At one point in my career I worked for a company that used no titles. While a seemingly egalitarian move, it was confusing to clients and prospective clients who often didn't know who they should turn to in any specific instance. It helped no one in terms of outside networking (am I dealing with a partner or a junior team member? Does this person have the perspective, knowledge and power to deal with me?)

I personally think it did more damage internally when some of the more junior team members bought into the whole “we're all experienced, senior members of the team” mantra and refused to listen to some of the more err-gray-haired members. I often felt like I had to be parenting at work as well as at home and at work I was dealing with a bunch of over-grown teenagers who already knew it all.

The sad truth of the matter is that some things are learned through personal experience and second-hand knowledge can be second-rate knowledge, especially when one has not spent enough time in the field to have an informed judgment. What do you do when you find conflicting information on line? Who do you believe? If you have personal experience in a matter, you have more of the ability to separate the kooks from the real deal.

Time is a wonderful teacher and we do not spring like Athena from college with fully formed resumes. Titles are one clue we show the rest of the world to help them decide who we are and what we can do — admittedly, just one clue.

At one point in my career I worked for a company that used no titles. While a seemingly egalitarian move, it was confusing to clients and prospective clients who often didn't know who they should turn to in any specific instance. It helped no one in terms of outside networking (am I dealing with a partner or a junior team member? Does this person have the perspective, knowledge and power to deal with me?)

I personally think it did more damage internally when some of the more junior team members bought into the whole “we're all experienced, senior members of the team” mantra and refused to listen to some of the more err-gray-haired members. I often felt like I had to be parenting at work as well as at home and at work I was dealing with a bunch of over-grown teenagers who already knew it all.

The sad truth of the matter is that some things are learned through personal experience and second-hand knowledge can be second-rate knowledge, especially when one has not spent enough time in the field to have an informed judgment. What do you do when you find conflicting information on line? Who do you believe? If you have personal experience in a matter, you have more of the ability to separate the kooks from the real deal.

Time is a wonderful teacher and we do not spring like Athena from college with fully formed resumes. Titles are one clue we show the rest of the world to help them decide who we are and what we can do — admittedly, just one clue.

At one point in my career I worked for a company that used no titles. While a seemingly egalitarian move, it was confusing to clients and prospective clients who often didn't know who they should turn to in any specific instance. It helped no one in terms of outside networking (am I dealing with a partner or a junior team member? Does this person have the perspective, knowledge and power to deal with me?)

I personally think it did more damage internally when some of the more junior team members bought into the whole “we're all experienced, senior members of the team” mantra and refused to listen to some of the more err-gray-haired members. I often felt like I had to be parenting at work as well as at home and at work I was dealing with a bunch of over-grown teenagers who already knew it all.

The sad truth of the matter is that some things are learned through personal experience and second-hand knowledge can be second-rate knowledge, especially when one has not spent enough time in the field to have an informed judgment. What do you do when you find conflicting information on line? Who do you believe? If you have personal experience in a matter, you have more of the ability to separate the kooks from the real deal.

Time is a wonderful teacher and we do not spring like Athena from college with fully formed resumes. Titles are one clue we show the rest of the world to help them decide who we are and what we can do — admittedly, just one clue.

At one point in my career I worked for a company that used no titles. While a seemingly egalitarian move, it was confusing to clients and prospective clients who often didn't know who they should turn to in any specific instance. It helped no one in terms of outside networking (am I dealing with a partner or a junior team member? Does this person have the perspective, knowledge and power to deal with me?)

I personally think it did more damage internally when some of the more junior team members bought into the whole “we're all experienced, senior members of the team” mantra and refused to listen to some of the more err-gray-haired members. I often felt like I had to be parenting at work as well as at home and at work I was dealing with a bunch of over-grown teenagers who already knew it all.

The sad truth of the matter is that some things are learned through personal experience and second-hand knowledge can be second-rate knowledge, especially when one has not spent enough time in the field to have an informed judgment. What do you do when you find conflicting information on line? Who do you believe? If you have personal experience in a matter, you have more of the ability to separate the kooks from the real deal.

Time is a wonderful teacher and we do not spring like Athena from college with fully formed resumes. Titles are one clue we show the rest of the world to help them decide who we are and what we can do — admittedly, just one clue.

Titles matter for mediums where space/time is limited, like a business card but otherwise, meh.

Titles are also important in some industry verticals, or do you want any old tax professional to do your taxes–or a certified professional accountant?

When companies don't know what they are doing, they think a title means that the person is an expert. It's much easier to just assume that these people know what they are talking about. I agree that a person needs Ideas and Execution. That, plus some good old common sense can go a long way.