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What job title do you have on your business card?

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    What job title do you have on your business card?

    Yes, this has been asked before, but not for a few years so I thought I'd grab the current trends! Someone has kindly made me a nice new logo and designed me a business card, but they've put "Managing Director" as my job title. While I guess it could be true, it's pretentious at best and doesn't really add anything useful. Current thoughts seem to be:

    Blank - no job title
    [Senior?] Consultant
    [Senior?] $MainTech Consultant (This is what I have on my CV, but that's primarily because it matches the job roles I go for)
    Principal Consultant (Feels a bit vogue, maybe)

    I already have "$MainTech and $SecondaryTech Consultancy Services" at the bottom of the card, to describe what I primarily do as a business.

    I suppose the other option is to make up two sets - one for clients of normal contract work and one for where I'm pitching direct business and Plan B type stuff.

    So, what are your thoughts?
    Last edited by vwdan; 18 December 2014, 13:27.

    #2
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      #3
      I used to have a couple of different business cards, depending on the type of work I was pitching for. But now, my business card says:

      <NAME>
      Managing Director
      Learning Technologies Consultant

      I totally get what you mean about MD sounding a bit wanky (though in my case, I can get away with it, given my company is growing), and besides, I think MainTech Consultant is more useful to people you hand your card to.

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        #4
        What are you trying to be? I'm always put off by what are obviously one-man consultancies pretending to be bigger companies, especially the use of the word "we" a lot on websites (as in "we do all codes"). If it's a technical thing you're offering you could call yourself Technical Director which sounds like you do useful stuff, unlike Managing Director which makes it sound like you organise the christmas party.
        Will work inside IR35. Or for food.

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          #5
          Good question. I never give mine out because I don't much like the job title I put on there.
          Intending to get more printed without a title

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            #6
            Originally posted by mudskipper View Post
            Good question. I never give mine out because I don't much like the job title I put on there.
            Intending to get more printed without a title
            That's what I've done.

            My title generally depends on the contract I'm applying for.

            It's a movable feast...
            "I can put any old tat in my sig, put quotes around it and attribute to someone of whom I've heard, to make it sound true."
            - Voltaire/Benjamin Franklin/Anne Frank...

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              #7
              ...
              Last edited by Jubber; 18 December 2014, 14:11. Reason: Ooops - professional forum

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                #8
                I've never paid any attention to a job title on a business card.

                If I get handed one by someone I want to stay in touch with, then I already know what they do. So, I:

                A. Immediately type their name, email address and number into my phone.
                B. Lob the card in the bin.

                If I get handed one by someone I don't want to stay in touch, I don't care what they do and I just go straight to B.

                I'm actually surprised that anyone still uses them.

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                  #9
                  Originally posted by northernladuk View Post
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                  Originally posted by GillsMan View Post
                  I totally get what you mean about MD sounding a bit wanky (though in my case, I can get away with it, given my company is growing), and besides, I think MainTech Consultant is more useful to people you hand your card to.
                  Yeah, I don't think MD is always pretentious - especially if you really are working Business to Business and even moreso if there is more than one of you. But, for someone who primarily contracts via an agency on an individual worker level it can look a bit daft even if I am trying to move beyond that.

                  Originally posted by VectraMan View Post
                  What are you trying to be? I'm always put off by what are obviously one-man consultancies pretending to be bigger companies, especially the use of the word "we" a lot on websites (as in "we do all codes"). If it's a technical thing you're offering you could call yourself Technical Director which sounds like you do useful stuff, unlike Managing Director which makes it sound like you organise the christmas party.
                  In some ways you've hit the crux of the matter - most of my work is normal contractor style work, but I'm trying NOT to be that. I want to garner more direct work, better relationships and also push my Plan B which is tangentially related.

                  Originally posted by mudskipper View Post
                  Good question. I never give mine out because I don't much like the job title I put on there.
                  Intending to get more printed without a title
                  Looking around, apparently the "no title" thing is very much a done thing now so it might be the easiest option....

                  Originally posted by cojak View Post
                  My title generally depends on the contract I'm applying for.
                  ...because of this. My title is whatever I think can get me some good business at that time. If they're keen to engage with the Director of the business, then great - if they want someone technical well let me just change my suit.

                  Originally posted by JRCT View Post
                  I've never paid any attention to a job title on a business card.

                  If I get handed one by someone I want to stay in touch with, then I already know what they do. So, I:

                  A. Immediately type their name, email address and number into my phone.
                  B. Lob the card in the bin.

                  If I get handed one by someone I don't want to stay in touch, I don't care what they do and I just go straight to B.

                  I'm actually surprised that anyone still uses them.
                  And is this is a very fair point, especially with regards to title, but I still think they have a place for an easy way of saying "Here's my contact details - get in touch".

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                    #10
                    Mine doesn't have a job title on it.

                    I so rarely give them out that it makes no difference - I give out a few every year at the Oracle conference(s), but that's primarily to enter the competitions.
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