Can I Change My Job Title on My Resume to Make Myself More Marketable?

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Looking for a new job? Afraid your current title will limit the kind of position you can secure? You might be thinking about editing, tweaking or changing it altogether in order to make yourself more marketable.

But you should take a cautious approach when doing this. Otherwise, a hiring manager could call your existing company to confirm your job title and employment dates, then get a nasty surprise in the process. Rather, if you’re concerned about your job title impacting your search, consider tweaking it slightly instead.

For instance, if your title is “office assistant,” but you in reality, you manage the office down to the tiniest detail, you don’t want that junior title sabotaging your ambitions. So how can you get around it? Consider writing something on your resume along the lines of:

ABC Company, Any City, USA

Office Management Team, Sept. 2016 – Present

Then, in the bullets underneath, make sure you talk up your accomplishments. This includes quantifying them with facts and figures, such as “negotiated a new contract with office supply vendor that saved company 10% on future orders.” These are the kinds of details that will stand out to a hiring manager, more so than a job title.

If you do get an interview, you can then dig deeper into your role at the company. So be ready to promote all you’ve done – and all you’re capable of doing – to the hiring manager.

However, don’t ever change your title altogether. If you are not, in fact, the “office manager,” but state you are on your resume, one call from the hiring manager can undermine all your job search hard work. Not only that, but you’ll look dishonest and be knocked out of the running for any future opportunities that might come along.

Also, if you haven’t started your search, but are interested in making a move in the near future and have the experience to hold the next job title up, ask your boss for a change. Don’t be shy about going after the title that more accurately reflects what you do at your company each day.

Need more resume tips and advice for your job search?

Turn to the professional resume writers at ResumeSpice. We can help you stand out in today’s competitive marketplace, so you land the job you want. Find out more by reaching out to our team at 832.930.7378 or by contacting us online.