This is a question I have struggled with in the early part of my career. Coincidentally, this is the exact question I have been discussing in a blog series. I'm linking to these posts at the end. Read them (and watch the videos) for details. Here is the summary:
In the early part of the career, do as many things as possible. This way you will know what you like and what comes naturally to you. This includes languages like go, swift, node etc, but also other business functions like marketing, business analysis.
Once you nail few areas, go deep into them. Build your expertise.
Know that you don't have to know everything and that too not now. We take about 5 - 6 years to master a skill. So you can build your career in a layered fashion.
If you follow this pattern, then you become a T-shaped expert as Ben says. The top guys in the military are known as "generals".
This is a question I have struggled with in the early part of my career. Coincidentally, this is the exact question I have been discussing in a blog series. I'm linking to these posts at the end. Read them (and watch the videos) for details. Here is the summary:
If you follow this pattern, then you become a T-shaped expert as Ben says. The top guys in the military are known as "generals".
Like every advice, this advice is contextual.
If you need more details, read these posts:
Should you specialize or generalize? What Jack Ma & Derek Sivers says about this: jjude.com/specialize-or-generalize/
The curse of everything and now: jjude.com/all-and-now/
You got 11 lives. Live to master 11 areas: jjude.com/11-lives/
I like most of these points, however for accuracy "marketing, business analysis" are not developer roles.
Right Andrew. But when you come up in career (even as a developer), these skills (marketing, especially) help you accelerate your career.