While there is an increasing trend towards job title inflation, the practice has been mostly unsuccessful as professionals consider other factors more important than mere job title.

Robert Walters Philippines shared that over the past year, it has seen a 34% rise in job postings for “Director” positions, and a 22% increase in job postings for “President,” with such jobs only requiring experience of as little as two years—a clear sign of job title inflation.

What Is Job Title Inflation?

According to the international recruitment consulting company, job title inflation is the practice of offering exaggerated job titles that may not accurately reflect the responsibilities, seniority, or even salary of the position.

”This trend is not applicable to all industries, but is commonly seen in technology, startups, digital media, marketing, advertising, and professional services sectors, due to the intense competition for talent and strong reliance on innovation and creativity,” said Jayson Mendoza, Manager of Human Resources and Industrial at Robert Walters Philippines in their statement.

Robert Walters shared that in its recent survey, 38% of hiring managers admitted that either they have, or are, considering inflating a job title to attract more talents or retain more professionals in their organization. But only 3% said that the move achieved its desired results.

The study further revealed that respondents considered other factors such as managing a team (44%) and the perceived importance of the role (41%) as more important indicators of seniority, with only 15% considering the job title as the true indicator of seniority.

In a statement, Robert Walters discouraged hiring managers from adopting this strategy saying it could cause confusion and disillusionment in the long term.

“Elevated job titles can often create a mismatch between the skills and qualifications of employees and the actual requirements of the job. When hiring individuals solely based on their desire for a grandiose title rather than their suitability for the position, organizations run the risk of experiencing poor performance, increased turnover, and wasted resources,” warned Mendoza.

On the other hand, Mendoza says that maintaining accurate job titles ensures clarity, fairness, and trust in the workplace.