Hi, I'm the Computer Guy

[goaway1234]

I have been wrestling with a qestion of title for some time now; it seems that I can't figure out what my job title is, much less what to put on a resume. My situation is that I work at a mid-sized law firm that is run by a bunch of technophiles who don't have a technical bone in their body. I was hired about seven years ago when I was in high-school to do clerical work. Now, I'm pretty much just the computer guy, support staff, IT staffer, or anything else equally ambiguous. Nobody I work knows the difference b/twn a database administrator and phone-support personelle, so they aren't any help.

The technical work I've done here for all these years started with developing several database applications in Access. After some success with that I started making software purchases, setting up the apps, employee training, per-user troubleshooting, designed a client-server app in .NET, I do some network administration and troubleshooting, and a host of other smaller tasks. All-in-all, what I do here is pretty much whatever is computer related and needs to be done. This makes it very hard to pick a job title.

Like I said, I started here doing non-technical work when I was in high-school, and now that I've graduated from college and am looking for another job, I want to know what is appropriate to put on a resume. So, I'm asking you, the rest of the computer guys, to help me put a label on my time here.

 

[screwloose]

1) Technical Support
2) IT Support
3) Systems Specialist

 

[VBAjedi]

Hmm. . . with such a broad area of responsibility, I would think you would want an impressive-sounding but slightly abstract title. You want an interviewer to ask "And what did that entail?" so that you can rattle off your long list of responsibilities. Two possibilities I thought up:

Technology Coordinator
Technology Implementation Specialist

Just don't go overboard and pick something pretentious that implies more responsibility than you actually have (ex. "Vice President of Information Technology").

VBAjedi

 

[rosieb]

How about Information Systems Manager?

Rosie
"Never express yourself more clearly than you think" (Niels Bohr)

 

[screwloose]

My personal opinion, but calling yourself a Technology Implementation Specialist is like a janitor calling themselves a sanitation engineer or a housewife a domestic engineer.

It was a jack-of-all-trades job that most started out in IT doing (myself included) and I called myself what I was - IT Specialist. Just a general run-of-the-mill-do-it-all guy. Nothing wrong with that, nothing to be ashamed of. It is a good where you learn many different things and find out what you may like better so you can maybe specialize in that particular area.

 

[VBAjedi]

Rosie:
The only problem with "Manager" is that it generally implies that you have other people working under you.

screwloose:
It's really just a matter of degrees. Most job titles err on the side of importance (as opposed to utility). And there's not that much difference (in importance or in meaning) between "Technology Implementation Specialist" and "Information Technology Specialist".



VBAjedi

 

[screwloose]

Now that I read TIS beside ITS, you're right .

I agree that the manager title would be wrong in this person's situation.

 

[SQLSister]

I always use my official title no matter how bizarre it may be compared to my duties. Ask whoever handles your personnel record kepping what your official job title is. That way when they check your references and say was so and so a database adminstrator at your company from this date to that date, they will know to say yes when they look at my records. Otherwise they might say, well we employed him but he didn't do that. Personnel clerks have no idea what you actually did, all they have to go on is the title. If they tell them something differnt than you have on your resume, you look like a liar to someone who doesn't know you. If your job is one with a lot of responsibilites, then make sure to describe them.

You may want several versions of the resume depending on what type of work you are looking for. So you did database deveklopment and managed the network. If you put enphasis onthe database work and just casually mention the network work, then the resume is stronger for a database development position. I fyou are going for a network admin position, then I would reverse that and mention the network adimn duties first and in greater detail than the database duties.

Questions about posting. See faq183-874

 

[RiverGuy]

Yes, use your official title. Unless you don't have one. I have heard of Information Technology Specialist before. I would think that would cover all bases.

 

[ulteriormotif]

Like you, nwdurcholz, I'm a jack of all trades in a position that grew because I was here.

I 'invented' a title.. IT Specialist... primarily because we already have another 'specialist' in the company (totally unrelated field), so it wasn't an unfamiliar-type title to use, and it also avoided the 'manages people' connotation of IT Manager.

The other big advantage of it is that it allows me to be a jack of all trades - doesn't lean in one direction or another as far as skills go, so the badge fits on all the hats I wear in a day.

I like it. It gets a bit of respect, but it's not intimidating. It's an easy title for the consultants here to sell me as when they talk to clients. It's not too high-falutin' or self-promoting. It works.

 

[KenCunningham]

I wouldn't say 'manager' necessarily implies managing people - you can also manage equipment - think call management systems for example.

 

[BFOJ]

In the Federal Government, we are called Information Technology Specialists, among other things.

 

[RodKnowlton]

As long as it's followed by a brief description of the broad ranges of responsibilities, and you've the confidence and sense of humor for it, why not:

The Computer Guy - ABC Law Firm

At least you'd know that the law firm would confirm your reference.

 

[MasterRacker]

You can manage equipment, however, most pay grade structures and org charts, etc. reserve "manager" for people who either have people reporting to them or perform otehr "managerial" tasks such as budgeting, or other higher-level decision making.


Jeff
The future is already here - it's just not widely distributed yet...

 

[philote]

I'm also a jack of all trades and my title is "IT Administrator".

 

[willir]

Ditto to philote

Network Admin
System Admin
IT Admin

Also, which task do you spend most time on??

Hint: Check out relative pay for each job title at Salary.com, and see how each pays.

http://www.salary.com/salary/layoutscripts/sall_display.asp

Hint: Use a functional résumé - focus on skills, accomplishments, and just itemize the titles, hire dates, etc. at the end of the résumé (2nd page). Like Philote and myself, having to wear many, many hats gives you a lot of cross-platform skills (programming, admin, hardware, etc, and an understanding of the "big picture"), but the down size is that you may not be an expert as a specialist.

Lastly, be honest. If you have an official title, like stated before, still use it. The functional résumé will spend more emphasis on your skills and abilities and less on limited titles.

Richard

 

[goaway1234]

I spend the most time programming on one big project, and take breaks from that to help out users and do smaller stuff that the boss requests. I don't really spend a big chunk of time on net admin, as our network usually works smoothly. I like the TIS suggestion, as it is specific but not over inflated

As far as asking my boss or personelle clerk (who are one and the same here), the only response I get is, "Hell, I don't know. What do you want to be called?"

Thanks for all your suggestions, I think I'm ready to write that resume!

 

[willir]

...then perhaps it is Programmer Analyst or Senior Programmer Analyst

 

[DrJavaJoe]

Well it seems to me that you can be pretty flexible with your job title without being untruthful. So if applying for a job which is looking for a Technology Implementation Specialist then you are a Technology Implementation Specialist, if they are looking for an IT Administrator then, wow, what a coincidence your a IT Administrator, etc.

Two strings walk into a bar. The first string says to the bartender: 'Bartender, I'll have a beer. u.5n$x5t?*&4ru!2[sACC~ErJ'. The second string says: 'Pardon my friend, he isn't NULL terminated'.