Is there recommendations on how or when to change one's job title on a resume to better match what ATS systems are tracking? I've moved to actively looking for my next role, and my current org has some odd job titles compared to the responsibilities. It makes me wonder if my resume gets skipped over because the title doesn't match what is expected.
For example, my current job title for the organization is "Manager of Customer Engagement". My actual roles and responsibilities are to lead the operational support functions for an inbound call center including workforce managment, quality mangement, training, reporting, and process improvement. I put the roles and responsibilities in the description, but the title has never matched what I do. In my current resume, I've slightly modified it to "Manager of Customer Engagement - Operations", but other positions I've had in this company have similar issues and I haven't modified the title.
Reply
Great question — you're absolutely not alone in this. Many organizations use internal titles that don’t translate well externally or to ATS (Applicant Tracking Systems), and it can definitely impact your visibility.
The general best practice is to stay truthful but strategic. Slightly modifying a title to reflect the real scope of your responsibilities — like you did with “Manager of Customer Engagement – Operations” — is not only acceptable, it’s often recommended. You're not claiming a title you didn't earn, you're clarifying it for people (and algorithms) who wouldn't otherwise understand the internal context.
Here are a few approaches that usually work well:
Add clarity in the title line itself:
Example: Manager of Customer Engagement (Call Center Ops, WFM, QA, Training) – this balances the original title with keywords that ATS might flag.
Use parentheses or dashes to show both the internal and clarified titles:
Example: Manager of Customer Engagement – Operational Support Lead
Lean heavily on the description to hit all the keywords relevant to the roles you're applying to — especially those related to WFM, quality, training, reporting, etc.
Keep internal titles for background checks or references: If you’re ever concerned, you can keep a record or note that the official internal title is available upon request, but what’s listed is a market-facing equivalent.
At the end of the day, your resume is a marketing document — as long as you’re not inflating or fabricating, optimizing your titles for clarity and searchability is smart.
Good luck with your search! Sounds like you’ve got some solid experience that just needs the right framing to shine.
Sincerely,
Curran Hennessey
Founder of Staff Now - Staffing agency and recruiting service in Columbus, Ohio