Your LinkedIn profile serves as your professional online presence and résumé. Therefore, it’s important to keep your job title up-to-date on LinkedIn. However, determining the right time to change your title isn’t always straightforward. There are several factors to consider when deciding when to update your LinkedIn job title.
When you get a promotion or new role
The most obvious time to change your LinkedIn job title is when you officially get a new role or promotion at your company. As soon as your new title is formalized, go ahead and update your LinkedIn profile. This ensures your profile accurately reflects your current position and duties.
It’s a good idea to change your LinkedIn job title as soon as possible after your promotion is official. Delaying the change means you miss out on the benefits of showcasing your new role to your network. Promptly updating your title also ensures recruiters don’t miss your new qualifications if they look at your profile.
When your duties change significantly
Sometimes your official job title doesn’t change, but your daily tasks and responsibilities evolve over time. If your duties expand well beyond your current job title, it may be worth modifying your LinkedIn title to better convey your work.
For example, if you’re an accountant doing many analytics and forecasting tasks beyond basic accounting, you might change your title to “Senior Accountant and Data Analyst” or something similar. Just make sure your customized title accurately reflects the work you do.
When you’ve outgrown your current title
As you gain experience and expertise, you may feel you’ve outgrown your current job title even though no official promotion has happened yet. In those cases, you can slightly update your LinkedIn title to better represent your level.
For instance, if you’re still officially an “Engineer” but feel you should be a “Senior Engineer” based on your responsibilities, you could change your profile title to “Engineer (Senior)”. Just don’t inflate your title beyond what you can justify to employers.
When looking for a new job
It’s common for people to tweak their LinkedIn titles while job hunting to better match the types of roles they want. For example, if you’re looking to transition from engineering to project management, you might change your title from “Engineer” to “Engineer & Project Manager” or “Project Coordinator”.
Just ensure the title accurately conveys your experience. If challenged by a recruiter or hiring manager, you should be able to explain and justify the change.
When you want to expand your professional brand
Sometimes job titles don’t convey the full range of a person’s skills and professional brand. In those cases, you might complement your official job title with other terms.
For instance, a graphic designer could change their title to “Graphic Designer & Brand Strategist” to emphasize their branding expertise. Just ensure any descriptive terms you add to your title align with your experience and capabilities.
Factors to consider when changing your LinkedIn job title
When determining the right time to change your LinkedIn job title, keep the following factors in mind:
– Has your official company-recognized title changed? If yes, update your LinkedIn profile accordingly.
– Do your current responsibilities and duties differ substantially from your official title? If your work now exceeds your formal title, consider an update.
– Does your current title still accurately represent your experience and expertise? If not, a change may be warranted.
– Are you job hunting? If so, customizing your title to match target roles may help your candidacy, as long as the title legitimately reflects your background.
– Could supplementing your title with additional terms help convey your professional brand? Descriptive additions can work if they authentically communicate your skills.
– Will the change cause confusion about your actual qualifications or experience? Avoid titles that don’t match your background.
– Does your company restrict how and when you can modify your title on professional profiles? Check for any formal policies.
– Are you connected to current coworkers and managers on LinkedIn? How might the change impact those relationships? Proceed carefully if connected to colleagues.
Best practices for updating your LinkedIn job title
Follow these best practices when modifying your LinkedIn profile title:
– Only make the change after a promotion, new role or change in duties is official. Don’t preemptively modify your title in anticipation of a promotion. Wait until it’s definitive.
– If your company requires a formal title change request, follow the procedures before updating LinkedIn. Don’t go rogue with your title.
– Discuss any major title changes that don’t reflect an official promotion with your manager first. Keep them in the loop.
– Choose descriptive wording that clearly conveys your position and experience. Vague, inflated or confusing titles can damage your brand.
– Include key terms that recruiters may search for, but avoid excessive keyword stuffing that looks spammy.
– Consider adding your previous title in parentheses after a new title so your work history remains clear. For example: Director of Sales (previously Senior Sales Manager).
– Update your title across all professional profiles beyond just LinkedIn to ensure consistency.
– Review how the change impacts the rest of your profile. Certain sections like your summary may need tweaks to match your new title.
Examples of appropriate LinkedIn job title changes
Here are some examples of appropriate reasons and methods for changing your LinkedIn job title:
– Official promotion from Sales Associate to Sales Manager.
– Taking on full project management duties in current role. Title change from Program Coordinator to Project Manager.
– Handling both graphic design and social media marketing responsibilities. Change title from Graphic Designer to Graphic Designer & Social Media Marketer.
– Transitioning from engineering focus to team management oversight. Updating title from Senior Engineer to Engineering Manager.
– Expanding startup duties beyond coding alone. Changing title from Developer to Full Stack Developer & Systems Analyst.
– Seeking PR roles after years in communications. Modify title from Communications Specialist to Public Relations Specialist.
– Gaining senior expertise after many years in current position. Changing title from Analyst to Senior Analyst.
Pitfalls to avoid when modifying your LinkedIn profile title
There are a few common mistakes to avoid when changing your LinkedIn job title:
– Don’t change your title before an official promotion or new role has been granted. Jumping the gun can damage relationships with employers.
– Refrain from drastically inflating your title beyond what duties and experience justify. Misrepresentation will hurt your brand and prospects.
– Don’t make frequent title changes or you may appear indecisive or promotion-driven to some.
– Avoid questionable titles like “guru” or “ninja” which generally don’t convey meaningful skills.
– Don’t change titles solely to include trending keywords if they don’t accurately reflect your work. This appears disingenuous.
– Don’t remove all mention of your previous titles. Maintaining a sense of work progression is helpful.
– Beware title changes if connected to co-workers or current employer. Changes may cause friction.
– Don’t make titles excessively long with a litany of descriptive terms. Overwrought titles look pretentious.
Should I change my LinkedIn title while at the same company?
Yes, it’s appropriate to change your LinkedIn title even if staying at the same company if your official responsibilities and position have evolved. However, avoid making frequent changes just for appearance’s sake. Only modify when your role legitimately expands and your standard title no longer fits.
Discuss any major proposed title changes with your manager to avoid surprise or confusion. For instance, if your marketing duties have grown, you might change your title from “Marketing Assistant” to “Marketing Specialist” or even “Junior Marketing Manager” if properly justified by your work. But don’t inflate titles more than makes sense.
Is it OK to change your LinkedIn job title when between roles?
It’s perfectly acceptable to modify your LinkedIn title during a transition between jobs or roles. When you’re in between positions, your standard job title obviously won’t apply.
In this case, you have a few options:
– Use a title like “Seeking New Opportunities in [Field]” or “Open to New [Role] Positions”.
– List yourself as a consultant or freelancer in your field or industry if applicable.
– Use your most recent or relevant title along with “Currently Seeking New Role in [Field]”.
The goal is providing a title that communicates your capabilities and target field while in between positions. Avoid inflated titles that overstate your experience. Be clear you’re currently exploring options.
How soon should I change my LinkedIn profile when starting a new job?
Aim to update your LinkedIn title as soon as possible after beginning a new job, ideally within the first week if your official title is established by then. Quickly updating your profile is important for a few reasons:
– It immediately showcases your new position to your network and prospective recruiters viewing your profile.
– It demonstrates you’re proud of your new role and want to promptly promote your new employer’s brand.
– It keeps your profile accurate and up-to-date should opportunities arise to connect with new colleagues.
– It reinforces your expertise in your new field or industry after making a move.
Even if you waited until after a standard probation period, try changing your title within the first month at maximum at a new employer. Delaying beyond that risks appearing disinterested or disengaged from your new role.
Should I list my promotions in my LinkedIn profile history?
Yes, it’s recommended to document your title promotions within the experience section of your LinkedIn profile. Don’t just list your latest job title – illustrate your progression.
For example, you can note “Initially Hired as Sales Associate, Promoted to Sales Manager in 2019” to demonstrate your upward mobility and achievements.
Listing promotions:
– Highlights your growing expertise, authority and trust earned from employers.
– Illustrates your capacity to handle increasing responsibilities over time.
– Provides insight into your long-term career growth trajectory beyond your latest title.
– avoids confusion if connecting with colleagues who knew you under an older title.
However, avoid excessive title listings and granular detail. Focus on significant milestones, not every minor title adjustment. The key is illustrating meaningful progression over time.
Should I put my “official” job title or my “functional” job title on LinkedIn?
As a rule of thumb, put your current official job title on your LinkedIn profile, not your functional title. Your official title is the one formally designated by your employer, even if it doesn’t fully convey your practical duties.
This approach is clearest for several reasons:
– Official titles align with internal company hierarchy and systems, avoiding confusion.
– Many companies dictate how employees can identify themselves on professional profiles.
– Functional titles that inflate or embellish actual roles can hurt credibility.
– External parties may define your role differently than you do based on title norms in your industry.
That said, you can elaborate on your wider responsibilities in your summary or experience descriptions. Just lead with the formal title and clarify the scope in the profile details. Only use a functional title if permitted by your employer.
Should I put my “working” job title or my “official” job title on my resume?
Similar to LinkedIn profiles, as a rule of thumb your resume should feature your official job title designated by your employer, not an informal working title.
Reasons official titles tend to work best on resumes:
– Official titles are formalized and standardized. Working titles may have unclear definitions.
– Employers immediately understand your actual position, level and seniority based on your official title.
– Functional titles can falsely inflate your position in ways an employer may find misleading.
– It keeps your listed title consistent across your LinkedIn profile, resume and any background checks an employer conducts.
However, if you have an official blessing to use a different working title from a manager, or your official title genuinely doesn’t convey your core functions, exceptions can make sense in limited cases. Just be cautious about appearing to embellish your role.
How can I explain title discrepancies between my LinkedIn and resume?
If your LinkedIn profile and resume job titles don’t match due to timing differences, specific clarification can help avoid confusion:
– On your LinkedIn profile, note in your experience description that the official title change is pending or in process.
– On your resume, explain that your LinkedIn profile still reflects your previous title at X company which will be changed to match your resume title by X date.
– On applications or in interviews, briefly mention your title is still formally transitioning at your company but your resume reflects the change.
– If the discrepancy is due to use of an unofficial working title on one document, state on the other that you use X working title locally but Y is your official title.
– Apply time ranges to clearly distinguish between older and newer titles on both your LinkedIn and resume.
Proactively explaining title differences reduces the risk of judgement about inaccuracies or misrepresentation. Quick clarification shows attentiveness to keeping your documented credentials aligned.
Conclusion
Your LinkedIn title serves as a critical identifier for your professional brand and qualifications. Take care in modifying it at appropriate times based on career growth, but avoid overly frequent changes or inflated titles. With thoughtful updates, your title can accurately convey your evolving experience while strengthening your profile. Monitor it as you would any key element of your online presence and personal marketing materials.