In Search of a Core Skill Set
And should you even bother with it?
In Search of a Core Skill Set – And Should You Even Bother with It?
A few weeks ago, someone asked me, “What’s your core skill set?” And, to my embarrassment, I didn’t have a straight answer. I fumbled my way through a summary of everything I’ve done in the last five years — engineering, finance, product management, lending, and building a full-stack product. I think I hoped that if I talked long enough, they'd identify my core skill for me. Spoiler: they didn’t.
This question has been living rent-free in my head ever since. And here I am, attempting to figure out what a core skill set even means, whether it’s worth the existential headache, and if the concept itself is evolving faster than we can keep up with.
My Patchwork of Experiences
If my career was a movie, it would look like a genre-bending indie film: chaotic but interesting. I studied engineering, only to turn into a finance bro during undergrad. I started writing research reports, managing some funds from friends and family. From there, I helped build Goalteller, a personal finance automation startup that forced me to get comfortable with technology, product management, and design.
When that ended, I joined Khatabook, building their lending ops product from scratch. Over time, we scaled it to over 100 crore rupees in monthly disbursals, all flowing through the product that my team and I built. It felt good—building product that had a direct monetary impact. Then came Famo, where I wore every hat possible—engineering, product, and design—essentially handling all the geeky stuff.
Five years of grinding. A lot of learning. And yet, when someone asks what my core skill is, I freeze.
What is a Core Skill Set?
A decade ago, a “core skill” was straightforward: If you were a coder, you wrote code. If you were a designer, you designed. There was comfort in that clarity. Knowing where you fit in the world felt nice. But somewhere along the way, things shifted. Careers became fluid. We started wearing multiple hats, and suddenly “generalist” became both a badge of honor and a polite insult.
Today, your core skill isn’t just about what you do. It’s about how you do it—and how well you can adapt. At least that’s what I think? The best people I’ve worked with aren’t necessarily experts at any one thing. They’re quick learners, problem-solvers, and, crucially, not assholes.
So when someone asks about my core skill set, I wonder: Should it even be a technical skill? Why do we glorify code or design as if they are the only currencies of competence? What if my core skill set is being deeply curious, having high agency, and figuring things out quickly? Is that not enough? Maybe, maybe not.
Do We Even Know What Skill Matters Most?
Looking ahead 30 years, can we really predict what the “best” skill set will be? The pace of change feels dizzying—careers are no longer linear, industries are morphing overnight, and the tools we rely on today might become obsolete tomorrow. In the face of that uncertainty, is it worth obsessing over finding a singular skill to master?
Maybe the better question is: What should we focus on instead? I don’t know if the right answer is to keep diving into new things or double down on one thing relentlessly. In a world where AI will do a lot of the technical stuff, perhaps the real skill will be something very fundamental to high impact—like adaptability, getting your hands dirty solving a real problem, and getting things done. And most importantly, being the kind of person people want to work with.
Still Figuring it Out
If there’s one thing I know for sure, it’s that I can spot problems, build solutions that actually work, and bring together a dream team of high-agency people to execute. But does all that answer the question I started with—what’s my core skill set? Not really.
Most of my career has been in wealth and fintech. Should I double down and embrace being a “fintech founder”? Or should I just keep solving problems that feel meaningful, regardless of the industry, as long as I’m excited about them? Honestly, I don’t know yet. The jury’s still out.
Here’s a curveball I wasn’t expecting—something that hit me after a recent conversation on the same topic with someone I find super interesting (maybe also cause I find her cute?) While we were talking, I found myself wondering: Why am I only thinking about core skills through a professional lens? Aren’t things like being a good listener, being empathetic, or being a good partner are just as important? Why have I been so focused on defining skill sets by what I can do at work instead of how I live my life as a human being? That’s definitely something to chew on.
I haven’t cracked this one, and it’s going to bug me for a while. So if we meet, expect me to ask you this question—I’ll probably try to steal your perspective.
Let’s see where this goes.
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Cheers ✨
Varun