Change and technology are two words that go hand in hand, often at a speed that is even difficult to keep up with. And, among them, arises the biggest dilemma of those who work in this area: “Expert developer or generalist, which career to follow?”

It is quite understandable that there is a sense of doubt for developers, not only because there are numerous possibilities in the area, but also for the fear of trying to understand what the IT market and companies are currently looking for.

However, if you came here expecting a straight answer about which one you should choose, we have already said that it is not that easy. More important than finding a “winner,” it’s about analyzing what the main differences are and understanding which profile — and professional goals – fits you the best.

Curious to learn more? Let’s get to it!

What is an Expert Developer?

An expert is a professional who has large knowledge, experience, and skills in a specific area.

Bringing it to the IT universe, an expert developer is the one that dominates the language (PHP, JavaScript, HTML, among others) and can fully use it in any of your projects.

The Pros and Cons of Being an Expert Developer

To pursue a career of an expert developer can be rewarding, considering that this professional will always work in high performance, with a great problem-solving ability. Other highlights:

• Easier to share specific knowledge between teams.
• Better understanding when studying and updating knowledge in the area.
• Agility performing specific tasks.
• Higher paygrade, considering that there is not enough specialized professionals.
• Less competitivity in the market, for the same reason above.

On the other hand, with the market constantly changing and with the addition of new technologies, if professionals don’t keep updated there is more risk of becoming obsolete. Below are the main disadvantages:

• Because it is a very specific niche, there is a limited number of jobs opportunities.
• If a programming language becomes obsolete, this professional must start over practically from scratch.
• It has a limited overview of the projects since it is immersed in very specific tasks.
• Less possibilities to work in other areas.

What’s a Generalist Developer?

The generalist is someone who has a wide range of skills and experiences in different areas but is not an expert in any of them.

When we bring this vision to IT, we can mention the full-stack developers, because they are professionals who can move between projects with Front-End and Back-End development, in addition to the use of Database and product delivery using DevOps tools.

The pros and cons of being a Generalist Developer 

The biggest advantage of a Generalist Developer is the problem-solving skill at different levels of the project. Since this professional has a broader view of the business, it turns out to be an important communicator and reference between the teams. Other advantages are:

• Most pursued professional in moments of crisis.
• Greater chance of senior positions in the company.
• Ease to move between different areas and technologies. 
• Reference when solving major problems. 
• Lower chance of becoming an obsolete professional.

However, the major problem for the generalists is the difficulty in becoming experts in technologies, due to the overload of functions they have. Other points worth mentioning are:

• Difficulty when updating knowledge, since they perform in different areas
• Highly competitive job position and higher chances to be replaced, since there is a high demand of professionals for this position.
• Not specializing in any specific field can lead to a feeling of uncertainty in the career

In conclusion, who’s the must have for the companies?

Now that we understand what are the strengths and weaknesses of these two professionals, the big question remains: who is the favorite of companies?

The answer is: it depends.

Usually, large companies prefer the specialists, since they already have well-defined processes and only need professionals to perform specific functions at a high level.

Generalists, on the other hand, are the target of small and medium-sized companies, like startups. Because they are highly cost-effective professionals, and they perform different functions with a wide knowledge of the projects.

Is there any way to mix these two pros?

If you were wondering that throughout the text, the answer is yes! A professional that manages to combine generalist and expert skills is known as having the “T-Shaped” profile.

Just like the “T”, the horizontal line represents the generic knowledge and skills, while in the vertical line is the development of knowledge in a specific area or technology.

A developer with this profile, has an understanding about different technologies, such as Back-End, UX, database, but also has a deep knowledge in a specific one (such as front-end).

Read also: How a career planning works: the advantages and importance of implementing it in companies

The main advantages for those who adopt this model are:

1. Repertory 

By mastering both characteristics, the professional develop a rich creative process.

2. Flexibility

Ability to work in a generic or in-depth manner, according to the needs of the company and at the different moments of a project.

3. Market Opportunities 

It’s easier to adapt to the requirements of a constantly changing market.

As you can see, there is no straight answer when deciding what is the best one to choose, it all depends on the goals of each professional, and the structure or position that each company will be in.

The most important thing is to always be aware of what happens in the market, besides knowing in which environment you feel the most comfortable.

Liked the content and want to keep updated? Check out the 7 main technologies for the year 2022.