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Hey there Spiceheads!

I just wanted to get your two cents on titles within the IT world and how it could benefit career growth.

Here’s where I’m at: I have the CompTIA A+ and Network+ certs (and I’ll be getting my Security+ next week). I’ve been in my firm for over a year and we’re undergoing an infrastructure restructure.

Here’s where I want to go: Eventually, I’d like to be an IT Manager and then one day a Director or a CIO somewhere. So I’d like to focus on the management side down the road while still being somewhat technical.

Here’s what I currently do: Right now I’m a “Helpdesk Specialist” essentially the lead tech, but I also write all the department’s documentation, I implement new procedures (eRecycling, etc), run various reports, train others…You name it, I’ve probably done it…haha

I’ll be working on getting a few MCSA’s and an MSCE from Microsoft this year as well has hopefully grabbing the CAPM from PMI. I have a meeting with a higher up to discuss new job role/title and I want to get away from “Helpdesk” anything, even if I am helping with the Helpdesk, I just feel like the word “Helpdesk” is automatically associated with the lower tiers of the IT world.

What do you guys think would be a title/role that would not only boost my resume but also gear me up for management down the road? Personally, I was thinking some sort of Network Engineer or Systems Analyst or maybe even Lead Helpdesk Technician (if it would be beneficial) but I wanted to get your guys’ take on this. If any of you are IT Managers or higher, I would find it helpful to hear your path of roles.

Thank you all so much!

Nick

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If you are looking to manage, your priority should be learning business and management. Maybe concentrate on a bachelor’s degree in business administration, then an MBA?

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If you are working in helpdesk why is it an issue having that in your title? It shows you have paid your dues when people look at your resume. Manager in your title would infer that you have managed a department of people. I am not sure titles hold a lot of weight if they are just a title without any substance behind it. From your duties it seems like you have been given a generic title that doesn’t fit.

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“IT Manager” is typically an entry level, SMB position. That’s the name given to the junior “one man shop” jobs. I know of no shop using that as a title for someone more senior.“Systems Analyst” is a very real job title for a very specific role - designing software. Unless you are doing the job that your title says, you will look like a fraud in an interview and your title will hold you back.Network Engineer is, like System Analyst, a specific role. That is the title for people who are full time, well, network engineers. It means you are not an admin (operations / run team) but engineering (the planning and designing team) and do essentially nothing but design and set up enterprise network infrastructures. Don’t try to “make up” a title or sound important. Use a title that is true to your job. Are you a Helpdesk Tech? Then be a Helpdesk Tech. You might be “Lead” or “Senior” but don’t think that IT jobs are things that you can just toss around, those titles are all meaningful and if you plan to get into real jobs like CIO, you need to understand that they can’t be just tossed about as if they don’t mean anything.

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Who do you report to? Do you manage the whole IT infrastructure yourself? I tend to go with IT Administrator when it’s involving everything from helpdesk to infrastructure (servers and networking). Of course we’re talking about the SMB demographic.

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Never, ever do that. It’s the worst possible degree to get. It’s barely above “Art History” major. Business Administration is something you do SOLELY at the MBA level. Never at the bachelor level. You can get a degree in anything, then do an MBA later. At the bachelor level business administration looks horrible on a resume. You will always need an MBA for your degree to matter and if you get your undergrad in the same area, you lose breadth. It’s purely a waste of money.

You’d literally do better to get a BA in “Communications” and get an MBA than a BS in BA and an MBA.

But CIOs rarely come from MBA backgrounds, so consider that carefully.

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Typically Engineer titles are more technical in nature. Administrator titles are more managerial. While SAM is right, there is a little room for titles like Business Support Specialist, etc. instead of necessarily help desk. HR should really have some input here.

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Thank you all for your replies!

Currently, I report to an “IT Manager” but I’m above him in terms of technical capability and day to day duties, he just answers for mishaps of the department, etc.

ITcrackerjack, thanks for the idea - I do get involved in literally every part of the department. Scott, do you think IT Administrator would be fitting? And would IT Administrator be above IT Manager?

Thanks again! Tons of help guys, I appreciate it.

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We are about to create an IT Manager position that manages the Help Desk staff, manages IT projects, manages virtual infrastructure, manages networking equipment, and reports to the VP of IT.

SAM - I’m curious why IT Manager is an entry level position? I’ve never heard manager in any title and assumed they were new to the game.

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Much about titles young one you worry too. Herh herh herh.

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Haha, nice. I kind of agree.

But, what looks better on a resume? Helpdesk Specialist or IT Manager?

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Exactly! It may not seem important for the role but this is all about preparing for my future and since I essentially have a free shot to customize my position/title - I want to use it wisely :slight_smile:

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I wish that I knew the thread location because we have a good, long thread discussing this.

Yes, “IT Admin” is a decent title. It says that you are a generalist (IT vs. system / network / database / etc) and that you are involved in operations / administration rather than the design side. This is the side more likely to approach CIO roles because you have a better understanding of business operations, are “customer facing” and are tied to business urgency.

Traditionally the title for that role is LAN Administrator. No title is super popular.

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The one that is accurate! If you are a helpdesk weenie posing as an IT Manager in a new position you are going to be called to task!

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Helpdesk Specialist, definitely.

“IT Manager” isn’t a real job role and flags you as having created your own title. It doesn’t denote anything positive but suggests that you are a lone IT person managing… who? And when you get asked how many direct reports you had… you will likely get filtered out right there.

Helpdesk Specialist sounds like someone who knows their role and grasps it.

NTG’s technical people are ALL “Technical Support Specialists.”

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Helpdesk Lead, T3 helpdesk, System Administrator,

IT manager is an SMB title as others have said. In larger companies you have a specific Manager Title. IT project manager, Helpdesk Manager, VP of IT operations. ect… you need to figure out your own path. and not everyone in IT can be a CIO. sometimes CIO has no technical background at all, Just business.

Don’t start trying to jump too far. And a lot of companies do not just hand out titles all willy nilly. They feel that the title controls your salary cap! better title = higher salary!

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Are you a hiring manager? If you are, you learn quickly to recognize “IT Manager” as code for "single IT guy who doesn’t know IT job titles and tried to make something up that sounds impressive and didn’t realize that manager meant that I had to have staff report to me."Or, worse, it is the title given to the one clueless person who managers the one junior IT person, making it even below entry level IT.In IT, “manager” titles are often given by people to themselves in lieu of pay raises and are often fake. “IT Manager” is almost universally fake and even if it is not, it is unique to the SMB where it just shouldn’t exist. SMBs don’t have IT teams large enough to have a real manager normally.

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Well…

IT Administrator: Real job title that reflects a real job (a.k.a. LAN Admin.)

IT Manager: Fake title given out to people attempting to sound pretentious and sound more senior than they are and either entry level so didn’t know this about the title and/or are not in IT but manage IT as a non-technical person.

In general, titles are not “above or below.” Admin, Engineer, Manager, Analyst… these refer to different aspects of the job, not to seniority. Titles like Junior, Senior, Lead, SME, Chief, etc. refer to your level within those careers.

Don’t mix the idea of “level” with the idea of “job role.”

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Thank you very much! This has been very helpful!

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Hmmm… Guess I wasted 4 years of my life and a lot of money.

I don’t feel like getting attacked but I disagree with this one. I have a bachelor’s in BA and I feel it’s helped me quite a bit. I have the general knowledge to understand a lot of different aspects of business so it’s come in handy. Paying attention in class actually helped, who would have thought? I’ve had a HR Director tell me the reason I got hired was having a combination of a BA degree and technical knowledge… Of course that’s my opinion.

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