If your official job title does not align with the work you are doing you can change it.
There is no standardized list of job titles. Some job titles are company specific and do not match the titles that the industry uses so when you are applying for jobs you may need to change some of your job titles in your resume.
Having the right job title on your resume could make the difference between being automatically rejected and landing an interview; therefore, when you change your job title it increases your chances of getting interviews.
The OXYMORON - Job Titles do not mean anything but Job Titles Matter
I usually say, “Job Titles Do Not mean Anything”. You can be hired by two different companies to perform similar roles and responsibilities, but you are called different names. In this regard, job titles do not mean anything and can be changed if you are looking for a new job.
When Should You Change Your Job Title?
If your role and responsibilities have changed substantially but your job title hasn’t, or you may have assumed additional responsibilities or have been promoted but it has not been officially updated in the HR system. However, you shouldn’t change your job title if the role and responsibilities are significantly different.
If you were a Business Analyst and you have been doing some Systems Analyst duties and you want to apply for a Systems Analyst position, you can change your job title. If you are an accounting clerk by title but you had the training and have been doing the work of aFinancial Analyst, you can also change your job title.
However, if you are an accounting clerk who has no experience in financial analysis, you will not be able to perform the work of a Financial Analyst without the training and experience, you are not ready to apply for a Financial Analyst position.
You must be able to answer this question: "Can I perform the duties of this position effectively?" Companies hire you to perform specific roles, to solve problems and that is what is their number one concern.
In the second scenario, if you want to be a financial analyst, identify the gaps in your experience and training, start getting training in the area and ask your manager to provide you with some related work so that you can gain the experience before you start applying for jobs.
What Next: Can this practice hurt you?
If you are not careful with this strategy, the practice can hurt you so here are ideas to consider when you are changing your job titles.
Solutions
1.When you are being considered for a new position, the potential new company will request references from former managers.Speak with your former managers and inform them of your desire to continue working within your desired function or field and that you want to change your title with the new function. If, and when you ask them to be your reference, request that they speak about the duties you performed, and your impact in that area.
2.If you are uncomfortable with solution 1 above, you can ‘double-barrel’ your title.If you are a Business Analyst, and you are applying for a Systems Analyst position, you can write Business Analyst / Systems Analyst or, if you are changing from Accounting Clerk to Financial Analyst you can write Accounting Clerk / Financial Analyst
Hi,
I am Yvonne Robinson Jackson. As a past university professor, teacher, technical recruiter and director of recruiting, now career advancement coach.
Are you having problems expressing your achievements on your resume? Are you not getting any interviews with the resume that you are submitting for jobs?
I can help you. I teach you to write your own WINNING RESUME.
If you would like to know how to tell your career story , please let me know.
If you do not have a clear plan and strategy for advancing in your career or a clear vision of where you want to go, I will work with you until you achieve your results and your transformation.
Send me a message and let’s talk about it.
Yvonne Robinson Jackson
