jack of all trades vs master of one?

6 replies
I am jack of all trades, i can do a little bit of video, little programming, photoshop etc etc.

So its not easy for me to find good paying online gigs/jobs.

SO... I think that a businessman should be jack of all trades.. BUT you can get better jobs only if you master one art/skill..

Do you agree? thoughts?
#jack #master #trades
  • Profile picture of the author damondietz
    Most entrepreneurs wear many hats. The tendancy is also that they start many projects but never see them through to completion. That's me. Jack of all trades. It's hard to stay focused but I would recommend if you are a jack of all trades to stay on task. Set goals. Check them off your to do list. Rinse. Repeat.

    I personally like be a jack of all trades (in business anyhow), it just took practice to stay on the right path.
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  • Profile picture of the author concentrator
    You must master one skill, everyone can do a littlte of everything, you should make a difference to be in demand.
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  • Profile picture of the author HumbleGuy
    That's a really interesting topic, I am jack of all trades. Maybe something more than that, something in-between mastery and jack of all trades.

    Why did I chose this path? Because I had to be on the business side of things where I really wanted to know it all for handling things well.

    Though, it's always good to have one on-fire skill where you're the ONLY champion in your domain. Best of luck friends!
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  • Profile picture of the author ReferralCandy
    Learn something about everything and everything about something. You've already got the first bit settled, and that'll help you communicate with people better.

    Work on having a core specialization that you're really good at. That's what makes you really useful and valuable.
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  • Profile picture of the author Moneymaker2012
    I never agreed with this statement. A man can be a master of everything (at least 7-8 things). If you can be a master of one thing, then you can be a master of the second thing more easily. You Only need one BRAIN for this.
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  • Profile picture of the author rickdangelo
    This is quite interesting. I think you'll find many warriors here that are jack of all trades. That's because we're mostly "solo-preneurs" (forgot where I read that) who have to do everything on our own. We build the site, we do the basic SEO, we even re-do the writing if our ghosts writer messed up pretty bad. And that's not exactly a bad thing. As the old saying, if you want things done right, do them yourself.

    BUT... I have to agree with concentrator. While you may be a jack of all trades, you need to be master of at least one. Or at least be very good at it. That's the one thing you won't outsource when the demand goes beyond your capacity.

    For example, I'm an SEO reseller and I basically outsource all the technical work to my team in the Philippines. I know a bit of SEO but it's not my expertise. However, I do not outsource my sales calls. I can hire a VA but I prefer to do them myself because that's what *I think* I'm good at. I consult with clients personally and call them up in case there's anything urgent about their projects. My clients like that too because they're small businesses and they appreciate the dedication *coughs* I give them.

    Rick
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