Whats in a name?

First impressions can make or break your professional and personal life. If youíre saddled with a less than glamorous name and you want to break into Hollywood, you change your name to be more alluring. After all, faced with a choice between casting Marilyn Monroe or Norma Baker, anyone with a shred of marketing common sense would pick the former.

When it comes to job titles, things can get far more creative. The Plain English campaign has a few ridiculous examples of job titles gone bonkers ñ ìoptical illuminator enhancerî (window cleaner), ìhead of verbal communicationsî (receptionist), ìambient replenishment controllerî (shelf-stacker).

But then there are the job titles that do the opposite ñ they hide the real nature of the work someone does.

If someone snatches the vulnerable from the jaws of danger, we put them in a cape and call them a superhero. But if someone keeps the workforce safe from harm, we call them a health and safety professional.

Next time you walk past someone in your health and safety team, take a closer look. That mild-mannered exterior is just a front. These people are danger experts.

Neil Budworth
Danger man
President, Institution of Occupational Safety and Health