Jack of all trades master of one

Your guide to adapt T-shaped learning.

Nov 21, 2021

I’ve seen people on Twitter and a few podcasts debate whether to be a specialist or a generalist. I would say neither (at least as a student).

There’s something called T-shaped or Pi-shaped learning that people often forget about, mainly because it is a reasonably difficult model to adopt.

But if it were easy, everyone would do it. (Not that we don’t want everyone to do it, but ya know what I mean)

In this edition of MichiSpotlight, we’ll discover how to adapt to a T-shaped learning model while exploring a domain in tech. But first, let’s understand what it is?

What is T-shaped learning?

Why T-shaped people?. A T-shaped person is capable in many… | by Jason Yip | Medium

Capable in a lot of things and expert in one of them.

I don’t want to bore you with definitions, so I’m just going to leave it there.

Let’s understand how one can be an excellent T-shaped learner. There are quite a few ways to do it, but I’ll elaborate on 5 of them.

Let’s go.»

#5: One thing at a time

The tech ecosystem is vast, with a gazillion opportunities, domains, and technologies to learn and pursue. So we need to stay on guard and not let overwhelmed.

You can try to:

Not compete with your peers or get so inspired by them that you end up doing the same thing as them.
To avoid derailing from your path, set very clear goals. Like so clear that your brain just can’t forget ‘em.
Break these goals into tiny objectives and actionable tasks. Just answer the question: “What are the things I need to do to achieve my goals?”

^ This is very important. Reread it.

Vaishnavi Dwivedi @dwvicy

Indian CS students be like: “I want to learn python and have started with Java and C++ (for competitive programming and shiz) and also React cuz I might need that to build websites, but oh no, I don’t know HTML, CSS, or JS. But my ma’am wants me to build a project with ML.”

^^ If you are stuck in this cycle, try to prioritize. You might think that if your ma’am wants you to do something, you should probably start with that. But pursuing ML isn’t wise as a beginner.

Focus on fundamentals. Learn the basic principles of Computer Science.

Focus on the problems you want to solve. Then, choose your tech accordingly.

#4: Have a learning mindset

If you want to be a T-shaped learner, you need to be honest about your expertise and weaknesses to decide what you need to work on.

Don’t think just about the hard skills that are associated with a particular role.

Identify your strengths.

Ask yourself: What areas have you explored deeply in tech till now?

How will you apply your skills in a real setting?

What skills/knowledge do you need to work on?

How are your oral and written communication skills, interpersonal skills, emotional intelligence, decision-making, time management, collaboration, critical thinking, problem-solving, and teamwork?

Once you know what skills you want to acquire, create a plan, write it down in detail with timelines and milestones.

Decide on how to go about developing the skill. What kind of content would you like to consume to learn more - video courses, documentation, Twitter threads, conference talks, workshops, or something else?

It is essential to take ownership of your career - what you can do in your current job and where you’d like to reach.

Sahil Bloom @SahilBloom

The Feynman Technique is a foundational mental model for unlocking growth in your career, startup, business, or writing. A thread on how it works and how it can change your life...

#3: Network like a pro

Network.

Not the kind taught in engineering. (I mean, you can if that’s relevant to you, and also you should if you want to be a “good” software engineer).

Build relationships with people.

Networking is not just about personal gain.

You might not fit in/vibe with everyone but try to find something to bond over or talk about other than just your work.

Use platforms like Twitter and LinkedIn (mostly the former) to connect with like-minded people.

While networking.

Listen closely. Ask questions.

Get to know them holistically.

If you connected with someone new and had an insightful chat with them, send them a note afterward telling them about some key takeaways from your conversation.

If you build a solid network of professionals on socials and otherwise, you would be able to consume a variety of content that will help you keep up with the breadth of knowledge required to be an excellent T-shaped learner.

Also, don’t forget to put out some content of your own. We’ll talk about this more later in the article.

Aadit Sheth @aaditsh

Most people suck at being interesting via DMs. The thing is - it takes a lot of time and effort to do it right. Here are 9 frameworks to stand out from the crowd:

#2: Get yourself a mentor

Calling someone a mentor might be a little awkward for them, although people in the tech ecosystem are really nice and would be happy to help you.

It’s good to get yourself a mentor working in a field that you’d be interested in working in one day.

However, don’t annoy them with silly unreasonable questions like wHaT pRoGrAmMinG laNgUage sHud I leArN?????

Do your research. Use google wisely, and then if you’re still stuck, ask your questions. Do tell your mentor your approach/perspective before asking the question, though.

It would be best if you were direct with them. People are busy with their work. They might not have time to chit-chat.

Marko ⚡ Denic @denicmarko

Use Google like a pro. 🧵

#1: Teach/Preach what you know

I’m not asking you to be a LinkedIn influencer spreading strong opinions like momos in Delhi.

Or start a course on YouTube.

Instead,

You can share your learnings in the form of a technical blog on Dev.to/Hashnode/Medium. (Much more valuable than certificates).
Write threads on Twitter about the topics you’ve learned about (just convert your blog into tweets if you don’t want the extra work). It will help you build your network as well.
Participate in Twitter spaces, conferences, and sessions to interact with a variety of people.
Take notes ruthlessly while studying or listening to insightful podcasts and share them in written content.
Consume quality content via newsletters, Twitter, or podcasts.

Don’t forget to keep coding/designing/BUIDLing/Brainstorming, though. Based on what you do.