Comments on: If you are in a startup and have a title, you are not doing enough work… http://leanstartups.com/2008/10/if-you-are-in-a-startup-and-have-a-title-you-are-not-doing-enough-work.html?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=if-you-are-in-a-startup-and-have-a-title-you-are-not-doing-enough-work Best practices in lean business operations, technology, and other areas pertinent to success of startups, small, and mid-market businesses. Fri, 10 Sep 2010 23:05:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=abc By: Apolinaras Sinkeviciushttp://leanstartups.com/2008/10/if-you-are-in-a-startup-and-have-a-title-you-are-not-doing-enough-work.html#comment-3477 Apolinaras Sinkevicius Wed, 10 Mar 2010 13:36:30 +0000 http://apsinkus.com/?p=5#comment-3477 On your first point, yes, you do need them for corp. compliance. But it is not about that. It is all about the MINDSET. In one of the very successful companies I served neither of the founders ever used their corp. titles with the employees. Neither did our de-facto CFO, or the rest of the team. You identified yourself by what function you did at that time. "Hey, I am Mike and I am one of the recruiters" or "Hey, I am Joel and I am one of the founders, but I also do a lot of coding here".<br><br>Re. visas. Again, see my previous point. It is about what mindset you get into, rather than compliance issues.<br><br>Re. titles and resume. I think most people are not stupid. If all they see is a 1 year of Ruby and a title of CTO... take a wild guess what the reaction will be.<br><br>I am a big believer in companies motivating their people to (as Dharmesh Shah says) "improve their resumes". But you don't do that with titles, you do that with making sure people advance their skill-set and build that list of accomplishments. On your first point, yes, you do need them for corp. compliance. But it is not about that. It is all about the MINDSET. In one of the very successful companies I served neither of the founders ever used their corp. titles with the employees. Neither did our de-facto CFO, or the rest of the team. You identified yourself by what function you did at that time. “Hey, I am Mike and I am one of the recruiters” or “Hey, I am Joel and I am one of the founders, but I also do a lot of coding here”.

Re. visas. Again, see my previous point. It is about what mindset you get into, rather than compliance issues.

Re. titles and resume. I think most people are not stupid. If all they see is a 1 year of Ruby and a title of CTO… take a wild guess what the reaction will be.

I am a big believer in companies motivating their people to (as Dharmesh Shah says) “improve their resumes”. But you don't do that with titles, you do that with making sure people advance their skill-set and build that list of accomplishments.

]]> By: garydpdxhttp://leanstartups.com/2008/10/if-you-are-in-a-startup-and-have-a-title-you-are-not-doing-enough-work.html#comment-3476 garydpdx Wed, 10 Mar 2010 12:49:23 +0000 http://apsinkus.com/?p=5#comment-3476 I would agree that results and accomplishments are what make or break a start-up. But when it comes to company filings, a President, CEO, etc. must be identified. And if the enterprise is located outside the US (even Canada) or has operations outside the US, then lack of a title would cause major problems in obtaining a visa to visit the US or when trying to enter on various visa waiver programs. Some form of de facto title based on focus areas or specialties may be required for non-US citizens in a start-up to avoid run-ins with Homeland Security!<br><br>And a practical thought ... so you don't have a title. The start-up fails (it happens ... 80% of the time). What do you put on your resume? [Again, I agree on the lack of title within a company ... but externally, title and rank/grade is what strangers use as an initial guage, especially if you are going for a salaried position. In the end, we all need to eat ...] I would agree that results and accomplishments are what make or break a start-up. But when it comes to company filings, a President, CEO, etc. must be identified. And if the enterprise is located outside the US (even Canada) or has operations outside the US, then lack of a title would cause major problems in obtaining a visa to visit the US or when trying to enter on various visa waiver programs. Some form of de facto title based on focus areas or specialties may be required for non-US citizens in a start-up to avoid run-ins with Homeland Security!

And a practical thought … so you don't have a title. The start-up fails (it happens … 80% of the time). What do you put on your resume? [Again, I agree on the lack of title within a company ... but externally, title and rank/grade is what strangers use as an initial guage, especially if you are going for a salaried position. In the end, we all need to eat ...]

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