Jack Of All Trades? Or Specialization? 
my comment on this audio post:
So, I think that being a “jack-of-all” is one thing, marketing yourself as such is another.
My first couple years in the industry I worked almost 50/50 at both print and web design before moving into a senior web design position where my job then became almost exclusively web based. I feel like I am skilled at both, and confident working in both, but I think where a lot of designers who go back and forth trip up is that they are usually better at one than the other …but they represent both equally in their marketing, and it ends up devaluing them.
If I look at a designers portfolio and I see 10 awesome print pieces, they are perceived in my eyes as top of their game …however when I see 5 amazing print pieces with 5 “ehh” web design projects this pulls their status dooowwwwnnnn. Clients aren’t viewing this from a standpoint as another designer would where they understand how vastly different the 2 mediums are, they just see that half of the work in your portfolio is a little below par.
I have definitely chosen to market my studio in the web design niche. I have a few print pieces in my portfolio, but its the web work I push, it is the bulk of my income and print becomes this added bonus clients can get.
I love design in general, but it is web that really gets my blood pumping, so that’s why I have chose to focus on that more. By narrowing my scope, I am able to more efficiently stay up-and-up with emerging technologies, trends and advances in my niche, I’m able to speak more specifically to my clients about their web solutions because for me that is the meat… (i know, a weird analogy coming from a vegetarian, eh?)
