Why You Need to Create a Winning Job Title

Your job title is like a medal you carry. Do you recall the day you were hired for your first job? How proud were you whenever people asked about your job title?

Beyond job titles, you probably came across job positions while searching for employment. So, what is the distinction between a job title and a job position? This article will discuss more about job titles and why creating a winning job title matters today.

What is a Job Title?

What is the simplest way to explain a job title? It is a straightforward term used to describe an employee's role or position. People use it as a label that quickly communicates the person's role within the organization.

Creating and structuring job titles may sound like a simple task. But it requires best practices, as defining job titles plays a significant role in an organization. A comprehensive job title conveys a clear framework for defining roles, responsibilities, and expectations for individuals holding those positions.

Job Title vs. Job Position

Some people may think job positions and job titles are the same. While they share some similarities, both terms have distinctions.

A company assigns a job title that represents a person’s designation within the workplace. In contrast, a job position outlines the tasks and duties, describing an individual’s responsibilities in a few words.

How to Create a Winning Job Title

There are several best practices to consider when choosing job titles for specific roles, including:

Identify the Job’s Responsibilities

The key to getting the correct job title is understanding the role’s primary responsibilities. It must clearly reflect what the job entails.

For HR professionals, developing the job description must come first. If the job description is clear and concise, they know what to include or exclude when outlining tasks and duties for the role.

Today, many HR professionals use Job Description Management software. This solution allows them to update the job description and simplifies the process of writing the description. Once the necessary details are updated to align with the salary ranges on the job market, HR can start marketing their job openings.

Avoid Abbreviations and Industry Jargon

Not everyone is familiar with the job industry jargon unless you use well-known job title abbreviations. That’s why it is advisable to avoid using abbreviations and industry-specific terms when writing job titles. By doing so, you can ensure that the title is easily understandable to many job seekers.

Consider Using Familiar Job Keywords

This is not only useful for search engine optimization (SEO). Using common or familiar keywords is a simple way to inform job seekers about what to expect in the role.

Imagine you are looking for jobs. You opt to use the most familiar keywords when searching, right? The same goes for job seekers; they use specific keywords associated with the role they want to get when job hunting. As such, using familiar keywords can help your listing appear in relevant job searches.

Mention the Level of Seniority Required

Mentioning the role’s level of seniority is also important so job seekers know if the job title fits them. Adding words like senior, junior, and assistant can help target your job ad to the right audience.

Be Cautious with Informal Wording

Certainly, you want to convey a compelling message about the job title. Using casual or creative wording can be effective in showcasing your brand's personality. But doing this may also hinder search engine visibility.

For instance, a job title like "Marketing Guru" may not appear in searches for "Marketing Consultant."

Exclude Unnecessary Information

Remove the unnecessary details, such as numerical job codes, salary information, and location, from the job title. Mention these details in the job description instead.

Check the Length

Lengthy or even too short job titles affect the visibility of your job posting or searchability. You may reduce the chances of getting top talent because they did not see your job posting.

Consider writing titles within 50 to 60 characters. As much as possible, avoid going over 80 characters.

Avoid Using Gender-Biased Terms

In today's recruitment, avoiding gender-biased terms is important to show respect to every gender. HR professionals must keep this in mind when creating gender-neutral job titles.

Job Title in Lieu of Cash Compensation

There are cases in which companies offer a new job title as a form of compensation instead of a monetary payment. There may be reasonable reasons, but doing this comes with pros and cons.
Pros:

• Promotes motivation and recognition. Surprisingly, a job title can serve as a form of employee recognition and motivation.
• Cost-effective. Employers do not need to spend a cost for appraisal. A prestigious job title serves as a reward without monetary expenditure.

Cons:

• Can lead to misunderstanding if not appropriately managed.
• May not substitute the need for a competitive salary or benefits.

Wrap-up: Simple Job Title or Fancy Job Title?

A fancy job title can easily capture the attention of job seekers, especially in radio ads, TV ads, and even simple social media ad posts. Creating witty or fancy job titles is a simple way of telling people that a company promotes creativity and innovation.

While it helps people remember the company easily, it also carries potential risks. One of the risks is confusing job seekers about the actual responsibilities of the role — internally and externally. It may also affect the professional image of the company and lead to potential misunderstandings.

As such, it is always a better option to write a simple and compelling job title.