[aashishnb]

While in the normal world, Director / Managing Director are considered the top most posts, in the PE fund business, generally, above the Director - Managing Director come Principal - Partner.

[GrandTourer]

Originally Posted by SmartCat

My first job (year 2000) was at a computer online Tech Support startup. I was responsible for internet advertising of our business. I was asked to choose a "cool sounding" job title for the business card, and I picked the title "WEB JOCKEY". Not quite sure why I thought that was cool though!

Why did you not go with SmartCat? It was right there.

Anyways, in my first job, all of us freshers were called Decision Scientists ,which was something our CEO came up with. We thought it was cool and something different from the usual Data Scientist. And boy, did they sell us on the name!! Few other companies are picking up this designation now, including my current one. Thankfully, I moved on to a more conventional Data Scientist role now.

[jkaushik]

Originally Posted by Malyaj

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

Yeah, this is obviously not a temporary position, but all these names are in the discretion of the authority, they create new positions on the fly.

[procrastinator]

Not wacky titles but still funny.

A title of an organization reminds me of a movie scene from Dhamaal.

Actor 1: "We will reach Goa by the time I end my name."
Actor 2: "...What's your name?"
Actor1: Iyer
Venugopal Iyer
Muttuswami Venugopal Iyer
Chinnaswami Muttuswami Venugopal Iyer
Perambdur Chinnaswami Muttuswami Venugopal Iyer

In an Organization
Software Analyst
Senior Software Analyst
Lead Software Analyst
Senior Lead Software Analyst
Super Senior Lead Software Analyst

[1.2TSI7DSG]

LoL

I take my case- lead of business transformation
Industry - Cement division of a Indian global conglomorate

Cement has not changed since it was invented, I doubt whether the work transformation even applies to the industry

[srini1785]

Not sure if it pertains to the subject at hand but PSU's in india traditionally have some confusing rankings. Sample this : Assistant General Manager (AGM), Additional General Manager(AGM) , Deputy General Manager (DGM) and of course General Manager. Took some time to understand that AGM ( i mean Assistant General Manager) is placed below DGM. However that does not mean that AGM ( i mean Additional General Manager ) is the same rank as a General Manager.

This is only for the General Manager designation. The same also goes for the Director designation.

Needless to say that there were more DGM's, AGM's , AGM's and GM's than Engineers to actually do a job.

PS : Usually designations don't matter, HR dept have internal paygrades that are alpha numeric. So a Chief - Whatever gets a same paygrade as a Sr-Engineer.

[amol4184]

The company where I work has a penchant for calling people "rock star".

Finished some work before deadline? You are a rock star.

Someone sent an appreciation? Rock star.

Got an award for coding like a champ? Rock star.

Did some social work? Rock star.

Arranged a successful event? Rock star.

I hate that "designation" to core now.

[katsumoto]

In one my previous employment, I was able to choose (or fill-up) job designation in our HR portal. I filled that up with title Lead Donkey Shepherd. I was so in-experienced then
My then Lead saw the title, looked at me, rolled his eyes but said nothing. He was a great mentor to work with.

[AirbusCapt]

The only designation which will really attract and at the same time fully quantify the scope of responsibility: God

[fazayal]

Originally Posted by AirbusCapt

The only designation which will really attract and at the same time fully quantify the scope of responsibility: God

I think I have met a God on LinkedIn.

[Samurai]

The people in charge of knowledge base should be titled Lore Master. I am sure someone would have this title.

[jkrishnakj]

Wipro once had a designation called VRO - Value Realisation Officer. This was almost a decade and a half ago.

Recently ( last year ), I wrote an email to my staff thanking them for making me a CAO for two of my very tough clients. Chief Apology Officer. I was constantly in the mode of getting into client calls and apologizing for the goofs.

[NPV]

Originally Posted by jkrishnakj

Recently ( last year ), I wrote an email to my staff thanking them for making me a CAO for two of my very tough clients. Chief Apology Officer. I was constantly in the mode of getting into client calls and apologizing for the goofs.

Yes, in the IT Services industry, some of us get into the role of CFFO quite often - Chief Fire Fighting Officer!

[14000rpm]

Interesting thread. LinkedIn is full of these self-made titles..including my own.
One of the whackiest I have seen is Chief Happiness Officer and another being Chief Story Teller. .
No end to creativity eh. End of the day, we are all Keyboard Samurai's slicing through the dictionary.

[V.Narayan]

On a slightly different track ....

Till the 1970s and 1980s for most of Indian industry designations were pretty well understood and stable. Whether in private or public sector the Officer, Manager and General Manager suffixes dominated. Then came the American banks with their Vice President term as the core and frankly when I first heard the title Assistant Vice President, in 1985, I was both amused and perplexed. It was a foreign term. Till then we never had a Deputy Assistant Manager if you get the drift.

Then with Rajiv Gandhi's Part-I opening of the economy the rush for standard of living came about and the need to show the Singhs and Srinivasans that we are moving ahead in life. It is interesting that till 1985, when I worked with good ole Tatas I was quite happy being called a Officer - XXXXX. That was it. The fact that I had a job with Tatas was good enough to assure me a place in the sun with my grandparents, prospective in-laws, myriad relatives and wife to be. But in the late 1980s micro titles started to become fashionable the 'Senior Deputy Manager' sort. And all of a sudden I felt I was getting left behind in life.

These micro differentiations that are now so common are there to assuage our anxiety of the 'am I progressing in life' kind.

Certain professions recognize you by the work you do or qualifications you have acquired and don't have these multiple titles. Three professions come to mind - my old one - Aviation, my current one - Healthcare, the Legal profession and the Merchant Marine. Here skill and strictly measured proficiency and independently measured levels determine title. In aviation on the flying side - First Officer, Captain, Instructor. Or amongst doctors - they don't care beyond a point - at the most Consultant, Senior Consultant and Head of Department. Merchant Marine Third Officer, Second Officer, Chief Officer, Captain.

For sometime these micro differentiated titles are here to stay as our thirst for virtual progress remains.