Title vs. opportunity – does your Ecommerce job title matter anymore?

This is a tough question! It is something that plays on our minds, (a lot more then we care to admit) when looking for our next role. If you are currently a Digital Marketing Executive or a Social Media Coordinator, deciding if you should go for a manager’s title or a manager’s responsibility – it is tricky!

“A career is not just about earning an income, it is about pursuing the essence of your life.”

The decision can be affected by numerous factors, for example; if the company is a start up then your job title may not hold much meaning as you will be busy encompassing many tasks. But, for an established brand your job title decides where you fall in the decision-making mill and who you need to surround yourself with.

Firstly, you need to ask yourself these two questions and decide which one you are:

1) Do you want recognition for the title you have and have a CV that shows an upward trajectory to seniority?

OR

2) Do you want to look at your CV in five years’ time, see you have been an Ecommerce Executive for three different brands but your list of responsibilities has grown and you have taken on many challenges with each move?

What should it be? A step up or a side step?

That dreaded thought. The one that sparks fear in all ambitious professionals. The myth of career destruction if you ever try it. Side step! Dun, dun, dun!

Okay, maybe slightly more dramatic than necessary but you see my point. It is something that is widely considered as the first steps to destroying your career and wasting your time, moving into a role that does not offer a title progression.

Well, I am here today, to happily tell you that taking a side step in your career could be the best decision you ever make (yes you read that right!) Each move you make in your career needs to have every aspect considered.

You may be a Senior Data Analyst in your current company with no room for further progression. A brand you really want to work for offers you the same role, BUT, guarantees you can have a promotion if you work hard and continue to grow in the company. Slow and steady wins the race as they say, and the first rule of a smart career move is to know when to take a step back and consider all the options.

If you are just looking for a title jump then of course achieve that goal but, a side step can lead to better things plus the bonus of growing your skills you may not have considered you needed. It is essential to look more at the responsibilities of the role and where you will be positioned within the brand.

Does it really matter what your title is anymore in a company?

From the days of showing off the stripes on a uniform, or displaying your medals for rank progression, title has always been important. If you are a Manager or Director, then you potentially have more say in a company’s decisions. However, if you were given two job adverts, one that states just the title of a manager and the other has the job description – what would be more important to you?

In many cases now our job titles do not even cover half of what we do on a day to day basis, so does job title matter anymore? We are all striving to achieve more, and how often can we say the job advert we were presented with at the start of a role is what we do a year down the line.

If you are one of the lucky ones, then your company will recognise your contributions regardless of your position within your team. Back to start up companies, for the majority you will create your own role and outline what you cover over time. With just these few paragraphs can we even justify anymore that title matters? All evidence points towards the latter being the most important.

But do not be fooled, the world is not full of flowers, sunshine and happiness. Some companies will take you for granted and at an Executive/Coordinator level they will give you a ton of work with no recognition, no pay rise and no signs of promotion. They will use you! On those occasions, be careful on how the work is presented to you. Which makes it even more vital to compare responsibilities and look at the bigger picture!

The decision is yours - what matters most to you in your career?

At the end of the day it is a personal decision as to what matters most. All we can say is to consider all options! Do not be in fear or doubt if you find a role that has the same title – look at the responsibilities and see if progression is a part of their plan. It also is worth considering that when you apply for a role, if you get through to interviews and are then given an offer (happy days!), do not be down about the salary and title being the same. Another aspect that can put us off moving is no salary increase. I may have repeated this quite a few times, but it is vital – look at the job responsibilities!

If you move to a new job and the salary and title are the same, then you have not lost anything, you could gain so much more. A new brand potential, a new Director, a new team and a new company culture. Your commute may even be shorter, and the benefits may be more.

What would you much rather do, be at a party and tell people your title and nothing else (may kill the conversation), or brag about what you do on a weekly basis and how you contribute to the company?