Why Hire a Jack of All Trades Over an Expert in Your Startup
Recruitment is a crucial part of any business, especially startups. As Jim Collins said, you need to get the right people on the bus. A recruiter must filter through hundreds and thousands of applicants to find the right fit for a startup. By placing the right people in the right positions, the startup can get a good head start.
But selecting from a huge pool of candidates is never easy. For example, there's the issue of "expertise versus jack of all trades." Should startups choose to hire a "master of one"? Or should they go for the Jack of all trades, "master of none"?
Traditionally, companies desire an expert since they're considered specialists in their own fields. They can be valuable sources to companies, especially startups. Say a Software as a Service company offers HR software systems. This company would want to hire a business-to-business (B2B) marketing expert. This person would help the startup expand its client base in no time because of their expertise and experience. They basically know the ins and outs of B2B marketing.
But this doesn't mean that a Jack of all trades, who has tried every aspect of marketing, is any less valuable than the expert. They can even offer more to the startup and become a much more desirable hire.
If you're hiring for a startup, here are compelling reasons to hire a Jack of all trades instead of an expert:
They Have a Growth Mindset
A Jack of all trades often possesses a growth mindset. They believe that skills and talents can be learned and are not something a person is "born with." And this is why they have become well-versed in different fields, instead of dedicating their time to only one skill. Even though a "Jack" can't or doesn't fully master these skills and talents, they can learn enough to be able to execute them when needed.
Willingness to learn is important in a startup. This trait will ensure that employees are willing to go to great lengths for the sake of the company.
They Have a Diverse Skillset
A Jack of all trades is often hungry to learn. As a result, they develop a diverse skillset and become all-rounders, which are valuable in a startup.
Economically speaking, having this individual in your team will help you save labor costs. For example, a Jack of all trades can handle social media marketing while also creating the graphics, captions, and text descriptions for the social media posts. As a result, you no longer have tohire three different experts.
They're Adaptable and Flexible
A Jack of all trades is often highly adaptable. Though they're not considered "specialists," they have a wide range of skills and knowledge. Thus, they are flexible and can mold into whatever situation they're in.
Take weatherman Owain Wyn Evans as an example. He went viral in 2020 for drumming along to BBC News' theme after his segment. Wyn Evans is considered a "master of some." He was a semi-professional drummer and now a weather reporter. During the beginning of a pandemic, people were anxious and stressed. Wyn Evans found a way to adapt to the situation and provide entertainment as a relief to the viewers. He even has a drum lesson video on BBC's Bitesize page two months later.
Adaptable individuals can become assets in startups because of their ability to deal with different situations.
They're Great Leaders
A Jack of all trades can be a great leader. In leadership, one must have a lot of experience. They'll be managing people who handle a variety of processes. And if a leader is familiar with or is knowledgeable of these processes, they can assist their subordinates better. Their knowledge of different fields can also help them earn the respect of their peers and establish their authority.
For example, an HR generalist practitioner knows how different areas of HR. These include recruitment, onboarding, compensation and benefits, and employee relations. This generalist can work well as a leader and provide the support needed by their subordinates from different branches of HR. In the same way, this generalist will gain credibility.
In several fields, hiring experts is still important. For example, in medicine, you'll want to consult a physician whose life has been dedicated to that field. But in other fields, particularly in a startup business, the "expert era" seems to pass slowly. Startup business owners and recruiters need to consider putting Jacks of all trades in their teams. These individuals can bring a lot to the table and help startups drive their business forward.