[jrockway]

Standard investment bank titles. At BofA, where I worked, the progression was Officer -> Assistant VP -> VP -> Director -> Managing Director.

In the software world, this is something like SWE II, SWE III, Senior SWE, Staff SWE, Senior Staff SWE. The titles in the software world don't make much sense either.

[ianstallings]

Man somedays I am just so happy to work for startups. I get to choose my own title. My last one was lead guitar, but it ended up confusing people so I changed it to just "lead". My current one is "software guy".

Edit: Oh sorry, I didn't know this was a serious topic, for serious discussion only. I'll just take my awesome title and go live it up, doing what the fuck I want. Have fun filling out your TPS reports.

[HCIdivision17]

I got a kick out of my first plant job. HR manager asked me what title my position was, I shrugged, "Process Engineer?" And thus became such.

It's fascinating how titles can be both so important legally (i.e. In this article) or irrelevant (everyday life?)

[Yardlink]

I don't think titles are important legally. It's hard to believe his lawyer misunderstood that when it was apparently true according to the appeal judges. I know for instance, in copyright law, being an "employee" is important for deciding ownership, but you're not an employee just because you boss gives you that title, you have to be acting like one according to an odd set of rules.

[legohead]

This isn't reddit. HN is serious business.

[ianstallings]

The funny thing is I was being serious. I guess people just didn't like what I said. So then I turned it up a notch with the edit. Because, well, I am who I am.

[vinceguidry]

I'm pretty sure legohead was being facetious.

[jtfairbank]

I was thinking of assigning everyone a fun title, and specific responsibilities to go along with it. For example, a staff member who worked as a barista in a former life could be the "Caffeine Queen" and make delicious caffeinated drinks for our team (only if she wanted to and time permitted, of course). Or I would be Senior VP of silly hats, and ensure everyone has access to a hat incase they needed to change their identity in a hurry.

[Cookingboy]

You don't happen to work for Google do you? ;)