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How to ask your new employer for a better job title

Salary is not the only thing you should be negotiating when accepting a new position

Negotiating your job title requires a bit of soul-searching. Why do you want a certain title and why do you think you deserve it? Photograph: Getty Images

Fri Jul 28 2017 - 05:40

When accepting a new position, most people tend to focus on salary negotiation. But your job title should also be part of the equation. Here are some ideas for how to get the title you deserve.

1. REFLECT: Negotiating your title requires a bit of soul-searching. Why do you want a certain title and why do you think you deserve it?

2. DO YOUR HOMEWORK: Identify a specific title that accurately reflects your expertise. Use resources like LinkedIn to look at the titles of your peers. At the same time, make sure you are mindful of what's realistic.

3. THINK HOLISTICALLY: Compared with salary, responsibilities and vacation time, how much should you emphasise your desired title during the negotiation? Think about all the resources you'll need to do your job.

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4. LISTEN: Try to understand what your superiors care about most and what really worries them, so you can build your case around that.

5. STRATEGISE: What would make your boss say yes? You'll need to make a compelling case, explaining how a new title will help you be more efficient.

6. TALK TO YOUR BOSS: When the time comes to broach the subject, activate your "learning mode". Discuss what you can bring to the job while learning more about how the hiring manager defines success. Project strength but also modesty.

7. BE APPRECIATIVE: If your manager agrees to your desired title, your first response should be "thank you". If you're disappointed, remember that it's not necessarily a one-and-done deal, but a continuing negotiation. Ask your boss to provide more detail about the criteria that you're being judged on and how to achieve those metrics.

– Copyright Harvard Business Review 2017

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