IT Generalist and System Admin Titles for the SMB

Jason

@Dashrender said:

Of course I've come to accept those terms as you've defined them for us here and at SW, but I was specifically referring to what SMB hiring managers probably think when they see those terms.

I see, I don't feel that any non-IT person uses "IT Admin." I've never once heard that used by a business doing hiring. Are you really seeing that places?

I know of one person at a very small company with IT administrator title. He's basically a desktop support technician. but does their networking to (even in the manufactoring side) with Linksys routers and switches from staples.

scottalanmiller

@Jason said:

I know of one person at a very small company with IT administrator title. He's basically a desktop support technician. but does their networking to (even in the manufactoring side) with Linksys routers and switches from staples.

I would definitely assume something like that if I heard a non-standard, clearly meaningless title. It would imply that the hiring manager had zero clue and didn't care at all and that the person that they hired didn't care, didn't know or lacked the clout to get a valid title. Because a title like IT Admin will certainly hold you back looking for other jobs for just those reasons.

scottalanmiller

This topic came up at our recent SpiceCorps event in Auburn.

DustinB3403

@scottalanmiller said in IT Generalist and System Admin Titles for the SMB:

This topic came up at our recent SpiceCorps event in Auburn.

You mean someone specifically brought this exact ML topic up, or the topic in general.

How did the conversation go?

scottalanmiller

@DustinB3403 said in IT Generalist and System Admin Titles for the SMB:

@scottalanmiller said in IT Generalist and System Admin Titles for the SMB:

This topic came up at our recent SpiceCorps event in Auburn.

You mean someone specifically brought this exact ML topic up, or the topic in general.

How did the conversation go?

LOL, I think it was YOU who brought it up

DustinB3403

I don't recall bringing this up.... maybe though.

We'll have to check with @Minion-Queen I think she has the entire event recorded.

Minion Queen

Yeah Scott is supposed to help me get a place to post all of this stuff

Kelly

@scottalanmiller Your stance on IT job titles seems at variance with your stance on the English language. It seems that you want a level of flexibility in language that you're unwilling to extend to titles. My experience in SMB, and annecdotally, is that a SysAdmin is what most SMBs call your IT Generalist. The SMB job market has designated a skill set and assigned it a title. Whether it is technically accurate, or matches the enterprise is not really germane to an individual's ability to get hired in the SMB, or get paid in a manner commensurate with skills and experience. If I put down IT Generalist as my title/position sought I will get slated for helpdesk positions. The "correctness" of the title is no longer relevant to the discussion. You are fighting against the same things that I am with the language overall, and we're both losing.