Do you have a GENERALIST profile? Learn how to use it for your own benefit during the job interview

If you don’t have a very linear profile and you have worked in different areas or sectors along your career, you might be afraid that companies will see that variety as something bad. You might fear that companies will associate your work history with a lack of focus or of specific skills. But is this really the way companies see generalist profiles?

Our active work life will last 60 or more years, so it’s normal that our career plans change along the way. Maybe you studied something and you ended up working in a different area. Sometimes even inside the same area you can change and work at something else, but in our society, people tend to see generalist profiles as less valuable than a specialist profile. So, what to do if you have a generalist profile?

EMBRACE IT

First, accept you can’t change your career path, so it’s better to embrace it. You can complain about your previous choices, you can wonder what your life would be like now if you had studied a different course or MBA, but whatever is done, it’s done. Don’t waste your time and energy on that.

Instead, try to see the positive side of that and find companies that will not only accept but even like and need someone exactly like you, with a diverse background, experience and skills. You can’t completely hide what you have done previously in your resume or LinkedIn, so make your peace with that, and stop denying it.

HOW TO DECIDE IF YOU NEED TO ATTEND A SPECIALIZATION COURSE OR NOT

If you have a generalist profile, the easiest solution would be to sign up as soon as possible to a new MBA or specialization course, right? Not necessarily. Before you decide to invest time and money to study a new course, try to understand first the reality of the job market.

What are the company’s requirements in the positions you would like to apply for?

Is this course you are considering doing going to “open doors” for you?

Maybe you “think” that this specific new course you want to do is relevant, or someone told you that it is, but when you read carefully the job descriptions and check the requirements for the positions you would like to apply for, you realize the course you were planning to do is not that important. The best way to be sure about it is checking job descriptions of companies you want to work for, and the positions you meet (or are close to meeting) the requirements for – do it with at least 10 job descriptions. Identify if the job requirements include the course you were considering doing as a mandatory requirement or not, and keep that in mind when deciding whether to take that new course.

It’s also important to move ahead in the different steps of the recruitment and start doing job interviews for your dream job. When you have the chance to talk to recruiters and head-hunters, you will be able to identify what they put more emphasis on. With this information, you can identify the specific courses or skills that the company is looking for and that you don’t have yet, and decide if you want to attend a specific course to improve your profile accordingly.

LEARN HOW TO SELL YOURSELF

If you go to the job interview with the fear that the recruiter will judge you, or won’t like your profile “because it’s too generalist”, the chances that you are approved in the interview will decrease. Confidence is important, and how you “sell” yourself, your professional career, the things you have done and the way you want to go on now will make all the difference.

You should be ready to answer a question along the lines of “Why is your profile so generalist? You want to work in a different area now, so please tell me more about it”.

Let’s review some steps to help you with that:

1 – Never talk in a negative way about your own career experience and the choices you have made. Value every step of the process.

2 – Mention what you’ve learned.

3 – If you want to change area, share why you feel ready to do so now.

4 – Be clear about why that specific company is interesting for you at the moment.

5 – Specify why you want to change your career.

6 – Share how you are able to serve the company, despite the fact that you might not have all the skills and qualifications they are looking for.

If you share all the aspects listed in a confident and truthful way, you won’t look as a weak candidate and the situation will look like a normal change in your career path.

Another important aspect in the process of selling yourself as the best candidate for the position is referring to past situations in which you did similar things and gained the skill the company is looking for. Maybe you learned that specific skill working in a different area, but you learned it anyway/all the same. This is exactly what you need to highlight when talking to your future employer. 

The good news is: you can take the time before the interview, to remember real examples that will help you shine. Think about real examples that reflect your ability to learn new things, be proactive, look for information and all the things that might look good in case you don’t have all the requirements the company is looking for. Finally, remember to align that with the clear message that you are choosing to make a career change now, and that this is not a “random thing” that is happening to you.

Take ownership of your career! 

Your future company might not be as worried about your generalist profile as you think they are/may be, but if this is something that concerns you, now you have better tools to deal with the situation. 

If you prepare yourself before you apply for the job and before you speak to the recruiter, you have more chances to land a new job soon. So, are you ready to overcome your generalist profile and make the most of it?

If you need further assistance to improve your career and land your dream job, let’s work together! 

I have +15 years of experience working as a Recruiter in multinational companies, I’ve interviewed thousands of candidates, I have been working remotely for +7 years and I really enjoy helping people to be happier with their career and lifestyle.

Contact me to know more about my personalized Career Coaching programs: [email protected]

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