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Hillary from Onward Search reports that the U.S. government, Department of Labor (DOL) is trying to classify Search Marketers.
By classify, the DOL wants to be able to figure out the skills and criteria that make up a search marketer's profile. They are asking search marketers to fill out a "occupational expert questionnaire" at this URL so they can gather enough data to built the proper classification for search marketing professionals.
The good news is that SEMPO is involved and Hillary interviewed Dana Todd from SEMPO about this.
A WebmasterWorld thread has some people who are against this process. But honestly, I think it is a good thing for this industry. If accountants have a classification, why shouldn't search marketers.
We are growing, maturing and becoming established in this business world and we deserve a classification with the U.S. Department of Labor.
Forum discussion at WebmasterWorld.
Comments:
John Galt
06/15/2010 01:51 pm
This is not a good thing for anyone who enjoys privacy. Ask an accountant how much government regulation they have to deal with. This administration just wants to find another source of taxing revenue and SEMPO his all giddy to oblige. Here is a simple question: What is wrong with how it is now? John Galt
No Name
06/15/2010 02:16 pm
Do NOT be fooled. If the gov't is getting involved, especially under this Obama Regime, the gov't is trying to run some kind of game. Why classify search marketers? Because then you get lawyers coming saying "you guys can do this, can't do that, blah blah blah" Before you know it, search marketers are subject to costly certification by some nebulous, oligarchical gov't "agency". As John Galt said, ask an accountant how much government regulation they have to deal with. Think KPMG, Deloitte, and all those companies, especially the auditors for Goldman Sachs. If the gov't is getting involved, it's a BAD thing. Search marketers are just that - marketers. We are part of the whole marketing and advertising spectrum. That's all the gov't needs to know.
Rob W
06/15/2010 07:50 pm
I think this is more about hourly vs. salaried job classifications. They are looking at classifying a lot of search marketing jobs where the position is not a supervisory or senior position as hourly rather than salaried. This could have a huge financial impact on firms who traditionally have entry level search marketers working non-traditional hours or long hours (as most of us currently do).
Michael Martinez
06/15/2010 10:43 pm
"What is wrong with how it is now?" Well, it's an industry dominated by amateurs and conspiracy theorists and luddites. Why don't we work together to change that?
No Name
06/18/2010 09:46 pm
Very clever, John Galt, is a reference to Ayn Rands, Atlas Shrugged. What it comes down to is the government will give you its fancy title,which you'll pay for yearly. Then will help itself by charging an association fee and mandatory training. SEMPO is co-operating as this will represent guaranteed income and the ability to exclude so called non-professionals. Will it help the industry. nope. Searchengineman