September 5, 2014 at 9:25 am
DavidL (9/5/2014)
GilaMonster (9/5/2014)
Personally.... My father's an engineer (mechanical). I know what goes into studying to be an accredited engineer. I will never use the title Engineer for myself (I'm not one)When, several years ago, my official title was "Database Engineer" I refused to use that title and made up one that I was more comfortable with and used that in email (wasn't important enough to have business cards at the time)
Big thumbs up for this one. 'Engineer' has been borrowed by many professions because they think it adds mass to the job description, but an PE (practicing engineer, with a stamp) can get SUED for malfeasance when designs s/he's signed off on end up not performing. I'll grant 'software engineers' the same title when I see one get sued and have to pay.
In the UK the use of the term Architect is restricted but in practice it is not protected.
Oh, and what about Domestic Engineers anyone? :w00t:
Gaz
-- Stop your grinnin' and drop your linen...they're everywhere!!!
September 5, 2014 at 2:01 pm
Gary Varga (9/5/2014)
DavidL (9/5/2014)
GilaMonster (9/5/2014)
Personally.... My father's an engineer (mechanical). I know what goes into studying to be an accredited engineer. I will never use the title Engineer for myself (I'm not one)When, several years ago, my official title was "Database Engineer" I refused to use that title and made up one that I was more comfortable with and used that in email (wasn't important enough to have business cards at the time)
Big thumbs up for this one. 'Engineer' has been borrowed by many professions because they think it adds mass to the job description, but an PE (practicing engineer, with a stamp) can get SUED for malfeasance when designs s/he's signed off on end up not performing. I'll grant 'software engineers' the same title when I see one get sued and have to pay.
In the UK the use of the term Architect is restricted but in practice it is not protected.
Oh, and what about Domestic Engineers anyone? :w00t:
The problem is quite simply that inventing some system to protect the term "Engineer" in the UK just won't work; doing so would be an amount to change teh English language by legislation - the sort of thing that the French have tried (and failed) to do because "engineer" is in common use throughout Britain (at least throughout Anglophone Britain) and in common usage it just doesn't mean what would be legally but not practically or actually protected - it means anyone who can operate complex machinery (like an oil can or an adjustable wrench) or fix problems with complex machinery (eg mend a puncture on a bike) or wire up a three pin plug without creating a serious fire risk or electrocuting himself or tell someone to try switching their computer off and then on again and see what happens. When I say engineer I mean what I guess you would like to be the protected meaning, and other engineers understand that. The rest of the population doesn't and probably can't be made to by legislation - in fact trying to legislate it would just bring real engineers into dispute because they would be seen as arrogating to themselves the right to change our shared language :angry:.
What are Domestic Engineers? People who can do the washing up, operating comples devices like taps and brushes and sponges and determining the correct dilution of complex chemicals like Fairy Liquid? Or do they have to be able to fill a dish-washing machine, put a detergent tablet in its slot, make sure there is adequate salt, and rinse-aid, and switch it on? I don't think I've ever seen the term before (or heard it, either), thank heavens:cool:
Tom
September 9, 2014 at 8:04 am
rohitc 87397 (9/5/2014)
Andy, I think you just opened my eyes. I am one of those people who have always claimed that titles don't matter, and I never use it when introducing myself to vendors, clients, or even to new colleagues within my organization. I'm going to change that now - as you said, it's not about who outranks whom, but it just helps people build their mental model and know when to come to you for assistance or advice.
Agree, sometimes something is not important for the obvious reasons.
I often find myself in another kind of problem, though: one title is not enough! Or rather: Sometimes I wish I could change title for every task I do...
Because, as rohitc and Andy says, it just helps people build their mental model. And when my, rather uninformative, title of "Analyst" is in play, it doesn't help at all! On the other hand, should I assume a more specialized title which fits some of the things I do, the majority of other meetings will erupt in chaos because I would be viewed as completely incompetent there! So, I find that keeping other stakeholders a little in the dark is preferable to let them assume too much... At least, now I get asked what I do.
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