Welcome back to 100th edition of Design a Career You Love where I help corporate professionals like you design, build and navigate your high impact career with clarity and confidence. ⨠If someone forwarded you this email, subscribe here so you won't miss out on future editions. To celebrate this 100th edition, I'm giving away FREE access to my signature course, The Resume Revamp. Inside this digital program you'll discover the easy-to-follow steps to write a resume that compels a hiring manager call you up for an interview. All you have to do is reply to this email and tell me how this newsletter has helped you in your career or job search. The first 20 people to reply will get lifetime access for free. Okay, now onto today's topic. Letâs talk about something I see a lot in professionals who are on the job market or looking for that next career move. Itâs the idea of being a "generalist."Maybe this sounds familiar:
At one point, this was a huge asset. Companies needed people who could jump into different areas and bring cross-functional expertise. And donât get me wrongâthereâs still value in versatility. But in todayâs job market, being a generalist without a clear value proposition is a recipe for getting overlooked. Letâs break down why and, more importantly, what to do about it. The Market Has Changed - Hereâs How It Affects YouA few years ago, companies were hiring for adaptability. They needed people who could do a little bit of everything because things were moving fast, and headcount was growing. But in 2025? Itâs different. Now, businesses are operating in a more cautious, efficiency-driven environment. Budgets are tighter. Leadership wants to know exactly what impact a new hire will make. And when they look at your resume or LinkedIn profile, theyâre not asking, âCan this person do a lot of things?â Theyâre asking: âWhat can this person do BETTER than anyone else?â If your professional brand is too broad, you risk blending into the background. And if youâre in a senior role (or aiming for one), you need to be seen as a high-value, strategic hire. The Biggest Risk for Generalists: Lack of ClarityHereâs where most generalists struggle: Theyâve done a lot, but they havenât packaged their experience in a way that makes them stand out. Hiring managers arenât going to take the time to connect the dots for you. If your resume or LinkedIn profile is too broad, youâre making them work too hard to see why youâre the right fit. And in a competitive market? Thatâs a risk you canât afford. The good news? You donât have to become a hyper-specialist in one narrow area. But you do need to position yourself strategically. How to Make the Shift to a "Strategic Generalist"If you identify as a generalist (hello to all my consulting friends out there!), hereâs how to reposition yourself for maximum impact: 1. Identify Your "Power Skills"Instead of focusing on everything you can do, get clear on the 2-3 areas where you bring the most business impact. These should be high-level, strategic skills that companies actively look for. Some examples:
Ask yourself: If I were brought into a company today, what is the #1 thing I could immediately improve? Thatâs your power skill. Own it. 2. Frame Your Experience Around Business ImpactA hiring manager doesnât just care that you did something. They care about what changed because you did it. Instead of saying: đŤ âManaged multiple projects across teams.â Try: â âLed cross-functional projects that increased operational efficiency by 30%, reducing time-to-market by six weeks.â When you frame your experience in terms of business impact, you immediately position yourself as a results-driven leader, not just a âjack-of-all-trades.â 3. Be Industry-Specific (Without Limiting Yourself)A generalist in healthtech is very different from a generalist in B2B SaaS or e-commerce. If your experience spans multiple industries, thatâs great - but you need to show how your skills translate into the space youâre targeting. For example: If youâve worked across fintech and SaaS, you could position yourself as someone who specializes in scaling growth in highly regulated industries. Itâs not about limiting yourself - itâs about making it easy for the right people to see why youâre a perfect fit. 4. Tell a Cohesive Career StoryWhen someone looks at your career path, does it feel like a logical progression? Or does it look like a bunch of disconnected experiences? You want to craft a narrative that makes sense. A simple way to do this is by finding the common thread in your experience. For example:
Once you identify your throughline, make sure your resume, LinkedIn, and interview answers reinforce it. 5. Make Your Personal Brand Crystal ClearYour LinkedIn headline should not be: đŤ âSenior Business Leader | Strategy | Operations | Growthâ Thatâs too vague. Instead, try: â âSenior Leader | Driving Operational Excellence & Scalable Growth in SaaSâ Your profile summary, resume, and even networking conversations should reinforce what youâre known for and how you create impact. Bottom Line: Generalists Are Still Valuable - But Only If Theyâre Positioned CorrectlyThe key takeaway? You donât have to pick just one specialty, but you do need to be intentional about how you market yourself. Instead of âI can do a little of everything,â your brand should say: âI connect the dots across business functions to drive results.â And when you do that? You donât just stand out - you become the obvious choice. Whatâs Next?If youâre ready to sharpen your positioning and make your next career move with confidence, here are two ways I can help: 1ď¸âŁ Reply to this email and tell me about your career path - Iâll share a quick tip on how to refine your positioning. 2ď¸âŁ Check out The Resume Revamp - my program designed to help high-achieving professionals craft a resume and LinkedIn presence that actually converts into interviews. Remember you can grab this course for free if you respond to this email and tell me how this newsletter series has impacted your mindset and career! Your career story matters. Letâs make sure itâs working for you, not against you. Until next week, Beckie When youâre ready, here are 3 ways I can support you:Complete Career Transformation âŚmy signature one-on-one coaching program will help you get clear on whatâs next for your career, plus upgrade your story, sales documents (resume, cover letter & LinkedIn profile) and strategy to confidently transition into a career that fuels your life, making Mondays the best day of the week. Apply Here.â Career Power Hour âŚreceive coaching and feedback from me on any element of your career growth or job search in this high impact 60-minute session. Reserve Now. âFollow me on LinkedIn for daily advice on navigating career transitions, job search tips and how to design a career you love. â |
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