I’m always amazed when I see what's going on in the job market.

There are people applying for management positions, but consultants tell them that they don't know how to write a resume and instead need a resume writer. Job seekers are also told that only the consultant knows what the employer wants (really?), and that they need some coaching to come closer to landing the job.

I’ve seen questions like, "Are you getting paid what you’re really worth?” I wonder where the question, "Are you really worth what you're getting paid?” can be found.

I’ve written before about the ever-changing practices in hiring employees. Changes, and many for the worse, started when the personnel department was elevated to be called human resources. With this department title change came something incredible: the creation of homemade job titles that no one ever heard of before. Some of these titles would not fit on any business card and others are simply silly.

There are various reasons for creating new titles, especially those where you need a two-page description to find out what that title actually means. One of the reasons is that it’s a lot cheaper to elevate an employee to new heights than to give him a pay raise. Another reason is that smaller and newer companies want to appear bigger than they actually are, so the bosses create a bunch of "officers" and "executives.”

There are learning facilitators, experiential marketers, relationship developers, sanitary engineers, carbonated beverage specialists, head of verbal communications, waste removal engineer, and believe me, much worse.

The list of meaningless titles can fill pages. In addition, we have creations like image shapers and thought leaders among all those titles people have given themselves so their companies appear better than their competitors.

I prefer the KISS method: Keep It Simple Stupid and let people know what you do rather than having them guess what you might be doing … or not doing. Give me a business card that clearly tells me what your business is and what you do. Post a job want ad that indicates whoyou actually want to hire. Don't call the greeter at a store chain a human relationships manager.

If you don't like your job title, there’s actually a Web site that promotes a "bull shit job title generator" featuring thousands of options for yet another title. To elevate one’s status via the ultimate job title creation is about as silly as the terms "faux" or "pre-owned" for meaning fake and used.

Get real, folks! Say who you are and what you do. Quit pretending to be what you're not.

Don't make me wonder and consult with Wikipedia to find out that you’re really in sales, marketing or a receptionist. Or perhaps you’re the waste removal engineer.

Yours truly, this is your “global, multilingual, cross-cultural, visual aids and image expert” (make that guru).

Hans Mecker is North American sales manager for Messebau Keck’s Keck Exhibits USA. He can be reached in Dallas at hmecker@keck-exhibits-USA-com or 817-563-1334. He is also president of The Global Exhibit Alliance (www.gea247.com).