What if you have too many skills, but not enough specialties?

We're back with another of your engineering career questions. This time, we have a question from Matt, who's got a doozy:

Where most engineers are able to focus on specific accomplishments within a field of choice, my career was forced into customer service and tackling a wide variety of skills. I eventually became good at working with customers, but have been laid off a few times because the business was bad even though I have a lot of success stories.

Now, my career is a trainwreck of mixed skills and odd jobs with no pattern-matching titles, to the point where even when I tell a manager "I want this job", they don't believe me.

What can someone with electrical and computer engineering education do with experiences in customer service and miscellaneous software, hardware, and project management roles but not enough in any one area to be a solid expert?

Well Matt, the way I see it, you've got some valuable skills, even if they're not pointing your career in exactly the direction you want.

Customer service is a great skill, and companies need employees that can bridge the gap between techies and non-techies. You could take these skills and talents into sales, management, or other areas.

But it seems like you're more interested in going back in the direction of engineering. I think you have a few options.

First of all, re-think your resume. Downplay the customer service aspects and play up the aspects that are most appropriate for the jobs you're seeking. Don't lie, just call attention to the truth you want to be perceived.

Second, try to get some more experience in your engineering field of choice. You can do this part-time by volunteering on some non-profit projects (check volunteermatch.org) or consulting on small projects for for-profit companies or start-ups.

Third, look at your career in the long term. Take some courses, attend conferences, and meet peers in the area you most want to focus in. It might take 2 or 3 years to re-focus your career, but it might be necessary to gain the new skills you need to be perceived as an "expert."

Good luck!