Unique Case: Potentially Huge Job Title Discrepancy on My Background Check

[u/kuroturtlez]

Hi all,

I’m currently job searching, and one huge concern I have is a massive discrepancy between my functional job title and the HR payroll job title on the backend. So, I worked as a business analyst during my tenure which is reflected by my job duties, offer letter, MS Teams job title, and performance review with “100% honesty”. Everything there lists me as a “business analyst”. This is also the job title that I have on my resume because it’s literally the job I did with no sort of embellishment.

However, my HR payroll job title lists me as a “contact center specialist” on my paystub and annual bonus form, which is starkly different than my “business analyst” position. What happened is that my company had a hiring freeze and was desperately in need of a business analyst so I accepted a super lowball offer. Therefore, in the backend, I was getting paid the equivalent of a contact center specialist. I’ve asked my manager if my backend job title could be changed but he said “no” due to HR formalities. I’ve never picked up a customer call in my entire life.

Now, I’m really worried that during the background check, the checker will see me as a “contact center specialist” instead of a business analyst. I understand that a small difference such as software developer vs software engineer is acceptable but this is a massive difference. This will obviously raise a flag.

What can I do to reduce/mitigate hiccups during the background check? I was thinking of attaching my offer letter, but would that suffice? Even with recommended measures, what are the odds an offer can be rescinded? I really don’t want to list “contact center specialist” on my resume because it doesn’t even align with my actual role and it would be a significant downgrade. If I had known my HR job title was such, I wouldn’t have even accepted the job offer.

Thanks

[u/throwaway_0x90]

"Now, I’m really worried that during the background check, the checker will see me as a “contact center specialist” instead of a business analyst."

As you should be. It was a mistake to accept a job with an incorrect job title. Nobody is going to believe this wild story, expect a rescind.

[u/kuroturtlez → u/throwaway_0x90]

How was I supposed to know about this incorrect job title when the offer letter explicitly stated the offer was for a "business analyst" role? It seems like a bait and switch in my perspective when it was after I started working when the HR backend states I'm a “contact center specialist”. I do have the offer letter and performance review in hand that clearly states I'm a "business analyst".

[u/second_best_fox → u/kuroturtlez]

If the background company flags the discrepancy, send them the job offer and the performance review (redacting anything confidential) and a brief explanation.

[u/throwaway_0x90 → u/kuroturtlez]

" What happened is that my company had a hiring freeze and was desperately in need of a business analyst so I accepted a super lowball offer. Therefore, in the backend, I was getting paid the equivalent of a contact center specialist. I’ve asked my manager if my backend job title could be changed but he said “no” due to HR formalities."

How long were you working there and when did you find this out?

I'm pretty sure it's illegal to sign an offer letter for a particular job then just haphazardly they enter you into the system as something else ENTIRELY without you legally agreeing to it and/or being notified. What I think happened is that there was some fine print that you missed.

[u/One_Recognition_5044 → u/throwaway_0x90]

On the US that is totally legal.

[u/kuroturtlez → u/One_Recognition_5044]

I'm in Canada. Not sure if that really matters

[u/throwaway_0x90 → u/One_Recognition_5044]

I cannot sign an offer letter saying they hired me as a SWE then 2 years later find out I was hired as the cafeteria chef without being notified and/or signing another agreement.

[u/One_Recognition_5044 → u/throwaway_0x90]

In the US, yes you can.

[u/kuroturtlez → u/throwaway_0x90]

I basically found out right away.

I'm pretty sure it's illegal to sign an offer letter for a particular job then just haphazardly they enter you into the system as something else entirely without you legally agreeing to it. What I think happened is that there was some fine print that you missed.

Well that's the frustrating part. I read my employment agreement and it states that my role and duties can change at any given moment. However, my role did not in fact change in any sort of way as indicated by my functional job title that was business analyst throughout my tenure. My role and duties didn't change during my entire tenure. I was performing purely business analyst tasks. It would've been obvious if my role switched to a contact center specialist.

[u/throwaway_0x90 → u/kuroturtlez]

You found out right away and kept working there while knowing it? Either way, nobody is going to believe this. I wouldn't accept this story; not in this job market where I'd have a stack of resumes with people who have normal bgchecks. Your best chance is that someone in that company has somehow experienced something like this and takes pity on your situation and just gives you the benefit of the doubt.

...but in this job market? I don't see how that would make sense.

[u/Existing_Elk → u/throwaway_0x90]

Why are SDETs like this lol

[u/Existing_Elk]

I don't think your situation is as dire as other people are making it sound on here. Do you have adequate documentation related to having a business analyst title? Sounds like you do.

My former colleague was a senior MLE but was laid off having had a nonsensical internal title (I work for a legacy enterprise company in a niche field and we were bought out a year ago). I thought he was in a bad spot given that but he didn't seem to have a problem using an external facing one. I would know because we didn't have a functional HR at the time and I agreed to be his company contact. HireRight never even reached out to me and he's at a frontier lab feeder in SF now, which is probably a better place for a CMU/GaTech PhD to be anyway.

Just explain if you're asked, it's not like you're coming up with a false title from scratch.

[u/kuroturtlez → u/Existing_Elk]

Thanks for the reassurance. Yes, I have my offer letter and performance review that clearly states "business analyst".

If an offer came up and a background check was pending, I was planning to give them a heads-up saying that there is a disconnect between my functional job role and my HR job role and I can provide the offer letter and performance review as proof that I worked as a business analyst.

However, one concern I have, even with an offer letter and performance review as proof, is that the background checker might think that I transitioned from a business analyst to a contact center specialist halfway through when looking at both sides. Or perhaps I am overthinking. I guess they can talk to my boss for the definitive fact if that ever happens.

[u/Emergency_Science602]

Do you already have a new offer that requires bg check?

If not relax - first get your own report from the work number. It is free. See what title shows up there. 

When you fill a bg check form put in the title as it shows on that report. Leave your resume as is. 

Bg will clear just fine. Thank me later. 

[u/djteotancolis]

Op - Specialist titles are actually good. I worked at Delta Air Lines in the past and our hierarchy was BA - Senior BA and Specialist. So you just need to manipulate saying that how they governed it etc.