As you start your career or consider your next move within / outside your organisation, you may be asking yourself:
‘Should I go for a Marketing specialist or a generalist role?’
‘Should I specialise early in my Marketing career?’
‘What is the best Marketing career path?’
The decision to specialise or not specialise in your Marketing career depends on various factors, and there is no one-size-fits-all answer. However, there are several things you can consider, to help you make a more informed decision when it comes to shaping your Marketing career journey.
By applying an ‘internal lens’ and an ‘external lens’, you can gain a broader perspective to help you decide on which direction you want to go.
1) Internal lens: Your motivations
2) External lens: Market dynamics
1) Your motivations
• Interest and passion: If you have a clear interest or passion for a specific area within Marketing, specialising early may allow you to focus on what you enjoy the most. This can lead to a more fulfilling and enjoyable career.
• Career goals: Reflect on your long-term career goals. If you aspire to reach a leadership position, a combination of broad business skills and some level of specialisation might be beneficial. Marketing leadership roles often require knowledge, experience and skills gained across diverse and multiple areas of Marketing.
• Discipline understanding: Discover what Marketing is about, as a broad and multi-faceted discipline. Increasingly generalist and specialist roles are described within the realm of Digital Marketing, which can be misleading. So, take the time to really understand the scope of generalist and specialist roles, within the Marketing discipline as a whole.
2) Market dynamics
• Industry trends: Consider the trends in the Marketing industry. Some sectors may value specialists, while others may prefer professionals with a broad range of skills. Stay informed about industry developments to understand where the demand for Marketing specialisation lies.
• Job market: Research the job market to understand the demand for specialists in your chosen area. Some specialisations may be more competitive, at different points in time. Pending on business and Marketing ‘hot topics’, which can be cyclical, some specific Marketing experience or specialisation can be in higher demand than others.
• Employer expectations: Some employers may value Marketing specialists, while others may prefer Marketing generalists. Research the expectations of employers in your target industry or companies to align, adapt and evolve your career path accordingly.
3) How to balance internal and external needs
• Flexibility: Keep in mind that the Marketing landscape is dynamic, and trends can change. Specialising early may limit your flexibility if you decide to pivot later in your career. Consider how adaptable you want to be in the future.
• Skills development: Both generalist and specialist roles require a common set of Marketing skills. Then, as you progress through your career and either pursue generalist roles, specialist roles or a mix of the two, you will build over time a set of skills, knowledge and experience that will be as unique to you as your career journey.
• Learning plan: No matter the type of Marketing roles you choose as you start and progress your career, make sure that you have a learning plan in place to progress towards your career goals. With so many facets to Marketing, you have many options to build an exciting and rewarding professional journey, in line with your aspirations and what the market needs.
• Networking opportunities: Specialising can allow you to build a more focused network within a specific niche. Networking with professionals in your chosen field can provide valuable insights, mentorship, and potential career opportunities. If you want to switch between Marketing specialist and generalist roles during your career, aim to build a diverse and broad professional network so you gain different perspectives and advice as you progress on your journey.
Conclusion
Ultimately, the decision to specialise or not specialise in your Marketing career is a personal one.
It may be beneficial to gain some general experience before narrowing down your focus. Experimenting with different roles and projects early in your Marketing career can help you discover your strengths and interests, guiding you toward a more informed decision when it comes to becoming a specialist or not.
Remember that the role of Marketing is to create value, for both customers and the organisation you are working for. Having a solid understanding and experience of the full Marketing Mix, that typically comes with generalist roles, will serve you well during your career journey.
If you decide to specialise early in your Marketing career, seek roles and projects that give you a broad business and Marketing exposure so you can gain transferable knowledge and skills that will help you flex your career path if and when required.