Is it okay to change your job title if downgrading?

Anonymous

December 11,2023 at 5:36PM UTC

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Is it okay to change your job title if downgrading?

I got a promotion to a "director" level but never did work that equated with the title. The plan was to grow into the role as the company expanded but there was a swift change in the environment which made it toxic enough that I had to resign. Now I'm going to start my job search and I don't feel comfortable applying to the roles my title is recommending. is it okay to make up a new title if it's a downgrade? Or would that look suspicious and be caught if recruiters checked references?

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Heather (she/her)December 11,2023 at 8:05PM UTC
Just apply for jobs at the level you want. You can use your cover letter to explain why that's the job you want (I wouldn't go into why you don't want a Director role, just lean into why you're the right fit for the role you're applying for) and then if there are questions during the interview process you can be honest about things.
AnonymousDecember 11,2023 at 9:30PM UTC
How long have you had the director title? If it were less than a year or so, applying for manager jobs with potential growth toward senior management would be perfectly acceptable and not considered a downgrade. If you put "manager" when your title was "director," that may get caught when doing a job verification, so I would stick with the title you were given. Rather than letting the system tell you what jobs you should be looking for, specify the titles and industries you want within the search parameters.