As young Juliet of House Capulet once famously pondered “what’s in a name?”
When it comes to hiring, naming your job ad plays a much bigger role in attracting the right talent than most people think.
Most people post jobs with their company’s regular title and are done with it. But a few seconds of extra thought can help you attract more qualified candidates and save you time sifting through irrelevant resumes down the track.
So, before you post that next job ad, simply with “Accountant” in the title, think about these five insider tips that we consider when creating catchy job titles:
1. Don’t use quirky job titles
Internally you may call your accountant a “Numbers Wizard” – but using quirky job titles on external job ads is really doing you a disservice. And the explanation is simple: most accountants don’t search for jobs called “Numbers Wizard”.
2. Use job titles that accurately reflect the job
Similarly, we see lots of companies who use job titles internally that don’t really match up with the job expectations that come with that title externally. For example, we’ve come across companies who use the terms “Marketing” and “Sales” interchangeably. But they’re really two very different functions. Make sure you’re using job titles that match the work that will be done.
3. Be industry-specific
For a lot of employers, prior industry experience is one of the most important hiring factors. So why not give it prime placing right in the job title? Advertising for an “Inside Sales Representative – Electrical Products” is going to receive far more qualified applicants than simply “Inside Sales Representative”.
4. Indicate level of seniority
When possible, include the level of seniority in the title. If your role is entry-level, then just say so. Or if you need a “Senior Mechanical Engineer”, make sure you write that too.
5. Post with different popular titles
If you’re having trouble finding candidates, you can cast your net wider by making sure you include the most popular job titles and keywords. Indeed’s Industry Employment Trends is a great tool for identifying top keywords and the most popular job titles for your industry or job category. Try posting a job under different titles to see if you attract more fitting talent from one vs the other (but make sure you’re still adhering to #2!).
When it comes to job titles, you should aim to pick one that is both searchable and pre-qualifying. Because quality of applications is far more important than quantity.
