IT "professional" and Finance "executive"

[Wd40]

Why are IT guys known as "professionals" and finance guys as "executives"?
What about the rest, do we have similar terms for every job?

[JR8]

Culinary artiste (chef).


p.s. I was never referred to as a 'financial executive', but rather by reference to the financial role I had. 'Financial executive' smacks rather of over-hyping a job position... example: a kid selling life insurance products on the street might tout himself as such.

[nakatago]

I think a little, self-indulgent promotion is acceptable in this particular case: http://sevenfloorsdown.com/geeks/archives/2243

[ecureilx]

Culinary artiste (chef).

Back home, Executive was for real executives, following the British standards !!

I have a friend working for an Environmental and Resource Recovery Company (garbage collection/sorting/incinerating)

And Nasa once called Tender for "Advanced, and efficient Human Waste Collection and Management Facitlity on Zero Gravity Extra Terrastrial Vehicle" or something like that -> Toilet On board Space Station

PS. Subway has openings for Sandwich Artists !!!

[the lynx]

I overheard a conversation between two friends in a party.

A: So I've got promoted as technical executive (previously a lab rat)

B: That's huge! I've never heard someone getting a promotion that big!

A: (confused) What do you mean?

B: You must be making executive money then!!!

A: Nah, I just got a salary raise by a hundred plus.

B: Oh (confusion with dawning sympathy and amusement)

[nakatago]

PS. Subway has openings for Sandwich Artists !!!

Subway Singapore is hiring sandwich artistes?

[ecureilx]

PS. Subway has openings for Sandwich Artists !!!

Subway Singapore is hiring sandwich artistes?

I stand Corrected (or not ?? )

Positions Available:
1. Sandwich Artists (Full/Part Time)
2. Crew Leader (Full Time)
3. Assistant Manager (Full Time)

http://www.subway.com.sg/layouts/page_careers.html

[brian_singapore]

Adding 'professional' to the IT moniker is an absolute necessity lest you be mistaken for a member of the 'unprofessional' mob that dogs the IT industry.

[nakatago]

Adding 'professional' to the IT moniker is an absolute necessity lest you be mistaken for a member of the 'unprofessional' mob that dogs the IT industry.

http://youtu.be/kWrjYdD0Tg0

[Strong Eagle]

Don't get me started about code monkeys turning into "software engineers".

Or... Custom Solutions Engineer

Or maybe... Chief Knowledge Officer... I bet this person doesn't get within a 100 feet of the 'C' level offices.

What's a 'sales executive'? Why, it's the gal in the tech store sitting behind the counter.

Ask me if I think 'Director' is overused.

[JR8]

Don't get me started about code monkeys turning into "software engineers".
Or... Custom Solutions Engineer
Or maybe... Chief Knowledge Officer... I bet this person doesn't get within a 100 feet of the 'C' level offices.
What's a 'sales executive'? Why, it's the gal in the tech store sitting behind the counter.
Ask me if I think 'Director' is overused.

Lol! I wish I got to see more of Dilbert, as the strip really does get it.

In the UK 'Director' is a pretty protected name, it means you have joint/several liability over the affairs/accounts etc of the company. Not a title that gets scattered about.

But from my career... I was a Vice President. Wow!, Ooh!, Swoon!.... yeah, along with the 5000 other VPs lol...

[PNGMK]

Where I work (Thomas Edison's company) Professional is reserved for degree holders who merit the title "professional". Executives is reserved for upper management who boss those professionals around but may not have any professional quals. There is a title also "hourly" - that means non professional but usually skilled.

[nakatago]

Don't get me started about code monkeys turning into "software engineers".

Well, I got my skills and experience accredited by a national engineering body so, with their blessing, I can call myself a software engineer.



I don't know about those hosers in the other cubicles though.

[Strong Eagle]

Don't get me started about code monkeys turning into "software engineers".

Well, I got my skills and experience accredited by a national engineering body so, with their blessing, I can call myself a software engineer.



I don't know about those hosers in the other cubicles though.

[rant]

I spent the first 30 years of my working life as a software DEVELOPER in many roles, from coder through designer and business process analysis, and finally to department manager with 29 of these critters reporting to me. How this ever came to be known as "engineering" is beyond me... except perhaps that some overly zealous HR department want to add "prestige" to the grunt jobs they were offering by throwing out the term engineer.

"Gee, Ma. I just got a promotion. I'm no longer a code jockey, I'm a ENGINEER!"

What's next? The bus driver gets a certification and becomes a Transportation Engineer?

The difference in my mind is process mathematics. If you're able to compute a loading moment in a complicated structure, or determine the impulse response of an electric circuit, you're an engineer, or maybe a physicist.

But 99.9% of software coding requires minimal mathematics... even GIS applications require only a reasonable knowledge of plane geometry... or maybe spherical trig if you're going 3D.

If you're into digital image processing and/or seismic processing, some of the techniques require an understanding of advanced mathematics, and hence, creators of the software could be called engineers.

Or take 3D digital animation and/or graphics apps... only a handful of people have any understanding of the mathematics required for projections, camera positions, light dispersion and reflection, etc. They could be considered engineers.

Ditto for the small subset of software developers that develop scientific applications... missile tracking, DNA mapping, satellite apps.

The rest of the guys slinging out lines of code? They are the hosers you mentioned. They have no idea why their first "Hello World" program written for Windows spun out an 80 meg executable. Their knowledge of math is equivalent to what can be found on a four function calculator.

And, to end the rant... one more reason that software developers should not be called engineers can be found in a compsci curriculum. Programming techniques, hardware optimization, simulations, networks... all those things that advance the art and science of computers... from the first paper tape/wired logic board computer I ever programmed to today's object oriented, non sequential, state machines we have... the advancement of SOFTWARE, not engineering.

Really... what these folks need is an equivalent to "engineer" that reflects the skill space of a qualified compsci major... then those that qualified for the title of "compsci magician" could become all pissed off at all the hosers trying to pass themselves off as something they are not.

[/rant]

[nakatago]

Don't get me started about code monkeys turning into "software engineers".

Well, I got my skills and experience accredited by a national engineering body so, with their blessing, I can call myself a software engineer.



I don't know about those hosers in the other cubicles though.

[rant]

I spent the first 30 years of my working life as a software DEVELOPER in many roles, from coder through designer and business process analysis, and finally to department manager with 29 of these critters reporting to me. How this ever came to be known as "engineering" is beyond me... except perhaps that some overly zealous HR department want to add "prestige" to the grunt jobs they were offering by throwing out the term engineer.

"Gee, Ma. I just got a promotion. I'm no longer a code jockey, I'm a ENGINEER!"

What's next? The bus driver gets a certification and becomes a Transportation Engineer?

The difference in my mind is process mathematics. If you're able to compute a loading moment in a complicated structure, or determine the impulse response of an electric circuit, you're an engineer, or maybe a physicist.

But 99.9% of software coding requires minimal mathematics... even GIS applications require only a reasonable knowledge of plane geometry... or maybe spherical trig if you're going 3D.

If you're into digital image processing and/or seismic processing, some of the techniques require an understanding of advanced mathematics, and hence, creators of the software could be called engineers.

Or take 3D digital animation and/or graphics apps... only a handful of people have any understanding of the mathematics required for projections, camera positions, light dispersion and reflection, etc. They could be considered engineers.

Ditto for the small subset of software developers that develop scientific applications... missile tracking, DNA mapping, satellite apps.

The rest of the guys slinging out lines of code? They are the hosers you mentioned. They have no idea why their first "Hello World" program written for Windows spun out an 80 meg executable. Their knowledge of math is equivalent to what can be found on a four function calculator.

And, to end the rant... one more reason that software developers should not be called engineers can be found in a compsci curriculum. Programming techniques, hardware optimization, simulations, networks... all those things that advance the art and science of computers... from the first paper tape/wired logic board computer I ever programmed to today's object oriented, non sequential, state machines we have... the advancement of SOFTWARE, not engineering.

Really... what these folks need is an equivalent to "engineer" that reflects the skill space of a qualified compsci major... then those that qualified for the title of "compsci magician" could become all pissed off at all the hosers trying to pass themselves off as something they are not.

[/rant]

I knew I'd get a rise out of you.