Ask Efri

Should I leave to get a title I can't get here?

Efri · 1 min read

Usually yes, if the title is genuinely blocked and it matters to you.

Key points
4 key points
  1. 01
    Because titles move faster between companies than inside them
  2. 02
    Internally you're competing against a budget, a headcount plan, and the fact that everyone still remembers you as…
  3. 03
    But check two things first
  4. 04
    If it's genuinely blocked and you genuinely want it, go

Because titles move faster between companies than inside them. That's just how it works.

Internally you're competing against a budget, a headcount plan, and the fact that everyone still remembers you as the person who joined three years ago. Externally you're a candidate for a role that already exists at that level.

But check two things first.

Is it actually blocked, or have you just never asked? A lot of people assume no and never test it. Ask directly what would need to be true and by when. If you get a vague answer, that's a no with a smile on it.

Do you want the title or the thing? Sometimes what you want is more money, or more say in decisions, or to be taken seriously in the room. Those don't always require a title, and they're much easier to negotiate for.

If it's genuinely blocked and you genuinely want it, go. Waiting for a promotion that isn't coming is one of the most expensive things you can do with two years.