Contents
Hobbies and hobbies outside of work are your advantage as a T-shaped specialist. Coach Asya Soskova told why it is dangerous to remain an expert in only one area and how to direct your interests into a career path
About the expert: Asya Soskova is a talent development and management consultant, coach, facilitator. Author and presenter of educational projects on self-realization, development of awareness and creative states.
What is a T-shaped skill model
In the early 1990s, there was more and more talk about the importance of soft skills and the need to have interdisciplinary competencies as opposed to narrow expertise. To signify a new model of skills and specialists, recruiters came up with the T-shaped concept. However, McKinsey & Company already used the term in internal documents in the 1980s to refer to ideal employees, consultants, and partners.
T-shaped specialists are people with strong expertise and well-developed skills in one area (vertical in “T”) and abilities, knowledge in areas that do not belong to the main field, but are useful in a wider context (horizontal in “T” ).
For example, a photographer takes portrait photographs. He is fond of cinema and loves social networks. Interest in cinema helps him to direct the shooting: to select clothes, work with space, build a composition. Passion for social networks helps to choose the appropriate formats for presentation, promotion and communication with the audience. The photographer becomes the producer of the whole product: influences the theme, packaging and promotion, and not just the quality of the photos.
Who benefits from the T-shaped model
Typically, the T-shaped model is used by HR specialists to select the right employee. You can use it for yourself: find meaning and value in work, change profession or field, combine interests with work, plan a career and educational trajectory.
In the classical approach to the education and development of a specialty, the I-shaped model is used. One specialty – one vertical. Narrow specialists are responsible only for a specific type of tasks and projects. For example, a copywriter writes text and does not work with illustrations or layout. Over time, such a specialist will become an expert, but it will be more difficult for him to work in a team. Behind a person with I-shaped skills should be a manager who distributes tasks and plans the workflow.
At the same time, the discrepancy between the competencies of employees and the requirements of employers is growing and remains one of the main problems of the global labor market. Companies increasingly need people who can solve problems in different areas, adapt to changes and work with other people. The competencies of a narrow specialist can quickly become obsolete. In order not to lose your job and remain in demand in the labor market, you should develop your main specialization and be interested in related areas.
How to combine interests and work
T-shaped helps you evaluate yourself and your T-skill potential, identify areas at the intersection of your expertise, skills and interests.
To combine work and interests into your own T-shaped model, you need to do a few exercises:
Write down your skills and interests. Think of a few work situations or projects where you performed very well in your opinion and in the opinion of others.
You write:
- What works well and from what you get joy, satisfaction and energy.
- Skills that have helped you achieve good results. If they are difficult to identify, ask colleagues and supervisors for feedback.
- What do you know well, but not yet an expert.
- What you want to do but keep putting it off.
Define your core specialization. The main specialization is what you do best, get satisfaction and money from it.
Find extra activities. Identify interests that will complement and enhance your core specialization. For example, if an editor is interested in education and self-development, he might start teaching the basics of copywriting and storytelling.
Make a learning plan. Determine the skills you want to develop. Set goals, choose teaching methods, find resources, suitable courses. Look for mentors and professional communities where they share experiences.
Review the list of skills and interests. Review your skills periodically.
Don’t spend a lot of time developing obviously unnecessary professional skills. Unlearn old skills and develop new ones.
Reflect:
- keep a diary;
- find a mentor or coach if you feel like you can’t do it on your own;
- communicate with experts from different fields.
What are the difficulties
There are two difficulties in designing your T-shaped model.
First, the T-shaped concept cannot be used “correctly”. It cannot be learned, and there are no specific rules. At the same time, some hobbies cannot be combined into an integral system. Treat it as a creative process and an experiment.
Second, it is sometimes difficult to self-assess one’s abilities, skills, expertise, and interests. This is fine. Interests outside the working framework often seem useless to us, but they are not. For example, it is important for clients of PR agencies that a team of specialists understand the topic of their business: sports, health, education. Brands that are largely based on values are looking for employees who will share these values.
If you find it difficult to identify your strengths and passions, ask for feedback from people who know you well at work and in your personal life. They’ll tell you what you’re good at, why you’re valued, and what you’re good at. Contact a coach or tutor. He will suggest exercises and techniques that will help you look at yourself from a different perspective.
What can be added to this model
Find out how much T-shaped people are needed at your current job. Many companies are not flexible enough to effectively use the potential of such employees. They are guided by a more traditional approach – they assemble teams of narrow specialists. In other companies, the only option is to “grow” to a managerial role, but this is not for everyone. Think about what career path is right for you and discuss it with an HR specialist and a leader you trust. If it’s hard to decide, ask a coach or career consultant for help.
Keep an eye on skills that are becoming more in demand and will be in demand in the future. Check the skills ratings of universities and large companies. Study emerging industries, communicate with experts.
Broaden your horizons. Take free courses, meet people from other fields, and attend professional events. Take on new projects, try hobbies and passions.
Strengthen expertise in a field that you are good at. If this area is not your main specialization, but you have the ability and interest in it, try to deepen your knowledge and develop skills.
Don’t worry if it doesn’t work the first time. Self-determination, developing skills, finding your passions and interests is a constant process that you will return to throughout your life. Find the main specialization, and then lead the rest to it.
Do not be too serious, try to treat the process of self-determination as a game.
Be flexible and revisit your goals. Let go of things that don’t bring you joy or develop skills, even if you’ve already spent a lot of time and money on them. Don’t compare yourself to others. Learn not to criticize, but to support yourself and ask for help from others.
Do not be afraid to make mistakes – without this it is impossible to learn anything. Do not turn the process of self-determination into an end in itself and another to-do list that burdens and depresses you. After all, work is not the only way to fulfill oneself.
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