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Job titles are important, but not for self-gratification. Consider you are
the de-facto manager of a publications group comprising a three writers and
an artist. You delegate projects, make decisions for the publications suites
and projects, you are the point of contact for the group, you hire and fire
and recommend raises, etc., yet your title is "Senior Technical Writer,"
because that's all the company has ever had. Now, let's say its time to move
on (for whatever reason), a company looking to hire someone with such
experience would be more attracted to somebody with a business card that
said "Technical Publications Manager" than "Senior Technical Writer," all
things being equal. Why? Because the job title brings with it baggage, the
job title itself communicates a certain aura based on the reader's
expectations.
There are other reasons, including interactions with other managers and
employees, interactions with vendors, and the like. In these cases, for
those who don't have your resume or CV handy or memorized, the job title
speaks for your training, education, and experience, and gives the person
with whom you are dealing an idea of what to expect from you and what level
of discussion to expect.
In the UK, is an admiral happy to be called captain or lieutenant in that
the admiral and those close to him know his training, education, experience,
and resume/CV, so he is happy to not use the appropriate job title? If you
were a defense contractor or employee, would you have different expectations
talking to a guy with the job title of admiral than you would have talking
to a guy with the job title of captain, lieutenant, or cabin boy?
(Feel free to substitute "bloke" for "guy" where appropriate <vbg>.)
Cheers,
Sean
sean -at- quodata -dot- com
> -----Original Message-----
> From: pkingston -at- nomadsoft -dot- co -dot- uk [SMTP:pkingston -at- nomadsoft -dot- co -dot- uk]
> Is it just my impression, or do North American Hi-Tech workers seem to
> attach a large amount of importance to their job titles?
>
> My experience of working in the UK has been the opposite. I'd be
> interested
> in any comments, offline if appropriate.
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A landmark hotel, one of America's most beautiful cities, and
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IPCC 01, Oct. 24-27 in Santa Fe. http://ieeepcs.org/2001/
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