Our snack manager has licked me

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Hi! I’m Peter, CEO of Kickresume, and these career-related stories caught my attention this month — and might catch yours too.

When our company was still young, we shared a co-working space with a few other startups.

One day, I struck up a conversation with the team next door and was quickly introduced to their Chief Marketing Officer, Chief Technology Officer, and Chief Executive Officer. No employees—just a room full of 'Chiefs.'

I chuckled internally, wondering who exactly was being led in this team of leaders.

Then, just last week, I met another startup with six employees, two of whom carried the impressive titles of CMO and Content Manager. The CMO managed...herself, while the Content Manager managed, well, just his own content.

By this point, I had to ask myself: Are job titles getting out of hand, or is it just me?

Job title inflation in full force

Just for the record, I don't think it's just me. 

It's clear that job titles have taken on a life of their own and we're living through some sort of job title inflation. 

Take Goldman Sachs for example. Goldman Sachs has roughly 10,000 Vice Presidents out of a total headcount of around 44,000. (This is 100% true, btw.)

Which means that every 4th employee is a VP.

Now, I don't think Goldman Sachs is a bunch of fools—quite the opposite.

So what leads the investment bank behemoth to using these heavy-sounding job titles so excessively?

For one, it reassures clients they’re dealing with someone senior. Wouldn’t you prefer a Vice President handling your finances over just an 'Account Manager'?

It subtly adds credibility to their client-facing roles.

But not all companies with inflated job titles are giant banks dealing with clients. So what are their reasons? 

Often, it’s about attracting talent. Ambitious job seekers are more likely to jump at a role if it comes with a 'Lead,' 'Manager,' or 'Executive' title.

And it’s not just about new employees; it’s about retaining the current ones. A bigger title can keep employees from leaving, even if their job or pay stays the same.

And finally, companies use inflated titles to impress investors. Having 'Chiefs' and 'Directors' on the team makes a new, small company look bigger and more established, which can be a big help when securing funding. 

Now, of course, from a business standpoint, these reasons all make sense... but…

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Chief Floor Officer and 2nd Floor Manager

…as with anything, there’s a catch (or in this case, a bunch of them).

Let’s start with salaries. When someone’s title is bigger than their paycheck, it’s only a matter of time before they start wondering why. 

An impressive title might look good on paper, but eventually, candidates will compare it to industry standards and expect the salary to match. 

It also backfires in future job hunts.

Imagine you’re an analyst with an “Executive” title. It sounds great until you start looking for your next role. Suddenly, positions that should be a natural step up, like “Manager,” seem like a downgrade—even if the responsibilities and salary are actually better. 

Plus, most recruiters and hiring managers rely on LinkedIn and keyword searches to find candidates. 

If your title is inflated, you might get approached for roles that don’t actually fit your experience. After a quick (and probably awkward) conversation, it becomes clear that your fancy title has wasted their time—and yours.

Then there’s the mess it creates inside the company.

And honestly, it’s kind of hilarious too at this point. (Sorry, you’re a 'Manager' but only manage yourself?!)

Kick titles to the curb(ish)

You're currently reading an email from a guy with a CEO title, basically talking smack about titles… What a hypocrite, right? But hear me out.

Yes, titles are necessary—things would get pretty confusing without them. But the goal should be to assign titles that actually reflect what someone does.

At our company, we really don’t care much about them. The only time we gave it real thought was when we were creating our About Us page (and even then, we sneaked in a 'Snack Manager'—our resident border collie).

To be honest, our new copywriter spent three months thinking her job was called 'copyrighter' (bless her heart).

What really matters is that everyone knows what everyone else is doing and who to go to when they need something.

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Random piece of career advice

Changing careers is both scary and exciting. 

While you're happy about starting a new adventure, you may also wonder where to begin. 

The best place to start is by updating and tailoring your resume for your new career path.

So, if you're among those who are brave enough for a career change, here's a short guide on how to write a resume if you're changing careers:

1. Choose the right resume format.
   The functional resume format is the best choice for your resume if you're switching careers. It places your skills to the forefront and will, thus, let you highlight the skills you've developed over years of hard work, while putting less emphasis on the fact that they have been gained in a different industry. 

2. Open strong with a resume objective.
   A well-written resume objective can help you 1.) explain your lack of experience in the industry, 2.) communicate your motivations, 3.) emphasise your transferable skills, and 4.) show that you've already embarked on a new career.

3. Emphasize transferable skills.
   In your previous job, you probably gained both hard and soft skills. Lucky for you, unlike hard skills, most soft skills are easily transferable. This will come in handy once you're changing careers, as most of your earned hard skills may no longer be relevant. Hard skills are, however, easier to learn.

4. Make your past work experience relevant.
   Highlight specific achievements, tasks, or experiences that demonstrate how your previous roles have prepared you for success in your new field. Connect the dots between your past and future roles to showcase your adaptability and the value you bring to the table in your career transition.

And here's a long guide along with career change resume examples.

At last, I hope you didn't think I'd forget! 

As a token of appreciation for your excellent scrolling skills, here’s a 20% discount code for Kickresume Premium. 

Catch you later! 

Peter