Put in a bit of a different view point here. I was the generalist a while ago too. Worked at a consulting firm that did custom builds with small teams, so not only did everything technology wise but also interacting with clients. So did part of developer, account management, sales, dev ops etc roles. Also did everything from backend to mobile in different frameworks and environments.
I thought the same, that I was a generalist and I did also enjoy the variety. But a couple of things:
1) while I thought I was proficient in everything I actually wasn’t. When I went to a big company where I focused on a specific area is when I discovered how little I knew about the topic and how shallow my knowledge was.
2) I discovered that I enjoyed diving into a specific area and being a specialist there was also fun. Gave me a different kind of rush and ego boost, knowing I can solve deeper technical problems in a specific area.
3) you can’t be both broad and deep in everything. Best is probably aim for a T shaped skill set.
I guess short version is, maybe give specializing a go. You might discover that it’s both enjoyable and sets you up well professionally.
I thought the same, that I was a generalist and I did also enjoy the variety. But a couple of things:
1) while I thought I was proficient in everything I actually wasn’t. When I went to a big company where I focused on a specific area is when I discovered how little I knew about the topic and how shallow my knowledge was.
2) I discovered that I enjoyed diving into a specific area and being a specialist there was also fun. Gave me a different kind of rush and ego boost, knowing I can solve deeper technical problems in a specific area.
3) you can’t be both broad and deep in everything. Best is probably aim for a T shaped skill set.
I guess short version is, maybe give specializing a go. You might discover that it’s both enjoyable and sets you up well professionally.