Jack of all Trades Master of None

[Lubeboy]

Career wise I have always been a jack of all trades, master of none i.e. I know a little bit of everything, but never have been expert on one thing. It has been especially tricky finding jobs but I always find them. Some days I wish I excelled at one thing. I'm not sure how and if I'll ever reach that point. It's tough keeping up. Some people say that's boring and it's good to be a generalist, but it's increasingly worrying me. Maybe I'm still trying to find my niche. I don't know. Anyone have any advice?

[dlish]

thats really dependant on your specific situation. age, point in your career, liabilities and loans, family etc.

If you were single, with no family and no loans, id give you different advice on what i thought if you had a wife 2 kids and a mortgage.

what do you work as lubeboy? what do you enjoy and what are your interests?

[Lubeboy]

I'm 33 and single. I currently work as a web producer for an Internet company based in San Francisco. Some days I wish I was a hardcore developer, designer, or a project manager but then I realize I'm not really super great at any of those things, but I know what's involved with those skills. I do a little bit of everything. I guess that's what a producer does. He/she is a generalist. I guess just don't feel fulfilled. My other interests include photography, film, traveling, women, and food.

[kramus]

Make some sort of Dockera.com thing as your personal baby with a blog/literary component so that it isn't just another image site. Build it yourself, travel around and take photos of women and food, network with film buffs and make using film a fun and sexy thing to do in this digital age.

Easy for me to say of course. I couldn't get something like that off the ground to save my life. But it would hit every one of your interests, fit with your strengths as an experienced generalist vs specialist, and be a blast while you're young enough to pull it off.

Keep TFP in the loop as a pool of interested folks who would give input and enjoy vicariously the experience as it unfolds for you.

[Remixer]

I like kramus' idea. The major issue lies in building it into something to live off.

Couple questions I have for you, Lubeboy:

Introvert or Extrovert?
Teamplayer or lone wolf?
Disciplined or Lazy?
Do you want to achieve serious success and make tons of money, or are you happy to do something that only provides a simple life but gives you the ability to do exactly what you like?
If you were to pick any one of your skills as the highest level of the bunch, which one would it be?
What's your education level?
Work experience? What functions?

With the above information I will have a much better picture and may be able to provide some advice.

Cheers

[high_jinx]

i'm a very similar case. i'm very quick to pick something up and become quite skilled at it, but i never focus in on something long enough to become really successful.

i just turned 37 and i feel like the heats really on to get a career path going. after bouncing around at jobs i taught myself a little networking and computer stuff and landed a part time job at a mechanic shop running their parts database and computer network. i've been here a few years now and i barely survive, but i don't think any more will come of this than it currently is.

i ended up deciding to get further into I.T. stuff and am working on a couple certifications... from there i've narrowed it down to getting into either systems administrator stuff or more networking stuff.

the key for me is getting over the fear of being stuck if i choose something or that i wasted time on something if it doesn't work out for me as a path. i've done this by figuring that i haven't gotten very far without a path so i might as well get on one for awhile.

still, it doesn't come nearly as easy as actually learning about the material. good luck.

[Lubeboy]

Originally Posted by Remixer

I like kramus' idea. The major issue lies in building it into something to live off.

Couple questions I have for you, Lubeboy:

Introvert or Extrovert?
Teamplayer or lone wolf?
Disciplined or Lazy?
Do you want to achieve serious success and make tons of money, or are you happy to do something that only provides a simple life but gives you the ability to do exactly what you like?
If you were to pick any one of your skills as the highest level of the bunch, which one would it be?
What's your education level?
Work experience? What functions?

With the above information I will have a much better picture and may be able to provide some advice.

Cheers

-In between a extrovert and introvert. I know when to listen and when to interject.
-Both a teamplayer and lonewolf
-I'm disciplined at many things but just as lazy as well at others
-I want to make enough to live comfortable and never have to worry. I see money as a means not an ends.
-My best skill is to the ability to learn something quickly to get shit done. If it's just for the sake of learning, I tend to lose focus. I learn better as a hands-on person rather than reading a book.
-BFA degree
-I've done everything from coding, design, to managing small projects with small teams.