As a Software Engineer, are you better off as a Generalist or Specialist?
As a software engineer, you might wonder what route you should take in your career — specialize in one area or become a generalist who knows a bit about everything but can easily switch technologies and frameworks.
Let's take a closer look at the pros and cons of each option and how to approach this so that you can make an informed decision.
The Pros and Cons of Specialization
If you choose to specialize, you will become an expert in your chosen area. This can make you more attractive to potential employers because they know they can rely on you to get the job done right. Additionally, specializing can make it easier to find a niche market to serve. Specialists also make more money in the short term as long as they can remain up-to-date with everything that is happening in their chosen field of expertise. Your colleagues, too, will constantly reach out to you for advice because you are the expert.
However, specialization also has its drawbacks. For starters, it can be difficult to change directions if your chosen specialty is unfulfilling or if the market for your skill set dries up. Additionally, becoming too focused on one thing can make it difficult to see the "big picture" and develop innovative solutions. You will have a harder time finding a job once you've reached a senior level with a specialization because employers tend to prefer someone who can quickly adapt to changing business needs and, so, changing tech. If you choose to specialize, be sure to pick an area you are passionate about and one with long-term potential. Having a few related areas you have a good idea about is also ideal, so you don't entirely bet your career on one thing.
The Pros and Cons of Generalization
Becoming a generalist has its advantages, too. The biggest benefit is that it makes you more versatile and employable because you can take on a wider range of projects. Additionally, being a generalist can help prevent burnout because you constantly learn new things and keep your mind fresh and buzzing with ideas. But being a generalist doesn't mean you never get to the depths of tech as a developer. It just means that you are not betting on your expertise on one tech to be the only thing that matters to your current and future employers. Being a generalist means you are very good at different areas and the fundamentals of tech, so you can quickly get involved with anything new that needs to be done.
There are a few downsides to being a generalist as well. For one thing, it can be difficult to establish yourself as an expert in one field because employers potentially see you as a jack of all trades. However, you can avoid this by making sure you not spreading yourself too thin. Additionally, learning everything can be overwhelming and lead to information overload and sometimes burnout. It's also hard to switch jobs more often when you are not yet in a senior position because employers look at junior and mid-level employees as experts in specific skills, not generalists. If you become a generalist, focus on quality over quantity when learning new skills and strike the right balance.
How to approach this problem?
A simple way to look at deciding whether to specialize or become a generalist as a software developer is this. First, understand that the best course of action is likely somewhere in between the two extremes; after all, being too specialized can make you inflexible, while being too much of a generalist might mean that you never truly become an expert at anything.
Early in your career, make sure you specialize in a few things. This will help you build credibility among your colleagues and future employers and position you as someone who knows what they are doing. This reputation will also help you switch jobs faster, getting the growth you want and learning along the way much faster.
But as you grow into senior roles, focus on general skills that are applicable across technology stacks and frameworks. The more senior you are, the more your skills should be transferrable across various employers. As a side effect, you will also have an edge if or when you want to start your own technology company when you are skilled at various things.
I write about growing as a developer, a tech career, and attaining mastery and faster growth in your role. — You can connect with me on Twitter and LinkedIn.
Another update: I am writing a book focusing on career development for software engineers. More information here: The 10X Engineer (book - coming soon!) - Dev Principles