A lot of people fall into marketing, they start their careers in a role that they don’t quite understand and are expected to learn as they go along.
They can either begin in a broad role, gaining a holistic view of marketing channels and where they intersect and interplay as a generalist, or in a specialised role, mastering a niche with deep technical expertise to communicate its intricacies and potential.
Speaking with both generalists and specialists professionals searching for new opportunities, I’ve heard feedback from Generalists who feel they are losing out on opportunities to Specialists and vice versa, Specialists who feel they are losing out to Generalists.
The Generalist Marketer vs Specialist Marketer debate has been going on for years.
Ultimately, everyone feels like they are losing, and job seekers don’t quite understand what employers are looking for, or how they should position themselves.
So I decided to speak with a number of Marketing and Branding experts to understand the market, what businesses are looking for, how marketers can adapt to the demands of the job market and if businesses have a preference between Specialists and Generalists.
What Do Marketing Generalists Do?
Marketing generalists are versatile professionals who thrive on variety and enjoy wearing many hats. They are often referred to as the "connectors" of the marketing world because of their ability to work across teams and disciplines, connecting dots between otherwise disconnected teams.
They usually enjoy working in varied roles (variety is the spice of life some say!), are curious, loving to learning about new channels in areas not always directly within their remit and enjoy working across different teams, taking a wide lens view of the marketing landscape.
Types of Roles Generalists Thrive In:
Campaign Planning and Management: Plan, create, and execute marketing campaigns across channels such as PPC, email, and social media.
Content Management: Develop and manage content for web and marketing collateral.
Data Analysis: Monitor and analyse campaign performance metrics and optimise future campaigns.
Project Coordination: Communicate marketing efforts and report results to leaders, teams, and stakeholders.
Generalists can be limited in the depth of knowledge about a particular area. As Tom Barker shared: “I wanted a broader role where I was pulling the strings, and every day was different and actively pursued in planning. A few years down the line I questioned this decision after a chance meeting involving a junior specialist who illustrated greater expertise of an area. It made me question “If I don’t have specialist knowledge, am I becoming redundant?” Tom then looked to specialise and ending up on unique projects focussing innovation and cutting-edge technologies.
What Do Marketing Specialists Do?
Specialists are experts in a specific area of marketing, delving deeply into technical or niche fields. They focus on honing one or two core skills to perfection, making them integral for high-impact projects or roles requiring precision.
They are usually fascinated by their area of expertise, and constantly looking at new trends or innovations that will impact their field, so they become the subject matter experts. They enjoy having a clear focus and doing one thing exceptionally well.
Types of Roles Specialists Thrive In:
SEO
PPC
Email/CRM
Paid Social
Affiliates
Display
Social Media
Influencer Marketing
Simon Hurrell explains the value of specialists: “Specialists stand out when their expertise brings unique insights to campaigns. While collaboration is key, their depth of knowledge in one area often drives high-impact results.”
Specialists can be limited in their knowledge of other marketing channels, how to adapt and adopt different approaches. Laura Chamberlain points out that traditionally Specialists had a “glass ceiling” and there are a limited number of opportunities for them above which limited their opportunities to progress further.
Differences Between Generalists and Specialists
While both generalists and specialists are crucial to marketing teams, their roles and approaches differ significantly.
The traditional view of the types of roles and businesses is as below:
Tom argues SME’s, Startups and Scaleups still require Specialists, and vice versa large organisations still need Generalists. “Good, senior generalists write strategy regardless of business size, which pulls everyone into one defined direction, all focused on their 'north star' which achieves the businesses' absolute goal. Otherwise, you can have half a dozen departments all doing their own things, probably very well, but not aligned to each other or the company's overall target.”
Matching Specialists or Generalists to large or small organisations, is an outdated way to approach job hunting. Nowadays, it requires an understanding of the organisation, the experience and skills they value when hiring and ensuring you apply to the right type of businesses.
What do hiring manager’s want?
Simon mentions “Candidates stand out when they demonstrate broader knowledge and ambition to grow beyond their current expertise.”
This perspective aligns closely with the concept of T-shaped marketers, as well as newer models like V-shaped and Pie-shaped marketers. These “shapes” reflect how marketers balance depth in specific areas with versatility across multiple functions.
It’s no longer just about being a generalist or a specialist. Hiring Manager’s are looking for people who are a bit of both.
What Is a T-Shaped Marketer?
Deep expertise in one area, complemented by broad knowledge across others.
Example: An SEO expert with working knowledge of content marketing, paid media, and analytics.
What Is a V-Shaped Marketer?
Has a broad knowledge across a wide area of marketing, but deeper knowledge within several specialisms.
What Is a Pie-Shaped Marketer?
Will have a broad knowledge like T and V shaped marketers, but 2 or more deep specialisms.
Laura feels there is a certain demand for Pi-Shaped Marketer and that traditionally Specialists would hit a glass ceiling as they only focussed on a small area. CMO’s are expected to understand the full marketing mix, even if they don’t have hands on experience in all areas. “People need to reflect on their ambition, and intentionally plan the direction they would like to take their career. There is nothing wrong about reaching the top within a niche area that you’ve specialised within, but there will be a lot of competition from other senior professionals for more senior roles.”
Lou Nylander feels the label of T-shaped, V-shaped or Pi-Shaped aren’t as important as building a broader skillset. She states there is nothing wrong with being a specialist and people can go on to have successful careers. But when searching for a new role, specialists need to be able to differentiate themselves from the competition. This is where more general knowledge or experience can be beneficial.
Tom argues that Specialist and Generalists have become more of a contextual thing. Generalists can become good strategic leaders as they bring a breadth of knowledge, and specialists can learn about other areas. He notes that there has been a lack of demand for strategic leaders recently, and businesses are favouring CMO’s at the top, and the specialist executioners at the bottom, but the middle areas have suffered. This happens in a tough economy. The issue with this he mentioned is “departments lose the people who foster collaboration between teams and departments, and siloed teams lose sight of the big picture as they only focus on their small world.”
Jema Avedian agrees emphasising that companies “need the broader person with big picture to pull everyone together and ensure everyone is working in a more collaborative manner”, otherwise things will go awry as they lose sight of the larger business objectives.
Lou notes, during economic difficulty business will favour Performance Marketing over Branding as the more immediate return can be seen. But to stand out in a tough economy, job seekers with an understanding of more than one channel or expertise can offer perspective employers more value.
As an example, a company looking for a Paid Search Manager may opt for a Search Manager to work on both Paid Search and SEO. They are bringing a greater depth of knowledge and will offer more to a perspective employer.
Lou points out, learning about other channels so as not to become siloed is as important as developing the hands-on skills. Her own example relates to her managing design teams without being a designer. She has an appreciation of their skills, has learnt enough about their craft to effectively communicate with them, whilst ensuring they understand her opinions from a marketing perspective.
Whether you’re pursuing specialisation or diversification, positioning yourself effectively is key to advancing your digital marketing career path UK.
Here’s how to frame your value:
Understand Your Skills and Competencies
Laura advises focusing on three elements:
Knowledge: Foundational marketing concepts, tools, and strategies.
Competencies: Your ability to apply that knowledge effectively.
Skills: Unique qualities such as problem-solving, leadership, and teamwork that differentiate you.
“Skills are where you can truly add value to prospective employers. They are what set you apart.” Laura Chamberlain
Align Your Expertise with Job Descriptions
Other contributors we spoke with emphasised the importance of tailoring applications:
“If the job requires a generalist and you’re a specialist (or vice versa), it’s an uphill battle.” Look at the role you’re applying for and make sure it matches what you can bring to the role.
Leverage Networking and Your Portfolio
Laura reminds professionals that many opportunities are never publicly advertised:
“Networking is still the thing. Many jobs are filled before they go to market.”
Show a willingness to expand your boundaries
Simon has hired both specialist and generalists. “Show a willingness to go beyond what you already know, that you understand what the team next to you is doing and you have an appreciation for other disciplines, whether or not they complement yours”.
Adapt and Upskill Continuously
Cristian Calls underscores the importance of lifelong learning:
“Stay open to learning and testing new things. The world changes quickly, and so should you.”
Lou emphasises the need to continuously learn. “You need to love what you do, and that passion will drive you to explore what’s new in the industry and explore what will be needed tomorrow.”
Conclusion: What’s the Career Path for Marketing?
In the end, the choice between generalist and specialist is not about better or worse—it’s about context. Businesses value marketers who can align their skills with specific objectives, whether that’s delivering measurable returns or driving collaboration across teams.
If you’re looking to explore exciting digital marketing career opportunities or need expert advice on hiring top-tier talent get in contact here or to submit a brief click here, we’d love to support you. Contact us today to take the next step.
A huge thank you to all of our contributors and special mention to: