New Manager

[EducationChaser]

I've been in my current position for a year. Prior, I was a plant quality engineer managing quality and ISO 14001. Currently, I am a quality and continuous improvement manager for a small start up. I was gave 6 weeks training internationally. 10+ years of experience in quality, but only 2 years experience managing people. We are currently expanding. Adding robotic welding cells to our metal fabrication facility. Company, will send me international again to further learning on welding. As well, I have a masters in Engineering. Question is: I'm currently making about 80,000. On my annual review scored highly and received a 5% raise, 25% monthly salary bonus, and 8% yearly bonus as part of profit sharing.
Is this an average salary for someone so green?
Also:
They won't officially give me the quality manager title, even though I am. Act as one. Etc I'm the primary contact for all things quality, manage, created and implemented the qms. Prepared and got the facility iso 9001 certified.
Does the title matter?

 

[Miner]

Titles vary widely across different sized companies and become somewhat meaningless. I remember visiting a small supplier when I was in automotive where the person functioning as a plant manager was titled President, the person functioning as a production manager was titled Plant Manager. A shop floor inspector was the Quality Director and so forth. This was about a 20-person company. I guess they needed the title inflation to attract people.

Unless you are planning to leave this company and needed to make your resume look better, a title is just ego stroking.

 

[Ron Rompen]

I agree with Miner. I have held many various titles in the past 30+ years, but (essentially) my job function has remained the same. As I said to my boss just the other day, I don't really care WHAT my title is, I'm more concerned with my duties, responsibilities, and whether they pay me on time.

As for your compensation package, you didn't mention which currency you are paid in. 80,000 pa in dollars is a pretty good salary, but 80,000 rupees is starvation wages.

 

[Randy]

You're doing OK as for a Title, flitter! When I left the Marines I had to take an administrative reduction in rank from Gunnery Sgt (GySgt E-7) to Staff Sgt (SSG E-6) that I held until I retired 18 years later (circumstances, mostly internal National Guard politics, kept from being promoted up). Just because I was a SSG (rank + pay) it didn't keep me from hold more than one Title. Titles I held in the Army were Heavy Weapons Ldr & Asst Operations Leader (in the Special Forces normally held by E-7s), Flight Section Sergeant (normally another E7 position in Aviation), In an Armor Battalion I was the following - Scout Platoon Sergeant (another E7 position), Scout Platoon Leader (a title for a 1st Lieutenant), Intelligence NCO (normally an E7/E8 position), Operations NCO (normally E8/E9 position) and Headquarters Company 1st Sgt (E7/E8 position).

My civilian life was just as dotted with TITLES...............Pfffffffffffffff!

Don't get wrapped around the axle with a Title, focus on your job.

Oh yeah, when I retired from the Army (National Guard) I was a Staff Sergeant and probably one of the most senior in the Army system with 24 years in grade (E6) (but I'm getting paid as a Gunnery Sergeant-E7, with 42 years & 8 months total active/reserve service) so in this case my official "Title" is meaningless, my pay says it all...........You're doing pretty good right off the bat with the bucks $$$$$.

 

[FRA 2 FDA]

Agreed with those who have already commented. Currently, I am the only quality employee. I have developed and implemented all of our document/record control, training, internal auditing, management review and post-market surveillance processes. I also am our only purchaser and I do most of the HR stuff. However, my title is QA/RA Lead. They have actively refused to give me the title Quality Manager, without explanation. Who knows. But really doesn't matter. They are paying me what I asked for and if I were to look for another job hopefully my duties would speak louder than my title anyway.

 

[QuinnM]

Hi EducationChaser, I'll add a different prospective. It appears you are successful at you company. I'm not sure your goals, but moving up the ladder typically would follow a path: engineer - manager - director - VP - etc. I had positions where I was performing activities above my title, with less benefits. I interviewed for a sr. engineer position, and during the interview process it was clear the work pertained to a quality manager, rather than an sr. quality engineer. We compromised, I accepted the position with their offer, but with a title as a quality manager. Having the title, followed up with successful experience, allowed me to move up the ladder even more. A title is not the only method for success, but it's like an elevator pitch - a starting point for the discussion.

 

[Johnny Quality]

As others have said, titles are nice and fancy but what really matters are your responsibilities and achievements.

One thing I will note is that managing leading people is a completely different skill set to being an engineer, and managing leading people isn't for everyone.

 

[Miner]

Many people automatically assume that advancement is always a good thing. Maybe or maybe not. The higher you advance, the emphasis shifts from hands-on, get things done yourself, to getting things done by influencing others and a LOT of politics with other functions. It also means days filled with endless meetings. This is not for everyone.

 

[Mikey324]

Many people automatically assume that advancement is always a good thing. Maybe or maybe not. The higher you advance, the emphasis shifts from hands-on, get things done yourself, to getting things done by influencing others and a LOT of politics with other functions. It also means days filled with endless meetings. This is not for everyone.

That is a fact!

 

[Ed Panek]

Many people automatically assume that advancement is always a good thing. Maybe or maybe not. The higher you advance, the emphasis shifts from hands-on, get things done yourself, to getting things done by influencing others and a LOT of politics with other functions. It also means days filled with endless meetings. This is not for everyone.

Yes! If part of your satisfaction comes from hands on solving immediate problems each day becoming a manager is NOT like that. Your impact is much more abstract as manager

As far as job satisfaction working in medical device technical support was probably my most enjoyable job. People called me needing my expertise and I went home knowing I made a difference. Nowadays its less clear