Self Proclaimed Hopeless Generalist here. I have been working in the web hosting industry since 1999, but in 2008 I had some rough job problems and ended up falling back on general computer repair/help "computer guy" type stuff, which lasted long enough to get me through the recession and back into web hosting in 2013. Even in my industry I'm a generalist. Server down? Sure I can fix that. Need a course written on how some new thing works? I can do that. Need some coaching on Customer Service? I can do that. Being a Generalist has worked out for me overall. My hobbies reflect this too. I'm a dabbler in many hobbies.
My favorite thing is the opportunity for cross pollination, which I think is a worthy of a whole blog post of its own. A Generalist can use experience gained from one subject to solve problems in another. A Specialist might miss that opportunity.
Its been my experience that startups do hire a few "utility infielders" or generalists who can play a wide range of positions. It's possible that the folks you were talking to were beyond that stage but often in the first 10 employees there are three or four generalists. Your mileage may vary.
It seems like your experience aligns with the common practice among startups of hiring "utility infielders" or generalists, especially in the early stages. The ability to play a wide range of roles is valuable when building a small team, and having three or four generalists among the first 10 employees is not uncommon. Of course, the dynamics may vary, but your observation reflects the flexibility and versatility often sought in the early phases of startup growth. https://bit7.org/the-impossible-quiz.html
Self Proclaimed Hopeless Generalist here. I have been working in the web hosting industry since 1999, but in 2008 I had some rough job problems and ended up falling back on general computer repair/help "computer guy" type stuff, which lasted long enough to get me through the recession and back into web hosting in 2013. Even in my industry I'm a generalist. Server down? Sure I can fix that. Need a course written on how some new thing works? I can do that. Need some coaching on Customer Service? I can do that. Being a Generalist has worked out for me overall. My hobbies reflect this too. I'm a dabbler in many hobbies.
My favorite thing is the opportunity for cross pollination, which I think is a worthy of a whole blog post of its own. A Generalist can use experience gained from one subject to solve problems in another. A Specialist might miss that opportunity.
Anyway, another great post!
Its been my experience that startups do hire a few "utility infielders" or generalists who can play a wide range of positions. It's possible that the folks you were talking to were beyond that stage but often in the first 10 employees there are three or four generalists. Your mileage may vary.
It seems like your experience aligns with the common practice among startups of hiring "utility infielders" or generalists, especially in the early stages. The ability to play a wide range of roles is valuable when building a small team, and having three or four generalists among the first 10 employees is not uncommon. Of course, the dynamics may vary, but your observation reflects the flexibility and versatility often sought in the early phases of startup growth. https://bit7.org/the-impossible-quiz.html
You should break up your writing a bit. it's a blog not a book. Should be skimmable.