[cataclysm]

A client of my previous company had the designation, Global Nation Builder. No idea what he did.

Another one used the designation, The Principal. And both of them were from the IT/Management background. I still wonder what exactly did these guys do.

[itwasntme]

In WW2, General Eisenhower was reputedly offered the title 'Supreme Head of Intelligence Targeting'.

[srishiva]

Didn't Mindtree's Subroto Bagchi designate himself as Chief Gardener or Gardener ?
Continuing that Ashok Soota's company now is Happiest Minds

[Samurai]

Originally Posted by Malyaj

This is my hands down favorite - 'Evangelist'. You can prefix pretty much everything to this word and let the employee feel that the whole world is a potential conversion target.

Actually, this title is used by Infosys for their training staff. I know someone who had to suffer this title for 6 years, and she rarely mentioned her title to anyone those days.

[vkarulkar]

"Project Fire-Fighter" was the role I have seen in one of the previous organizations I worked with. This was the role of a very first employee, who used to jump in to any role needed across functions and resolve issues to ensure project moves ahead.

[Grand Vitesse]

My English professor took up a career in Industry (Did he take this decision after he endured our batch ? ). His designation, I remember , was Chief Happiness Officer. But then again, some might argue that is required!

[Samurai]

Originally Posted by V.Narayan

I met one 'Chief Fulfillment Officer' . Some weeks later it got better. I met a 'Chief Satisfaction Officer'.

Originally Posted by Grand Vitesse

His designation, I remember , was Chief Happiness Officer.

It all sounds very double meaning really, as if they are trying to imply the big O word. May be that is what COO should stand for.

But on a serious note, these wacky job titles have very little shelf life. After the initial euphoria settles down, wacky titles will start looking silly. One starts hesitating to handout the business card or put that in the email signature, lest it draws unwanted attention again.

[sup?]

'Storyteller' is what gets my goat. Linkedin has become a joke with all these so called 'storytellers' dumping garbage into my feed. I now log in to Linkedin to get my laughs from the ridiculousness of their 'stories'.

[flyingsaucer]

While I was in B-school a few years ago, someone came hiring for the role of 'functional unicorn'. Was met with much amusement. A friend eventually bagged the role - wasn't half bad - should have just been called 'Product Manager'.

[mbilung]

Originally Posted by Malyaj

Job descriptions are increasingly making use of aggressive words such as 'Sales Hunter' to warn potential candidates what to expect - a hostile environment, few or no companions, scarce prey and possibility of going hungry. If 'hunter' sounds too crude you have the option of adding an oriental touch by calling the role 'Sales Samurai'. The Orient is a happy hunting ground for titles. Thus you have Coding 'Ninjas', Scrum 'Masters' and 'Black Belts'.

If the job title related to coding has 'ninja' suffix to it, gtfo. You will be expected to be an infrastructure as well as a build and release engineer apart from handling the development all by yourself.

Of course, the compensation will be in company shares instead of hard money for the extra burden you take

[jkaushik]

In one of the private universities in my city, the personal assistant of the chancellor is called OSD (Officer on Special Duty)

[NPV]

In the IT (Software) industry, some organizations did away with "Architect" in titles and went with "Principal Software Development Engineer" and even the next grade with "Senior Principal Software Development Engineer".

Heard from friends based in the US that they shortened similar titles in their organizations to just "Principal"

At the other end of the spectrum, some IT Services companies have gone with a flatter structure and have just 4 levels/titles (each for individual contributor and manager roles) while their specific role on projects can vary as necessary and appropriate. I like and agree with this approach.

[Malyaj]

Originally Posted by jkaushik

In one of the private universities in my city, the personal assistant of the chancellor is called OSD (Officer on Special Duty)

This is inherited from the government, which tends to have quite a few of these positions, generally a temporary position due to deputation or similar. However permanently being an OSD is rather interesting

[charanreddy]

I knew some who called himself "Data Whisperer"..

Mostly across mature organizations, the job levels are decently defined.

In Bay Area, tech companies by & large follow this .

Analyst / Engineer -> Manager -> Sr Manager -> Head -> Director -> Sr. Director -> VP -> SVP.

MNC banks follow this.

Analyst / Engineer -> Manager -> AVP -> VP -> SVP -> Director -> MD -> CXO.

I remember an interview with a start up and asked for what designation this interview is for and I got the prompt reply: What do you want to be hired at ? We are flexible on the designation

[Annibaddh]

You may be a Growth Hacker, you may Master a Scrum!
You may be an Insights Guru, you may Curate my Lunch!
You may be the Architecture Artist, make a softer jet for my bum!
You may like Digital Sorcery or play the Chief Customer Chum!
But you're gonna have to serve somebody, yes
Indeed you're gonna have to serve somebody!

- Bob Dylan and Fans