Titles Are Given, Roles Are Earned
Why You Should Focus on Impact Over Hierarchy
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The start of a new year often inspires reflection and goal-setting in many aspects of life, including our careers. It’s a natural time to ask big questions: Where do I want to be in 12 months? What skills do I want to develop? What milestones do I want to reach?
One of the most common professional aspirations revolves around job titles. Titles like “Manager,” “Director,” or “Head of Something” dominate career goals, yet they’re often misunderstood. While titles hold importance, they’re fundamentally given—a recognition or artifact of your position in an organization.
Roles, on the other hand, are earned. Your role reflects the impact you have, the responsibilities you take on, and the value you create. A title might get you in the door, but your role establishes your credibility and legacy. Understanding the distinction between the two is key to establishing a good goal and being able to work towards it.
Titles vs. Roles: A Critical Distinction
At first glance, titles and roles might seem synonymous—they’re both shorthand for what you do. However, the two operate on very different planes:
Titles are external: They’re formal, hierarchical labels given by your employer. Titles communicate your position in the organization, your level of authority, and your relationship with others.
Roles are internal: They’re dynamic and earned through your actions, responsibilities, and contributions. Your role reflects what you actually do and how you’re perceived by others based on your performance.
For example, someone might have the title of “Head of Data” but not actually fulfill the responsibilities typically associated with that role. Conversely, a solo data engineer or analytics manager could effectively operate as a Head of Data by setting strategy, managing stakeholders, and driving team outcomes.
The takeaway? Titles don’t define you—your role does.
Why Titles Matter
While titles aren’t the whole story, they do carry weight. They serve as a form of professional currency, shaping how others perceive you both inside and outside your organization.
Internally: Titles Set Expectations
Within a company, your title defines:
Your mandate: What are you responsible for delivering?
Your scope: What’s under your purview, and what isn’t?
Your relationships: Who do you report to, and who reports to you?
Titles help streamline communication by signaling authority and responsibility. For example, a “Director of Marketing” title conveys more decision-making power than “Marketing Manager,” even if the day-to-day work is similar.
Externally: Titles Open Doors
Outside the company, titles play a significant role in establishing credibility. They’re one of the first things people notice on your LinkedIn profile or resume, and they influence how seriously you’re taken in professional interactions.
For underrepresented groups, titles can be particularly important. Research shows that women and minorities often have to prove their competence more explicitly. A strong title helps offset biases, signaling authority and expertise upfront.
Roles Are Earned
While titles are important, they’re ultimately bestowed—they’re a gift from the organization. Roles, however, must be earned through your actions.
Earning a role means stepping into responsibilities, often before anyone explicitly asks you to. It’s about demonstrating that you can perform at the next level, regardless of what your official title says.
For example, if you aspire to lead a team, you don’t need a “Manager” title to begin acting like one. You can:
Mentor junior colleagues.
Proactively solve team-wide problems.
Advocate for your peers and help set direction.
When you consistently perform at the level of the role you want, the title often follows.
A Framework for Titles and Roles
To navigate this dynamic, it’s helpful to think of titles as reflecting your position in the organizational hierarchy and roles as a function of your responsibilities. Here is a framework for thinking about titles and levels within an organization.
Individual Contributors:
Title: Associate, Engineer, Analyst, etc.
Role: Manage themselves. Their focus is on execution and delivering value as an individual.
Managers:
Title: Manager, Supervisor, Team Lead.
Role: Manage a team of individual contributors. They’re responsible for the team’s performance, development, and outcomes.
Directors:
Title: Director, Senior Manager.
Role: Manage managers and, in some cases, individual contributors. They lead a sub-department and ensure alignment with broader company goals.
Vice Presidents:
Title: VP, Senior Director.
Role: Oversee entire departments, managing director, and managers. They drive large-scale strategy and outcomes.
CXOs:
Title: Chief Marketing Officer, etc.
Role: Lead entire functions. Their focus is on organizational vision and cross-functional leadership.
It’s also worth noting that externally facing teams, such as Sales or Customer Success, often have inflated titles (e.g., a “Director” might be managing individual contributors) to signal authority and build credibility with customers.
There are also some titles that can be a bit misleading. For example, a “Product Marketing Manager” or a “Product Manager” are often Individual Contributors even though their titles include the word “Manager” in them.
Avoiding the Trap of Title Chasing
One of the biggest pitfalls in career development is fixating on titles rather than roles. Chasing a title without understanding the responsibilities it entails can lead to frustration, misalignment, or even failure.
For example, someone might aim for a “Head of Data” title, believing it’s the key to career growth. But without understanding the responsibilities of the role—setting strategy, managing stakeholders, leading teams—they may struggle to succeed once they land the title.
Instead of chasing titles, focus on earning roles. Start by identifying the responsibilities you want to take on, then gradually step into them. Titles often follow naturally when your contributions make the case undeniable.
Titles Are Especially Important for Women and Minorities
While roles define your impact, titles are still a critical part of career advancement—particularly for women and underrepresented minorities. These groups are less likely to benefit from implicit trust or assumptions about their capabilities.
A strong title can help bridge that gap by signaling authority and expertise. It can also provide a sense of legitimacy when navigating biases in the workplace or pursuing external opportunities.
A strong title also serves as a tool for leveling the playing field. For underrepresented groups, who are often judged more critically, a clear, authoritative title reduces ambiguity about their capabilities. It’s an external marker that can force others to reevaluate implicit biases.
This is why advocating for an appropriate title matters. If you’re already performing the responsibilities of a certain role but your title doesn’t reflect it, it’s worth having a conversation with your manager. When approached thoughtfully, this conversation is less about asking for a favor and more about aligning your title and compensation with your earned role.
Push for Better Titles
While titles aren’t everything, they are still part of your professional contract with your employer. They reflect a mutual understanding of your responsibilities, scope, and expected impact.
Vague or inflated titles—like “Head of Data”—fail to serve this purpose. They don’t provide a clear signal about what you do or how you contribute, and they can create confusion internally and externally.
Instead, push for a title that:
Accurately reflects your scope and responsibilities.
Aligns with your role and contributions.
Positions you for future opportunities, both within and outside your company.
For example, instead of aiming for “Head of Data,” advocate for a title like “Director of Data Strategy” or “Manager of Data Engineering.” These titles are clearer, more specific, and easier to map to future opportunities.
Titles Are Given, Roles Are Earned
As you think about your career goals this year, remember this key distinction: Titles are given, but roles are earned.
Your title is part of your professional brand—it communicates your position, authority, and credibility. But your role is where the real work happens. It’s how you create impact, build trust, and leave a lasting legacy.
Instead of chasing titles, focus on stepping into roles. Take on the responsibilities you aspire to, demonstrate your capabilities, and let your impact speak for itself. When you approach your career this way, titles become less about aspiration and more about recognition—an acknowledgment of the value you’ve already created.
As you set your professional goals for the year, don’t just think about the title you want. Think about the role you’re ready to earn—and then go make it happen.