What do you call yourself?

Do we really have a job title and a job description?

[m0thman]

Hey, here's a thread to divert our attentions a bit from doom and gloom.

I've been self employed for a few years now working on my sites and making a living as best I can. I've enjoyed my time out of the rat race and don't intend to give it up any time soon.

Occasionally though, you have to fill in a form or tell someone what you do for a living. Personally I find that quite challenging because there isn't really a box to tick or a name for this kind of thing that is easily recognisable.

You're a webmaster? Sounds a bit pretentious and like someone who is full of themselves. How can you master the web?

You're a publisher. Sounds dull and boring, you get this image of books, magazines, newspapers and stuffy people working to deadlines. Not exactly something exciting and cutting edge and cool.

Personally, I just mumble a bit about web publishing and hope no one has noticed. But it's a bit of a tough one though. I'd be interested to know how others describe the way they earn their daily crust!

[maximillianos]

good point made above about being careful how much we share about our business. I had a "friend" ask me to advise him on starting his new mobile messaging business. Wanted to know about search engines and Seo. Long story short, he basically copies some of my sites in his own attempt to make money. Never told me, I found out about it reading a press release he sent out. His domain name was a slight variation of mine, his logo was pretty much the same as mine, and the pages were laid out the same.

We are not friends anymore.

[acac]

@tim222
What kind of income are you making? I am guessing UPS club, right?

@WolfLover> Web Mistress

It has a nice ring to it. Be careful where you say it though ;)

[acac]

While I said online publisher before, I prefer to call myself an entrepreneur.

[Scurramunga]

What do you call yourself if you don't actually publish websites, but your full-time job is evangelizing and helping people use AdSense and the Google Content Network?

A Spin Doctor perhaps ?

[ecmedia]

I do pretty much the same as LifeinAsia. I sometimes use "media company." And might call myself a media executive. A lot of people get pretty impressed that someone can make a living by blogging on a laptop on a beach while sipping margaritas.

[HowYesNo]

nonsenser :)

[JStubblefield]

Ha, good answers everyone!

I've thought about this a lot over the years.. It is specific to WHO you are talking to, depending on your perceived knowledge of online things that that person has..

I've often wondered and hoped we would get a cool appendage like Dr., MD., Esq., something like that perhaps:

Joe Blow Web.
Joe Blow It. (lol)
Joe Blow Net.

But, I usually say I "run" a few websites. Of course when people KNOW you live off your internet loot they tend to suspect adult sites or gambling..

Funny, everyone I know personally considers me the one that doesn't have a "REAL" job yet everytime they call and ask What's Up, I ALWAYS reply JUST WORKING..since I usually am in some form or fashion...

I suspect a LOT of us on here may not have college backgrounds in our field (and if you do my apologies). As I am self taught I tend to have to KEEP UP on things.. ooh a new AJAX thingy lets see if I can learn enough to put it in use..that sort've thing...

My parents somewhat know what I do online and my girlfriends of 4 years knows all about it, but other than that everyone is pretty clueless.

I WOULD like to see us get the respect and TITLE that we deserve though. Something like a NETPRENEUR but without the scammy sign up for my list and make $1,000 per day stigma attached to that...

Maybe if you make your living or a chunk o cash online then you are a "NETTER"...

Well back to work! ...lol

[edited by: JStubblefield at 7:33 am (utc) on June 17, 2009]

[dailypress]

online slave

[Roseb44170]

Well when I started earning enough from Adsense to have to report it the first description that came to my mind was writer! I suppose publisher would be just as truthful but "writer" came to my mind first - plus using that title enabled me to deduct some things / business expense from my tax return also.

[tangor]

My title is "web god". And then I deliver when the believers give me filthy lucre.

[Lagonda]

Don't say you're a webmaster, say it like this:
"I'm the master of my domain." - which, in fact, is true.

If they've ever seen a particular Seinfeld episode, watch their reaction... :D

[MsHuggys]

I tell people I am in online advertising. It sums it up without getting in too deep.

[m0thman]

Funny, everyone I know personally considers me the one that doesn't have a "REAL" job yet everytime they call and ask What's Up, I ALWAYS reply JUST WORKING..since I usually am in some form or fashion...

I can sympathise with that, we do sometimes work longer hours than our rat-race counterparts. I've got a week of on holiday though and I'm currently in Turkey relaxing (at least I would be if I wasn't at the bar their free WiFi to 'check on things'!)

[vordmeister]

This week I'm calling myself a professional photographer (established June 2009 - I've even got a tripod!). Last week I was an eBay seller. Week before that I was an antique restorer.

Last year I was an engineer in the auto industry (oops)and web was a hobby. Adsense doesn't pay the bills, but the small amount coming in every week is really useful in maintaining the bank balance with these other occupations. Gives a chance to spend time developing other things that might help me maintain distance from them racing rats.