Job Titles

dilemma10

Hi all,

People who know me will know I do come on here and have problems with my job. I love what I do but the team I work with and the lack of structure/organisation makes things frustrating.

I joined the job in May 2010 as a Comms Officer but in Jan 2011 was made Comms & Policy. I know it's just a job title but out a team of 5, I am writing the policy, (directing it in many senses), coordinating all of our publications, even writing the annual review, co-chairing networks of senior staff, manage the cms, manage the CRM (actually built up the CRM with the publisher), write reports for board of directors, attend government level/high-level meetings representing us, write our weekly newsletter, I feel I am basically functioning as a Head of Policy/Comms position.

Job title would not bother me except for the fact even the PA has a fancy 'Manager' job title, the other two women are directors and the one guy who was Proj Officer is now coming back as a Proj Manager on more money than I. This means in the hierarchy of things, I am the most junior member of staff on board when the nature of my role is probably one of the most important - I work direct to CEO and it's a membership org, the PA, CEO and policy person are seen as the bare bones of the org, the others bring in additional revenue.

I earn £28k and many people I know in the sector cannot believe the hours I work, the level of work I do and for that measly job title!?

I know I should be grateful for a job in this climate, but it just feels like I am not going to get any further in this small team.

SarEl

dilemma10 wrote: »

it just feels like I am not going to get any further in this small team.

And there is your answer.

Job titles are meaningless. calling someone on £15k a year a manager doesn't make them one unless they actually manage something. Calling someone a manager on £28k is exactly the same. And quite a few people work lots of hours for less than you are getting.

Your complaint is not about the job title - it is about the fact that others are getting what you think is pay that better reflects their position and you don't believe that is the case for you. You don't think you are valued enough.

So you speak to your employer about the pay rate and / or you look for something better.

planning303

Totally agree with the above post...

I change the job title for my current role on my cv for each job i apply for lol

If you check my contract it say X, the hr system says Y, the internal telephone system says Z...

One of the previous managers thought it would be funny to put Tsar into my title.. :cool:

Acc72

dilemma10 wrote: »

I earn £28k and many people I know in the sector cannot believe the hours I work, the level of work I do and for that measly job title!?

So, if they called you "Director of Policy" (same salary, same hours etc.) then would you be happy ?

I would also say that in my experience an employee who discusses their pay / terms / conditions etc. to "many people in the sector" are not usually the type of employee that is promoted to senior management.

InsideInsurance

I used to be a Customer Service Manager and earned £5 hour in the late 90s (pre minimum wage).

Later I was a Project Executive to mask if I was higher or lower than a Junior/Senior Project Manager.

From that I went to Senior Project Manager then to Project Manager, next Product Development Manager, then Project Manager, then Business Project Manager, then Senior Project Manager and finally Project Consultant.

Titles mean next to nothing and are truly unrelated to pay. Arguably pay doesnt mean that much as the way to best improve your pay is always to switch companies not move up within a company. You could earn £28k in this job but at you're next interview say you want £40k (or whatever you think is the going rate). Internal promotions are good for getting a chance not for getting a salary

plzhelpmesave!

im a project manager on £11 per hour....fancy title but rather have the fancy pay...

McKneff

I'm a pensioner on about £1.50 an hour:D

VfM4meplse

Job titles can be very misleading, but on the whole, if you are in / aiming for the private sector where grades vary and salaries are negotiable, I would suggest the fancier the better.

hcb42

InsideInsurance wrote: »

I used to be a Customer Service Manager and earned £5 hour in the late 90s (pre minimum wage).

Later I was a Project Executive to mask if I was higher or lower than a Junior/Senior Project Manager.

From that I went to Senior Project Manager then to Project Manager, next Product Development Manager, then Project Manager, then Business Project Manager, then Senior Project Manager and finally Project Consultant.

Titles mean next to nothing and are truly unrelated to pay. Arguably pay doesnt mean that much as the way to best improve your pay is always to switch companies not move up within a company. You could earn £28k in this job but at you're next interview say you want £40k (or whatever you think is the going rate). Internal promotions are good for getting a chance not for getting a salary

I agree, in late 90s I earned the thick end of £60K for a similar title as to that in the opening line here.

Titles mean nothing in general as they vary so much between industry, however there is nothing to say you cannot take on more responsibility and negotiate a title as part of your PDP process.

VfM4meplse

hcb42 wrote: »

I agree, in late 90s I earned the thick end of £60K for a similar title as to that in the opening line here.

That was good money for the time (equivalent to a public sector Director). Have you ascended since?

dilemma10

Acc72 wrote: »

So, if they called you "Director of Policy" (same salary, same hours etc.) then would you be happy ?

I would also say that in my experience an employee who discusses their pay / terms / conditions etc. to "many people in the sector" are not usually the type of employee that is promoted to senior management.

Thanks for this and yes, I see what you mean about 'many people in the sector' - a slight exaggeration on my part - I probably mean a 'few' and these few are very very close friends but in senior positions.