ARE YOU A POLYMATH?
Did you find it difficult to pick up a college major, or to do the same job for the rest of your life?
Do you hesitate when asked "What do you do?", because you simply can't answer it with one word?
Are you struggling to squeeze your skills and in-depth knowledge of several domains into one clear-cut CV?
Do you have to re-model every CV to leave out experience and knowledge that doesn’t fit into the hyper-specialized position you’re applying for?
Do you have to hide your interests from your boss or colleagues, because they may suspect you are wasting energy instead of concentrating on the job?
Or maybe you are a happy, independent professional making use of your mastery in several spheres of knowledge?
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If you answer "yes" to most of this, you could be a polymath!
The scientific analysis of polymathy is still a very young discipline; there has been very limited research into the phenomenon, and there is still no universally accepted definition. The key scholar of polymath studies, Michael Araki, states that:
“Polymathy refers to a life-long and -wide attitude towards knowledge, learning, and creating, which entails the progressive development of three characteristics: breadth, depth, and integration.
“Breadth refers to knowledge that is wide-ranging, covering different and often disparate domains.
“Depth means that this knowledge is significantly profound, whether it refers to technical, epistemic, or experiential knowledge.
“Integration means that this knowledge is significantly integrated and interrelated, which is typically manifested through the development of synergistic networks of enterprise and through the generation of creative products arising from effective combinations of ideas from seemingly disparate domains.”
The depth dimension is particularly important because it is often overlooked. It is the depth dimension that distinguishes a polymath from a generalist, a dilettante, a multipotentialite, etc.
Waqas Ahmed, the author of The Polymath, characterized polymathy in this way:
“Technically, the polymath usually excels in at least three seemingly unrelated fields (‘poly’ meaning more than two). But in reality, to suggest that someone ‘has excelled in’ or ‘is accomplished in’ a particular field would be a relative statement. Accomplishment – just like happiness, success, and intelligence – comes in various forms, and is a generally subjective state of being. Conventional manifestation of accomplishment, however, usually includes any one or a combination of the following: critical acclaim, popular recognition, financial success, publication or exhibition of works, qualification, or award, demonstrated skill and experience.
But even assessing accomplishment simply in terms of a professional or academic discipline is a rather insular and limited way of viewing a polymath. A human being is much more than her ‘profession’ or field. Many-sidedness comes in many forms. So, the real polymath has a type of mind and approach that Is far more substantial and holistic.”
Definition of a Polymath
Aksinya's Services for Polymaths
During my 15+ years of experience in Talent Management and Recruitment, I learned how best to identify polymaths and support them in their careers.
I love to show how to maximize the potential benefits of having diverse skills and experience.
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​Although polymaths showcase impressive resilience and problem-solving skills, they often suffer from the value of their multi-specialized profiles being underestimated, and experience pressure from their social environment forcing them to stick to one career path. In fact, polymaths are frequently some of the most undervalued profiles in the professional world, and no one talks about it!
As someone with polymathic traits myself, I have a great desire to aid anyone walking the path of the polymath.
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I offer one-to-one POLYMATH CAREER COUNSELLING sessions
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Together, we analyze your polymathic profile and design a unique CV that illustrates the added value of your versatility to a potential employer. We will explore a wide variety of exciting career possibilities, and because of your multi-specialization you may discover entirely new opportunities that you had never imagined were possible.
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Join the Polymath Club
Polymaths from all over the world contact me for collaboration.
There are many uplifting ideas and visions of what we collectively can accomplish, if the polymath power is activated!
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Drop me a line with your polymathic profile and I'll get back to you asap.
Please use the form below.
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