Can I modify my job title on a resume or official job application?

13 Comments

1. AnonymousJuly 19,2022 at 6:18PM UTC

   Yes, I do it all the time to illustrate a more fitting title. I never increase the level but usually it's the descriptor words in the title.

2. Julie HumbirdJuly 19,2022 at 6:55PM UTC

   Yes, many organizations use generic job titles. We have thousands of "Software Engineers" and "Customer Engineers" each has a specific specialty. I've never used my HR issued job title on my resume. It can cause a "discrepancy" during background check but its never been an issue.

3. TaVonJuly 19,2022 at 8:11PM UTC

   Yes! They are a lot of titles that apply to various roles. I believe the main focus are transferable skills and duties or it could be the same thing with various titles/positions.

4. Emily StarkJuly 19,2022 at 8:36PM UTC

   Yes! I completely agree with others on this thread. You may consider informing your references just so they're clear on your next job title and can speak to the title and skills that match. Good luck :)

5. Joan Williams, Senior Talent Acquisition SpecialistJuly 19,2022 at 10:34PM UTC

   I would consider putting something like

   Publications Specialist/Graphic Designer

   as your title on your resume and LinkedIn profile.

   By putting the Publications Specialist in there, you are using your official title which, if your resume is used for employment verification during the hiring process, will be correct. If you just put Graphic Designer, it could cause issues that might affect the background check.

   By also using Graphic Designer, you're giving a more accurate picture of what you're actually doing. That's something that recruiters would search for on LinkedIn or on the job boards - I don't think I would use "Publications Specialist" in my search string if I was looking for a Graphic Designer.

   Please let me know if you have any questions.

6. JenniferJuly 21,2022 at 2:14AM UTC

   This. I don't want to have to explain to a hiring manager after a background check why I said my job title was something different than it actually is, and I would not be pleased to discover late in the interview process that a candidate had chosen a title for themselves. An alternate, industry-common title makes complete sense sometimes, but if I find out vs it being clearly disclosed, the lack of transparency will make me question the candidate's credibility. By simply including both with a slash, parentheses, "Internal Title: X" note, etc, the candidate is giving full transparency while also using the more appropriate/familiar title. Recruiters can find you, HMs know what you do. Win wins all around.

   In OP's case, the alternate title is just a better reflection of what they actually do. This is easy to explain and understand. On the other hand, giving yourself a more senior title (essentially giving yourself a promotion on paper) is a different story. You didn't say this, but other comments were giving the green light to come up with a title that aligns with your responsibilities, so I wanted to mention that this situation is more complicated and might be perceived very differently

7. AnonymousJuly 20,2022 at 1:05PM UTC

   So this happens far to often where a person's position doesn't match what they do. There is also a difference in Job Title versus Job Architecture Position Title and far too often organization's use their naming convention for the Title when they should use what is prominent in the market. So here is what I recommend doing:

   1) Put the title your responsibilities reflect to the current market

   2) in the responsibilities section put a line that says, "Internal Position Title: xxxxxx"

   This way you are showing the potential organization what this role matches in the market and telling them what your organization will say your title is if they do the verification. I had to do this from my role in consulting as the roles you take on a project have nothing to do with your internal job architecture title.

8. Lauren FraleyJuly 20,2022 at 1:52PM UTC

   *Absolutely* put the title that reflects what you do on a resume. Recruiters look at your profile & resume a minimal amount of time, and they may completely overlook you if you don't have a title aligned with what they're hiring. I don't even think you need to have the internal title on the resume; just inform your references of what you listed, and most importantly: have it accurate for your background check (otherwise it's flagged).

   For an official job application, however, you need the actual job title. There's a difference between resume and official job application: the resume is effectively an advertisement of what you've accomplished, whereas a job application is typically a legal document. IF you're doing the job application, you can put "Internal title aligns with [x] job."

9. Crystal HowellJuly 20,2022 at 1:54PM UTC

   I would show Publications Specialist/Graphic Designer, and use that in my cover letter explanation and talking points.

10. Naomi RamageJuly 21,2022 at 5:14AM UTC

    I was going to suggest this. Many companies use two titles for one position but only have enough room (or wherewithal) to list one officially. So it’s very common to have a different title depending on context. Well, I’m pretty sure many companies do this. Mine definitely does.

11. Michele ChambersJuly 20,2022 at 5:49PM UTC

    Definitely. Several of my previous positions were officially titled "Technical Writer" when in reality my responsibilities evolved into a communications specialist role. So, when I was looking for jobs last year, I revised my resume to identify them as "Communications Specialist" positions. Not only was it more of an accurate description of my experience and skills, but it opened me up to an expanded field to choose from instead of being boxed into a particular industry.

12. Jennifer ChingJuly 20,2022 at 6:37PM UTC

    Yes! I've come across this many times as someone who interviewed graphic designers, production artists and art directors. Often times companies have their own lingo and titles don't align with the outside world. Just keep in mind that the HR person who is verifying your past employment is going to use the old title (and whatever job description they have on file) so you may have to explain this to the new place you are interviewing with. Most hiring managers get this. Best of luck!

13. AnonymousJuly 20,2022 at 9:09PM UTC

    If your job duties speak to that tile, sure why not. Just be prepared to explain to HR or hiring manager if what you have on your resume does not match up with if they verify with former employer.