it is not the word I am looking for - and neither is jack of all trades. Anyone happen to remember what I am looking for?

tempxyz 4y ago
Software developer.
Kaibeezy 4y ago
Generalist
- beefield 4y ago
  The word I am looking for was a bit "catchier"
  - Kaibeezy 4y ago
    Shortstop
  - sacrosanct 4y ago
    Übermensch: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C3%9Cbermensch https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C3%9Cbermensch
ruskyhacker 4y ago
Polymath
JonChesterfield 4y ago
That's an engineer.
el_snark 4y ago
Probably not what you're looking for, but I'll throw in Renaissance Man as another synonym.
FatalLogic 4y ago
code ninja? rockstar developer?
necovek 4y ago
Is that really not everyone? Who is an engineer that excitedly looks forward to that final 10% of polish and maintenance? (I do it because I look forward to shipping things, and ofc pay) What engineer enjoys routine work? Oh, lovely, I'll go and clean up comments in the code today... for a tenth day again. The only distinction that seems to make any sense seems to be that they are "good at solving" all kinds of problems. I'd call those "good engineers". Edit: I seriously hope you are not looking for "10x engineer"!
- beefield 4y ago
  No, the context was that especially in startups there are lots of problems that nobody in the company knows how to solve beforehand. There is a certain personality that you can throw these problems at and they are happy to have them on their table.
  - necovek 4y ago
    We used to call those (us? :) "hackers".
- Exness199507 4y ago
- Exness199507 4y ago
airbreather 4y ago
variety specialist

4 points by beefield 4y ago

tempxyz 4y ago

Software developer.

Kaibeezy 4y ago

Generalist

beefield 4y ago
The word I am looking for was a bit "catchier"
- Kaibeezy 4y ago
  Shortstop
- sacrosanct 4y ago
  Übermensch: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C3%9Cbermensch https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C3%9Cbermensch

ruskyhacker 4y ago

Polymath

JonChesterfield 4y ago

That's an engineer.

el_snark 4y ago

Probably not what you're looking for, but I'll throw in Renaissance Man as another synonym.

FatalLogic 4y ago

code ninja? rockstar developer?

necovek 4y ago

Is that really not everyone? Who is an engineer that excitedly looks forward to that final 10% of polish and maintenance? (I do it because I look forward to shipping things, and ofc pay) What engineer enjoys routine work? Oh, lovely, I'll go and clean up comments in the code today... for a tenth day again. The only distinction that seems to make any sense seems to be that they are "good at solving" all kinds of problems. I'd call those "good engineers". Edit: I seriously hope you are not looking for "10x engineer"!

beefield 4y ago
No, the context was that especially in startups there are lots of problems that nobody in the company knows how to solve beforehand. There is a certain personality that you can throw these problems at and they are happy to have them on their table.
- necovek 4y ago
  We used to call those (us? :) "hackers".
Exness199507 4y ago
Exness199507 4y ago

airbreather 4y ago

variety specialist