How to choose the role to aim for

Start from what you have done

Write down the last three things you were proud of at work, school or in a project. Next to each, write the skill it needed. The titles that ask for those skills are your starting list.

Keep the list short

Two or three titles is plenty. A resume and a search that try to fit ten different roles end up fitting none of them well.

Read ten postings before you decide

• Notice which requirements appear in most of them: those are the real baseline.
• Notice which ones you already meet. That is your pitch.
• Notice the ones you do not meet. Decide which you can learn and which are a different career.

Titles differ between companies

The same work can be called analyst, associate or specialist. Search a few neighbouring titles so you do not miss jobs that fit.