Redefining Professional Identity: The Case Against Cute Work Titles

Unpacking the Hype Around Employee Titles

A whopping 61% of you believe admins should remove “catchy names” from your branding, signaling a clear call for a more streamlined and professional image that aligns with the evolving expectations of the executive audience.

Examples of catchy titles administrative professionals have adopted:

  • Chaos Tamer

  • Task Whisperer

  • Calendar Ninja

  • Workflow Wizard

  • Right-hand

  • Office Lackey

  • The Handler

  • Magical Unicorn

  • Traffic Controller

  • Girl-Friday

I understand the motivation and lightheartedness associated with titles such as  'Chaos Tamer and Right-Hand’, however, I believe it's time to shift toward a more professional tone. These cute expressions may unintentionally limit the perception of everyone serving in the profession. If you examine profiles in the C-Suite on platforms like LinkedIn, you won't find language like this. If the goal is to be recognized as executives and strategic partners, adopting a more elevated posture and using leadership language will better align with a perception shift and better align with the aspirations of administrative professionals. Many in the profession share comments and posts about ‘we need to be seen as executives (more)’...how is that achieved when professionals publicly share language that’s not at the executive level?

Meaningful Title Shift

I speak on elevated communication and executive composure A LOT!! It’s one of, if not, the most important trait one can have in their careers and lives. By transitioning to more professional language, you can reshape outside perceptions of the role and emphasize the strategic and impactful contributions everyone makes. This shift is not just about the words one uses, it's about communicating your value-add in a way that aligns with the language used at the highest levels of leadership.

Examples of strong, unique titles for administrative professionals:

  • Corporate Operations Specialist

  • Strategic Administrative Partner

  • Office Performance Director

Embrace this change not only as a linguistic shift but as a step towards reinforcing the roles of indispensable members of the organization. People who only communicate with you online won’t know your brand, so what’s the first thing you want them to feel and learn about you? Are you cute or professional? This shift in language is a small yet significant part of a larger narrative shift the profession is trying to achieve about the importance and professionalism of its contributions.

Launch Pad:

  1. Ditch your cute, fluffy title and decide what the polished, professional replacement will be. 

  2. Conduct a thorough audit of your Personal Branding. Replace any catchy titles with language that reflects a more professional image.

  3. Read additional articles to learn about elevated communication and executive composure to help your language shift journey. 

  4. Consider taking the Personal Brand Course. Use this coupon code: 

For more insight into our titles in the admin profession, take a listen to this #eaPodcast episode: 

Hilani Ellis