Job Title in your Early 20s: A Hype or Necessity for Career Trajectory?

Since I was a teenager, I heard everyone say, "Job titles depict how much you get paid and your promotion path. As much as they shouldn’t matter, they do!"

Across generations, having a great job with an amazing salary package, fancy job title, winning awards and owning luxurious stuff has been the definition of success.

What if success means something totally different than any of these?

I want to share a story with you. Hailing from entrepreneurial family background, the scope of International Business always excited me and has always been a naturally desirable career option for me. Immediately after my post-graduation, I was offered a position in the Global Business Development and Marketing domain at a start-up accelerator. Working in an agile fast-paced environment, I got to wear lots of hats and take on lots of varied responsibilities. This type of role not only helped augment my skill set but also work with amazing mentors. I loved exploring new arenas and broadening my scope of knowledge. Fast forward four months, I was honored with the esteemed Certified International Trade Professional (CITP) designation.

Sounds fancy, and made it appear that I was somewhat an accomplished ‘big girl’ at 22, right?

My job title and designation boosted my confidence and gave me the credibility to nail down new opportunities, exciting projects, and partnerships. In hindsight, my job title could rarely introduce or define me.

Earlier this month, I had the privilege of attending one of the largest dental conventions in North America. Since the unprecedented disruption 2020 gave us, it was truly an incredible experience to connect and mingle with the great visionary industry leaders in person. While networking, I abandoned my job title from my introduction primarily focusing on my work domain and why I love the work I do. The majority of the attendees I interacted with had over 20 to 25 years of experience or were C-level executives. I thought to myself “I’m not even 25 yet and can never match their level of experience and industry exposure”. To my huge surprise, I was welcomed with open arms; my ideas and opinions were not only heard but also respected equally as any of their peers. The two-day event had a positive impact and made me realize how my success isn’t measured by my job title.

The 20s are the pivoting years of your life & career. It’s exciting as well as challenging. The worst thing to do in your 20s is to play it safe or be a part of the rat race. For some reason, we feel like we must figure out what we are supposed to do with our life as soon as we are out of college. Whenever I speak to any recent grad looking for new opportunities, they try to jump on job opportunities based on the title.

So, to any 20-something out there, my advice is to slow down and breathe. Don’t narrow your job search by focusing on titles that you think you want or would make you look successful. Instead, look for opportunities that challenge you and build your skillset enhancing your long-term prospects. Don’t try to be defined by a title someone else gave you.

Personally, it’s necessary to understand - what gives you a sense of accomplishment? What is it about the job that you truly love? Sometimes, all we need to do is break out of our comfort zone and take risks.

The 20s are the best time of your life to explore more about the world and yourself. Learn to celebrate small achievements and stop being hard on yourself. Don’t let your job title or your salary define your worth.

After all, you are the only ONE who defines it!