After class, your professor challenged everyone to decide who they wanted to be in five years by finding two positions they were interested in. Thinking it was easy, you left this for Sunday night. When you finally navigated over to the jobs tab on LinkedIn, you found two jobs and couldn't decide which one was a better fit. One was for a marketing generalist, which is what you always thought you wanted – to be a jack of all trades. But now, you're considering whether it's better to have your hands in everything – or should you specialize in a discipline like digital marketing, social media management, or growth marketing? The more you compare the two, the more confused you become.
It was strange – here you were looking at these two roles, and it got you thinking. You're not looking for a job – you're looking for a career. Now, this assignment that you thought was easy is making you think. Which is a better fit for me: a Marketing Generalist or a Marketing Specialist? Which one will provide more opportunities for advancement? Which one should I choose?
Let’s see if we can break this down. First, you list the pros of being a Marketing Generalist. You like the flexibility of working on small teams. [1] That environment would allow you to show off your skills and contribute to the team's success. Your knowledge and skills will allow you to complement your teammates. That's a plus. That means you're a valuable part of the team. Your diverse skill set means you can adapt quickly in a fast-moving environment. Plus, there will be growth opportunities – and that can't hurt.
While marketers often wear many "hats", you figured you wouldn't earn as much as your peers because you knew a little about everything rather than specializing in a particular discipline. Then it hits you – you wouldn't have a deep level of expertise in any area – the jack of all trades thing could hurt you, because as the saying goes, "A jack of all trades is the master of none." That could also mean more challenging problems might go over your head. Your lack of deep expertise might even hurt your career progression. But it may offer you the perspective to support a wider team and channels.
Then, you turn to the Marketing Specialist. The first thing you noticed was the satisfaction that you would get from your role by concentrating on an area that really spoke to you. Having a genuine interest in an area of marketing or another field would make going to work much easier. Your daily tasks might align with your passions. [2] That's a plus. You can dive into a specific niche, continue to learn and build on what you already know, sharpening your extensive skill set. You can sell yourself as someone with extensive knowledge of a specific discipline. As an expert, maybe even a subject matter expert, in a particular area, you stand out from everyone, especially generalists. Then there's the visibility you would have in the organization, the leadership opportunities that would most likely come your way, allowing you to capitalize on your role and the continued education you have developed to get you to where you are today.
As a specialist, you knew you wouldn't have control over the big picture, nor would you have any involvement in deciding strategy. You would focus on executing the plan. When it comes to how the different areas of marketing come together, you may only have one piece of the puzzle – yours. Meaning you won't understand how other disciplines work together to achieve a common goal. When it comes to career progression, some specialized roles have advancement ceilings, and you're not a fan of limitations. It could be challenging to move into more senior roles since you don't have a general understanding of marketing. One more thing: as a specialist, you must continue learning to ensure your knowledge and expertise remain current and relevant.
You love the idea of people reaching out to you for your opinion or perspective. You can be like the guru that everyone turns to. In meetings, your name might come up – even when you aren't there. Sounds cool. You could have knowledge or expertise that your colleagues and superiors value and count on you for. How could that hurt? As you look at your phone, you realize that while you're still not sure which one is right for you in the moment, one thing's for sure: you like the idea of being valued for the knowledge you bring. After all, as Francis Bacon once said, "Knowledge is power."
Footnotes
[1] “20 Pros And Cons Of Hiring Marketing Generalists For Your Team” Forbes, 15 January 2025, https://www.forbes.com/councils/forbescommunicationscouncil/2025/01/15/20-pros-and-cons-of-hiring-marketing-generalists-for-your-team/
[2] “What Is a Marketing Specialist and Should You Become One?” The Muse, 1 July, 2021, https://www.themuse.com/advice/what-is-marketing-specialist-pros-cons
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