{"id":2144,"date":"2014-02-15T13:42:54","date_gmt":"2014-02-15T21:42:54","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/careersingovernment.com\/tools\/?p=2144"},"modified":"2017-07-12T15:06:06","modified_gmt":"2017-07-12T22:06:06","slug":"combining-disciplines-can-help-career","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.careersingovernment.com\/tools\/gov-talk\/about-gov\/public-sector-trends\/combining-disciplines-can-help-career\/","title":{"rendered":"How Combining Disciplines Can Help Your Career"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Confused<\/a>The idea of a career<\/i> as a pre-determined and linear path is being challenged in many areas of working life.\u00a0 An increasingly common experience is a changing set of mini-careers, like riding a carousel rather than climbing a ladder, where you get on and off at various times of your life.<\/p>\n

At one end of the generational spectrum, young people are not staying long in the same place early in their careers.\u00a0 Itchy feet caused by discomfort with the modern workplace, uninspiring jobs and work environments alongside disillusioned\u00a0 lifers or a heightened sense that meaning matters more than money?<\/p>\n

At the other end, older workers who have spent years in the same organisations and public institutions are either in survival mode, being made redundant or jumping ship into what they really wanted to do when they were younger.<\/p>\n

Both scenarios mean coping with or embracing uncertainty.\u00a0 Working longer or in multiple careers is likely to mean developing your T-shape<\/i> – having a deeper understanding in at least one field, as well as familiarity with a broader range of disciplines.<\/p>\n

In praise of generalists<\/b><\/p>\n

Generalists have had a hard time of it over the years.\u00a0 A career path that takes someone to different organisations, roles and types of work can be seen by a future employer as uncertain, unclear, reactive and lacking in ambition.\u00a0 Yet, it might purely be down to whatever work someone can get because of market conditions.<\/p>\n

Alternatively, it may have been a conscious choice by the individual who has either transferred their skills and capabilities to a different setting or sought a new challenge and learned new capabilities.\u00a0 This is still very common in the UK Civil Service where many staff with long service move every 2 or 3 years for variety or interest, personal development or to freshen things up in that area and to allow other people opportunities.<\/p>\n

In other words, their generalism is their specialism.\u00a0 The obvious criticism is being the proverbial jack of all trades and master of none.\u00a0 The reality in many cases is jack of all trades and master of many, building a breadth and depth of expertise that is built upon, re-visited or re-interpreted for the benefit of others in a virtuous spiral.<\/p>\n

The transdisciplinary path<\/b><\/p>\n

Transdisiplinarity<\/a> is the jargon – literacy in and ability to understand concepts across multiple disciplines.\u00a0 If you follow a transdisciplinary path, prospective employers will…<\/p>\n