A job title is the first thing people see when they visit your job listing, and it can make or break their decision to apply. If your title doesn’t accurately reflect what you’re looking for in an employee, you could end up turning away top talent because they were expecting something else.
But how do you create a perfect job title? We surveyed our community members and asked them how they choose their titles – here are some of our favorite tips:
| Takeaways |
|---|
| Craft job titles that accurately reflect the role and attract top talent. |
| Use clear and concise language to communicate the job’s responsibilities and value proposition. |
| Incorporate industry-specific terms and keywords to optimize the job title for search engine visibility. |
| Highlight the growth opportunities and benefits associated with the position. |
| Consider the target audience and tailor the job title to appeal to their interests and aspirations. |
| Regularly review and update job titles to align with evolving industry trends and candidate expectations. |
Be Honest
Don’t be afraid to be honest.
As you’re creating your job title, ask yourself: what do I want this person to do? What’s my ideal candidate like? What are the goals of the role and how can a person help me achieve them?
Then, write down all those answers without editing or censoring yourself. In other words, don’t hold back be honest with yourself and with the universe!
Even if it feels uncomfortable at first, it’s important that you share your vision for this position so that candidates know exactly what they’re applying for. It also helps keep expectations aligned between employer and employee once the hire is made (which will save everyone time in the long run).
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Include The Company Name
The first thing any applicant will notice on your job posting is the company name. This can be a good way to show that you are serious about the position and it will help attract top talent. If a candidate is not interested in working for your company, then they will move on to another posting.
The second thing they’ll see is their own name in all caps across the top of the page (or below if you have a horizontal layout). You may want to include their name here as well, but don’t use too many characters or it could take up precious real estate at the bottom of your ad.
You might consider adding some keywords that describe what kind of person would fit best with what kind of role, but keep them short and sweet so they don’t get lost amidst everything else going on!
The third thing people notice when reading through these ads are headlines whether it’s an online post or something printed out from work…and since these titles tend not only to attract attention but also determine how well somebody does later down the road I thought I’d share some tips with ya 🙂
Omit The Company Tagline
If you’re tempted to include a tagline in your job description, think again. The tagline of your company won’t help attract top talent because it doesn’t tell them anything about the role or why they should want to work there.
Your goal is to tell candidates what their day-to-day will look like and how it will benefit them. If you can do that, then you don’t need a tagline because the candidate already knows what your brand stands for they’ll have a good idea after reading through all of this information!
Keep It Short And Sweet
It’s a given that you want to attract top talent, but what if your job title is too long? How do you get the attention of candidates without turning them off?
Here’s a simple trick: keep it short and sweet! Don’t be afraid of a one-sentence description. In fact, try for just one word if possible. By keeping your job title concise, you’re showing applicants that there isn’t much extra fluff or unnecessary information in your listing which is exactly how any candidate worth their salt wants things done.
No matter what kind of position you’re hiring for (and whether or not it comes with an impressive title), these tips will help make sure that potential employees see through all the hype and get right down on what matters most: finding the role they were meant for.
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Offer A Hint Of What The Candidate Will Be Doing
As a recruiter, you know how tempting it is to just describe the job duties and call it a day. But this can lead to an uninspiring ad that doesn’t attract top talent and no one wants that!
When writing a job description, keep in mind that your goal is to highlight what makes your organization special. Here are some tips for doing just that:
Provide context. Don’t just state what the person will do; tell them why they’ll be doing it (and make sure they understand what makes this role different from other ones).
Showcase how their career could grow in this position and beyond. If you have room for advancement or flexibility with project management skills, don’t be afraid to mention it! This gives candidates something unique about your company culture and recruiting approach—plus, it shows why working there would benefit them professionally down the road as well.
Describe who works there already (and whether or not they’re looking for more team members). This can help show potential employees how many opportunities there may be for collaboration at different points during their employment cycle at least – if not throughout their careers here too.”
Include Specifics About What You’re Looking For
The second thing that you want to do is include specifics about what you’re looking for. This will help the applicant know whether or not they are qualified to apply, and it will also help them understand the job responsibilities.
To do this, you should use keywords when writing your job description. Keywords are words or phrases that describe your company and its product offerings in an organized way. They can be broken down into three categories:
- Job-specific: These describe your business, such as “data analyst” or “project manager”
- Relevant industry terms: These describe a specific type of position within an industry (for example, “sales associate”)
- Overused common terms: These catchall words have become so overused that they don’t really mean anything anymore (for example, “team player”)
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Don’t Exclude Viable Candidates With Language
You’ve probably wondered how to describe a job title that attracts top talent and gets your ideal candidate’s attention. The best way to do this is by avoiding language that excludes candidates. For example, if you want someone with previous experience as a software developer for a specific programming language, don’t say “must be familiar with C++.” Instead, use more inclusive language like “experience coding in C++.”
Another area where many companies fall short is gender-specific wording. If your company has offices around the world or employees who work remotely at least part of the time or both you should avoid specifying gender in employee titles wherever possible.
Don’t Use Slang Or Jargon Or Follow The Trends
Now that you know what to avoid, it’s time to learn how to craft the perfect job title. First take a look at your competitors’ titles and see if there are any patterns or trends in what they are using. If so, stay away from those trends!
Next, think about what words attract your target audience—people who have the skills and experience that make them a good fit for this role—and use them in your title. For example: “Machine Learning Engineer” is an example of an effective title because it uses language that resonates with technology-obsessed Millennials (the generation born between 1981 and 1996).
On the other hand, “Graphic Designer” may not be as appealing to members of Generation Z because they grew up knowing that graphics can be created digitally with no physical medium involved (born after 1997).
Finally, make sure you don’t inadvertently offend anyone by including terms like “leading edge”, “team player” or “go getter”.
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Avoid Titles That Have Been Overused, Like “Ninja” And “Rockstar”
One of the biggest mistakes hiring managers to make is using overused, clichéd titles to describe their open positions. While these terms may seem appealing at first glance, they actually have negative connotations among candidates and can even be a turnoff in some cases.
For example, while “rockstar” and “ninja” are great when you want to hire someone who can do everything from coding to managing projects and teams, they don’t tell potential job seekers much about the position itself. Additionally, these terms have been used so much that many candidates associate them with an unstructured environment where there’s no room for advancement or growth (which means it might not be ideal for someone with experience).
If you’re tempted by a buzzwordy title like “rockstar” or “ninja,” take some time before posting your job listing on Indeed or LinkedIn. Make sure that your company culture actually supports this type of work environment before slapping it on any job descriptions; otherwise, you might end up attracting people who aren’t right for the position—or worse yet—no one at all!
Don’t Include Irrelevant Information, Like Years Of Experience, Budgets Or Bonuses
Here’s some information that is “not” relevant (if you’ll excuse the pun):
- Years of experience
- Salary requirements
- Bonus expectations
These things may matter to recruiters, but they are not helpful to candidates. We’ve learned this by working with thousands of job seekers and hiring managers within our community. When we ask them what they want to know when they’re looking at an open position, most people say “the salary range.” That’s it and anything else is just noise.
Including these items in your job description only serves one purpose: it helps you weed out applicants who aren’t qualified for your role. This makes sense; after all, if someone hasn’t reached a certain level of expertise or has yet to reach their earning potential then perhaps there will be more suitable jobs out there for them than yours! But that doesn’t mean that everyone wants this information mentioned upfront in their applications (or pitches).
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Conclusion
If you follow these guidelines, your job titles will be more effective, and you’ll attract the best talent. Remember, your goal isn’t just to hire someone it’s also about attracting the right candidate for the job!
Further Reading
Here are some additional resources you can explore to enhance your understanding of writing job titles and descriptions to attract top talent:
How to Write Job Titles That Attract Top Talent: Discover effective strategies and tips for crafting job titles that grab the attention of top candidates and communicate the value of the role.
Writing Job Descriptions to Attract Top Talent: Learn how to create compelling job descriptions that appeal to high-quality candidates and accurately reflect the responsibilities and requirements of the position.
How to Write a Job Description to Attract Top Candidates: Gain insights into the best practices for writing job descriptions that engage top-tier candidates and encourage them to apply.
FAQs
How important is a well-written job title in attracting top talent?
A well-written job title is crucial for attracting top talent because it serves as the first point of contact and can significantly impact a candidate’s perception of the role and organization. An enticing and accurate job title can attract qualified candidates and differentiate your job posting from others.
What elements should I consider when crafting a job title?
When crafting a job title, consider incorporating the key responsibilities, level of seniority, and industry-specific terms relevant to the role. It should be concise, specific, and reflect the nature of the position while appealing to the desired target audience.
How can I optimize my job description to attract top candidates?
To optimize your job description, focus on clearly communicating the job’s unique value proposition, emphasizing the impact and growth opportunities, and providing a comprehensive overview of the responsibilities and qualifications required. Use language that is engaging, inclusive, and highlights the company culture.
Should I use keywords in my job title and description?
Yes, incorporating relevant keywords in your job title and description is important for search engine optimization (SEO) and increasing visibility to potential candidates. Research industry-specific keywords and phrases that top candidates are likely to search for to improve your chances of attracting the right talent.
Is it beneficial to include salary information in the job description?
Including salary information in the job description can be beneficial as it helps manage candidate expectations and filters out candidates who may not be interested in the salary range offered. However, it’s important to strike a balance and consider organizational policies and norms when deciding to disclose salary information.
Costantine Edward is a digital marketing expert, freelance writer, and entrepreneur who helps people attain financial freedom. I’ve been working in marketing since I was 18 years old and have managed to build a successful career doing what I love.