• Home
  • Industry Data
  • Clients
  • Blog
  • KHS Perspective
  • Our Story
  • Contact
KHS People
  • Home
  • Industry Data
  • Clients
  • Blog
  • KHS Perspective
  • Our Story
  • Contact

Our blog

One way out of the title confusion

4/27/2022

 
I've shared previously about the causes as to why BD and marketing titles create confusion. 

One way out of this title confusion is to standardize titles and reset on the purpose and experience requirements for each level. This will look different for large and smaller firms, although, it doesn't necessarily have to be.

Standardization

​We hear this word frequently, but let's hone in on what that would actually look like.

​This below uses a larger firm as an example:
Picture

Makes sense. Keep going...

Now let's take this one step further. 

​Consider for a moment if there was active management of this career path. This means clear decision points along the way to help the marketer play to their strengths. This benefits the marketer and the firm; more professional satisfaction makes for less turnover in firms. It is this turnover that has rocked the legal marketing industry since 2020. 

An example:

Picture
The first decision point could be relatively easy. It would also allow the firm and individual marketer to consciously discuss and decide on the type of Manager both think is appropriate.

The second shift is more significant and will likely mean a cultural shift for many. Having said this, it doesn't have to mean "the addition of sales". A far more subtle and finessed shift would be the better option for many. 

It does give both the firm and the marketer a more active and controlled role:

For the firm
  • Clear and defined titles avoids any confusion.
  • Different career paths are offered to help retain their team and align individual skills and strengths with the appropriate course.
  • The firm is innovative with respect to how it goes to market and how it engages and actively helps to manage it's marketers.

For the marketer
  • Active management of one's career creates ownership and a greater purpose.
  • Defined stages with each level resetting their specific purpose (and, arguably, some Specialist and Manager levels regaining credibility because of this newly defined purpose). 
  • Opting in or out of a fresh structure acknowledges how the career path of a marketer has changed. 

Next up?

What is the current path of a marketer? Are firms mostly in line with this?

​Watch this space...

Comments are closed.

    Author

    Kate Harry Shipham is the Principal of KHS People LLC, an executive search firm for BD and marketing people in professional services firms. Kate has done search and recruiting for 12 years and prior to that was an attorney. She loves what she does, and is always open to continuing the discussion: kate@khspeople.com

    Categories

    All
    Best Practices
    Client-centric
    Covid 19
    Covid-19
    Giving Thanks
    How To Hire
    In House Insights
    Interviews
    Job Descriptions
    Mental Health
    Podcasts
    Prof Dev
    Projections
    Quick Bites
    Resumes
    Salary
    Salary History Updates & Bans
    Surveys
    Telling Your Story
    The Offer Stage
    Tight Labor Market
    Titles
    When To Hire
    White Papers
    Why People Move

    Archives

    February 2023
    January 2023
    October 2022
    September 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    September 2021
    August 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    March 2020
    January 2020
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018

    RSS Feed

© COPYRIGHT 2017-2022 KHS People LLC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
  • Home
  • Industry Data
  • Clients
  • Blog
  • KHS Perspective
  • Our Story
  • Contact