The decision whether to be a jack-of-all-trades or a master of one is a big deal for any blogger or freelancer. As a generalist, you’ll talk about practically everything under the sun and easily adapt to whatever’s trending. If you take the specialist route, you’ll focus on a niche and become an expert on that topic. But these aren’t the only differences involved. Let’s look at a few more.
Wide vs. Deep Knowledge
Generalists have a little bit of knowledge about everything, meaning they can write about all kinds of things like tech trends and the best pie recipes. This makes them perfect for clients who want that mass appeal. Specialists, though, focus intensely on one type of content and perfect it. They attract clients who need someone who really knows the specifics of a particular topic.
Generalists’ Broad Appeal
If you’re a generalist, you’ll be more attractive to more clients, especially when they need someone flexible and versatile. That’s especially useful if market trends shift or if a client’s needs change suddenly. As a generalist, you’ll have to deal with many different kinds of projects, whether that’s blog posts or marketing copy, which will keep your workday interesting.
Building Trust as a Specialist
Being a specialist means you’ll build a strong reputation and more trust with clients with that particular topic. As such, you’ll become the preferred choice for projects that need detailed knowledge or technical expertise, which opens doors to more workshops or even consulting that generalists don’t get. It creates a sense of reliability that’s hard to match.
Job Security
While generalists can find plenty of job options, specialists might have the upper hand with job security, especially after they’re well-established. Being one of the few experts in a niche area can make you pretty valuable to your clients, which may get you more long-term contracts and more predictable income. When companies need someone who knows the ins and outs of blockchain or niche medical topics, they’ll turn to the specialist every time.
Always Learning
Generalists are always picking up new skills and information, and as exciting as this is, it also means you’ll need to be ready to learn new things all the time. If you like variety and staying sharp, this could be the way to go. You’ll need to quickly get up to speed on new industries or content formats with each project, and while some people enjoy that, it’s not for everyone.
Earning Potential
Specializing can literally pay off since you’re offering more expertise, and you can often charge more for your services. Clients who need specialized knowledge are usually willing to pay top dollar for top-quality work. Once you’ve built a portfolio of specialized projects, your credibility will increase, and this means you can get even higher rates.
Follow Your Passion into Specialization
Many specialists enjoy it because they’re passionate about a topic. If there’s something you love and you can make it your niche, you’ll get to spend your days doing what interests you and also get to make a living out of it. What could be better than that? Plus, being passionate about your work often means it’ll be higher quality work and give you a greater sense of job satisfaction.
The Agile Generalist
Most generalists love change and can adapt their writing style or topic focus, depending on the project. Being so flexible is important in industries where trends come and go quickly, such as following the latest social media craze or changing to cover emerging tech trends. Generalists can switch easily to keep their work fresh and relevant.
Networking Niche for Specialists
When you specialize, you also get to network within a specific community, and this can lead to more collaborations or better job prospects. You could even grow your reputation as a leader in your niche. Having a freelance writing community is pretty important for gaining support or new opportunities that can significantly improve your career path.
The Jack-of-All-Trades Edge
If you’re a generalist, you’ll be able to handle multiple aspects of a project, which makes you pretty attractive to certain clients and also gives you more diverse projects. This way, your creative juices are constantly flowing, and you’ll avoid the monotony of too much specialization. You’re always doing something new.
Flexibility in Client Communication
Generalists need to be able to communicate with many different types of clients across all kinds of sectors. As such, they need to understand how to match the language and priorities to suit each client, like tech startups and local bakeries. You’ll have to be pretty good at reading the room or email, particularly if you’re trying to win new business.
The Specialist’s Branding Power
With personal branding, specialists have the edge, as they can create an identity that’s as focused as their expertise. Instead of simply having a good website or a catchy business name, they’ll need to build up their reputation within the niche. As difficult as this may be, it also pays off quite well.
Quick Project Turnaround for Generalists
Being a generalist sometimes means you can turn projects around faster because you’re used to shifting gears quickly, and you can often create content on tight timelines. That’s pretty important for clients who need something yesterday. With everything moving at such a rapid pace today, especially with freelancing, being able to deliver quickly can really set you apart.
In-Depth Research Skills of Specialists
Specialists usually have killer research skills that let them go into more detail than the average writer. They know just where to look and what resources to trust, which is important when you need to back up your work with solid facts. Having this expertise means that the content is thorough and also credible, which is pretty important in this day and age.
Broader Job Opportunities for Generalists
Even though specialists might be leaders in their niches, generalists often have a wider mix of job opportunities waiting for them. For example, they can work for small businesses that need a bit of everything, as well as agencies that care about having a versatile skill set. As such, they’ll always have varied career options and some interesting workdays.
Generalists’ Edge in Content Marketing
Generalists often do better in content marketing roles because they can integrate a variety of topics into a clear strategy. They’re sometimes better than specialists at seeing the big picture and understanding how different pieces fit together. This way, they can attract and engage audiences more effectively.
Specialist Consultations
Consultation jobs can be a good side hustle for specialists, as businesses usually need advice on specific challenges. Who better to offer it than someone who knows everything about this subject? Being a specialist can mean you’ll get some pretty rewarding consulting gigs where you get paid well for sharing your knowledge.
Industry Standards
When specialists put out articles or blogs in their field, they’re helping to set industry standards and influence the direction of future developments. They’re able to change the conversation and even how people do things within their niche. While it’s a big responsibility, it’s also a huge opportunity to make your mark by leading other people who are just as passionate as you are.
18 Things You Should Probably Stop Doing After Age 50
18 Things You Should Probably Stop Doing After Age 50
19 Products Marketed Almost Exclusively To Stupid People
19 Products Marketed Almost Exclusively To Stupid People
No Boomers Allowed: 15 States Where Retirees Are Not Welcome
No Boomers Allowed: 15 States Where Retirees Are Not Welcome
18 Disturbing Conspiracy Theories You Laughed Off But Were Actually True
18 Disturbing Conspiracy Theories You Laughed Off But Were Actually True
18 Everyday Phrases Unintentionally Reflecting White Privilege
18 Everyday Phrases Unintentionally Reflecting White Privilege