Acceptable to Change Title on Resume?

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified)
in

Hello MT Community,

I'm looking for guidance on the acceptability of changing the title of my current role on my resume. My current title is that of Learning Architect III, however in my role I oversee the design, development, and implementation of the leadership and management training programs within my organization.

I fear my current title is a cause of confusion as to what my current role entails and I do not see that specific title being used consistently across other organizations.

When is it and/or is it acceptable to change the title to something that speaks more to the scope of the work I do? An example of the change may be Program Manager of Leadership Development.

Any guidance is greatly appreciated.
Al

Submitted by Philip Reed on Monday August 26th, 2024 10:59 am

I'm in a similar spot (company calls me a data engineer, where I'm on the borderline of software engineering). Looking forward to other opinions. 
My modus operandi has been to include the actual title, and then supplement it in way that highlights responsibilities, maybe in parentheses or with a slash. E.g. `Learning Architect III -- program manager of leadership development`.
You don't want someone calling on a reference check and getting a completely surprising title from the HR department; that could be considered a lack of integrity from you. However, leaving some ambiguity about "what you really do" that can be addressed in a cover letter or interview seems reasonable.

Submitted by Jon Snyder on Tuesday August 27th, 2024 12:30 pm

In reply to by Philip Reed

I agree 100%. Giving a totally different job title might come back to bite you if you another party requests verification of employment from your organization. Typically, orgs will give job titles and dates. 

Submitted by Vike T on Thursday January 2nd, 2025 5:21 am

It’s fine to tweak your title for clarity as long as it reflects your role in crystal prime 7k. Use something like Program Manager, Leadership Development and keep it honest for verification purposes.