[originally written as guest post for www.12most.com]
Lets first frame this post with the question: Why do businesses assign job titles to individuals?
The purpose of titles is to provide a descriptor of the individuals job function. They are as important to the employee as they are to the customer. For the employee, they establish ownership over their job responsibilities and maintain structure within the organization. For customers they establish the expectation of the interaction they may have with the so entitled corporate representative.
And for the most part, businesses stick with the norms: Executive, Director, Manager, Assistant and so forth. However, somewhere between the Tech Start-Up boom and the development of Social Media, job titles seem to have become more of a statement on personality than job function. Or maybe Social Media has simply changed how people operate within todays business? Either way, many marketers are taking too many liberties with their job titles and no more so that Social Media Marketers.
In my business and online travels, Ive seen an alarming trend in the manufacturing of unusual job titles. Someone has to stand up and say ENOUGH! So Im going to call out the 12 most ridiculous social media job titles, in no particular order, in hopes of curbing this trend.
1. Web Alchemist
2. Head of Interactions
3. Ant Colony Forman
4. Chief People Herder
5. Chatter Monkey
6. Community Data Guerrilla
7. Social Media Guru
8. Social Media Swami
9. Public Happy Maker
10. Social Media Evangelist
11. Social Media Rockstar
12. Social Media Missionary
Youll notice that I left out the ever popular: Social Media Expert. It was omitted purposely. Its simply too ridiculous to make even this list. The reality is Social Media is simply too new, and evolving too quickly for anyone to legitimately be called an expert. And even if it wasnt, a social media expert is akin to being a talking expert. It has no real meaning.
These ridiculous job titles are the dress-down Fridays of business culture; while they may make some people feel more comfortable or relaxed, do they really offer any measurable business benefits in productivity? Or is the intended wit enough to justify them in our collective business lingo? Do you agree? Disagree? Did I miss any? Share with the class by listing your ridiculous job titles in the comment section below!
Disclaimer: Im empowered to call out these 12 Most Ridiculous Social Media job titles as I myself have a rather ridiculous job title: Chief Strategy Sensei. Yes, its the pot calling the kettle black.
What did I miss? What is your most ridiculous social media job title?
By Sam Fiorella
Feed Your Community, Not Your Ego
Twitter: @samfiorella