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Re: Finding content in your job title


From: Laurens Vets <laurens () daemon be>
Date: Wed, 31 Mar 2010 17:26:56 +0200

This is perhaps a rather silly question, but one that I'd like to have
answered.

I'm young in the game, and over the years I've imagined numerous job
titles that should go on my business card. They went from cool, to
high-priority, to plain unimaginable.

Now, after 10 years, I reflect back on what I've done, and what I do
now. To me, if a business is loose-knit with no clear job descriptions
or titles (ie. too small to have CXO etc), I feel that a business card
should reflect what one feels is the primary job responsibility, or what
they do the most (or love the most).

For instance, I like to present myself as a 'network engineer'. I have
never taken formal education, don't hold any certifications (well, since
2001), and can't necessarily prove my worth.

How does the ops community feel about using this designation? Is it
intrusive or offensive to those who hold real engineering degrees? I'm
content with 'network manager', given that I still do perform (in my
sleep) numerous system tasks and have to sometimes deal with front-line
helpdesk stuff.

Instead of acting like I'm trying to sell myself out, I'll leave out
what I actually do and ask those who sig themselves with 'network
engineer' what they do day-to-day to acquire that title, and if they
feel comfortable with having it.


When the University I worked for went all touchy-feely and told us to
pick titles for ourselves I wanted to use "Savant".

They wouldn't let me, so I tried "Jack Of All Trades".

Vetoed.

So I just stayed with the cards I had that said Associate Director for
Telecommunications and Computers.

Which is about as void of meaning then and now as anything I have ever
heard of.

I actually held the title "Super Security Engineer" at my previous company according to my business cards. Now that I think of it, I need new business cards, any ideas? :)


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