27 AGCAREERS FOOD & AGRICULTURE CAREER GUIDE Job titles have the power to inspire us, command respect, establish hierarchy—and, occasionally, disappoint us. We spend years imagining our future titles. It starts with Career Day in elementary school, continues through middle and high school course planning, and follows us into college and throughout our careers. Depending on the season of life, we may want to be a teacher, an entrepreneur, a veterinarian, a lawyer, or the CEO of something important sounding. I can still remember the heart-sinking feeling when a dear family member asked me how my “secretary job” was going. I was appalled. Somehow, my bachelor’s degree in business administration and five years of professional experience had been reduced to what I perceived as the most mundane occupation imaginable. It was obvious my relative had little understanding of the work I was actually doing. Yet that one comment had me questioning whether I had arrived at my professional destiny as a real-life Doralee Rhodes (Dolly Parton) from the 1980 comedy 9 to 5. Looking back, I can laugh about it now. The truth is, I was highly focused on achieving success, and, like many young professionals, I sought validation through my job title. I hoped my title would communicate my accomplishments, intelligence, and worth to the world. After all, Operations and Sales Support Coordinator had a pretty impressive ring to it. What my relative didn’t see was that I was fulfilled helping manage accounting, human resources, marketing, and sales functions for a dot-com startup. This was a relatively new business concept at the time, and I was proud to be a part of it. It’s understandable why we place so much importance on titles. They often shape first impressions and influence how others perceive us. But as you enter the workforce, remember this: not all jobs are what their titles suggest, and not all titles carry the same meaning from one organization to the next. You may have your heart set on a particular title only to discover that the role behind it isn’t what you expected. Or you may find the perfect opportunity hiding behind a title you’d never considered. As a compensation analyst, one of many titles I’ve held over the years, I’ve learned one important lesson: YOU CAN’T JUDGE A CAREER BY ITS COVER. OR, IN THIS CASE, BY ITS TITLE. FIVE THINGS TO REMEMBER ABOUT JOB TITLES THE JOB DESCRIPTION TELLS THE REAL STORY The job title is a headline. The job description is the full article. Titles rarely provide enough detail to understand what you’ll actually do each day, what skills you’ll develop, or what opportunities the role may offer. Before falling in love with a title, read the description carefully. That’s where you’ll find the juicy details that determine whether a role is truly right for you. 1 9 TO 5 AND BEYOND: WHY YOU SHOULDN’T JUDGE A CAREER BY ITS COVER (OR ITS TITLE) PHOTO: pixelrobot – stock.adobe.com BY MARY BAREFOOT, RESEARCH & INSIGHTS MANAGER, AGCAREERS
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