The creative person dilemma to becoming an expert vs jack of all trades.
The dilemma of speciality for creative people is that we are easily bored by repetition. While being an expert inclines repeating the same task to becoming an expert. Creative people are generally not biased toward repetition. Which is why we see more jack of all trades in design, compared to other field like engineering. If a team is a wall, the experts are the bricks the hybrids the mortar, sticking the team together.
But part of a productive society is specialisation according to Adam Smith. In The Wealth of Nations. Do Karl Max agrees that this is what made our wealthy modern society. He also fear a trend where dull society will become very boring. As we have to let go on of our many talents, and possible careers to fit into the modern work world. Link to article
The cool things about experts is that they have repeated the same task many times that it becomes second nature, and they therefore allready have the answer for to many advanced challenges in what they do. They therefore have more spare energy left to push it a bit more and tackle what else might come up, as the basic challenges have been automated. While perhaps even performing the task faster.
Whereas Jack of all trades or polymath, have to constantly learn and tackle those advanced challenges. Just think of lettering artists. You may think you can do what you see on instagram as well, but after many trial and errors you don't seem to get it right, and you can't say why. Whereas the expert can tell you why. The expert lettering artist is not fighting the fight of making the lettering, but the bigger picture and the details which makes great lettering.
However, the polymath is an expert in the process and the process stays similar no matter if the project is bits or atoms. The process the basic principle of of design, because it´s what let us break down the a challenge and come up with answers. The process is about observing, learning and questioning, which tend to be trades of polymaths.
Polymaths tend to have a more connected ideas compared to their experts counterparts, as they connect their many interest and have a learners perspective on everything. Whereas the experts tends have build a stiffer perspective and strong ideas about how thing work.
Polymaths works as the glue in interdisciplinary teams, as they work with empathy and understands the challenges of the individual group.
Universities teaches students to be a T, a very broad T, with no time to find his/her strong skills and developing a passion for something more specific. With skills often being behind that of the industry if the students dosen’t look to train him/herself with online materials. Which results in student not knowing them-self, even after graduating.
It´s not only the fault of the university.
Companies are hosting less early internships, and prefers internships where the students have almost professional skills and allready specialised. Whereas apprenticeship was formerly considered a duty of companies, to teach the next generation. Internships was a time where student could discover themselv f in real world and find out what they were good at in comparison to others. Because, sometimes we need real world mentors to know what we are good at, and what the world needs.
It´s a challenge to categories; intermediate, advanced and expert. Because, it would require some kind of measuring stick to compare against. While design being a very objective profession of what is good and bad.. and what skill level is needed in each industry?
Sketching skills is a good example. An industrial designers spend thousand of hours perfecting his/her craft. However the industrial designer does not need to be an expert in drawing like a concept artist, which solely lives of the art of drawing. But the job is also different as the concept artist spend almost his/her entire career drawing, while the industrial designer has lots of other tasks to do simustansusly. Perhaps it more about what skills is needed to fulfill the job and the time invested proportionally. Because, if the industrial designer spend all his time drawing, his/her skills would be that of a concept artist. However, the ID designer would not be able to 3D model, model building, research and other skills needed.
Don't have a clear answer if specialising in on thing if the right way or not. But i do believe a person who becomes legendary at one thing will also get reward for this, and if the person is hyper great a Cinema4D animation. That doesn't mean he will not be able to do other creative tasks. However, this person made a conscious choice and was ready to say no to become the best C4D animator he/she could be. Therefore became legendary and very attractive to hire and well good compensated. Because, these skill took a long time to acquire. Bigger clients have bigger risks, and therefore prefer experts as they reduced the risk, even if their price is higher.
The polymath however is ready to take on multiple roles in teams, and tend to work great in smaller enterprises, like startups. If the polymath has to have an in never ending desire to learn, and always ready to pick up new tools. He/she will have a long and prosperous career. As tools and needs change over time, but the need for creative people will always be there.
The polymath will develop a unique flavor over his/her career. A unique flavor with learnings, skill and idea. That would otherwise be hard to acquire without hiring that person.
Everyone is unique, and titles are just labels. They don´t make you who you are.
Do i believe 10 different jobs in 10 different fields is not a career. There has to be some pattern between what the polymath does to make a flavor in a specific sector. Don’t die regretting not trying, as experimenting one life's great joys.
There is no right or wrong. The world need both diverse talented polymaths and specialist in certain tools and skills. Polymaths, Just watch out that those talents are at least 1 meter below the surface. In this international market with cheap internet labor, doing something everyone could do it is a hard situation. But that is the difference between skilled and unskilled labor.
An expert should not forget being focused but flexible in the details.As tools and needs will change over time.
DO YOU ! embrace your strengths and make them your superpower. Follow you wit, and be ready to fall. Enjoy the journey in this fantastic time of human history.
The world needs good people, so our children will have a planet to call home. So do not get boxed in, just be you and play on your strengths and what brings you energy. But remember new skills takes time to learn and they are really fun at first, however as you get better you will become more passionate about it.
Passion like expertise is not something you get. It´s something you develop.
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