Question

Topic: Career/Training

I Do A Lot Of Things — What's My Title?

Posted by departmentzero on 9/7/2014 at 7:56 PM ET 50 Points
Hi. I started out at my company doing internet marketing (email, social, SEM, etc.). I've been promoted a couple of times and have taken on a lot of various responsibilities, but my title still contains "internet marketing" (now Director of).

I am in the interesting position where I have the opportunity to re-write my title and job description based on what I actually do. It's important to me because my salary can be adjusted based on that title and description. Plus a title goes a long way in defining what new jobs are available down the road.

So here's what I do:
- Manage and own marketing & related technologies (marketing automation, CRM, and parts of the websites)
- Manage three staff (campaigns manager, data analyst, search marketing specialist)
- Indirectly manage two product marketing managers (they report to my VP of marketing)
- Direct internet marketing strategy and initiatives
- Coordinate with the sales team on developing better sales and marketing data
- Act as the primary marketing contact to the technology and product development teams
- Directly produce some content, especially social; edit/review most other content

I'm not in charge of the department. There's a VP who manages my team as well as quite a few others, not to mention the bureaucratic, budgetary, and top strategic stuff.

So what am I?

I should note that that first bullet takes a lot of my time. I own the corporate database, plus the marketing technologies. That's what has me wondering if I could have a better (or at least different) title.
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RESPONSES

  • Posted by mgoodman on 9/7/2014 at 8:28 PM Accepted
    Director of Marketing?
  • Posted by departmentzero on 9/7/2014 at 8:46 PM Author
    Thanks, mgoodman. But there's a VP of Marketing and also a bunch of other marketers who don't report to me. Wouldn't it be confusing for a Director of Marketing to not be directing all the marketing? Or is that commonly done?
  • Posted by telemoxie on 9/8/2014 at 7:59 AM Accepted
    you say that your new title and position description will have an impact on your salary. That's important. But let's set that consideration aside for the moment.

    I would be willing to bet that the people you work with directly within your own organization at a fairly good idea about what you do. I don't think a new title will change or improve these relationships.

    But what about people outside the company? Do you have any interaction with them? The only thing I see in your list is that sometimes you write articles. Are there other ways in which you are in contact with customers and prospects? Do you conduct surveys of happy customers? Do you conduct lost sales, interviews? Do you go to industry events and trade shows? Do you research and write case studies? Are you involved in a user group? Do you write for a company or industry blog?

    If I were in your situation, and I had some input as to the trajectory of my job, I would try to work more closely and more directly with the market, and I would try to select a title which would communicate my commitment to the market, the way I serve the market, and my benefit to those in the market.

    And you don't necessarily need to limit yourself to a single title. I have gone to trade shows with a variety of business cards: they all had my name and phone number, but I had a per riot deal company names and positions. I recommend that you think a little bit more about the service that you provide, the people in your industry, and a little bit less about your power and role within your current organization.

    The best of luck to you.
  • Posted by telemoxie on 9/8/2014 at 8:02 AM Member
    sorry, I meant to say, "I had a variety..."
  • Posted by Peter (henna gaijin) on 9/8/2014 at 1:10 PM Accepted
    I'd probably call you "Director of Online Marketing" based on what you are currently doing. But the more generic "Director of Marketing" may open up more opportunities, as it is a broader (less restricting) name.
  • Posted by peg on 9/8/2014 at 7:52 PM Accepted
    "Director of Online Marketing" is more powerful than you might assume, as companies are competing every day for people with your experience and skills. In terms of career planning, you might use this to leverage yourself into a job at a new company, where you could be Director of Marketing -- assuming you had staff to handle what you might not previously have mastered, such as (making these examples up) television advertising, event staging, or brochure production.

    You may love your current company; but be mindful that as Director of Internet Marketing, you're a hot property in the hiring market right now and it's therefore a promising time to jump to a broader opportunity/higher salary/bigger brand elsewhere, while your stock is high.
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