What’s in a Title? The Shifting Perception of Job Roles

Once upon a time, job titles defined everything—from pay scales and career progression to workplace respect. Titles like "Manager," "Senior Analyst," or "Director" signaled clear responsibilities and hierarchies.

But as work evolves, titles are losing their clarity and clout.

Today, a “Product Manager” at one company could be doing something wildly different at another. Freelancers and gig workers operate without formal titles. And startups regularly invent creative labels like "Customer Success Hero" or "Growth Ninja."

The takeaway? Titles are becoming more symbolic than descriptive.

This week, we’ll explore how this shift is pushing companies toward skills-based hiring—and why it might be time to rethink how we define roles.