When it comes to business growth, one of the most important aspects to consider is hiring employees. Even solo entrepreneurs will need to hire people in the future to help get things done. Be it marketing their products or managing their finances, you’ll probably need to seek assistance from other people at some point to help optimize the time you spend in your business.
But there’s also another decision to consider; do you hire a generalist or a specialist? In this post, we’ll be explaining the differences, how to find them, and also if it’s the right choice for your business.
Generalists
Generalists are people that possess great soft skills and are quick to adapt to various workplaces. They might have some experience with computer technology, certain types of software, or even customer support. But the general idea is that they’re capable of fitting into most roles in your workplace.
Best hired when you just need more hands
The main benefit of hiring a generalist is that they can perform lots of different tasks. They can have many small responsibilities, meaning you can save a lot of time on general tasks. This makes them a great option if you’re starting a business and you can always train them to specialize their skillset even further.
Generalists can be found everywhere
Anyone that is willing to learn new skills and adapt to their workplace can be considered a generalist. However, it’s always a nice bonus if they have software skills, customer support experience, or even leadership qualities.
Specialists
A specialist is someone that has in-depth knowledge and experience with a particular aspect of business operations. For example, you could hire a water bore drilling expert if you’re a construction company, or you could hire a social media manager to raise awareness for your brand. The reason these are specialist roles is that it takes a lot of experience in order to be competent at these jobs.
Their exact role will change depending on the company, but the general idea is that they can provide a high level of expertise in something very specific.
Best hired when you’re making a push for something
Specialists are important when you want to make a push into a new industry or if you’re attempting to do something that is currently outside the scope of your business. For example, if nobody on your team has experience with accounting or finances, then recruiting an accountant or financial expert can be a good idea.
Can be expensive to hire
Since specialists possess great knowledge about highly specific topics, they can often be expensive to hire. This is usually the case when looking for consultants that can make drastic and impactful changes to the way your company operates.
Some final words
It’s tough to choose between generalists and specialists, but you often need to let your business’s circumstances and budget dictate who you hire. In short; hire generalists if you need more people to do general tasks, and hire a specialist if nobody on your team has experience with something you want to achieve or do.
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