Titles are dynamic, while skills are permanent

While organisations are pivoting to skills hiring, to an extent, the newer generations, Millennials and Gen Z, feel that the career ladder is outdated.

Photo by Ashley Levinson on Unsplash

Why? Because:

• A “Manager” in one company is a “Specialist” in another.

• Title inflation doesn’t impress, but real skills do.

• Skills are portable currency, and they can be taken anywhere.

But, in most locations, experienced talent still cares about titles. They bring recognition, show growth, clarity in hierarchy, and sometimes even influence outside the organisation.

Here’s the shift:

While titles still matter, they are no longer the only thing talent evaluates.

What matters just as much, if not more, is the skills they’ll gain and how those skills translate into future opportunities.

Talent today is asking:

 👉 “Does this title reflect the scope of my work?”

 👉 “Will this role build skills that can keep me relevant in 5 years?”

 👉 “Can I use this experience to move across functions or industries?”

This is where Job descriptions (JDs) play a crucial role, which can be used for articulating value.

• If a JD is title-heavy (“Senior Manager with 10 years of experience”), it boxes people in.

• If a JD is skills-heavy (“ability to lead cross-functional teams, adapt to change, deliver outcomes”), it opens the door wider, showing what the role demands and what it will help the person build.

How clearly you articulate the skills people will use, build, and move ahead can postion as a strong EVP too. Titles give status. Skills give staying power.

It will be good to hear from my peers and HR leaders on how you are balancing the need for titles (for clarity and recognition) with the growing demand to showcase skills and growth in your employer brand.

In my next post, I’ll share about how employers can reframe their branding around skills-first hiring to stay competitive.