In today's competitive job market, an effective job ad is the single most important tool for attracting top talent. However, the best-written job description and most attractive benefits package are useless if your ad is never seen. The key to visibility in the digital age isn't just about where you post, but how you post. It all starts with one, crucial element: the job title.
Gone are the days when job titles served only as an internal way to classify roles. In the era of Google for Jobs and popular job boards, your job title is now a search query. It’s the primary keyword a potential candidate uses to find their next opportunity. If your title is confusing, overly creative, or full of internal jargon, you are effectively making your ad invisible to the very people you want to hire.
This comprehensive guide will walk you through the essential steps to crafting the perfect job title that is optimised for search engines, clear for job seekers, and effective for attracting the right candidates to your role.
Modern job searching has fundamentally changed. Candidates no longer rely on flipping through classified ads. They use digital platforms to actively search for specific roles.
Google for Jobs: This is a key player in the recruitment landscape. Google aggregates job listings from thousands of websites, including job boards like MyJobsi.co.uk, and displays them directly in search results. A candidate searching for "marketing jobs London" will see a list of relevant positions. The job title is a critical piece of data that Google uses to determine relevance.
Job Boards and Aggregators: Platforms like MyJobsi.co.uk, Indeed, and LinkedIn rely on algorithms to match candidates with job postings. These algorithms heavily weigh the job title to categorize and rank ads. A well-optimised title is far more likely to appear at the top of search results.
Your job title is the first and most important point of contact between your ad and a potential candidate. It needs to be clear, specific, and full of the right keywords to ensure your ad stands out from the competition.
Before you even start writing, you need to understand the fundamental rules of digital job titles.
This is perhaps the most important rule. A job title is not the place to be clever or creative. While "Social Media Guru" or "Brand Evangelist" might sound exciting, no one is actually searching for these terms on Google. Job seekers use standard, professional language to find roles. Stick to titles that are universally understood and reflect the actual responsibilities of the position.
Bad Example: "Digital Prophet"
Good Example: "Head of Digital Marketing"
Your job title should be a careful balance between broad appeal and accurate description. It needs to be specific enough to attract qualified candidates but not so niche that you filter out excellent prospects.
Too Broad: "Marketing Professional" (This is too generic and will attract a wide range of unqualified applicants).
Too Specific: "Senior Marketing Manager for E-commerce B2B SaaS with expertise in HubSpot" (This is too long and complex, and few people would search for this exact phrase).
Just Right: "Senior Digital Marketing Manager" (This title is clear, specifies the level of seniority, and uses industry-standard keywords).
Think like a job seeker. What phrases would they type into Google or a job board's search bar? These are your keywords. They typically include:
The core role: "Accountant," "Software Developer," "Project Manager"
The level of seniority: "Junior," "Senior," "Lead," "Head of"
The specific industry or skill: "Civil Engineer," "Graphic Designer," "HR Business Partner"
By incorporating these terms into your title, you are directly speaking the language of your target audience and the search algorithms that connect you with them.
Follow this step-by-step process to build a job title that is both compelling and optimised for search.
The foundation of your title should be the most common and recognised name for the position. This is the single most important keyword.
Ask yourself: What is the fundamental function of this job?
Examples: "Accountant," "Teacher," "Electrician," "Software Engineer."
Once you have the core role, add a keyword that indicates the level of experience required. This is crucial for filtering out under- or over-qualified candidates.
Ask yourself: What level of experience is needed for this role?
Examples: "Junior Accountant," "Senior Software Engineer," "Trainee Electrician."
If the role has a specific focus or is in a niche industry, include that keyword. This helps attract candidates with the exact expertise you need.
Ask yourself: Is there a specific type of this role, or is it in a particular industry?
Examples: "Digital Marketing Manager," "Forensic Accountant," "Recruitment Consultant."
For many roles, location is a key search filter. Including the city or region in your title can significantly increase visibility for local candidates.
Ask yourself: Is this role location-specific?
Examples: "Head of Sales - London," "Registered Nurse - Birmingham," "Marketing Assistant - Manchester."
The ideal job title is typically between 40-60 characters. Anything longer can get cut off on mobile devices or in Google search results, making it difficult for a candidate to understand the role at a glance. Prioritise the most important keywords and remove anything unnecessary.
Bad: "Senior Full-Stack Developer required for leading SaaS company based in Manchester"
Good: "Senior Full-Stack Developer - Manchester"
An optimised job title is about more than just what you include—it's also about what you leave out.
Internal Jargon and Acronyms: Never use internal company-specific titles like "Synergy Lead" or acronyms like "PMO Analyst" without a clear explanation. These terms are meaningless to a job seeker searching on Google.
Unnecessary Punctuation and Emojis: Avoid using excessive exclamation marks, brackets, or emojis. They look unprofessional and can confuse search engine algorithms. For example, "!!! Warehouse Operative - Immediate Start !!!" is far less effective than simply "Warehouse Operative."
Keyword Stuffing: Do not try to cram multiple job titles into a single listing. A title like "Marketing Manager / Social Media Manager / Content Strategist" looks spammy and can get your ad penalized by search engines. Focus on the primary role.
Including Salary in the Title: While salary is a crucial factor for candidates, it belongs in the job description, not the title. The title's purpose is to get the candidate to click, and including salary can clutter the title and make it less effective as a search query.
Here are some real-world examples to illustrate the difference between an optimised and a poorly chosen job title for the British market.
Your job title is the first and most powerful impression you make on a potential candidate. In the digital world of recruitment, it's the bridge that connects your opportunity to the right talent. By prioritizing clarity, using industry-standard keywords, and avoiding common pitfalls, you can dramatically increase the visibility of your job ad.
Take the time to craft the perfect title—it’s the single most effective way to ensure your next great hire finds you.
Ready to put this advice into practice? Start creating your job ad on MyJobsi.co.uk today and get it seen by thousands of qualified candidates across the UK.
