In tech, people often ask: "Generalist or specialist?" After working in the field, I've found that being a jack of many trades is powerful.
The tech job market is tough right now. Fierce competition, oversupply of talent with lower demand. Having other skillset is crucial to stay current and grow.
From Designer to Developer
I started as a UI designer, making things look good and easy to use. But I soon realized I needed to learn coding to get better. Understanding how things are built became important.
"As designers, we often obsess over pixel-perfect mockups. But understanding development allows us to create interfaces that are not only beautiful but feasible to implement." This cross-disciplinary knowledge fosters collaboration and leads to superior products.
This pushed me to become a frontend engineer, where I found new challenges and chances to grow. Why not a design engineer? I still need to learn a lot more about this field.
Standing Out
As a frontend engineer, I know many people can do the basics like turning designs into websites, cutting up designs from Figma, and handling core technical needs. To be different, I had to do more and need to be unique in some way. I used my design background to add extra skills.
I started adding smooth microinteraction to make websites feel nicer. I got better at using Figma to bridge design and coding. I'm also thinking about learning Framer to mix design and code even more.
Keep Learning
Having many skills doesn't guarantee success, but it's given me more chances. Remember, in the world of tech, adaptability, stay motivated, and continuous learning are your greatest assets. By embracing the generalist path, I've not only survived but thrived in this dynamic and challenging industry.