Re: Finding content in your job title

[Dave CROCKER <dhc2 () dcrocker net>]

On 3/30/2010 8:14 PM, Steve Bertrand wrote:
> 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.


We exchange business cards to help the other person know some things about you 
that are relevant.

The string of text that we call title can tell them something of your 
responsibilities, knowledge, skills, accomplishments, or the like.  It's a short 
string, so you have to choose carefully.  As noted, some words in a title are 
formal terms of art, with restrictions on their application.  "Therapist" 
requires a license in most states; etc.  So you have to balance between benefit 
to the reader, corporate culture and rules, and legal/formal restrictions.

Sometimes, your official company title isn't very helpful for this purpose and 
sometimes it is.  Some companies allow or encourage whimsy; personally I find 
those usually to tell me that the company is silly, but sometimes it 
communicates a sense of fresh corporate culture.

If you get to choose the text, decide what is most important for others to know 
about you from that card.  Consider it from their perspective, not yours.

Assume the card has been passed to a third person who hasn't met you and doesn't 
get information from the intermediary. Or that the person who got it looks at it 
6 months later.

Does reading the text for title tell them something that they will find helpful 
to know?

d/
--

  Dave Crocker
  Brandenburg InternetWorking
  bbiw.net