One of the more subtle shifts in today’s talent market is the rise of title inflation.
It’s becoming increasingly common to see candidates garnering titles such as “Vice President,” “Head of,” or “Chief” across varied industries—yet the scope behind those titles varies significantly. As a result, titles are becoming a less reliable signal of ownership, decision-making authority, and operational impact. While this trend has been building for years, it has become increasingly more pronounced in private equity-backed and growth-stage businesses.
As companies scale from $25M to $250M and beyond, the expectations for leadership roles materially alter. Businesses need individuals who can operate with full accountability, build infrastructure in dynamic / evolving environments, and execute without significant “silver spoon” support. However, hiring decisions are still too often anchored to prior titles rather than verified scope. This can create a mismatch between expectation and capability.
We are seeing this most often in roles such as Controller, VP Finance, and Head of “X”. Candidates may carry senior titles but have operated within highly resourced, layered environments with narrow/siloed scopes, or large teams with shared ownership projects. In leaner, high-growth settings, the difference quickly stands out.
The organizations navigating this most effectively are shifting their lens away from title focus and to the ownership, outcome, built, and/or delivered.
In other words, what impact did the person make? Did the candidate move the needle or tread water?
This includes:
- complexity of problems solved
- level of autonomy
- experience operating with limited infrastructure
- ability to execute end-to-end
Implications for Portfolio Companies
The implications of missing these details can lead to costly failures that manifest in portcos in a variety of ways such as:
- slower execution
- increased reliance on leadership leading to bottlenecks
- breakdowns in process and accountability
Getting it right, on the other hand, accelerates:
- operational improvement
- scalability
- confidence at the leadership and board level
Final Thoughts
At the end of the day, titles are important, but what you do with the title means much more. Prioritize what has been truly accomplished—that is where significant impact is made.
We’re continuing to see this play out across searches and would welcome the opportunity to share perspectives.
About Ascension Search Partners
Boasting more than 100 years of combined recruitment experience, we know what it takes to deliver the right talent. Ascension Search Partners was founded on the belief that talent acquisition is a true business partnership, and we believe search partners should offer extensive market and functional knowledge, with an in-depth, consultative approach.
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One of the more subtle shifts in today’s talent market is the rise of title inflation.
It’s becoming increasingly common to see candidates garnering titles such as “Vice President,” “Head of,” or “Chief” across varied industries—yet the scope behind those titles varies significantly. As a result, titles are becoming a less reliable signal of ownership, decision-making authority, and operational impact. While this trend has been building for years, it has become increasingly more pronounced in private equity-backed and growth-stage businesses.
As companies scale from $25M to $250M and beyond, the expectations for leadership roles materially alter. Businesses need individuals who can operate with full accountability, build infrastructure in dynamic / evolving environments, and execute without significant “silver spoon” support. However, hiring decisions are still too often anchored to prior titles rather than verified scope. This can create a mismatch between expectation and capability.
We are seeing this most often in roles such as Controller, VP Finance, and Head of “X”. Candidates may carry senior titles but have operated within highly resourced, layered environments with narrow/siloed scopes, or large teams with shared ownership projects. In leaner, high-growth settings, the difference quickly stands out.
The organizations navigating this most effectively are shifting their lens away from title focus and to the ownership, outcome, built, and/or delivered.
In other words, what impact did the person make? Did the candidate move the needle or tread water?
This includes:
- complexity of problems solved
- level of autonomy
- experience operating with limited infrastructure
- ability to execute end-to-end
Implications for Portfolio Companies
The implications of missing these details can lead to costly failures that manifest in portcos in a variety of ways such as:
- slower execution
- increased reliance on leadership leading to bottlenecks
- breakdowns in process and accountability
Getting it right, on the other hand, accelerates:
- operational improvement
- scalability
- confidence at the leadership and board level
Final Thoughts
At the end of the day, titles are important, but what you do with the title means much more. Prioritize what has been truly accomplished—that is where significant impact is made.
We’re continuing to see this play out across searches and would welcome the opportunity to share perspectives.