Does job title matters?

[sdyson31]

Hi,

I am working as a 'Senior Software Developer' for a medium size company and have a job offer from a bigger company which is paying same amount of money but job title is 'System Developer'.

I am wondering if job title does matter in career?

[JRM]

I think a lot of firms recognise that there is no standard between job titles, so will understand the job title change if you can show that the autonomy you had or the team you led have remained much the same.
You could always just put 'Senior' on the job title part of your CV for the new job, even if they get confirmation from previous employment, that would show it missing, it's unlikely to be a big issue to explain away

[Alex]

No.

[jonnydm]

Depends IMO. Shouldn't affect how you feel about your job or what you do though it may for some people.

Will likely have an effect in many industries and determine what you're earning and where you can join for your next job or how long you have to wait to be promoted a grade.

[Grumfutock]

If you are going to be Grand Poo Pa, King of the World, Lord of the Universe and Master of Everything.

Then of course it bloody does!

[wiggy001]

sdyson31 said:

Hi,

I am working as a 'Senior Software Developer' for a medium size company and have a job offer from a bigger company which is paying same amount of money but job title is 'System Developer'.

I am wondering if job title does matter in career?

Does the new, bigger company also have "Senior System Developers"?

They money might be the same, but is the responsibility? Are you actually taking a step down the ladder, albeit on the same money?

[sdyson31]

wiggy001 said:

Does the new, bigger company also have "Senior System Developers"?

They money might be the same, but is the responsibility? Are you actually taking a step down the ladder, albeit on the same money?

No, there is no senior developer in the company and responsibilities are same. I will be bringing unique skills on board.

[Pit Pony]

Job Titles I have had:

1) Saturday Boy (Strange as I did Wednesday evening and sunday afternoon) £16 a week
2) Undergraduate trainee.3) Labourer £75 a week
4) STEP Trainee
5) Graduate Trainee
6) Manufacturing Systems Engineer (MSE)
7) Senior MSE
8) Principal MSE
9) Operations Engineer
10) Manufacturing Engineering Team Leader
11) Senior Quality Engineer
12) Six Sigma Black Belt
13) Business Unit Manager
14) Process Improvement Engineer

The next are all Ltd Company Freelance Roles
15) Process Improvement Engineer
16) Business Quality Improvement Analyst
17) DFMEA Facilitator
18) Warranty Analyst
19) Robust Design Champion
20) Returns Investigation Engineer

Now you see that last job title. I was in a meeting with a customer of my client and the client had a powerpoint slide had "Investigation Technician"
For a split second I though "Actually, Chartered Engineer"

Well: Who cares what I'm called, as long as I enjoy the work and am paid properly, and on time.

Edited by Pit Pony on Sunday 29th June 07:09

[Alex]

Every investment bank in London has around a thousand "Vice Presidents". It's meaningless.

I've been IT contracting for 16 years, and I used to put "Senior Developer" and "Team Leader" and stuff like that on my CV. Now I just put "Contract Developer" or "Programmer", because that's what I am.

[jonnydm]

Alex said:

Every investment bank in London has around a thousand "Vice Presidents". It's meaningless.

I've been IT contracting for 16 years, and I used to put "Senior Developer" and "Team Leader" and stuff like that on my CV. Now I just put "Contract Developer" or "Programmer", because that's what I am.

This is exactly what I had in mind with my comment earlier. Its not meaningless because if you're a VP then you'll be able to look at other VP roles, will potentially be looking at promotions or opportunities elsewhere at Director, Exec Director or SVP level. Now to someone outside the City these do sound grandeoise but that's besides the point. Fact of the matter is, that it does matter very much to your pay packet and career move.

Besides, tell an AVP putting in 12+ hour days thinking of a potential promotion at bonus day 3 years away that it doesn't matter!

[98elise]

It all depends on the circumstances.

In my last permenant role we had a reorganisation which would have changed my title from Support Manager to Senior Support Analyst. The money and responsibilities were the same, but as far as I was concerned it was a demotion. i was prepared to get legal, and we eventually went for a compromise agreement.

I now contract as a Business Analyst. I don't care if its a senior or manager role as I earn 50% more than I did as a manager

[Ian Geary]

In our latest restructure, the job I got was typed up as "Accounting Manager" instead of Accountancy Manager,

I made them change it on the basis that some in photography would not be known as a photographing manager.


But otherwise, no as long as its accurate.


Ian

[HannsG]

I just got a job as a 'Pricing Manager', in reality when I went for interview the job was for a 'Finance Business Partner'. I'll be putting the latter on my CV!

[Fun Bus]

You can't spend a job title.

[Martin4x4]

sdyson31 said:

Hi,

I am working as a 'Senior Software Developer' for a medium size company and have a job offer from a bigger company which is paying same amount of money but job title is 'System Developer'.

I am wondering if job title does matter in career?

It matters to recruitment agencies and to some (larger) places especially with HR Departments which generally lack the detailed knowledge of what we do.

You should always push for an uplift as a matter of principle, if you allow them to take the piss now they will likely keep doing it. It is a matter of respect.

Large companies very rarely turn out to be as good as they claim, in medium sized companies you can generally know the directors and get noticed.

[BMWBen]

jonnydm said:

Alex said:

Every investment bank in London has around a thousand "Vice Presidents". It's meaningless.

I've been IT contracting for 16 years, and I used to put "Senior Developer" and "Team Leader" and stuff like that on my CV. Now I just put "Contract Developer" or "Programmer", because that's what I am.

This is exactly what I had in mind with my comment earlier. Its not meaningless because if you're a VP then you'll be able to look at other VP roles, will potentially be looking at promotions or opportunities elsewhere at Director, Exec Director or SVP level. Now to someone outside the City these do sound grandeoise but that's besides the point. Fact of the matter is, that it does matter very much to your pay packet and career move.

Besides, tell an AVP putting in 12+ hour days thinking of a potential promotion at bonus day 3 years away that it doesn't matter!

Agreed, it does matter. For two reasons:

1. Quite junior people in banks need to deal with clients on $$$$$ deals. The client you're dealing with is going to be CFO, CEO, Master and Lord of the Universe etc. Is he going to decide to do business with the bank that gives him a Vice President to deal with or the one that gives him the Junior Bond Deal Analyst?

2. The fact that they have to do this for the customer facing stuff means that they set the parameters at X and they apply across the company. So before long you've got loads of Vice Presidents who are programmers, IT engineers etc.

It's not that stupid anyway, even in these lowly roles people have enormous responsibilities just due to the size of the company. The IT Engineer who in another company would be bottom of the pile is actually responsible for systems costing 10's of millions of pounds, for working on procurement projects worth 100's of millions, etc etc. For example, the IT budget (annual) at the bank I currently work at is ~$5bn. On its own that's bigger than the entire revenue of a fair few FTSE 100 companies..

Edited by BMWBen on Monday 30th June 08:37

[0000]

I'd be more concerned about moving to a bigger company on the same salary. Sounds to me like you're probably not pushing hard enough on that.