Would you rather be good at many things or the best at one thing?
Everyone has heard about all the hype over diversification, but is it really the ideal way to go? When it comes to new grads, diversification is dangerous. This is for a variety of reasons, mainly because it is rare that a company will be looking to employ a “Jack of all trades.” Employers tend to look for individuals that are the best at what they do, not good at many different things. The goal of this article is to show new grads how to combat diversification when seeking that very first job:
Focus on being the best at one thing. No matter what your career choice is make sure that you are the best at one task in that field. Every career field is structured differently so you must choose an area in the field that truly interests you and one that you feel you could excel at greatly. For example if you are looking into getting into the Human Resources field then try mastering the art of recruitment. Instead of telling the employer that you are good at the many aspects of HR, inform them that you possess a great wealth of knowledge in the area of recruitment.
Embrace risk. Yes you have a higher chance of obtaining a position by being good at many aspects of a field, but if you really believe in yourself then it is a risk worth taking. Despite decreasing your chances of finding a job, you will increase your chances of finding a job that is perfect for you.
Grow with the times. It is important to realize that even though the information may be timeless, application does change. Ensure that you keep up with any laws that may change or any changes that could alter the way you perform your job. You should also keep up with any relevant cases that may be ongoing because certain situations could change the field as well. Another important aspect to keep up with is technology because you do not want to fall behind of the other individuals in the same field.
Expect the unexpected. Anything could so be ready for the worst case scenario. Imagine in your head a scenario that if it were to occur would be absolutely horrible, but odds are it will not happen. Then imagine this scenario actually happening. Now think about how you would react and what you could do to combat this. By being fully prepared for any drastic changes that could potentially occur then you will be on the right path.
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Sometimes you need to diversify to make your life more interesting. For example I studied Spanish in college, so I would be able to take literature and culture classes in addition to all of my accounting classes.
However, while I think that there’s definitely value in Spanish to me as a business person, when it came time for accounting interviews, the smaller firms were nervous. They assumed that I would want to work abroad, and they only have local offices. Right now, they don’t need Spanish in their work in the US. I’m thinking that in the future they might.
So, my disclaimer here is to diversify into other stuff that you enjoy, but don’t do it *just* because it makes you marketable. I love Spanish, and I was disappointed when I realized that it wouldn’t help me get hired, but I’m still excited to be able to speak it.
I definitely agree that there is no greater tool than knowledge. I personally love to learn new things and try things that most people only think about. I took a course on personal training a couple of years ago, not because I wanted to work in the field but because of the information I could learn and pass on to friends.
I speak two languages and I advise every young person to try to learn another language or another skill. It is better to spend your evenings learning a new language as opposed to watching The Hills.
When speaking of diversification in this article I am referring to your career. As stated in the article I feel that it is better to show an employer that you are the best at one thing rather than being good at a few things. That’s just my opinion and I would love to hear if anyone agrees/disagrees.
I agree with this partially. It is absolutely necessary to know what sort of job you want and to have some skill sets to back that up. If you want to do international work in Spanish speaking countries, it would be a good idea to speak Spanish.
However, talking to folks who employ people right out of school, they also say that it is important that the candidate be a blank slate of sorts. They need to have strong communications skills, but they want an employee that they can train to do the kind of work that their company is engaged in.
So, in short, I suppose I’m trying to say that while it is important for the recent grad to have some strong skill sets, they also need to be flexibile and have a certain level of diversification.
Very good points Matthew. Language and communication go without saying. If you can not master these skills then you greatly hinder your ability to succeed in most competitive fields.