Choosing the right professional title for yourself can be tricky. The title you use says a lot about your role, experience, and qualifications. When selecting a title, it’s important to be accurate and ensure it aligns with your position. This article covers several common professional titles and recommendations for choosing an appropriate option.
Common Professional Titles
Here are some of the most frequently used professional titles:
- Manager – Oversees a team, department, or division. Manages people and operations.
- Director – Leads an entire business function or department. Responsible for strategy and big picture thinking.
- Vice President/Senior Vice President – Executive leader who oversees major business functions. Often oversee multiple departments and managers.
- C-Suite – Top executive titles like CEO, COO, CFO, CIO, CTO. Lead entire organizations.
- Principal/Partner – Senior role, often owning significant portion of a firm or company.
- President – Leads organizations. Responsible for entire company operations and strategy.
- Founder/Co-Founder – Created and launched an organization or business. Serves as leader and public face.
- Consultant – External expert who provides strategic advice and services for a fee.
- Analyst – Evaluates data, business operations, costs, trends, and performance. Provides analyses and recommendations.
- Associate – Entry or mid-level role. Often industry or role specific, like Associate Consultant or Associate Designer.
- Coordinator/Specialist – Handles specialized tasks and coordination. Focuses on a specific function.
Some other common titles include supervisor, engineer, accountant, designer, assistant, administrator, and many more. Titles can also specify seniority (junior, senior, lead, principal, head, chief, etc.) or management level (associate, manager, director, VP, SVP, C-suite).
Tips for Choosing a Professional Title
When selecting which professional title to use, keep these tips in mind:
- Be accurate – Choose a title that genuinely reflects your position, skills, and experience level.
- Check internal title conventions – Some companies use very specific titles. Ensure yours aligns.
- Consider your industry – Titles can vary significantly between industries.
- Ask if unsure – Check with your manager or HR if you’re unsure which title is appropriate.
- Add qualifiers if needed – You can specify “Senior”, “Lead”, “Principal” etc. to denote advanced experience.
- Avoid exaggerating – Don’t pick an overly senior title that overstates your role.
- Update as you progress – As you gain experience and seniority, update your title.
Titles for Specific Roles
Here are some suggestions for professional titles to use for common roles:
Marketing
- Marketing Assistant
- Marketing Associate
- Marketing Coordinator
- Marketing Manager
- Senior Marketing Manager
- Marketing Director
- VP of Marketing
- Chief Marketing Officer
Finance
- Financial Analyst
- Accountant
- Senior Accountant
- Controller
- Finance Manager
- Finance Director
- VP of Finance
- Chief Financial Officer
Technology
- Software Developer
- QA Analyst
- IT Support Specialist
- Systems Administrator
- Network Engineer
- IT Manager
- Chief Technology Officer
Sales
- Sales Associate
- Sales Representative
- Account Executive
- Sales Manager
- VP of Sales
- Chief Revenue Officer
Using Professional Titles on Resumes
When listing your title on a resume, follow these tips:
- Put your title first – List your professional title before your company name.
- Use the full, official title – Don’t shorten or abbreviate it.
- Include dates – Specify the start and end dates you held each title.
- Quantify if possible – Give amounts, percentages, metrics that provide scale.
- Highlight promotions – Call out title changes and promotions you earned.
For example:
Vice President of Operations, XYZ Company – March 2019 – Present
- Oversee operations for $300M global retail company with 5,000 employees.
- Promoted from Senior Director of Operations in March 2021.
Using Titles on Business Cards
Your business card title should match your professional resume title. Keep it succinct and legible. Common approaches include:
- John Smith
- Financial Analyst
- Mary Lee
- Senior Vice President
- Acme Company
- Chris Chen
- Principal Software Engineer
- XYZ Tech
You generally don’t need your full official job title on a business card. Keep it short and impactful. The company name provides context.
Using Titles in Email Signatures
Email signature titles should also match your resume/ LinkedIn profile title. However, you can be a bit more descriptive if you’d like. Options include:
- John Smith
- Vice President of Operations, Acme Company
- Mary Lee
- Senior Vice President, Global Marketing, XYZ Corporation
- Chris Chen
- Principal Software Engineer
- ABC Technologies
Email signatures allow 2-3 lines, so you can add a bit more detail like your department, company, and location if relevant.
Titles on LinkedIn
Your LinkedIn profile title section is a great place to showcase your full official job title. You have more room to be descriptive here. For example:
Vice President of Marketing, Acme Corporation
New York, NY
May 2017 – Present
- Lead global marketing team with 50 direct reports and $50M budget.
- Develop and execute marketing strategies across paid, owned, earned channels.
- Oversee brand, advertising, PR, digital marketing, events, and communications.
The LinkedIn summary section allows you to provide an overview of your role, responsibilities, team size, scope, and achievements.
Conclusion
Your professional title is an important component of your brand and reputation. Be thoughtful about which title accurately and honestly reflects your experience, qualifications, and position. Ask your manager or HR if you are unsure of the most appropriate title to use. Update it consistently across resumes, business cards, email signatures, online profiles, and other materials. Use it as an opportunity to succinctly showcase your seniority, expertise, and professional stature.