When some organisations are not able to revise the salary structures, they end up creating new job titles, resulting in promotions without raises. I've personally witnessed many organisations make certain positions such as an 'early-stage startup employee' to more lucrative titles such as 'Founders Office' etc. Title inflation in the job market is reaching new heights, my friends. Take a look at the online listings for Product Manager roles, and you'll find yourself wading through a sea of deception. Yes, you heard me right – most of these so-called "Product Manager" positions are nothing more than glorified Business development/project management jobs. Another example of a titular promotion I observed recently is with respect to the spread of so many 'fellowships'. I'm surprised by the rise of so many developmental fellowships recently that I was wondering where they all come from. On closer examination, most of them looked more like a 'developmental' job rather than a fellowship. It was again another decoy. Making the position of a job more lucrative by calling it a 'fellowship'. Opportunity Desk is filled with such roles. ![[IMG_0742.jpeg]] Now, don't get me wrong, project management is an essential skill in any successful product development process. But let's not confuse it with the strategic and visionary role of a true Product Manager. A Project Manager ensures that tasks are completed on time and within budget, while a Product Manager shapes the product's direction and oversees its entire lifecycle. Sometimes title inflation goes beyond certain acceptable limits. Take this example of early-stage startups searching for those who're considered "UX unicorns." These mystical creatures are expected to possess all the magical abilities related to design – from graphic design to user experience (UX) design, and everything in between. It's as if they expect these unicorns to single-handedly create stunning interfaces while simultaneously conducting user research and crafting pixel-perfect mockups. So next time you come across a seemingly enticing Product Manager role online, be sure to read between the lines. Scrutinize those job descriptions carefully – do they truly reflect the strategic responsibilities of a Product Manager or are they just seeking another Project Management hero? And if you stumble upon one of those "Design unicorn" listings, well, you might as well be on the lookout for leprechauns and fairies too. The disparity of titular promotions are not to be blamed entirely on the employer alone. The employee is to blame too. When it comes to negotiation conversations, employees seldom talk about band structures and pay scales. The negotiation conversation usually is around the position and the role which the employee wants to advance their career into. [^1] [^1]: [[Research Lead How to Counterargue Using Mass Communications, Conspiracy Clout, the Cost-Benefit Fallacy, and More - By Evan Nesterak - Behavioral Scientist | Previous research]] indicates that women are less likely to self-select themselves for a leadership position in a company. Women might sometimes feel less deserving of the inflated title.