Generalist or Specialist?
What do you think the future economy will be?
When the economy is strong, specialists in certain areas -- recruiting, for example -- can make a bundle. But what happens when the economy turns in the other direction? Will you be marketable?
Generalists tend to be a bit more isolated from the effects of a downturn. In a downturn, generalists often pick up more of the responsibilities of downsized specialists. It is easier to teach a generalist the daily workings of a few HR specialties than it is to teach a specialist all the other facets of HR. Outside consulting firms can always be used to fill in the gaps.
What are your long-term career goals?
If your goal is to eventually open up your own human resources consulting practice, consider spending a few years in each of the specialties. This will provide you with a solid background in several different facets of HR. You will then be able to sell yourself as a specialist in several different areas of HR. When you are a specialist, clients tend to be more open to paying higher fees since they know they do not have the level of expertise that you can offer inside their own organisation.
If your goal is to manage the HR department for a small company, then you might want to go the generalist route, because smaller companies often look for generalists. They tend to outsource to outside consulting firms when they need specialised information.
HR generalist or specialist? Seems like a complicated question, but the good news is that no matter what you decide today, you can always change paths tomorrow.
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