Job offer - title change

CaoimheK101

Hi all,

I have just been offered a job in Business Development. The role I applied for and went through 4 rounds of interviews for was that of “Business Development Manager” but when the contract came through, the role was listed as “Business Development Specialist”.

The job is with a large company but I will be the only person on this new team for the time being. I questioned HR and they said that they felt the title of “specialist” was better suited, but it was still a managerial role - with the same contract stipulations as any other manager.

The job description and salary are the same as the manager role advertised but I have been sitting on this new information for a couple of days and it doesn’t sit quite right with me.

I have accepted the offer and handed in my notice, but I’m a little irked that this change took place and wasn’t officially communicated to me, only semi-explained when I myself queried it. 

I wonder if anyone might have any advice on how best to proceed. Honestly the benefits and salary are a huge step up any way, but I am at the stage where I also deserve a manager title - I wouldn’t have even applied for the job if it had have been advertised as the “specialist” title that has now been given.

Any advice would be greatly received. 

MovingForwards

Duplicate thread:
https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6255482/job-offer-title-change/p1

superbigal

I would be embarrassed to be called a manager in a team of 1.

getmore4less

CaoimheK101 said:

Hi all,

I have just been offered a job in Business Development. The role I applied for and went through 4 rounds of interviews for was that of “Business Development Manager” but when the contract came through, the role was listed as “Business Development Specialist”.

The job is with a large company but I will be the only person on this new team for the time being. I questioned HR and they said that they felt the title of “specialist” was better suited, but it was still a managerial role - with the same contract stipulations as any other manager.

The job description and salary are the same as the manager role advertised but I have been sitting on this new information for a couple of days and it doesn’t sit quite right with me.

I have accepted the offer and handed in my notice, but I’m a little irked that this change took place and wasn’t officially communicated to me, only semi-explained when I myself queried it. 

I wonder if anyone might have any advice on how best to proceed. Honestly the benefits and salary are a huge step up any way, but I am at the stage where I also deserve a manager title - I wouldn’t have even applied for the job if it had have been advertised as the “specialist” title that has now been given.

Any advice would be greatly received. 

You new the job was a new role/group/team  starting out as a team of one, no one to manage.
if you wanted to be a manager of people then this is the wrong job.

Business development specialist  sounds about right,  hints at some seniority in terms of skill set 


If you want to grow role and become the manager when the team starts to grow that is for you to make happen by developing that groups objectives etc.  taking a lead to create the work for more people.

How you perform(manage yourself) will eventually decide if you really do deserve the tittle of manager in this new company.

Key will be understanding the structure and what the people in the various position themselves then  mould yourself to be one of those and establish yourself as being a peer with those in the position you desire.  

Saver84

The fact that they've done this speaks volumes about how this organisation is run

Thrugelmir

Saver84 said:

The fact that they've done this speaks volumes about how this organisation is run

Do you have personal knowledge of the organisation concerned? 

[Deleted User]

Saver84 said:

The fact that they've done this speaks volumes about how this organisation is run

What rule protects them - let's hear it? Dec 19 applied to a Collections Agent role. Sat through a mis-leading interview on 9th December based on collections but which was being 'automated' oh yeah (should have been a clue; 45 mins of my life lost) other lies included we don't do repo's when we do! went through a trial day (a further 8 hours) after presumingly Bonnie in the lead up to Christmas Day decided it wasn't for her. Regrettably Dad of the company was facing an op; in in comes muggin to cover such a time as SALES agent. Jan 8th and even after getting a snippy response concerning covid19 I was unaware that such liars wouldn't hesitate to re advertise for Collections Agent. They eventually got the ex school teacher I imagine they always wanted. I was told end of first day mid Jan that I was in fact a sales agent expected to hit 10 sales a day, rather then collections agent. Please tell me, as a new starter, what law would have helped me? Martin Money Saving Lewis is all about mis sold a loan and that's it!! but not a job...

longtimelurker2020

You can be a manager in a team of one; you don’t have to lead a team to have ‘manager’ in your job title. It could refer to what you are responsible for managing. 

There are different types of managers, for instance those who: 

- Manage portfolio (typically a managerial role with no team to lead)
- Manage others (leading a team of non managers)
- Manage Managers
- Manage enterprise 

All of which require different management styles. 

If it was a small company with 50 or so people I wouldn’t mind, but as you say it’s a large organisation I would ask HR to confirm the significance of the change in job title - does it affect the job grading for instance?

I ask because you say the salary is the same.

First, two people on different grades can earn the same basic salary, depending on where they sit on the pay spectrum. Eg the highly paid junior person could earn what a low paid senior person is earning. So the assurance that it’s the same salary does not mean it’s the same job grade. 

Secondly, and more importantly for you, job grades can affect other elements of your reward package. 

Are specialists on a different bonus scheme from managers? Are there any additional allowances eg car allowances that managers and not specialists might get? Number of holidays the same? It’s possible that more senior people get more holidays; certainly where I work. 


If it makes no difference then why did they change it after the fact. 

FaceHead

Titles schmitles. What a job is called is ultimately meaningless. I've met many people in my career with ridiculous titles which look great on a LinkedIn profile, but what they do is far removed from what the title is implies.

Being blunt, the need for a title smells of insecurity - reputation and respect comes not from a title but from the work you do and your value to others and the organisation. 

What really matters is whether you are happy with the role, the benefits, the organisation etc. If you're happy with it, take it. If, having been through the interview process and reviewed the contract to you're not happy, then politely decline.