Negotiating a change in your job title can be an intimidating prospect, however, it can be a necessary one to help progress and grow your career. Your job title is extremely important. It suggests the scope of your responsibility, and gives hiring managers an immediate idea of your skills and strengths in future job searches.
If you are in a role that has evolved over time to take on extra responsibilities, it might be time to think about asking for an updated job title to reflect this. Sometimes in administrative support positions, employees can feel undervalued, or like their contribution isn’t taken seriously by those higher up, and often this is the case. This is why you must put forward a strong case. Explain your reasons for asking for a new title and outline why you deserve it. If someone tells you your title doesn’t really matter, this would suggest they probably don’t take your position seriously, so it is vital to make your value and contribution clear.
There are a few steps you should take if you are thinking of negotiating a new title, to give yourself the best chance of success. These tips are applicable whether you’re asking for a title upgrade in your existing position or before accepting the offer of a new position.
Existing Structure
Look at how the company’s personnel is structured. If salaries and titles are on a grade system then it may be difficult to achieve that change in title, but don’t let that put you off. There may be room within your scale for a new title, or it may be the case that support staff are not included in the scale system if it’s a large company.
Industry Standards
Compare your current position with similar positions in other companies. If your duties far outreach the average job description, then you’re in a strong position to negotiate that new title. Research jobs with the title you would like and see how your current responsibilities stack up against these. Remember that titles and job descriptions vary across different industries and depend on the size of the organisation.
Build your Case
Put together a list of all your duties and responsibilities. It may be that your manager doesn’t realise the extent of the work you do on a daily basis. Add to this any extra training or development you have completed since starting the job, and any positive feedback received on your work. It is vital to build an evidence based case, and be clear on what you would like the new title to be, as opposed to making an emotional argument. Outline in a tangible, fact-based way, how and why, you deserve a new job title.
Demonstrate the Benefits
Presenting your proposed title as a benefit to the company is important. Show them how a more comprehensive or senior title for your role actually reflects better on the company. Most likely you will deal with clients or customers at some point, so having a better title gives a better impression to the client about how they are valued.
Make your Case
Put your case forward to your manager. The best time to make your approach is most likely during a review. Try to be flexible and open to the prospect of adding another title to your existing one, such as ‘PA and Office Manager’. This reflects the wide range of responsibility that is yours, and sometimes this can be easier to achieve than a full title change, depending on the company structure. If you do get agreement from your manager on a title change, make sure to get confirmation in writing. A verbal promise is great, but you really need a written confirmation that a new title is forthcoming and when the change will take place.
Lastly, don’t give up. If your first approach is rejected, remember that it’s a negotiation so there may be some back and forth before an agreement is reached. Ask if the issue can be revisited in an agreed period of time, and find out what other accomplishments you need in order to get that desired job title.