The other day, I was at my favorite purveyor of massage chairs and Skymall catalog-esque items in the whole world, Brookstone. And yes, I’m well aware that they’re pretty much the only purveyor of massage chairs and Skymall catalog-esque items now that the Sharper Image has gone out of business, but my point still stands. After all, I never saw any TempurPedic slippers at any Sharper Image stores! Then again, I never looked that hard for them. But I digress.
While looking around at their great selection of combination book light/digital camera/can opener/pliers (available in eight metallic colors!) and iPod charger/flashlight/keyring organizer/stopwatches, I came across this little guy. His name is Bob Wobble.
Okay, so until our eventual machine overlords tell us otherwise, I guess that Bob Wobble does not really have a gender. But I’ve never met any women named Bob. Anyway, Mr. Wobble has several functions, including a clock, an alarm clock, a calendar, a thermometer, and a timer. He is also egg-shaped, so he wobbles but does not fall over or roll around too much. Bob is also a perfect example of being “well-lopsided.”
I first heard this term when my high school guidance counselor was talking to me about how to gain a particular competitive advantage in college applications. And yes, I’m aware that we’ve been talking about specializations this week, but in this case, we’re talking total immersion.
This is about having an all-encompassing, truly expert-level understanding of the ins and outs of a program, procedure, management style, or something similar. Whereas being a specialist will leave you open to being adept in other areas, to be truly “well-lopsided,” one must have an disproportionate amount of knowledge and skill in one area compared to all others.
Now you’re probably thinking something like, Why should I devote that much time to something like that? I’m not looking for one key position, and I can’t afford to! Be not afraid, intrepid reader! This is not about becoming a super-genius in one area of study, but rather more about how to make yourself look better when competing with them for a job.
For every open position out there, there are dozens, if not hundreds of people who fit the exact criteria that the posters are looking for. Whether it be experience, education, industry work or prior positions, there are “perfect candidates” that fit the mold. And they do it without having to lie on an interview, cover letter or resume. These people are so well-lopsided that it looks as if they are a perfect fit in every conceivable way. This is their weakness.
While you may not have as great of a command on coding C# or designing fonts or recommending stocks, as a specialist (instead of a “well-lopsided”-ist) will have a broader and more comprehensive knowledge base. This means that you can have a better understanding of the work of those around you, of the company as a whole, and your role within it. Provided that you’re not a square peg trying to fit into a round hole, your expansive knowledge and experience means that you can offer the company more than just being great at exactly what they’re looking for. Because while someone who meets all their criteria might be able to do that job amazingly, anyone who has ever worked for more than a couple of days can tell you that your employers will ask you to do a lot of things that were not in the job description.
So, provided that you can be a good asset to your new potential employer, there’s no reason that you can’t overtake a well-lopsided candidate like Bob Wobble. I mean, he’s shaped like an egg!
