What is Better Technology Specialist or Generalist?

by Mikal Jason Educational Professional

Are you wondering if you should become a technologist, a generalist, or something in between? In this article, we'll explain the pros and cons of both, how they can affect your salary and career choices, and how to steer your career in those directions. If you're more of an observer than a reader, you might also like BizTech Community: "Specialist vs. Generalist: Who's Better?"

No matter what your field of work, there always comes a time when you have to make that crucial choice: Do I want to be good at many different things or really good at one particular thing? A classic example of this is in medicine with family doctors and medical specialists. Both are valid options, but the decision you make will have a huge impact on your career path!

Of course, technology is no different, and it can be just as difficult to know where to spend your energy. From cloud computing to cyber security and artificial intelligence, the field is so vast that you can't master it, but you can become somewhat knowledgeable in BizTech Community.

Technologist vs Technologist: Which is the Better Choice?

If you're looking for a prescriptive answer like “It's always better to be specific,” I'll save you the time: there is no answer. You can find people who will say this, no doubt, on Reddit, but such a statement is completely false and oversimplified. There is no profession that suits everyone.

Some people enjoy becoming cybersecurity professionals and learning the field, while others find it difficult to drink from the hose of continuous learning. On the other hand, there are people who prefer to be the ones who know a little bit about everything in the organization, and these people can do well in management.

One has to consider the options and make an informed decision. That's what this article is all about - helping you make the decision that's best for you. But first, let's look at the options.

What is a technology specialist?

A technology specialist is someone who has a broad understanding of multiple areas of technology and can be valuable in roles that require a more holistic view of technology solutions. They are the Swiss Army Knife of the tech world, the proverbial jack of all trades.

What are the benefits of being a technology expert?

Adaptability: Generalists are naturally versatile, able to work on a wide range of projects and perform the various technical roles required by the company. You can often find your niche in a business.

Broader perspective: Generalists can see the bigger picture – how different technologies can fit together to solve the most complex problems. This is a feature that is highly valued in many organizations, especially larger companies where isolation is an issue.

Communication Skills: Employees can communicate with experts from various technical fields as they have a working knowledge of various technologies.

Management Pathways: In larger organizations, a broad understanding of multiple technology domains and a holistic perspective are valuable for managing day-to-day operations and bringing teams and stakeholders together. In short, an administrative matter!

What are the disadvantages of a technologist?

While the generalizer has many advantages, there are also some potential disadvantages to consider. Note that this is not universal and may vary by work area and employer.

Lack of depth of experience: An expert has broad knowledge of the technology rather than deep knowledge. This limits their ability to solve complex problems in certain areas of technology, and they will never be able to replace experts in that field.

Difficulty in monitoring: Professionals have to constantly learn and adapt to stay current and there are many areas to monitor. If not, their skills may be outdated.

Fewer Job Opportunities for Practitioners: If you want to be a hands-on expert rather than a manager, it's hard to find a technical job. This is because some employers prefer to hire experts with deep expertise in a particular technology area rather than someone who knows a little bit of everything.

Lack of credibility: In some (but not all) situations, generalists may not be taken as seriously as specialists because their knowledge of certain areas of technology is not as deep.

Lack of focus: Professionals may be asked to wear multiple hats at once, which means they may struggle to focus on and complete specific projects or initiatives.

What is a technologist?

A technology expert is someone who has deep knowledge in a certain technology area - they are a "must have" in that topic. They are up to date with the latest news in their field and can provide expert advice and solutions that experts cannot.

What are the benefits of being a technology expert?

Focus on what you love: Professionals can dedicate themselves to what they're passionate about (and get paid for it). What's better than that?

In-depth knowledge: Experts know more about their specific technology area than anyone else, which means they can provide customized solutions that few can.

High demand: Experts are in high demand, especially in areas such as artificial intelligence/machine learning, cyber security and cloud computing. When professionals come for interviews, the competition is usually less.

Higher salaries for non-management positions: Professionals with the necessary skills don't need to be managers to receive high salaries and benefits: their unique experience means they have much more bargaining power.

What are the disadvantages of a technologist?

Like a generalist, there are potential downsides to a specialist's job. Again, this is not universal and depends on your field and employer.

Narrow focus: Experts are very good at what they know, but their ability to work on projects that require a broad understanding of multiple technology domains is limited. It also means that they really have to love their field because that's what they're going to do.

Limited career opportunities: It may seem paradoxical, but paradoxically, specialists are in high demand and their career opportunities are even more limited. For example, if there aren't any jobs advertised for your chosen major, there are fewer "similar" jobs to apply for, unlike if you're underqualified for a lot of things.

Risk of Obsolescence: There is always a risk that a particular technology or skill set will become obsolete or obsolete (for example, think about the importance of maintaining internal servers). Since it's such a large part of an expert's skill set, there's not much to fall back on.

Difficulty communicating with non-technical stakeholders: If your subject matter knowledge is too deep, the side effect is that it can be difficult for others to simplify it at a high level, thus hindering collaboration.

Isolated work: Technology professionals can spend a lot of time working in a specific area, limiting their ability to collaborate effectively with other teams and departments.

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Created on Oct 13th 2023 02:22. Viewed 56 times.

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