Tuesday, June 28, 2005

Reader poll

I need you to help me win an extremely silly argument.

Based on your basic career knowledge, how would you rank these two titles in order of seniority? Please also let me know if you think they are the same level of seniority. In other words, which of these two positions is the most senior?

Associate Editor
Editor

If you're not sure about the whole editorial thing, feel free to rank any other type of titles, like Publicist and Associate Publicist, or Manager and Associate Manager.

Bonus points for any publishing professionals who respond.

8 comments:

Turd Ferguson said...

I don't know. But clearly, people get confused by the word Associate, and subconciously relate it to "Assistant", possibly making them think Associate Editor is worse than Editor. But Associate I think in the business world means something good (like "partner" in lawyerville)so I would say Associate Editor is better. I just stated the most obvious things ever. Nice work Turd!

RB said...

Oh, Turd... sigh.

Anonymous said...

I don't know. I always thought that an Associate Editor wasn't as high up there as an Editor, THE EDITOR. An Associate is just an associate of the Editor? Not the main editor. I guess Editor-in-Chief is the coolest.
However, I do believe the lawyer example is correct in that field. All lawyers eventually want to be a partner, an Associate Lawyer.
But I would rather be The Editor, than an Associate Editor.
But what do I know, I'm just in sales . . .

Turd Ferguson said...

What? I meant Editor is better! Editor is better!

Anonymous said...

Editor is definitely a higher level, same as if you substitute any other position at any company in any industry (Analyst, Consultant, Director, Attorney, Producer, Burger Flipper, etc.) The qualifier "Associate" connotes that the position isn't unique--i.e., that it's shared with others at the same level--and thus less powerful. The only qualifiers I want in front of my title from now on are "Executive" and "Senior." I'll let you know if that ever works out for me.

Do I get extra credit now?

Anonymous said...

I'm very amused that you're asking this question.

I will be so bold as to speak for the world of publishing by saying that OF COURSE editor is senior to associate editor.

However, I just wasted a bunch of time searching for proof of that on the Internet, to no avail. Help?

Anonymous said...

Editor is more senior. Associate Editor just means you are friends with an Editor and like to dabble in editing, or maybe you're like the Editor's secretary or something.

Anonymous said...

But I'm pretty sure that Partner and Associate are not the same in lawyerville. I think Inga is an Associate (?), but in just 8 or 9 short years of 70-hour weeks, she could make Partner.