A T-shaped person has deep knowledge/skills in one area and a broad base of general supporting knowledge/skills. If you represent this depth and breadth visually, you get a “T” shape:
Source: https://collegeinfogeek.com/become-t-shaped-person/
The exact details will vary from person to person. The T-shaped person is an improvement on the classic saying “Jack of all trades, master of none.” A T-shaped person is a “Jack of many trades, master of (at least) one.” When you commit to being T-shaped, you get the benefits of specialization and generalization, while avoiding the pitfalls of being only a specialist or generalist.
The Benefits of T-Shaped Profiles
- You’re better at collaborating with others.
- You stay interested.
- You experience the satisfaction of depth.
- You become more creative.
- You’re more attractive to employers.
Source: https://collegeinfogeek.com/become-t-shaped-person/
Let’s discuss the benefits in little detail.
- You’re better at collaborating with others. Because you have a broad range of knowledge, you know just enough to communicate with specialists in different fields. This makes collaboration much easier. For example, if you’re a history major (i.e., a history specialist) with a basic understanding of data visualization, you’re going to be able to work much more effectively with the computer science student helping you model a historical trend for your final project.
- You stay interested. When you focus on just one area, it can get monotonous. No matter how fascinating the topic, variety is key to keeping your mind engaged. As a T-shaped person, you always have other areas to dip into when you need a break from your specialty. You experience the satisfaction of depth. Even as you get to move around to different areas to avoid getting bored, you also get to experience the satisfaction that comes from diving deep in one subject area. The deeper you go, the more you realize how vast your area of knowledge is and how there’s a lifetime of learning ahead.
- You become more creative. There’s a classic idea in the arts (and in business) that the greatest ideas happen at the intersection of disciplines. When you have a broad base of knowledge, you build immunity to the “paradox of expertise” where your advanced knowledge of one field clouds your ability to see new ideas. For example, Vihart’s YouTube channel shows you what happens at the meeting of math, music, and visual art
- You’re more attractive to employers. This happens for two reasons:
- The first is that you’re going to have a standout resume compared to someone who only focused on their major and never branched out. Consequently, you’ll be able to bring more to a job than someone who only meets the requirements the position specifies.
- Second, being a T-shaped person just makes you more interesting. This benefits you from the moment the hiring manager sees your resume to the moment you interview. Who doesn’t want to talk to interesting people? (Especially if the other job candidates regurgitate the same boring formulas in their applications).
Source: DASA DevOps Fundamentals coursebook.
DASA DevOps Fundamentals
Provides an extensive introduction to the core agile DevOps principles covering the essential knowledge and skill competences that have been defined by DASA.
