There are valid reasons to change titles in past positions. The company may have an unique and non standard naming structure that would confuse anyone outside of it. If changing the title, makes it more clear the work that you did.
Then there are reasons that aren’t valid. I spoke to a recruiter earlier this week who asked me to change the titles of past positions to reflect the name of the job that I was applying for. I told him that I couldn’t do that because it would be lying, and that I am not interested in the job.
When a recruiter hints at illegal behavior this is the straw that breaks my back. While I can’t personally vet the ethics of people I do business with, I won’t accept outright corruption. Too many recruiters have said to do things to my resume that don’t reflect the reality of my experience and the positions that I have held and earned. I am not going to put myself in a position where I can’t do the job, and by doing what they asked, there is that risk.
Now this doesn’t mean that I can’t grow. Most adults can learn. However if they hired me under false pretenses I wouldn’t feel good about it and I don’t think I could stay. I would feel like a fraud, and have to find someplace that did appreciate my experience and skills.
It is equally true that I have been turned down for jobs that I could do, but that the recruiter didn’t read my resume enough or think about what I told them. That’s life. Generally you deal with average people most of the time, and people make mistakes. You accept that and move on.