For those outside the US, The Cheesecake Factory is a moderately upscale restaurant chain in the US best known not for its cheesecake, but rather for its extensive cross-cuisine menu.

Pizzas? You got it. Burgers? Yup. Italian? You bet. Chinese? Coming right up.

And honestly, it’s all pretty good.

The something-for-everyone approach works for them, as they cater well to large groups with disparate tastes: families, friend groups, birthdays, office lunches.

Their large, spiral-bound menu provides an option for nearly every palate, dietary restriction, and culinary mood.

Result: everyone walks away moderately satisfied.

However, when an individual has a craving for any given cuisine, Cheesecake Factory isn’t the first place they go.

In fact, if you search ‘Italian dinner’ in Google Maps, Cheesecake Factory is unlikely to even show up, despite a page or two of pastas in their comically lengthy menu.

There’s a time and place (and audience!) for a generalist approach. But when a client is seeking a solution to a specific problem, they’re looking for a specialist with expertise in that area - not someone who happens to also do what they need.

If your resume, website, or LinkedIn profile looks like a Cheesecake Factory menu, it may be time to choose a cuisine.

💡

-Wes

Photo credit: Thrillist​