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What’s in a name? Some people could say everything since it shapes first impressions. The same logic applies to job titles. A job title should snag candidates’ attention even before they move their attention to the rest of a job description (JD).
Research has shown that an optimized job title can drastically improve application rates right from the get-go. We’ll share more about them and their impact on the workforce. We have gathered the top reasons why job titles are important. We’ll also share how you can optimize them for the best candidate response.
Why Job Titles are Important: Reason #1 – Job Titles Provide Role Clarity
An optimized job title gives candidates a glanceable understanding of what to expect upon accepting a role. Transparency with workplace expectations can help improve the overall employee experience and satisfaction. A better knowledge of the job scope (based on the title) improves employees’ preparedness for their schedules, duties, and work-life balance.
For instance, an employer might attempt to spruce up a job listing with unconventional new titles like tech guru or design ninja. But, these lack clarity and expectation. On top of that, these vague titles are subtly gender-coded (a topic we will revisit later in the article). And this could turn away a significant group of candidates.
Your potential hires could look past the JDs section of unclear titles and head straight for one that accurately aligns with their desired roles. Employers may add relevant perks, location, or project/task-specific terms to job titles to engage their target candidates.
For instance, an optimized job title might read: Social Media Content Specialist—New Jersey or Senior Software Manager—Flexible Remote Hours. These laid-out titles can help job seekers narrow their options in a sea of applications they are considering multiple work opportunities.
Why Job Titles are Important: Reason #2 – Job Titles are More Searchable Online
Job seeker trends constantly change based on workforce expectations, technological advancements, and industry standards. Candidates use different keywords to look for ideal work opportunities on the web. These apply to all levels, from entry-level roles to the vice president role in senior management.
Keeping your job title SEO-friendly with the right trending keywords is a strategic move. This makes it more visible to jobseekers based on the latest demands and interests. So, an updated, SEO-friendly job title should include buzzwords and popular terms. You can get these from user research tools like Google Trends and Ahrefs.
Job titles with enhanced wordings would top a search engine results page (SERP) when job seekers seek a particular role. That way, you can increase the chances of winning the attention of the most qualified hires before they engage with your competitors.
In other words, an SEO-enriched job title speaks to candidates and search engines based on the latest algorithms, seamlessly connecting your company with suitable candidates. On that note, you should avoid keyword stuffing. Keyword stuffing unnaturally positioning keywords in your titles and JDs. So, these could result in search engines lowering or disqualifying your rankings.
Why Job Titles are Important: Reason #3 – Job Titles Signal Long-Term Career Prospects
A job title outlines a roadmap for their career pathway and determines a certain level of professional prestige that keeps employees motivated. Some titles have a distinguished significance. And this can help candidates build and maintain industry credibility and recognition among their peers. So, this is especially true if they wish to establish themselves in the industry in the long run.
In addition, workforce findings show that career advancements directly impact employee retention across companies. A Pew Research Survey revealed that 63% of employees who left their jobs cited a lack of career progression as a primary reason. Similarly, the American Staffing Association (ASA) shared that 80% of employed U.S. adults prioritize professional development. This also includes training options as important factors for accepting a new job.
Hiring managers can leverage an optimized job title to promote a purposeful opportunity where candidates can learn and develop their industry expertise. Essentially, a better job title assures hires that they can look forward to a quality experience with your company. It also shows they can enjoy self-growth while advancing shared organizational goals.
Why Job Titles are Important: Reason #4 – Job Titles Tell A lot About Your Culture
Your title can speak wonders about your organizational culture even before a candidate glances at the first line of your JD in a job listing. And company values are crucial for attracting and retaining employees, especially in a challenging job market.
A LinkedIn survey revealed that 59% of hires would not work for organizations that do not share their values. The same survey also showed that 55% of hires would not change their minds (on working with a company) even with a pay raise.
Your JD’s language structure and presentation could indicate core cultural values like workplace inclusivity. Gender-coded and other unconsciously biased terms in your title convey a sense of unprofessionalism and exclusion. Examples of these terms include other less-obvious titles (like “ninja” and “guru,” as mentioned in a previous section).
Biased titles could discourage talented applicants from underrepresented groups, reducing your company’s overall quality of hire. It is strategic to clearly present your organizational image at every possible opportunity since 72% of candidates would require a full understanding of a workplace culture before accepting a job offer.
Why Job Titles are Important: Reason #5 – Job Titles Could Gain More Attention
All things considered, a strategically chosen job title could simply appeal to candidates based on how it is phrased. For instance, 76% of IT professionals prefer Software Developer to Software Engineer. Optimized job titles have become a quintessential aspect of successful talent acquisition, with individuals willing to take significant pay cuts in exchange for them.
Your hiring experts could appeal to more candidates by diversifying job listing keywords with modifiers and variations through keyword research platforms like SEMrush.
Dive Straight To The Point With Optimized Job Titles
Optimizing your job title is about attracting star candidates with a powerful first impression. It is similar to the slippery slide concept implemented by legendary marketer and advertiser Joseph Sugarman.
The whole point of an advertisement’s title is to lead readers to the first line, to the second line, and so on (hence the slippery slide analogy).
Your job title is the first line of your job listing, and it should evoke the necessary interest to prevent candidates from scrolling past your offering. To achieve that, it is necessary to eliminate any excessive or potentially offensive verbiage.
With that said, creating the perfect job title and JD could prove extremely tedious and tricky, especially with ever-shifting job search trends. A single job title or JD oversight could significantly increase your cost-per-hire, leading to significant productivity issues for small companies handling mass-hiring campaigns.
The Text Analyzer Approach
Ongig’s Text Analyzer solution gives hiring teams an effective and reliable tool to bypass job title and description woes. Our AI-driven software enables you to efficiently craft job titles and descriptions at scale, ready for publication across multiple job listing sites.
The Text Analyzer’s automated JD builder prepares objective, accurate, impactful job titles and descriptions based on the latest hiring and recruitment research. Your human resource team can confidently use Text Analyzer to create new listings from scratch with recommended templates.
Alternatively, you could automatically update older JDs at scale, with the software reviewing content for consistency, language, and quality.
Why I Wrote This:
Ongig is a leading JD-vetting (including job titles) solution that empowers employers in talent acquisition campaigns. Our Text Analyzer software uses AI technology to filter dull and biased content. The tool replaces ineffective words and phrases with compelling ones that attract the interest of top hires. Want to see Ongig’s Text Analyzer in action? Request a demo, today!
Shout-Outs:
- Company Values Essential For Attracting And Retaining Talent Says LinkedIn, by Benjamin Laker, Forbes
- Keyword Stuffing in SEO: What It Is & How to Avoid It, by Rachel Handley, SEMrush
- PWC – The Future of Recruiting
- To keep employees, focus on career advancement, by Kara Baskin, MIT Management Sloan School
- Millennials Are Demanding Better Job Titles — and Taking Pay Cuts of Up to $10,000 for Them, by Prachi Bhardwaj, Money
- Statistics Say Workers Want Job Training and Career Development, by Roses Amon, LinkedIn
- Master Joe Sugarman’s Slippery Slide: An Under-Appreciated Model to High-Performing Landing Pages, by Ryder Meehan, Upgrow
