The answer is rarely what the title says. It's what the market is hiring you for. A Director of 8 people at a 50-person startup is not a Director at a 5,000-person enterprise, the scope is different, the market reads it differently, and the algorithm filters accordingly.
Positioning isn't aspiration. It's calibration. Three honest reads:
• Years of relevant experience (only years in the target function count)
• Scope of the most recent role (headcount, budget, revenue owned)
• Market comp band for the title in target geography
When the candidate's stated target and these three signals disagree, the market wins. Position to where you'll actually be hired, then write the resume.
— Dr. Hosney Adel