Ok, let’s have a conversation you and I. I know this is an unpopular topic of conversation, especially for designers. But let’s be real, no designer should ever be a generalist.

Now before you jump all up on my back and start berating me, let me explain. What does it mean to be a “generalist” to an employer, because really that’s who this is about right? Being a generalist in the eyes of the company as pertains to design means that you can use all the applications expertly, that you have all the skills and you can perform all the roles. This is really what a company wants when they are looking for a “generalist”.

As a career designer, this frustrates me to no end, for a few reasons.
1. When a company is looking for a “generalist” what they are really trying to do is cut costs. I get it from the companies point of view, it makes sense from an accounting and personnel point of view. The problem with this is that because they are already trying to cut costs by hiring one person to fill the role of say, 5 people, the salary is not going to be anywhere near what it should be. Technically your salary, if you were a truly skilled generalist, should add up to the combined salaries of the roles you’re replacing. But we both know that will never happen. So what we’re left with is a subpar salary for a role that will be overworked and over-demanded upon.

Now that we got that out of the way, the next problem is this.
2. Being a “generalist” means you will never truly master any one thing. I’m not saying it is impossible, I’m just saying it’s highly unlikely. Sure you might master Illustrator and Photoshop and maybe InDesign. But what about all the other apps? What about XD or Ae or Figma or the Substance collection? There are simply too many apps, and the specific roles for these apps are too widely varied to truly be a “generalist”. But it is a nice idea.

When I was a kid I thought “it’s better to know how to do multiple things instead of one” and there is some truth to that. And in college, that's what I tried to do. At one point in college, I double majored three times, meaning I had six different majors during my college career. That’s just insane, and it was a ton of stress. So much so that I nearly killed myself by drinking too many Rockstar energy drinks at once. Through all of this, I learned that by being a “generalist” which is what I was trying to do, I was putting myself in a position where I would never truly be valued by any company for my skills.

What I mean is this. When you are a generalist, a company looks at you as a cost-cutting measure as we discussed before. The problem with this is that by you being a cost-cutting measure if you don’t perform in the way that they deemed your role to be “cutting costs”, you end up being the cost they cut.

There is a company here in New York that I worked for early on in my design career that hired me as a Product Photographer. But what they had really wanted me to do was photograph products, shoot 3D video of products, render them for web use, create 3D interactive experiences on their site, manage all of the SEO and e-com for each product, do some “light” web design oh and also create all of the assets for the marketing campaigns for each product or family of products. All while only paying me $45,000 a year.

I look back at myself then and laugh and think “Justin are you crazy?”. But it was one of my first jobs in the city and I desperately needed it. In the end, I think I lasted only like 5 months. What is funny is my wife almost worked for this same company and we both see ads from them seeking “generalist graphic designers” all the time.

Quick life lesson, if you present a problem, do your best to have a prepared solution for that problem.

Ok, so my solution is this. And I’ve only come to this conclusion by working for years as a designer who is undervalued and underpaid.

Specialize. Specialize in a specific skill or role as a designer. And really this can go for any career, not just design. But specialize. Become the “best” in your field or specialty. The companies or the clients that see and recognize this will be the ones that you want to work with, that will compensate you accordingly and that will match you with the right team of “experts” that you will support and that will support you. But be advised, you cannot slack in these positions, they are not for novices or juniors. So continue learning, continue growing, and perfecting your skills.

And for all that is holy, stay away from companies that advertise for “generalists” I promise you’ll regret working for them.

That’s a great question, my answer would be to find a role or even internship in the skill where you can grow that will teach you. There are lots of companies out there that are willing to help you grow in your field, so go find them. And as always, keep learning, keep exploring. The internet is a digital goldmine of knowledge. Yes, you have to research things but I guarantee all the answers and skills you seek are out there and are often free.

Another great question. You can always tell, just look at the fine print. The “position requirements” will often tell you exactly what they expect from you. Unfortunately, the term “graphic designer” has become so fluid that it really doesn’t mean what the name implies. Generally, when a company is looking for a “graphic designer” what they are looking for is a creative that will help them in some visual creative aspect. This does not always mean it’s going to be graphic design. So you have to look for the clues, and on the rare chance that the clues are not obvious in the role’s description, ask them. Reach out to the recruiter or the employer and just ask them. A lot of times they will get back to you and tell you what they are looking for. You can also look at Glassdoor reviews, these will tell you a lot.

Run!!! For god-sakes run. Again, companies that are looking for generalists are only looking to do one thing, save money. This means that there will be no chance for upward mobility, no raises, bonuses, or advancement of any kind. And this often means that the stakes will be high and the pay will be low. So, run. Look for companies that will treat you with respect and compensate you fairly.

If you have any other questions, email me at design@domore.tv and I will do my best to answer you openly and honestly.

And as always, keep growing, keep learning, keep persevering. Let no one tell you what you are, or aren’t capable of, and never give up. Failure is part of the path to success, not the end result.

Cheers,
Justin Von Braun