Skill Strategy: Generalist (Full Stack) vs Specialist (Niche)

In the software industry, you are paid for Scarcity. There are two ways to be scarce: Be the best at what everyone does (Generalist), or be the only one who does what nobody else does (Specialist).

The Generalist (Full Stack / Java / MERN)

• The Market: Huge. Every company, from a bakery to Google, needs a website and backend.
• The Supply: Massive. Every bootcamp churns out MERN stack developers.
• Strategy: To win here, you must be in the top 10%. “Good” is not enough; you must be “Great.”
• Safety: High. If React dies, you switch to Vue. If Node dies, you switch to Go. The concepts transfer.

The Specialist (Blockchain / Rust / AI Efficiency)

• The Market: Tiny. Only specific startups or divisions use these tech stacks.
• The Supply: Non-existent. Finding a good Rust developer is a nightmare for recruiters.
• Strategy: You don’t need to be a genius; you just need to be competent. The lack of competition gives you massive leverage (salary negotiation).
• Safety: Low. If the “Crypto Winter” hits, Blockchain jobs vanish overnight. Specialization is a leverage play, not a safety play.

Comparison Matrix

Feature	Generalist (e.g., Java/React)	Specialist (e.g., Solidity/Cobol)
Job Volume	Very High	Low
Starting Salary	Moderate	High (Premium)
Interview Difficulty	High (Competition)	Low (Availability)
Career Risk	Low (Adaptable)	High (Binary)

Conclusion

Choose Generalist IF:

• You are a fresher entering the industry. You need to understand the whole stack first.
• You prioritize job security and option value.

Choose Specialist IF:

• You have 3+ years of experience and want to break the salary ceiling.
• Checking the job market confirms a “Supply Shock” in that specific niche.
• You have an obsessive interest in that specific heavy-tech domain.

Verdict: Start as a Generalist. Build the T-shaped profile. Learn how the web works. Once you have a job, spend your weekends learning the Niche. Do not begin your career as a hyper-specialist; it makes you fragile to market shifts.