Job Titles

[spitfire78]

Good for you Countrigal!  I am so happy to hear that you have found your place.  I well remember your posts during your previous position and how very unhappy you were.  Very glad to hear that you are in a place where you are using your skills and those skills are appreciated.  Congrats!!

[ozbound]

It's not a big deal, but no, I do not think my title accurately and completely describes my position. My title is "Freight Clerk" - in my opinion, "clerk" implies that I process and keep track of paperwork, which is indeed part of my job, but I also coordinate container loads and do a lot of customer service type of work. I think "Freight Coordinator" would be a better description.

[k12144]

I guess I don't care that much--no matter what fancy title you give me, I'm still a secretary.  And if you were going to incorporate all the stuff I do, the title would be way too long!

[Atlanta Z3]

I've probably had every title in the book from accounting to admin.  I prefer executive secretary as my current title but it's executive assistant.  One admin position I held should have been project administrator (new construction for a very large bank) but they pay scale was for admin and they knew they were getting a bargin.  I did every thing from project scheduling, Sarbanes Oxley compliance,minority vendor certificates, filing, accounts payable, due diligence on leases, not to mention be added to the "expert" list for the software we were using to help the project managers.
Basically at this point the title is irrelevant because each company defines the job description uniquely for each admin position.

[bristolmary]

I think that whilst a job title shouldn't matter, I do believe that there are still some people out there who treat people on what they're called. I'm PA to a CEO and I've had an admin assistant from our other office call me and ask me to help her arrange something because the external person's PA isn't being very cooperative and could I give it a go and see if I can get a response. As soon as I've called up and said who I am, that PA has bent over backwards to be helpful.
It's left a bad taste in your mouth when you realise people behave like it and it makes you wonder if you want to be that helpful in return.
I'm called a PA by my boss, but his partner calls me his EA. I think it's more each company has a different idea of job titles but in reality it's the same job.
I wonder at times if some companies use Admin in the title to try and avoid paying as much as they would if it said PA or EA.
I'm perfectly happy to be called a PA as that's what I believe I am.

[raindance]

Job titles in administrative support are not protected titles and therefore the responsibilities and pay can be quite fluid.  I have seen Executive Assistant posts advertised at £15K, with low level responsibilities, and anything up to £50K, with responsibility for running huge chunks of a company.

Treating people on the basis of what they are called is, in my opinion, quite dreadful and appallingly stupid. A good rule to adopt is never to be rude to PAs, EAs, secretaries, receptionists or security staff.  These people are gate keepers (quite literally so, in the last case).  I always make a point of cultivating other people's support staff, especially outside my own company, and have been able to acquire all sorts of information and favours over the years.  Taking time for a couple of minutes of chit-chat can pay enormous dividends.  

If I am in a fix about X situation I know I can call upon ABC to help. That sounds positively Machiavellian, but networking is important.

Raindance

[geminigirl]

Hey Raindance!

I totally agree with your Good Rule - and it's one I've used over the (too many to mention) years.  Add to that the guys in the Post Room and someone in Accounts Payable and you've got The List of everyone who can make your life easier and therefore operate more efficiently.  Like me, I'm sure you've had people be amazed that you managed to get Mr A to do something because "he's never done that for me"!

As for Job Titles, yes, it really does make a difference to how people perceive you.  It shouldn't, but some people react much more positively and helpfully to PA rather than Secretary.  Also, and this is daft (!), I've found people to react more positively to the words "Personal Assistant" than they would to "PA"...

It's a funny old world!