Negotiate Title Change?
I have a job offer on the table but the job title isn't really what they are pitching the position to be. I have a senior title now and feel like taking a super generic/useless title might look bad on a future resume. The offer is good otherwise. Do I tell the headhunter I want to negotiate a different position title or just take the position as is? I'm also stuck deciding between 2 offers and could use some feedback. One position is very clear cut and I know exactly what to expect and is in line with the type of position I have now, just more pay. The other position is totally different and challenging with potential for some serious growth potential but also poses a lot of risk when it comes to company support on initiatives related to my field (cybersecurity). Compensation/benefits packages are comparable.
I would bring up the title issue - it never hurts to ask!
Thank you. I have never tried to negotiate a title before, I thought it might seem petty.
If you can explain how this is important to job function, it makes sense. View it as your first step to correcting the lack of cybersecurity knowledge at the company.
Bring up the title otherwise you'll be down about it for the entire time you're working there. It'll be toxic and will affect your wellness. Be clear about your needs!
Thank you.
I would go for the riskier of the positions assuming you can have the title changed. It will be better for your resume (more diverse skill set) as well as keep you stimulated intellectually on the day to day. Even in your writing this post, it seems you are more interested in the riskier one. Higher risk yields higher returns. Knock it out of the park!
I am always intrigued by a challenge. I certainly wouldn't be bored. I have been gravitating towards the riskier position mostly because I'm getting bored and stopped growing where I am and worry the next job will be more of the same, however risks were much easier to take when I didn't have a family depending on that risk paying off.
Sounds like you have more interesting opportunity at the riskier company. From MBA negotiation classes, titles are the easier the negotiate especially in start ups, small companies. Titles do not cost money to the company
That sounds well reasoned. Thank you.
You do realize you can put whatever you want on your resume to describe your role and include job title as a formality? Negotiating job title should have happened before you ended the interview and you should have framed it as inquiring about the corporate culture and how the position would be received if it's a new role in all but title.
Changing your title to whatever you want on your resume seems totally shady to me. I did ask about the culture and how the role would be pitched to others and pointed out that the title didn't fit their plan for the position. That said, the position title is still what it started at. I have a follow up with the company this week. They requested the meeting not me and find it highly irregular to have a follow-up request after a offer is made. Not sure what they are up to. This meeting request also came to me directly and wasn't through my recruiter which I thought was a no-no...
So OP, what eventually came out of this, and how did you resolve it?
There are too many questions in this question. Which of the 2 offers is the one you want to negotiate the title? Or is this a third offer you are waiting to turn down?
The second position (the riskier one) is where the title could be an issue. I don't feel the title would prevent me from taking the job but the erroneous title is just another indication of the company's lack of experience with security and inability to decide what they want from the role.