Comments on: Please help me select a new job title.

Question: Please help me select a new job title.

27 — Fri, 20 Jan 2006 15:08:57 -0800

Please help me select a new job title. [mi]

I'm in a position at work where I'm in line for a promotion and my employer wants my input on what my new job title should be.

I was originally hired as a Technical Writer. In addition to my responsibilities as Tech Writer, I took over the job of UI Designer several months ago when the previous designer (a contractor) rolled off the project.

My responsibilities are:

- Create and maintain documentation (online help) for a web-enabled, enterprise-level, application.
- Build and maintain wireframes, based on functional design docs and Business Analyst input. (HTML, CSS, some client-side scripting...JavaScript, DHTML, AJAX)
- Create, maintain, and adhere to corporate design/usability standards.

In a very small nutshell, that's it. All suggestions are greatly appreciated.

Oh - and if it helps - the software that I support is for the banking/financial services industry.

Thanks!

By: JMOZ

JMOZ — Fri, 20 Jan 2006 15:11:54 -0800

It depends how formal the company is, but does "Human Computer Interaction Guru" work?

By: ottereroticist

ottereroticist — Fri, 20 Jan 2006 15:18:14 -0800

When I had a gig like this, my title was Product Usability and Documentation Manager. Editing this slightly, how about Documentation and Usability Specialist? You can vary it depending on seniority: Documentation and Usability Lead
Senior Documentation and Usability Specialist
Documentation and Usability Manager, etc.

Another direction: User Experience and Education Specialist.

By: ottereroticist

ottereroticist — Fri, 20 Jan 2006 15:31:56 -0800

Oh, and if you want something more whimsical:

Geek-to-English Interpreter.

By: devilsbrigade

devilsbrigade — Fri, 20 Jan 2006 15:55:36 -0800

Usability Specialist.

By: Dag Maggot

Dag Maggot — Fri, 20 Jan 2006 16:40:46 -0800

Web Architect

By: Serial Killer Slumber Party

Serial Killer Slumber Party — Fri, 20 Jan 2006 17:31:39 -0800

I don't know if the same applies for the US, but here in Australia any spiffy job title to do with computers inevitably contains the acronym "IT"

By: benjh

benjh — Fri, 20 Jan 2006 17:37:39 -0800

"Director of Usability and Technical Documentation"

Basically, make sure it looks damn good on a resume, even if the title is bigger than your job.

By: visual mechanic

visual mechanic — Fri, 20 Jan 2006 19:14:02 -0800

Senior Usability and Documentation Manager

By: ottereroticist

ottereroticist — Fri, 20 Jan 2006 19:48:12 -0800

"Senior ____ ____ Manager" is a title I have never seen in my 20 years as a technical communicator. If I saw this on a résumé, it might look a little fishy to me.

By all means pick a title that looks good on a résumé, but make sure it's plausible, meaning one step above your actual level of responsibility.

This is how I've typically seen various levels of responsibility indicated in tech writing titles (feel free to adapt):

Technical Writer or Documentation Specialist (individual contributor)
Lead Technical Writer (project lead)
Senior Technical Writer (senior project lead)
Documentation Manager (has direct reports and/or is responsible for an entire documentation set)
Director of Documentation (manages managers)

By: jjg

jjg — Fri, 20 Jan 2006 23:30:02 -0800

In many organizations, you'd be considered an Information Architect. They have an institute, even.
Previously.

By: 27

27 — Sat, 21 Jan 2006 10:28:07 -0800

Thanks you all for the great suggestions.