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Need to print cards for an employee and I'm trying to figure out his title. His previous title was "windows solution director" but it's somewhat unconventional and not exactly correct.
I was thinking about changing it to "business solutions director" or "software solutions director." Are there any sites which provide suggestions on titles? Do you guys have any input?
Thanks.
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why are they hung up on titles anyway?
Most people in small biz are way better off with lesser titles. I always laugh at the "president/CEO" cards.
Why not simply "Business Solutions" or Software Solutions" instead of trying to impress people with something else?
If it ain't Adobe, Apple, M$, etc., how impressive is such a title anyway?
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Grand Poobah
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It's part of the advertising. For example, I used to call myself a "web developer." However, by saying "web" it locked me out of a lot of intranet projects. Sure people who know, know that an intranet uses pretty much the same technologies as a web site, but the people who are in charge hear "web" and think we can't do it.
"Business Solutions" is not an employee title, it's a department title, IMHO.
It also gives the people clout when pursuing a client. They think "oh, you sent the 'business solutions manager' to talk with me, not just some account executive."
If it ain't Adobe, Apple, M$, etc., how impressive is such a title anyway?
Not sure what you mean. Are you saying if the employee isn't working for one of those companies, the title doesn't matter? Or if the client isn't one of those it doesn't matter?
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I'm saying, as someone who has counseled more people about job changes in a day, than most people make changes in their entire LIVES, titles mean nothing.
When you leave it at "Business Solutions" then it says the person is a member of a biz solutions team or is a problem solver.
If you need something slightly more descriptive, add "Specialist" or similar addition to serve as your descriptor.
Manager/Director/Vice President of.... none of these are helpful in making clear that the person is the one creating the answer to their problem.
And again, if you are a small company, the fact that you are in the door is all the "clout" you need. I've been dealing with the top 100 companies for a decade and a half.
My card says Executive Search Consultant - and nothing more. I'm not "Robert Half" or Bearing Point or IBM Global Services. If I were ... then my title would probably say "Systems Staffing Consultant" or similar.
What I can do says far more than what a piece of paper says I can do. You defeat your own purpose if someone finds out that the "whatever MANAGER" is also the "whatever only employee for that task."
You lose credibility you can never regain.
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and when you get the question.... "How large a team do you have within the BIz Solutions/WinDuds/whatever?"
and the answer is something like zero, 1, 2, 3, 5......
then the question that will automatically come to mind is "so... there is a manager and then a director.... for this many people?? So the director manages a manager who manages himself and 1 other person?"
Don't put yourself in positions that you can't address with pride. Chief Software Architect and "the only programmer on staff" are pretty much the same thing. Some places will nod politely and never call you again for inflating your credentials.
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Equal Opportunity Fondler/Antagonist
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Avoid titles that sound like department heads and find a title that expresses the professional capabilities of the person.
For example, I am a one man show, run my own business currently and my title is Creative Director. I am hired both asa graphic design as well as a creative director, to come and supervise photography shoots etc, or to review and change exisiting creative work done for my client by others. It's an industry term... to provide the creative direction on a project ....
I think there is a balance to be struck that conveys the level at which the professional can perform and the relevance of their position in the current company.
"Software Solution Architect - Software Solutions Engineer"
or as jimmypoo suggests above.. .. "Exective Software Engineer" =D
3p
