Senior Vice President Of Space Invaders
November 13th, 2008 by GCI Canada StaffWhat a cool job title if it was real! (And maybe — unofficially — it was for Toshihiro Nishikado, circa 1978, the lucky developer of the game at Taito. Must have been great going to work on the world’s most popular video game at the time.)
So, job titles in this social media day and age. Chief Engagement Officer? Not new, but has a nice ring to it. Social Media Manager? Hmmm, not so good — no one in social media wants to feel like the conversation is being “managed” or “guided,” however subtle.
More specialists are being sought in this field as companies feel the urge to jump on board, listen to their communities and get involved. What is an apt title though? Social media will be here for a while, but if not, and there’s a new fad on the scene next year, who wants a job title that might be out of date in 12 months? Is it better to be specific when calling yourself a Social Media Specialist to ensure you are relevant for the here and now, or do you play safe and plan ahead, go a bit more generic, say Digital Media Specialist? [My current title was picked for me, full disclosure.]
In the past, everyone knew what the CEO, President, Vice President and intern did — the titles were in daily use, and everyone got used to the hierarchy. But now, there are more Conversation Analysts, Community Managers and Social Media Strategists around. Can people pick and choose their own, or will the market level out and we all agree on titles?
Be realistic, choose wisely … or you could be yesterday’s Senior Vice President of Space Invaders.
~ John Carson, Senior Digital Media Specialist, GCI Canada (Twitter: johncarson)
November 13th, 2008 at 3:58 am
I gave myself the title of Social Media Marketer after some thought. Still not sure if I like it. But it’s better than not having a title at my company.
I am also a Community Manager at ShoeHunting.com.
November 14th, 2008 at 1:17 am
Very good points, John, and one that probably doesn’t have a specific answer.
Can existing terms be used to classify a role? Head of Social Media, Director of Social Media, Social Media Customer Service Advisor?
It’s a tricky field - as you say, you don’t want to be pigeon-holing yourself into an area that may be defunct in 12 months time. Yet you also want to show yourself as being knowledgeable in the field if you’re pitching to clients.
Perhaps just your name and then “specializing in”?
Although your title of Digital Media Specialist is a pretty good one-cap-fits-all approach
November 17th, 2008 at 5:17 pm
I like how you pose the question in terms of what is relevant and understandable NOW vs branding yourself for longevity - social media is all the rage, but as Sean pointed out in his post, it’s really just a tactic, a tool to do a variety of things: better connect with your customers, energize some advocates, build buzz, etc.
“Digital Media” as in your title is pretty popular too, as is “Digital Communications”. Though “digital” to me already conjures up thoughts of the 1980’s, so I’m curious how long it will last. Personally I think the traditional titles will stick a bit longer - communications manager, brand manager, marketing strategist, PR, etc. Not quite as sexy, but they work.