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Not sure if this would fit in this community, but could not find any other more suitable :)

In short.. IT company, 5 co-founders, 2x backend devs, 1x frontend dev, 1x social media manager and 1x database expert.

In the near (we hope) future, we would like to dedicate most of our time leading the company and teams of people, but for now we are most accurately identified as I listed above. Aside all the paper work, bureaucracy and planning for the past few months :)

However.. Seems we should have some "higher" level titles also, so we decided on c-level ones. They are hip. They sound cool.

But, how to divide where this "higher" level title ends and "lower" level one begins? Do I introduce myself as Frontend Developer or Chief Creative Officer? What is stated under my name on our website and on my business card?

Is it OK for me to be called Chief if I'm not the boss of anyone at the moment?

Not to go any deeper in our thought process, do you maybe have any experience, tips and tricks considering titles in such situation?

Thank you!

P.S. All of the co-founders are completely equal inside the company

3mpetri
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1 Answers1

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TL;DR

Use any titles you want. However, be aware of the communication potential (or lack thereof) in misusing titles.

Titles Should Carry Semantic Content

Titles mean whatever you want them to mean. "Junior Assistant Flunky" may or may not be more important, or get paid more, than "Captain of the Mop Brigade."

However, titles can communicate useful information if they are part of a shared vocabulary within an organization or with one's clients. Industry-standard titles are standard for a reason. Even non-standard titles like "Senior Code Monkey" can still communicate about what someone does or the scope of that person's responsibility.

It isn't so much the title itself that matters. From a project perspective, the risk is largely in semantically-null titles or excessive title inflation that interfere with, rather than enable, efficient communication about role, scope, or responsibility. YMMV.

Todd A. Jacobs
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