What is the Best Job Title for a "Webmaster"?

Question

I was hired within higher education as their "Webmaster". I know it is somewhat dated and recently read an article that made some good points for a title change.

My boss recently asked me to write a proposal for the title change and come up with an actual title.

I work at a community college and we are not heavily staffed, so anything web is all on me, so as the "webmaster" title was an umbrella for all things web, and for the new title, I would need something that is almost an umbrella for all things web.

I thought of the job title: Web Director.

I currently do not have a full-time assistant, but I have a part time employee working for me.

Any job titles and reasons why that should be the job title would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you.

Answer 1

Why not webmaster? It's a well known term and, like you said, describes your position accuratelly, so I don't see a point in changing it just for change sake.

Answer 2

The title isn't as important as you might think, though it's certainly too important for the ubiquitous 'Webmaster' moniker that has plagued us since the beginning of the dot-com boom. If you are maintaining a data-driven dynamically generated website, then I'd suggest the following Job Titles:

• Web application architect (LAMP)
• YourLanguageHere [Senior] Web Developer (viz: ASP.NET Web Developer)
• Director, Web Development
• Web Administrator

Note that your prospective job title should both be self-describing, and when you put it on your resume, make sure it's something that is in line with your career path. You wouldn't put Web Administrator if you were going to want to become a programmer at another location -- you'd put 'Web Application Developer' or something similar.

Any title would have to be indicative of what you actually do. If you're just maintaining HTML/CSS/JavaScript, it'd be disingenuous to call yourself an architect, unless you drive production of a new version of the site.

EDIT: After seeing your comment and your userinfo page, I'd recommend the following:

• LAMP Web Architect
• Senior PHP Application Architect

As far as your resume, make sure you sprinkle LAMP (short for Linux, Apache, MySQL, PHP (or Perl!)) throughout your resume.

Answer 3

1. Go to Salary.com.
2. Under "Personal - Salary Wizard" click the link "All titles."
3. Choose job category "Internet and New Media."
4. Look at all the job titles and job descriptions!

I'd go for "Web Systems Manager."

Answer 4

I was able to wrangle "Application Development & Support" which describes my role far more effectively than Web Developer.

Answer 5

When I did system administration for a research group I always joked that I ought be called the System Janitor -- since a lot of what I did involved cleaning up other people's code and basically anything else that needed doing beyond my regular admin duties. Maybe the time of the Web Janitor has come! :-)

FWIW, my current "official" title is Systems Administrator/Systems Programmer III -- my business card says "Senior Developer" -- titles are for the HR folks. People that work with me know what I do. I could get it changed, but it probably wouldn't mean more money. Some day they'll find that I need a raise and then changing it will provide a convenient means to make it happen.

Answer 6

Since they are talking about changing your title, not your duties, it seems to me the most significant factor is what would look best on your resume, which will depend on what you see your career path as being. I think "Web Director" would be more oriented towards management than development positions.