Himbosupremeus's journey

I was recruited last year as a contingent worker at a prestigious tech company, but my role has evolved significantly since then. I've taken on a lot more responsibility and my daily tasks are now quite different from what I was initially hired for, yet my job title and pay remain the same. With rumors of layoffs circulating, I'm starting to prepare for a job search. The issue is that my current title doesn’t accurately represent my work or align with my career aspirations. I've approached HR about a promotion or at least a title change, but they've been unresponsive, citing budget constraints and an ongoing 'promotion' process that has dragged on since January. I've been told to wait for updates multiple times, despite consistently exceeding my performance metrics. Interestingly, several of my bosses and colleagues have suggested that I should list my actual role as a QA Analyst on my resume, and they’re willing to vouch for my work. However, I'm concerned about how this might impact background checks. Has anyone else faced a similar dilemma? What would you recommend?