To just give a generic job title when asked?

[PrueLeith]

Was at a child-related event recently with a friend. Another mum came over to chat to both of us, and the conversation turned to jobs.

I said I was a university lecturer. Friend said she was a senior HR advisor.

Other mum left and friend was like 'why didn't you say your actual job?'. I said I did, and she said 'you're not just a lecturer though, your job title is Head of Department'. I said I felt like lecturer was more descriptive of most of what I do, and most people wouldn't care about my actual title. And that I'd feel like a bit of a knob going 'oh, I'm head of department' as if I'm trying to impress people.

This made me wonder what others do. Do you just give a general/generic description, or would you be careful to say eg 'Higher Level Teaching Assistant' or consultant rather than doctor?

AIBU to just give the general title for what I do? Or is it a bit cringey to be really explicit about exactly what level you are?

New people I just say ‘I work for the NHS’ and if they ask I say ‘cancer side of things’. Covers many rungs and occupations.( surgeon.)

I just say ‘I work in the nhs’ or public health. I have a long title and it doesn’t really explain what I do.

Oh if I think someone is trying to establish a pecking order I tend to underplay my job even more, for the sheer sport of it. I don't play that game.

A lot of job titles don’t actually tell people what you do. Head of department could literally be in any industry or institution. Lecturer literally tells someone you teach in higher or further education.

I discovered that my sister put on her CV that she was "PA to the Chief Exec of a technology company".... she posted fliers for a couple of hours a week for our cousin who ran a one man band computer repair business.

I'm cringing at your friend describing herself as a senior HR advisor! What's wrong with I work in HR.
I think your friend is the strange one!

Working in HR myself your friend probably thought that because HR can be quite titles driven. Hence the senior HR advisor instead of just HR Advisor as they’re quite different levels and always striving for the next title!!

now I specialise so just say the specialism I am in and not the level.

I’m the same. I have project management role within a specific area I control but it’s much easier to just say project manager. No one really cares/ understands anyway

Hilarious!

I work for an MP, which can obiously be incredibly polarising. To avoid opening up a can of worms I just say "I am a secretary" and hope they don't ask any more questions!

I’m an equity partner in a law firm but I just say I’m a solicitor.

The whole idea reminds me of that West Wing episode where Toby lost a bet and had to spend a day introducing himself "My name is Toby and I work in the White House" and even little kids were explaining it would sound cooler if he let people find out for themselves.

Finance director and usually just say accountant or I work in finance.

Saying 'I'm a financial director' feels like bragging

I think what you said is fine. People will understand what it is without further explanation.

I am a secondary teacher. More specifically, Head of a core subject but if asked, I just say I teach in secondary school. I doubt anyone is that bothered about what my actual title is 🤷‍♀️

My job title is ridiculously long and unclear. It doesn't make sense to the colleagues outside my actual team, let alone those I don't work with. I just say I work in procurement or public sector procurement if they genuinely seem interested/would know the difference.

I don't think most people would recognise the actual day to day of another job role they haven't done or aren't really interested in any way. I know I certainly wouldn't.

Why are you all dumbing down your roles? Be proud.
Your partners would never do this 🤦🏻‍♀️😘xx

Mine would, actually

And in my case the actual title might sound dumber than a brief description.

Nope. Plenty of people teach in HE and FE and are not lecturers.

(I used to have a real issue with this in my first job post-PhD - I was a teaching associate. My role was lecturing, and at most universities, my job title would have been some variation on 'lecturer'. But at mine, it wasn't. I'd constantly get people telling me I should call myself 'lecturer,' and I couldn't, because it would have been arrogant within the context of that particular university and its structures for naming jobs.)

I find the whole... I'm a senior whatever a bit cringe too. If i ask someone what they do then i work in HR is all i need to know.
Similarly i don't like hearing things like "my staff" it all sounds a bit Downton Abbey! What's wrong with "my colleagues" ? No one needs to know you're in charge.

Mine definitely does.

And I am proud. I'm just not a braggart.

I just can't be bothered. I tend to find the people who ask me what I do for a living are the school dads at DDs primary when we're filling time at school events with small talk. What they actually want to do is tell me about their job, I could tell them that I have a more senior role and probably get paid a lot more but I can't be bothered dealing with hurty feelings.

I wield it when I need to, recently went to a conference for my industry which is heavily male dominated (women make up 20% of the workforce) and several of the vendors actively slowed down their talking speed and dumbed down their vocabulary when talking to me. It was fun giving them my job title and responding using very technical language, then watching them squirm.

Did they really squirm?
Or did you just feel superior?

Most job titles are completely meaningless to anyone outside the firm tbh. Unless your job is very specific and recognisable (surgeon/violinist/head teacher/bartender) it won't mean much to anyone.

Introducing yourself as "senior" anything just makes you sound insecure.