Jill of All Trades

In the modern workplace, it is no longer essential to be a ‘specialist’. What appears to be of much greater value to employers and the market place is a broad base of knowledge and the ability to apply it in practical ways.

The old Greeks had a term to describe such a clever clogs: a polymath (meaning “having learned much”). A more familiar term might be a Renaissance Man, or to give it a feminine touch, a Jill of All Trades.

Whatever the title, such individuals are well educated, or perform well, in a wide variety of subjects or fields and this is an increasingly common expectation of businesses when hiring new employees.

In 2001, a survey by ANTA of employers’ attitudes revealed that the most desirable attributes in prospective employees were:

1. Practicality – a need for people to have the skills to apply their learning. In other words, don’t just know everything about the theory of business planning, but be able to translate that knowledge in a practical way control future risks, manage growth and ensure people development.
2. Enterprise or “soft” skills – a need for basic social skills, like teamwork, interpersonal communication, creativity, initiative, problem-solving and self-discipline.
3. Flexibility and Responsiveness – a need for people who can ensure the business is more flexible and responsive in the delivery of its products and the servicing of the changing needs its customers.

This is clearly not about the number of degrees on your wall or the years you’ve spent in university libraries. Rather, it is the ability to use what knowledge and skills you have to provide the most effective service to the business.

Having worked in higher education, where many of its inhabitants spend most of their lives delving deeper and deeper down the same specialised tunnel, this is a new concept for many people. Often people define themselves and their worth by their secret language, which only they and their intellectual equals can decipher. Even in chat rooms, some of the doctors amongst us cannot bear to be as anonymous as dropping PHD from their usernames!

But the reality is that modern businesses have to be able to pirouette with increasing speed and agility and they need access to people who can provide them with the legs to do so.

This does not mean you have to be Superwoman to excel. Not do you have to sell yourself as an expert in multiple disciplines. Rather, if you have a strong body of knowledge and experience in a particular area, but are also able to turn your hand to other tasks, you are effectively offering your client a bonus – buy one, get a set of steak knives!

All of my work with corporate clients is based on my ability to apply the three attributes listed above. I may be going into a business to review a training system, but while I’m there I might also contribute to the development of their policies and procedures and perhaps also assist in the areas of recruitment or strategic planning. I always endeavour to do so by being flexible to the scope of their needs and by offering practical solutions, communicated in an effective and consultative manner.

The benefit that I gain from stepping out of my specific comfort zone and going the extra mile is the experience and contacts I make in other fields. Not only can I put this to good use on future jobs, but I also stay sharp and engaged, for there is no better workplace than one where you are stimulated and learning every day!

The Jill of All Trades Toolkit:

• A strong body of knowledge – Jill knows that this is necessary to establish credibility with her clients. She is also aware that experience is just as good as ten diplomas in most industries.
• Excellent communication skills – Jill has to be able to convince people of her worth, but this doesn’t mean she carries around a megaphone. Rather, she articulates her strategies, consults with her team, reports on her successes and offers suggestions to further leverage from her good work.
• A creative approach – Jill’s ability to look at issues for another angle is very valuable to a business that may have exhausted the conventional solutions. Just by thinking outside the box, Jill can stimulating ideas and debate - a valuable skill in itself.
• An ability to deliver – Nothing is more depressing that discovering someone is all flash and no substance. Jill avoids talking herself up in areas where she knows she cannot deliver. Instead, she focuses on the areas where her skills can provide the best outcome and makes sure she always delivers what she promises!
• A solid track record – Understandably businesses aren’t too keen to let Jill cut her teeth in their boardrooms. But then, Jill is not about to put herself forward to restructure the sales department just because she loves giving her credit cards a workout! However, if Jill assists on a specialised project, she can get some runs on the board and eventually bid for this sort of work via the experience she had gained.
• Good networks – Jill, being less than superhuman, may not be able to provide a particular service to a business, but she can hook them up with someone who is perfect for the job. By supplying both the business and the contact with a solution, she looks good from all angles!

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