As a staffing agency, we often see our candidates and clients struggling to negotiate one of two things, salary and the title of the position. Many times a client will refer to a job title as something different from what the candidate wishes, or a candidate wants an increase in salary because of the position of the title.
If you are a candidate negotiating for your offer letter, it is necessary to understand what is more important, the title of your position or your salary.
To some, having a more senior title is non-negotiable, while on the other hand, other employees prefer having a higher salary over having a Senior/Manager/Director level title. The reality of it is – the title of your position is subjective.
Every agency and company have a unique system for organizing the structure, labeling different positions, and assigning work/tasks based on that title. For example, you could be a manager at a company, but you may not necessarily have the same managerial dutied compared to a company in a similar discipline.
The difference when choosing a salary or a title relies upon the job description. In an offer letter, you may have a more senior title, but based on your daily tasks and duties, you may be at the bottom of the totem pole.
Whether you are a junior in your career or a senior, you will always have an opportunity to grow and transition into a title that is higher than your current position. If there is any piece of advice you take away from choosing between the two, we recommend not getting too hung up on the title.
We agree that a proper job title is necessary for you to grow into different positions, but if you are offered a higher salary at a company with a more junior title, we think you will be happier with that decision.
At the end of the day, the work you are doing and how you are getting compensated for it is the most valuable part of growing and developing in your career. When negotiating your offer letter, you can always negotiate both your title and salary. We believe that asking for a higher salary will make you more fulfilled than changing your title.
Clutch is a creative staffing partner. We connect digital, creative, and marketing professionals with companies looking for freelance, temp-to-hire or direct hire resources.
