Title or Salary: Which is More Important in a Job?

When seeking a new job, two primary factors often come to mind: the title and the salary. Companies today face unique challenges in setting and managing these factors, especially in the tech industry where titles can sometimes feel like empty gestures. Here, we explore why many professionals prioritize learning and career development over titles and salary raises in their job choices.

The Economic and Cultural Context of Job Titles and Salaries

BIGGER COMPANIES OFTEN HAVE SALARY RANGES WRITTEN IN STONE. AND IF YOU GET TO THE TOP OF THAT RANGE FOR YOUR PARTICULAR JOB THE ONLY WAY TO GET MORE MONEY IS TO GET A NEW TITLE. Your title matters for more than just your salary too. It’s about getting the respect you deserve within your company and about setting yourself up for career success and progression beyond your current job.

The Focus on Learning and Competence Over Titles and Salaries

NEITHER. THE QUESTION FOR ME IS: WILL I LEARN IN THE JOB AND BE MORE COMPETENT IN SAY 3 YEARS? THE MONEY WILL FOLLOW AND TITLES AREN’T WORTH ANYTHING IN TECHNOLOGY. IN ONE NEW PROJECT WE COULD EACH GIVE OURSELVES ANY TITLE WE WANTED. ONE USED NKT AND ANOTHER SENIOR SEMIOTICIST.

TITLE IS ONLY OCCASIONALLY A FACTOR. ALMOST NEVER. A title doesn’t get you more money. A title is good for getting the next job, not the current one. And even then, they'll look at your duties after they read your title.

Understanding the False Promises of Titles in Career Negotiations

Some companies, when you ask for a raise, will offer a better title in lieu of a raise. This is a trick to get you to step back from a raise. If you take it, you got pretty much nothing to show for your negotiation attempt. It’s right up there with a pat on the back. Where will you spend that title? Where will you spend that pat on the back? My grocer doesn’t care about my title; he won’t take it in payment. My friends aren’t impressed by my title. Most of my friends don’t even have a clue what I do. Usually, a technical job such as MongoDB Administrator or Foglight Report Writer, and the title isn’t much help.

Career Growth and Non-Tangible Benefits

There are plenty of non-tangible benefits in a job. A good manager, a good culture, a good commute, etc. A good title isn’t worth any of that. EXAMPLE: YOU ARE THE JANITOR. YOU GET THE TITLE VICE PRESIDENT OF INTERNAL DISIMPROVEMENT REMEDIATION. SAME JOB, DIFFERENT TITLE. YOUR NEXT JOB LOOKS AT YOUR DUTIES AND SAYS “YOU WEREN’T A VP NOT REALLY.”

There are some companies that tie title to wage. But in those cases, you negotiate a fee, and then they pick an HR title that most closely matches your job description and negotiated wage. Engineer III is an example of that. On your resume that might translate as “Senior Engineer.” It might even say that on your business cards if your company uses those.

When making job decisions, it's crucial to focus on long-term career growth and development rather than short-term salary and title demands. Titles can be important for certain industries and at specific stages of one's career, but they should not be the sole focus when evaluating job opportunities.

Keywords: job title, salary, career progression

Key Takeaways

Title and salary are often the primary focus, but learning and career development should be prioritized. A title can offer little in the way of tangible benefits, especially in technology. Career growth and non-tangible benefits like a good work culture are often more valuable than a title or a higher salary.