Specialist vs. Generalist
Specialist vs. Generalist
(OP)
My current work place has the habit of specializing their workers. They will pigeon hole you. It's very hard to expand your horizons into new territories when you're stuck doing the same thing all the time.
I work at a large company and I know that this is typical. What is life like in a smaller company. Are you more of a generalist than a specialist? Do you get more variety in your day to day tasks? Do you get involved in a larger variety of projects?
I sometimes think that I would like to have more variety in my work. Smaller companies are appealing to me for this reason. Is the grass truly greener on the other side?
For those of you working in smaller companies, how do you like it? Do you get a lot of variety in your work? What are some of the negatives to working in this type of environment?
Thanks.
I work at a large company and I know that this is typical. What is life like in a smaller company. Are you more of a generalist than a specialist? Do you get more variety in your day to day tasks? Do you get involved in a larger variety of projects?
I sometimes think that I would like to have more variety in my work. Smaller companies are appealing to me for this reason. Is the grass truly greener on the other side?
For those of you working in smaller companies, how do you like it? Do you get a lot of variety in your work? What are some of the negatives to working in this type of environment?
Thanks.





RE: Specialist vs. Generalist
thread731-194524: Do You Use What You Learned in School for Your Job?
My first place was small (UK defence) and I was very much the Jack of all trades and enjoyed it.
At my new place (Mid size US high tech) I've now fallen into an arguably non core Engineering role and it's not so much fun but my first year hear I was a designer but also had to do my own stress anlaysis (nothing too complex) etc. Although it was midsize the engineers were asigned to various business units and were split out so there were fewer specialists in mechanical engineering.
I've been led to believe, and from experience it seems it may be true, that the tendancy to specialize is stronger in the US than it was in the UK. Don't get me wrong, the UK did have specialists but less of them, the generalists were expected to do more I suppose.
KENAT, probably the least qualified checker you'll ever meet...
RE: Specialist vs. Generalist
I worked for a large company as a student. I saw engineers who's been pigeon-holed for what seemed like all their lives (10 years is a long time when seen through the eyes of a 19 year old!).
When it was my time to find a long-term job I jumped at one that offered short project times and hugely varied work. And I'd probably do it again if I were a new graduate.
However, after a few years I felt like I was handle-turning. Repeating similar jobs for different clients. Something longer term was required. Something I could dive into really deeply.
My point is that being pigeon-holed isn't a bad thing when the time is right.
RE: Specialist vs. Generalist
Boss: Do you have any experience with this?
Employee: No.
Boss: You do now, bids go out for this contract in 2 weeks, start learning.
Since my ONE Year of working there, I have learned the basics of AutoCAD ( I can now draw almost everything in ASME B16.5, and am amassing a parts library), passed the FE exam (fairly difficult considering I haven't had coursework in about 3 years), worked on high speed imaging and optical alignment (optics that are not diffraction limited is just straight lines anyway), written documents for the EPA, State fire Marshalls, and the US Coast Guard (Follow the CFR's to a tee), Re-structured and re-organized a database with over 18,000 records in it (find a mentor in database programming, and they will teach you more than you need to know), and am currently designing piping for multiphase flow studies.
I think I have a case of "grass is greener" syndrome, and would like to specialize in piping design. But I would also like to know a little bit about everything else too, but by nature of being in a small company, you have to wear many different hats.
RE: Specialist vs. Generalist
A typical day for me might go something like this: oversee CAD work on a HVAC project while I am doing the electrical design on another, go to lunch with a client to try and land some additional work, do a plumbing installation inspection in the afternoon followed up by a walk down of a new renovation job that we've just gotten. It can make for some really hectic days but you are never bored and no two days are the same.
My only negative currently is the perpetual catch 22 we seem to be caught in when trying to get a new type of business, ie 1st high rise, 1st government job, etc. You invariably are always competing against other larger firms that have a least one person that has done that type of work before.
RE: Specialist vs. Generalist
I liked the fact that I got a wide variety of things to do, which included a lot of things that I liked. However, it also included doing a lot of things that I didn't like. I liked designing stuff, but I didn't care for going out on sales calls to support the sales people. But, it was all part of the job. Every small company is different and you may or may not have to build your own prototypes, find sources for all your parts, offer tech support, and unclog the toilets. Or maybe you enjoy some of that stuff.
I liked the variety, but eventually I worked my way to the top of the engineering food chain there and found that, while it was ok to have everyone coming to me with questions, I missed having other more experienced engineers to ask questions of. I was still learning new stuff on my own for various projects, but I find that now, in my new job, I can always find someone that knows more about some particular problem. And, although it's a huge company, the particular division that I work in is still run a bit like a small company.
So, in general, I'd say there's less pigeonholing in small companies, but really whether it fits your particular needs will depend on your personality and what you want to get out of it.
RE: Specialist vs. Generalist
Just the other day, one of my pals who is a structural designer was bemoaning how his job requires a tremendous breadth of knowledge, but not much depth. He feels like he barely knows dozens of subjects, but has no time to really dive in and learn anything thoroughly. That's about how I felt when I did that job too.
Some people like knowing every little thing about a narrow body of knowledge. Just depends on your preferences I guess.
RE: Specialist vs. Generalist
Being pigeon-holed isn't all bad if you are a pigeon and like being one. ;)
Brian
RE: Specialist vs. Generalist
RE: Specialist vs. Generalist
RE: Specialist vs. Generalist
Good luck!
Tobalcane
"If you avoid failure, you also avoid success."
RE: Specialist vs. Generalist
Tobalcane
"If you avoid failure, you also avoid success."
RE: Specialist vs. Generalist
Tobalcane
"If you avoid failure, you also avoid success."
RE: Specialist vs. Generalist
A good manager takes into account the strengths and weaknesses of his team and assigns jobs accordingly. If you don't want to be pidgeonholed, you need to step and volunteer for jobs outside of your comfort zone.
TTFN
FAQ731-376: Eng-Tips.com Forum Policies
RE: Specialist vs. Generalist
Cheers
Greg Locock
Please see FAQ731-376: Eng-Tips.com Forum Policies for tips on how to make the best use of Eng-Tips.
RE: Specialist vs. Generalist
RE: Specialist vs. Generalist
At my small company we did have a dedicated stress guy who was very good, which covered the majority of our analysis needs.
Also within the small company I specialized to some extent in a certain field (A/C stores) so while from an Engineering point of view I was a generalist, within the field of A/C stores, weapons integration I had some very marketable somewhat specialist skills (sadly not in the US till I get citizenship!)
If we didn't know we tried to find out, if we couldn't find out we'd hire a consultant or other external party but, importantly we'd try and learn it from them so that next time we could try and do it our selves.
As such I'm tempted to say I learnt more than I would have if we did have a specialist. For instance I actually did relatively little stress analysis because we had a dedicated stress guy, I now regret this.
KENAT, probably the least qualified checker you'll ever meet...
RE: Specialist vs. Generalist
The problem is that is difficult that companies value experience in a completely different field, so if I really want to change I must expect a income cut, at least for the first year(s).
As some already pointed out, it all goes with your personality. Some like to do the same work for years, others like to try different things everyday.
RE: Specialist vs. Generalist
Regards,
RE: Specialist vs. Generalist
RE: Specialist vs. Generalist
KENAT, probably the least qualified checker you'll ever meet...
RE: Specialist vs. Generalist
Later on in your career, specialising makes more sense. Particularly in an area that you find interesting.
Specialists often tend to earn a little more, but have fewer opportunities for employment.
That said, if you had good general experience at the beginning of your career, you should be able to switch specialties if you wish to.
csd
RE: Specialist vs. Generalist
Tobalcane
"If you avoid failure, you also avoid success."
RE: Specialist vs. Generalist
Specialists are ones who learn more and more about less and less and eventually end up knowing everything about nothing.
Generalists are ones who learn less and less about more and more and eventually end up knowing nothing about everything.
Version I know:
Specialist = Structural Engineers
Generalist = Architects
RE: Specialist vs. Generalist
At one of the largest EPCM companies in the world, I had an opportunity to move from role to role, and department to department - because they had resources to cycle people through the various roles and position.
At a smaller company, although you may do "everything", my experience is that most small companies only do one or two things. So while you may be doing project management, piping, cadding and procurement, you may be doing it on the same little well tie-in project over and over because that is all the small company does.
"Do not worry about your problems with mathematics, I assure you mine are far greater."
Albert Einstein
Have you read FAQ731-376: Eng-Tips.com Forum Policies to make the best use of Eng-Tips Forums?
RE: Specialist vs. Generalist
TTFN
FAQ731-376: Eng-Tips.com Forum Policies
RE: Specialist vs. Generalist
It also makes job-hunting rather difficult if not impossible.
Hg
Eng-Tips policies: FAQ731-376: Eng-Tips.com Forum Policies
RE: Specialist vs. Generalist
I work for a small company of ~200 people with 8 engineers. I wear a lot of hats and some days find myself doing little that is actually tied to my major (metallurgy). Like others have said, you get to do a lot of different things but you have to do a lot of things you don't particularly enjoy (true of most positions I imagine).
I would think (and this may be terribly naive) that being a specialist would earn you more money in the short term, but being a generalist would help advance your career more (depending on your career goals). But if corporate advancement is your goal I'm not sure going from a large company to a much smaller one is the right idea (which wasn't the question of the original poster).
RE: Specialist vs. Generalist
TTFN
FAQ731-376: Eng-Tips.com Forum Policies
RE: Specialist vs. Generalist
As for specialising, the senior engineers have specialties, in terms of project type, but nobody is specialised to the extent of doing a single part of any project. With the exception of drafting (sometimes), the odd large project and checking (always), one person handles the entire job from start to finish.
I would suggest any starting civil/structural who thinks they can hack it try to start with a smaller firm. Just be warned that unlike many large firms, there often is no shallow end.
RE: Specialist vs. Generalist
I work as the only engineer at my manufacturing facility, the majority of my work is focused in one area, so I would say I am more specialized at one aspect of my job. Although I do just about everything, new product development, updating the CAD drawings and files, searching for new suppliers, improving the painting process...ect...(I have even cleaned...)
but I mainly do structural analysis and design, considering welds, different materials, how many bolts for a connection, ect...
I love the small company atmospher and learning a ton, but like I have posted on other threads, its anoying not having any engineers to ask for help.
Mainly I would assume that it depends on alot of factors, your boss, the company, your life style, the product...
Regards
JD