How do I remove consultant from my job title.

January 3, 2010 3:12 AM

How do I remove consultant from my job title.

I am revamping my CV and need to sex up a couple of job titles.

Job 1. Short term online marketing consultant. I specialised in transitioning large agency-managed accounts inhouse. I generally would spend a couple of months migrating and optimising paid search accounts, training new staff on everything from basic SEO to advanced analytics, and generally just hanging around. I would really like a snappy job title that conveys some of this, as consultant to me just shouts unemployed freelancer.

Job 2. I just spent two years setting up an online services business from scratch, wearing every hat under the sun, which employs 6 full time staff is more or less self managing. i am bored silly, so I now want to promote the manager to director, so I can go work in a large multinational as a search exec or something similar, I am a little concerned that employers won't take my application seriously if I give them this information. i know I wouldn't hire me based on my current CV. (I am 30, with no other management experience, so i'll probably aim fairly low) I need a job title which stresses my lack of day to day involvement with the company, which doesn't have director in.

Thanks muchly

posted by choppyes to Work & Money (7 answers total)

What were the titles of the jobs when you were in them? I have worked under the impression that the title is the title, and you use your description to embellish the salient points to help people get an idea of what you do/did. If someone checks a CV for past employment and you say you were the SEO, and they are told you worked as a marketing consultant, that would be bad.

My suggestion is to use the first page, or top page of your CV to highlight skills, not titles. Show what you have done. Then below all that, list just your job titles, companies, and dates of employment.
posted by qwip at 4:30 AM on January 3, 2010

Response by poster: I was self employed in job 1, I invoiced via a limited company, so there was never a job title involved. I guess 'ppc consultant' would be most accurate.

My job title in job 2. is currently "managing director", I will soon technically be a "non executive director" .

If someone checks the CV, I am confident that all references would be glowing, and a creative title would not be an issue, as long as I don't take the piss too much.
posted by choppyes at 5:19 AM on January 3, 2010

I know people who are consultants who aren't insecure to use it as a title because their work experience (and how they describe it) speaks for itself. While "consultant" can have a negative connotation, I think it's up to you write the description and highlight what you did to prove that you in fact, did do something.
posted by autoclavicle at 5:44 AM on January 3, 2010

Job 1: sounds like you were more closely involved with the day to day running of the firm than "consultant" would usually suggest. "Interim Marketing Manager"?
posted by genesta at 5:49 AM on January 3, 2010

Job 2: I need a job title which stresses my lack of day to day involvement with the company.

How about "Associate [Role]" or "Associate Director of [Function]". I'm not clear from your description what role/function should be slotted in there, but the Associate title gives you a bit of the detachment you're looking for, maybe.
posted by genesta at 5:57 AM on January 3, 2010

I would stick with the simplest and most accurate. Try to imagine the conversation that would take place between a potential employer and the place where you freelanced. If the potential employer picks up on confusion or awkwardness from your reference when it comes to your title, that could plant a seed of doubt.

Even if you come up with a snappy title and arrange for your references to confirm it, can you rely on them to remember it in 6 months?

In any case I think "ppc consultant" is not so bad.
posted by jeremias at 6:20 AM on January 3, 2010

Response by poster: Thanks for the helpful responses. Yes I think PPC consultant is fine, if backed up by full descriptions of 'interim' responsibilities.

I should probably spend less time dreaming up braggard job titles, and more time proof reading my CV and working through my insecurities.

A lesson learnt, thanks, though not quite the one I anticipated!
posted by choppyes at 6:49 AM on January 3, 2010