Why does nobody talk about how job titles are basically made up?

I was looking at job postings in Phoenix last week for project coordinator roles and half of them wanted 5 years experience managing budgets and people. That sounds like a project manager to me but they pay like it's entry level. Then I saw another place calling the same work "operations associate" with a higher salary. It's all just random words someone picked. Has anyone else applied for a job that turned out to be completely different from the title?

3 comments

3 Comments

the_elizabeth29d ago

Ask if anyone actually asked HR where their job title came from. I did once and got a blank stare like I asked about alien autopsies. The whole thing feels like someone making it up as they go based on what sounds cool that day.

angela4329d ago

Wait, you actually asked HR that and they just stared at you like you had three heads?

craig.tessa29d ago

Keep it simple next time. Ask them to write down what the title actually means day-to-day. Makes them think before they hand you some buzzword soup.