Titles. Is it me or have titles become too silly these days? Job titles especially. Important jobs, meaningless jobs, management jobs, minimum wage jobs. Doesn't matter. They're some titles out there...
The other day I was at Walgreen's. I had to do a double take at the check-out counter when I saw the name tag of the guy checking me out. Executive Assistant Manager. Huh? What the heck does that mean? Assistant manager I get. But what is an 'executive' assistant manager? Does he have more responsibility than an assistant manager but less than a manager? Does he get keys to the cash registers but not the safe? Is he allowed to develop pictures but not allowed to do refunds? I don't know.
When I was at Best Buy last month I needed some help. A lady at customer service kindly told me she'd get me a 'CSR' right away. "Thanks' I said and thought to myself what in the hell is a CSR? Well, a zit-faced teenage boy came over to me and helped me. His name was Clayton. His title: Customer Service Representative. Wow! I couldn't believe it. That's a fancy name for a pee-on making 7.75 an hour. No offense, Clayton.
I've seen at restaurants lately this title: server assistant. Now I've been in restaurants all my life. My dad managed one. He was the general manager. So I'd like to think I know the restaurant business a little bit. It has only been very recent that I have seen the title of server assistant. Why? Because for the last 75 years normal people have been calling them busboys!
General manager. Head Manager. In-store Manager. Assistant Manager. Associate manager. Executive Manager. Good grief...
My profession: Teacher, Professor, Instructor.
My favorite? Guest Teacher. That's what my PC school district calls substitute teachers. Hell, I find 'substitute teacher' much too fancy. I call them 'subs.' Sue me.
Doesn't starbucks call their employees something cool? Like Barista Technicians or something? Nonsense.
It's in sports too. Assistant head coach? Huh? Associate head coach? Again, huh? Sports Information Director???
And I still don't know what a key grip does. Do you?
A key grip is actually the chief supervisor of a union crew responsible for moving lights, dolly tracks, cranes and scenery.
ReplyDelete— Signed Your Assistant to the Assistant Coach who happens to a Guest Teacher's Executive Customer Service Representative