Titles are funny things. They’re everywhere, they carry weight, and yet, they often don’t tell you very much. In theory, a title should give you a clear sense of scope, responsibility, and seniority. In reality, it’s often a mix of internal politics, legacy structures, and market signaling.
After years in executive search, I can say for certain: titles are one of the least reliable indicators of what someone actually does.
“Director” doesn’t mean what it used to. Neither does “Vice President.” And “Head of” can mean anything from a team of one to an entire global function. In some organizations, a Director is a player-coach, deep in the work. In others, they’re leading large teams and setting strategy. Same title, completely different job.
Companies inflate titles to attract talent, retain employees, or stay competitive. Candidates, understandably, start to anchor their sense of progression to those titles. But when everyone levels up on paper, the distinctions start to blur.
This is why we sometimes see a mismatch – an “SVP” who operates more like a Director, a “Manager” functioning as a strategic lead, a “Chief” without a true executive team or enterprise scope.
To be clear, none of these are inherently wrong but they do create confusion, especially when people move between organizations. In today’s hiring market, companies are looking past the title and asking:
- What did you actually own?
- How big was your scope?
- What decisions did you make?
- Did you manage a team? P&L?
It’s easy to get attached to a title as it can feel like validation, progress or identity, but chasing a title without understanding the role behind it can lead to misalignment:
- A bigger title with less influence
- A leadership role without any real decision-making authority
- A “step up” that doesn’t actually move your career forward
Isn’t a better question to ask, “What will I actually be doing—and how will I be measured?”
So why am I sharing this? Throughout my career as both an Executive Recruiter and as a PR practitioner, I’ve seen many people get so caught up in having to have the “perfect” title that they let truly incredible opportunities pass them by. And many of those same people later come back to say they wish they had looked at the role more closely regardless of title. Regret, simply put, is a nasty companion.
While I won’t debate whether a title can open a door, it also doesn’t define your career. Titles are simply a conversation starter versus the substance behind a career.
Singh Hecht Executive Search is a national boutique search firm specializing in the areas of marketing, public relations, and communications.