Whilst reading The 4 Moments of Truth in the Hiring Process on Recruiter.com this morning, we noticed yet another professional encouraging recruiters to think carefully about their job descriptions. According to HR expert Kazim Ladimeji, the job description should include “all the most attention grabbing content, written in highly promotional and candidate-optimized way”. We agree. And the first step to a good job description is its title.
Job titles contain specific information. Seekers should be able to decide if a job is of interest to them at first glace. In fact, getting a job title right might be one of the best ways of filtering candidates. By telling candidates exactly what you are looking for, you are enabling them to select or deselect themselves for you. This will save you time and money in the long run.
Not only do job titles help you find what you need, they also help seekers know what to expect. Our experience on RecruitmentGenius.com shows that a job title including more than one seniority (eg Content Manager Junior/Intern) can seem confusing. A candidate is less likely to apply for a job he/she does not fully understand.
Finally, let’s consider search engines. 93% of job seekers search for a job online before looking anywhere else. Unfortunately, search engines are not clever enough to know who the right person is for your job. They will simply match key words. Try to use titles you know a candidate might use to search for their next job. They’ll be more likely to find your offer and so to apply.
There’s no doubt that finding the right job title means you have to think carefully about the position you need to fill. What exactly are you looking for? Who do you need to attract? When you find the answers to these questions, condense them in a few relevant words to create your job title. This way, applications you receive should be pertinent and your search can move on to the next step.
For more advice on finding the right person for your company, read our free recruitment guides.
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