Generalists

The hiring manager exclaimed she was "tired of interviewing people who have done everything". She was looking for specific expertise. She leads projects as a maestro conducts an orchestra. She succeeds because of her willingness to direct what anyone should do at any given moment.

Specializing makes it easier for recruiters and hiring managers to see a person as a set of skills to address a problem. Generalizing makes it possible for workers to adapt to a job market with ever evolving skill requirements.

Specialized workers enable leaders to quickly "plug and play" with contractors or employees on the tasks to be completed over the next week or two. Generalized workers require leaders to focus on hiring the right people and providing the vision and responsibility to deliver.