Comments on: PR job title inflation http://www.prconversations.com/index.php/2008/04/pr-job-title-inflation/ Global discussion of public relations from local perspectives Thu, 09 Feb 2012 22:47:41 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Heather Yaxley http://www.prconversations.com/index.php/2008/04/pr-job-title-inflation/comment-page-1/#comment-1015 Heather Yaxley Fri, 09 May 2008 15:18:00 +0000 http://www.prconversations.com/?p=418#comment-1015 Not sure that I totally agree that press officer should die as a title, since if that is what someone's job involves, I'd prefer to see it clearly labelled as such rather than hidden under some manager or head of title. The inflation of job titles also seriously undermines perfectly good functions, when people feel they will be looked down on if they don't have something more "fancy schmancy". To take up the pet theme, in my "pack", I try to remain in the top dog role, but the fact that, as the only human, I am the only one capable of such meanial tasks as opening tins etc, tends to reveal my real lowly status. Not sure that I totally agree that press officer should die as a title, since if that is what someone’s job involves, I’d prefer to see it clearly labelled as such rather than hidden under some manager or head of title.

The inflation of job titles also seriously undermines perfectly good functions, when people feel they will be looked down on if they don’t have something more “fancy schmancy”.

To take up the pet theme, in my “pack”, I try to remain in the top dog role, but the fact that, as the only human, I am the only one capable of such meanial tasks as opening tins etc, tends to reveal my real lowly status.

]]> By: Joan Weinberg http://www.prconversations.com/index.php/2008/04/pr-job-title-inflation/comment-page-1/#comment-1014 Joan Weinberg Wed, 07 May 2008 00:30:58 +0000 http://www.prconversations.com/?p=418#comment-1014 I am similarly puzzled by the "puffed-up toad" titles, especially when I am asked for my own title in those little boxes one must fill in to receive info via a Web site. I feel like the recipient wants to see a managing director or at the very least an SVP when all I am is an independent business owner who represents other PR business owners. Maybe it's best if we all looked at each other the way our pets look at us, sans title: the object that delivers a can of food and one good rub a day. (Caroline, the next time you go to the car showroom, bring a bag of dog food -- OK, premium dog food -- and a bristle brush and see if a feed and some strokes make the salesman feel as good as announcing his fancy schmancy title.) I am similarly puzzled by the “puffed-up toad” titles, especially when I am asked for my own title in those little boxes one must fill in to receive info via a Web site. I feel like the recipient wants to see a managing director or at the very least an SVP when all I am is an independent business owner who represents other PR business owners. Maybe it’s best if we all looked at each other the way our pets look at us, sans title: the object that delivers a can of food and one good rub a day. (Caroline, the next time you go to the car showroom, bring a bag of dog food — OK, premium dog food — and a bristle brush and see if a feed and some strokes make the salesman feel as good as announcing his fancy schmancy title.)

]]> By: Caroline Wilson http://www.prconversations.com/index.php/2008/04/pr-job-title-inflation/comment-page-1/#comment-1013 Caroline Wilson Fri, 02 May 2008 10:18:31 +0000 http://www.prconversations.com/?p=418#comment-1013 We're all managers now - it's not just PR - I recently spoke to a guy in a car showroom who was a 'manager of sales'. When I looked round all his colleagues were similarly enobled. Everybody likes to feel valued in what they do, so I don't think it matters too much. Frankly I can't wait for the 'press officer' tag to die, because it confirms the widely held view that PR is only about media relations. We’re all managers now – it’s not just PR – I recently spoke to a guy in a car showroom who was a ‘manager of sales’. When I looked round all his colleagues were similarly enobled.
Everybody likes to feel valued in what they do, so I don’t think it matters too much. Frankly I can’t wait for the ‘press officer’ tag to die, because it confirms the widely held view that PR is only about media relations.

]]> By: Mariana Sarceda http://www.prconversations.com/index.php/2008/04/pr-job-title-inflation/comment-page-1/#comment-1012 Mariana Sarceda Tue, 29 Apr 2008 03:21:38 +0000 http://www.prconversations.com/?p=418#comment-1012 Title inflation in PR is, in my humble opinion, a global tendency. People is eager to show off and having a fancy title just does it; being a PR Executive seems not to be enough so you add the word "Senior" or "Chief" and your ego is boosted. Then, of course, your boss is the Head of... or the Managing Director of.... Now, I wonder... with too many Heads of and Chiefs of and Senior Prs... aren't we delegating too much to our "lower ranked employees" without really taking responsibility of what we can actually do with the skills and experience we have independently of the title we own? Title inflation in PR is, in my humble opinion, a global tendency. People is eager to show off and having a fancy title just does it; being a PR Executive seems not to be enough so you add the word “Senior” or “Chief” and your ego is boosted. Then, of course, your boss is the Head of… or the Managing Director of….
Now, I wonder… with too many Heads of and Chiefs of and Senior Prs… aren’t we delegating too much to our “lower ranked employees” without really taking responsibility of what we can actually do with the skills and experience we have independently of the title we own?

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