Latest / The Resume Room with Fexingo: Resume Writing, Cover Letters, and Application Strategy / How to Explain a Job With a Vague Job Title
Transcript
- Lucas: So, Luna, we get a version of this question all the time, and I think it's worth a full episode because it's so common and so frustrating. What do you do when your job title on paper doesn't match the work you actually did? Luna: Oh, the classic title mismatch. I've been there. My first job out of college, my title was 'Marketing Assistant,' but I was basically running the entire social media strategy and managing our outside agencies. Lucas: Exactly. And that gap between the title and the reality can really hurt you, because recruiters and applicant tracking systems often screen for titles. If they're looking for a 'Social Media Manager' and your resume says 'Marketing Assistant,' you might never get a look. Luna: So what's the solution? Do you just... change the title? That feels risky. Lucas: Well, you have to be careful. But there's a way to reframe it that's honest and effective. Let me give you a concrete example. I've been working with a client who was a 'Program Coordinator' at a nonprofit. But in reality, she managed a budget of about two million dollars, supervised a team of five, and was responsible for all the reporting to their major funders. Luna: So her title undersold her completely. What did you advise? Lucas: First, we kept the official title on the resume, because that's what HR will verify. But we added a parenthetical with a more descriptive variation. So it became 'Program Coordinator '. That's honest, because it's describing what she actually did, and it gives the recruiter a clearer picture without lying. Luna: Oh, I like that. So you're not changing the title, you're just providing context. And that parenthetical can include keywords that the ATS is scanning for. Lucas: Right. And then, and this is the key part, the bullet points under that title have to back it up. You can't just say 'managed a team' without specifics. So we rewrote her bullets to say things like 'Supervised a five-person team, conducted performance reviews, and led weekly project status meetings.' And 'Oversaw a $2 million annual budget, including forecasting, allocation, and reconciliation.' Luna: So you're showing the scope and the impact, not just the tasks. Lucas: Exactly. And that's the real antidote to a vague title. The title gets you in the door, but the bullets prove you're the real deal. And if the title is really far off, like you were a 'Consultant' but you were really a subject matter expert, you might need to go a step further and add a professional summary at the top that frames your experience. Luna: And what about the interview? Because if you walk in and your resume says 'Program Coordinator' and you're interviewing for a 'Program Director' role, you're going to have to explain that. Lucas: Definitely. And that's where you bring it up proactively. You could say something like, 'My official title was Program Coordinator, but as you'll see from my responsibilities, I was operating at a director level. Let me walk you through that.' And then you give a couple of specific examples. Luna: That makes sense. You're taking control of the narrative instead of hoping they don't notice. Lucas: And you know, this whole topic reminds me of something. We've been able to have these conversations because of listeners like you who support the show. If you've found The Resume Room helpful, and you want to keep it ad-free, you can support us at buy me a coffee dot com slash fexingo. It's a simple way to help us keep doing what we do. Luna: Yeah, every little bit helps, and we really appreciate it. But back to titles — what if the title is not just vague, but actually misleading? Like, you were a 'Senior Analyst' but you were really just doing data entry. Lucas: That's the opposite problem, and it's trickier. You don't want to lie, but you also don't want to undersell yourself. In that case, you might want to consider whether you can change your title internally, or if you need to focus on the skills you've built and how they apply to the roles you're targeting. Luna: So it's not just about the title, it's about the story you tell around it. Lucas: Right. And one more thing: don't forget about LinkedIn. Recruiters often look at LinkedIn first, and you have more flexibility there. You can use a headline that describes what you do, like 'Program Manager | Budget Oversight | Team Leadership' instead of just your official title. Luna: Great point. So to sum up: keep the official title on the resume, add a parenthetical for context, and make sure your bullets are specific and impactful. Lucas: And if you're in an interview, be ready to tell that story confidently. Your title is just a label; your work is the real evidence.