Director at age 35 - Really? Me?

[T5SOR]

Du1point8 said:

T5SOR said:

Being a Director isn't everything. I left an SME (40 employees) where I could have been a Director if I stayed. At my age (29) I think it would've held me back from leaving in the future. It was hard enough trying to leave as a senior manager, with no experience of bigger companies.

I opted to leave and take a less senior job on a contract, but for a much larger company and a lot more money. Only time will tell if I made the right career move. Everything tells me I did and that is the most important thing.

Not wanting to belittle your idea, but going on contract is not a career move, its very difficult to move up whilst on contract and you might get senior/specialist against your name, but you don't suddenly get team lead and project manager without getting training outside of contracting first.

That's ok, I am very happy with the choice I made. I have the qualifications to get me a PM role (MSc in PM) and would much rather be a PM for a multinational than a Director for a small family company on a lot less money.

My contract could go permanent if I want at a later date, but I am quite happy as a director of my own ltd company at the moment

[AyBee]

HannsG said:

Hi, I am currently in Banking / Financial services and I am a 'Head of' within Finance

I'm surprised by the amount of emphasis you're putting on this, I work in the same industry and class plenty of Directors as friends, it's a fairly normal title in Banking/FS. What extra responsibilities are you going to have that you currently don't?

ETA: At my place, we have ED and MD above Director...

Edited by AyBee on Thursday 13th August 10:59

[andy-xr]

Is this a plastic title, or does it come with some more money and responsibility?

Old company I used to work with had 12 sales directors, you got the title if you lasted more than 12 months. I was offered VP Sales because they wanted me to head up a territory, it didnt really mean I had anything more than before other than more travel for the same money.

My business cards now just say 'Regional Sales' on them. I could if I wanted tell the boss I wanted 'Global Sales Strategist' or 'Head of Ideas' or 'Sales Gimp'. One guy just got recruited in and he was desperate to have a Director title. He hasnt put any money into the company, so they gave him the title and none of the shares that he would have got had he just accepted a manager title

[944fan]

bhstewie said:

IT is notorious for it.

Plenty of "IT Directors" simply because they're the only IT guy in the company so even though they can't sign off an order for a pack of copier paper, they're the IT Director.

right here. I am the IT director allegedly. My laptop went bang and I can't order a new one until head office have signed it off. Despite there being £10K in this years budget for replacement kit!

I have no real power at all. Going from Head of It to IT Director meant no more money just more grief.

I think I have been had.

[Countdown]

AyBee said:

HannsG said:

Hi, I am currently in Banking / Financial services and I am a 'Head of' within Finance

I'm surprised by the amount of emphasis you're putting on this, I work in the same industry and class plenty of Directors as friends, it's a fairly normal title in Banking/FS. What extra responsibilities are you going to have that you currently don't?

ETA: At my place, we have ED and MD above Director...

Edited by AyBee on Thursday 13th August 10:59

Sounds familiar - Did you by any chance have an organisation chart on the company Intranet which showed line management / reporting? We had one mainly (IMO) because the job titles were so random and "senior-sounding". There were 8 layers between Tea Boy and MD and (IIRC) Director was at Level 4. They reported to Exec Director who reported to Deputy MD who reported to MD.

[AyBee]

Countdown said:

Sounds familiar - Did you by any chance have an organisation chart on the company Intranet which showed line management / reporting? We had one mainly (IMO) because the job titles were so random and "senior-sounding". There were 8 layers between Tea Boy and MD and (IIRC) Director was at Level 4. They reported to Exec Director who reported to Deputy MD who reported to MD.

Not for us - 5 levels, Analyst, Associate, Director, Exec Director, Managing Director (no idea why there's no AD in there), but either way, Director in a bank is not a typical company director where your name goes in the financial statements etc.

[edc]

AyBee said:

Countdown said:

Sounds familiar - Did you by any chance have an organisation chart on the company Intranet which showed line management / reporting? We had one mainly (IMO) because the job titles were so random and "senior-sounding". There were 8 layers between Tea Boy and MD and (IIRC) Director was at Level 4. They reported to Exec Director who reported to Deputy MD who reported to MD.

Not for us - 5 levels, Analyst, Associate, Director, Exec Director, Managing Director (no idea why there's no AD in there), but either way, Director in a bank is not a typical company director where your name goes in the financial statements etc.

Is that Managing Director of a P&L business or entity or a functional area?

[anonymous-user]

Must be 9 / 10 levels here and no Directors.

Shop Floor / Engineer (2 levels) / Team Lead Specialists (2 Levels) / Managers (Two levels) / Senior Manager (Usually Head of.) / VP / Snr VP / Board Exec

Company has appx 120k employees and maybe 25-50 are Board Exec level.

A director without a controlling interest or the power to guide company policy is just a title BUT its certainly a good title to have on your CV.

[AyBee]

edc said:

Is that Managing Director of a P&L business or entity or a functional area?

Not sure what you mean in terms of P&L business, it's usual to have at least 1 MD per functional area (Corporate Banking, Capital Markets etc) and each area is judged on their own P&L but is not a separate legal entity.

Director is a very good job title to have, but it's not a company director also in most cases and therefore doesn't come with the same legal requirements.

Congrats on the job offer anyway OP - go for it, it's unlikely to be much more work than a 'head of' role IMO and, if it is, you've got director on you CV and can work out your next move from there

[nickfrog]

HannsG said:

Probably won't be able to have proper banter as I currently do as people would think I'm unapproachable.

I don't want to be horrible to you but WTF ? Everyone is a Director. My daughter is 18 and she is one as she is on my payroll on her year off before Uni and I want to pay her in dividends.

This is not 1952. Director means F all nowadays and if you think anyone is going to treat you differently, then you're in for a shock, it doesn't work like that, no one gives a st, and if they do, they're domestiques.

Just take the money but forget about the job title, it's literally meaningless.

[Snowdrop_]

Director status means naff all these days.

Old company had Technical Director, Project Director and so on - but I treat them with the same respect as I would any other employee!

[Mobile Chicane]

Snowdrop_ said:

Director status means naff all these days.

Old company had Technical Director, Project Director and so on - but I treat them with the same respect as I would any other employee!

As you would surely treat anyone who attempted to disguise a willy-waving opportunity as a genuine question.

[SVS]

The Beaver King said:

To be honest, I think management is something you get or you don't.

So much for decent training in management then ...

If the OP is making a big move up, then support with the change could be very important. The right training or coaching can make a huge difference. As you move up, you may be surprised to discover the skills that got you there aren't always the ones you need for your new job.

[DSLiverpool]

Being simplistic

Director with share options and dividend = real director

Director with none = senior manager with better title

See USA examples of Vice President, senior vp, junior vp etc - UK equivalent.

Go for it, if they work you too hard for too little move on.

[Countdown]

OP - is my memory failing me or did your current role not come with "a pretty stellar package" not so long ago?

Have you made a decision yet?

[R8Steve]

CAPP0 said:

BoRED S2upid said:

Start a business you a mate and one employee one of you gets to be CEO!

Ha ha, just like that guy who runs the car customising place on TV, doesn't he describe himself as "CEO" of West Coast Customs or something? No, chap, what you actually do is run an upmarket bodyshop! You're the foreman!

Slightly OT but i cannot stand that guy. There's just something about him that riles me right up. Maybe it's what you mentioned...i know that's part of it at least.

[HannsG]

DSLiverpool said:

Being simplistic

Director with share options and dividend = real director

Director with none = senior manager with better title

See USA examples of Vice President, senior vp, junior vp etc - UK equivalent.

Go for it, if they work you too hard for too little move on.

Hi,

Having read the contract, I do have share options....

I have accepted the role, currently doing 2 months notice at current place.

Its all a bit mental as I have frog leaped maybe minimum 2 rungs on the foodchain?

Have a bit of trepidation, nothing like being outside your comfort zone

[Countdown]

HannsG said:

Hi,

Having read the contract, I do have share options....

I have accepted the role, currently doing 2 months notice at current place.

Its all a bit mental as I have frog leaped maybe minimum 2 rungs on the foodchain?

Have a bit of trepidation, nothing like being outside your comfort zone

How many levels of Director are there above you? [Your OP said it was a junior director position].

[HannsG]

Countdown said:

How many levels of Director are there above you? [Your OP said it was a junior director position].

I report direct into group COO. So I assume not many!

[AyBee]

HannsG said:

Hi,

Having read the contract, I do have share options....

I have accepted the role, currently doing 2 months notice at current place.

Its all a bit mental as I have frog leaped maybe minimum 2 rungs on the foodchain?

Have a bit of trepidation, nothing like being outside your comfort zone

You went from Associate to Director?

This all sounds a bit like trying to willy wave about a title which is relatively common in the financial industry. Fancy explaining the titles at your old place and your new place?