Specialization vs Flexibility in your Career

Some people are die-hard specialists in their chosen fields, while others value flexibility over everything else. There’s no right or wrong answer — it all depends on what’s right for you and your skillset.

If you’re really sure about what you want to do and know you want to do it for a long time, a specialized career may make more sense. Specialists drill deep in their fields through years of intensive training and ongoing study. Because their expertise takes years to acquire, the job security is fantastic, and increases steadily over time. It’s still technically possible for a specialist to change careers or rethink the way s/hethey uses their skills, but it’s a lot less likely, and anyway most specialists value security and stability.

Or maybe you can’t imagine sticking to one field forever. If you already know that you want several careers or career phases, consider roles that put the spotlight on your creative talents or people skills rather than technical know-how. Broad fields like marketing often allow you to translate your experiences from one role to another, or even to new companies and industries. Job security isn’t a given, but most people who choose this track feel that the variety and wide range of opportunities makes it worthwhile.

Think hard about what’s right for you. And don’t just think about what you’re good at — people can be good at a lot of things they shouldn’t take on as careers. Think about what gives you energy, what makes you happy, what you could do all day — and then find ways to do it.

Ready for more? Join Aspire’s Career Education Platform and we’ll send a free copy of Aspire’s complete career planning guide, plus access to insights on tons of possible career paths.