Do job titles matter?
You’re hiring, right?
You’ve spent time putting together a great job description, thinking about the salary, benefits, and experience required… but how much thought have you given to the job title?
It might seem like a small detail, but it can have a huge impact on how many applications you receive.
Think about it for a moment.
What’s the first thing you look at when you’re searching for a job?
The job title.
Before a candidate clicks the advert, reads the company information, or looks at the salary, they’re making a snap judgement based on those few words at the top of the page.
The job title tells them what the role is, who it’s aimed at, and whether it’s worth clicking in the first place.
The reality is that the best job title isn’t always the fanciest one. It’s the one your ideal candidate is most likely to search for.
Sometimes, attracting more applications isn’t about increasing the salary or rewriting the entire advert.
Sometimes it’s as simple as choosing a different title.
Take a sales role, for example
You’re expanding the team and advertising for a Sales Executive. It sounds impressive, doesn’t it?
Professional. Senior. Important. But does the rest of the advert match that expectation?
If the role is more focused on customer service, lead generation, or sales administration, candidates might be disappointed when they read further.
Equally, the people who would be perfect for the role may never click because they’re searching for Sales Representative, Sales Coordinator, or Sales Administrator instead.
Always remember the job title needs to reflect the duties of the advert.
Recently, we trialled 3 different job titles over a week period for a quality role.
The results?
Quality Coordinator received double the applications of Quality Technician.
How can employers optimise job titles for better results? Here's our tips:
Repeat the job title throughout your advert
Aim for 3-5 natural mentions.
This helps job boards, search engines, and AI-powered matching tools better understand what the role is.
A/B test different job titles
Trial two or more titles over the same period and compare application rates.
Small wording changes can have a surprisingly big impact.
Research similar vacancies
Look at roles similar to yours and identify common keywords.
If the same terms are appearing across multiple job boards, candidates are probably searching for them.
Avoid internal job titles
A title that makes sense internally may mean nothing to an external job seeker.
Use language candidates will actually search for.
Keep it simple
In our experience, more generic and widely recognised job titles often attract the highest response rates.
Include alternative job titles in the advert
For example: “We’re keen to speak with candidates from Customer Service Advisor, Customer Care Advisor, Customer Support Advisor, or Customer Service Representative backgrounds.”
This broadens your visibility.
Match the title to the level of experience required
Candidates may be put off if the title and requirements don’t align.
A “Trainee” role asking for 2+ years’ experience can create confusion and reduce applications.
Think mobile-first
67% of job applications now submitted via mobile. Candidates scan quickly, so make sure the title is clear and instantly understandable.
Use AI as an idea generator
Drop your job description into an AI tool and ask for alternative job titles.
Just make sure a human reviews the suggestions before publishing.
And finally, always ask yourself one question…
“If I was looking for this job, what would I type into Indeed?”
Your job title is usually the first thing candidates see and often determines whether they click on your advert at all.
It also plays a key role in how job boards, search engines, and AI tools categorise and display your vacancy.
Getting it right can significantly increase visibility, attract more relevant candidates, and improve application rates.
Real world results
Hiring a Mechanical Fitter? You’d most likely advertise for a ‘Mechanical Fitter’ right?
Well…we tested 5 different job titles simultaneously for the same vacancy. And…
"Mechanical Fitter" was the only job title that received 0 applications!!
Finding the right candidate doesn’t always mean increasing your salary offering or widening your search area. Sometimes it’s as simple as using the right job title.
One of the advantages of working with us is that we can test and optimise different job titles without any additional cost to you.
Thanks to our advertising budgets and in-house marketing expertise, we’re able to experiment with advert performance, analyse the results, and make data-driven recommendations to help attract more of the right candidates.
Our marketing team continually monitors and refines our clients’ campaigns to maximise visibility and response rates. If you’re struggling to attract applicants, we’d be happy to help.
