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Ask HN: What job can a “jack of all trades” look for?

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Re: Ask HN: What job can a “jack of all trades” look for?

#121

Post by prewett »

Try freelance focusing on making MVPs or early-stage products. I’ve always been a jack of all trades, and it never felt like an asset until I started freelancing. Oh, the 3D engine you want me to optimize is Typescript, not C# as advertised or C++ as I was hoping to talk you into? Guess I’m learning Typescript today, ... Oh, your iOS app needs an AWS server set up? Never had to use AWS before (I do mostly apps, not servers, and it was a native iOS project), but some old Linux sysadmin knowledge enables me to jump in and get something running.

You’ll inevitably need to learn something brand new, and you get to pick your clients. After a few successful projects you start looking really appealing as a generalist.

Try Toptal or Moonlight, post on the monthly HN who wants a freelancer post, and reach out locally for clients.

Re: Ask HN: What job can a “jack of all trades” look for?

#122

Post by rossdavidh »

Lots of great suggestions here, including JOAT doing better at small or startup companies. One other thought I'd like to add is, if what you actually dislike about your current situation is the isolation, then you should start a group for JOAT's, and set up a forum or other method in which such people can lean on each other's experience and skills. I see from the responses to this question that there are a lot of people in your situation, and it may be that what is needed is a professional organization tailored to their type of role. This would fix the issues of brainstorming, someone to ask for advice on a tech decision, sharing war stories, etc.

On the other hand, if you're really just looking for a different employer, then either find a similar position at a different small company, or go DevOps, because that is the one right now where the need is so desperate that they will hire someone with mixed experience instead of insisting on a specialist. But, beware, people who fell naturally into being a JOAT, often don't like becoming specialists after a year or so.

Re: Ask HN: What job can a “jack of all trades” look for?

#123

Post by crucialfelix »

wallflower wrote: post #24
ScottFree wrote: post #9

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Let's say a programmer was looking to make that change. Where would he start? Are there training programs? What kind of company would provide a gentle introduction? Is it easier to navigate the politics of a small company creating their own product compared to a large consulting company that provides staff augmentation services?

This is a story about a developer going to project management from developer. Speaking from the experience of a friend, they started out by talking with their manager that they did not want to be a developer in the long term. Shortly thereafter, the manager announced to the team that the developer was going to start taking on project management tasks (like managing the project using Microsoft Project and leading the…

Grandparent was suggesting Product Management, not Project.

Re: Ask HN: What job can a “jack of all trades” look for?

#124

Post by giantg2 »

I'm a generalist too, or as someone else put it - a serial specialist. You could just stagnate until you retire. That's basically what I'm doing, but for slightly different reasons.

Promotions and ratings at my company are very subjective and political. I've had quite a few people over the past 4 years thinking that I was a level higher than I actually am (I'm a dev, people have even mistaken me a tech lead), one of them even offered me a next level position. The subject and technology were not interesting and it was a dead end career-wise (prior to my acceptance ofstagnation). But I have also had a couple of managers that say stuff like 'not everyone has the potential to get to the next level' or 'I hired you because I could see you being a senior dev or tech lead in a couple years, but I don't think that anymore'.

Basically, you might be better off just accepting that you hit your peak and enjoy the brief moments that you find yourself doing something interesting rather than torment yourself with looking for the next promotion or change.

Re: Ask HN: What job can a “jack of all trades” look for?

#125

Post by akcreek »

exterrestrial wrote: post #73
akcreek wrote: post #68

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I was in college at the time, so student loans kept me afloat. I was definitely not using that money correctly, but I believed I was using it wisely. The first acquisition was funded by a loan from my parents for $44K. That was a large sum for them, but they believed they would see it again and they have always wanted to help my siblings and I in any way possible. It turned out to be one of their better investments a…

>The first acquisition was funded by a loan from my parents for $44K. Thanks for being honest. It might help to put this in the first comment though.

Raising money from friends and family is certainly a common path to entrepreneurship, but it is far from the only.

My original point was that acquisition entrepreneurship could be an option for someone with a broad skillset like the OP. How I funded the first one doesn't really impact that as everyone will have a different path and I simply took the one that was available to me at the time.

If an existing path can't be found then it will have to be made. That could mean working and saving for a while, starting a side project with the goal of it becoming a profitable business, partnering with a friend and earning equity through sweat, etc.

Re: Ask HN: What job can a “jack of all trades” look for?

#126

Post by czbond »

raydev wrote: post #111
czbond wrote: post #81

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Why? Means little. You can put a $44k deal together, even if you're a college student with no connections. It takes vision, some hustle, and an action plan. You might not think you can, but I sure know many can (including you and others reading this). Most sellers are open to creative deals. No money down, seller financing (this applies to real estate and software).

> even if you're a college student with no connections. Unless you mean community college, just by virtue of being in college you are exposed to a network of people who have money.

Keep looking for excuses, you'll find them. I mean that in a firmly supportive way.

I'm not suggesting every deal can find a team. If it was already cashflowing and has assets, it is much easier to put a deal together. Software startups, conversely, often have neither and compete in a non-local market.

Re: Ask HN: What job can a “jack of all trades” look for?

#127

Post by TamDenholm »

akcreek wrote: post #51

I have a wide-ranging self-taught skill set as well that I've developed over the last 14 years of running my own businesses. I'll share what I'm doing from a high level as it might not be the most common path. I've been acquiring small but promising businesses that don't have the right team in place to move them forward. I bootstrap them on my own and replace my roles as the business can afford staff. Once enough rol…

This is basically me and my skillset and trajectory but UK based. Its something i'd love to do with others. I noticed you're in Seattle so not in the same country or i'd get in touch to talk.

If anyone like this is in the UK and wants to get in touch, email in profile.

Re: Ask HN: What job can a “jack of all trades” look for?

#130

Post by whytaka »

raydev wrote: post #117
exterrestrial wrote: post #73

Earlier quoted context omitted.

>The first acquisition was funded by a loan from my parents for $44K. Thanks for being honest. It might help to put this in the first comment though.

People are really upset with this comment because they think you're implying OP didn't do any work or that OP doesn't deserve it. It doesn't much matter to me whether OP has "earned" their position of power, only that they had an enormous boost early in their career. Just because $44k seems like pocket change to some people on this forum doesn't mean it's still an incredible amount of money that offers a fair amount…

I don't see how it's relevant at all.

OP just explained what they did. Not to gloat but to explain their situation. What does it matter to you that they got help doing it?

I have 44k to invest if I really believed in something and I come from very modest means with no family help. If the stars align, it's a possibility. That's all you should take from their comment.

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