Finding the Right Job Titles for Your Job Search This Year

Updated June 18, 20221.9k

When looking for a new job, knowing what job titles to add to your resume can be critical. Here’s how to add the right job titles to your next resume.

Job Titles

When it comes to your job search, it’s important to know what job titles to search for. You also need to know what job titles to add to your resume and cover letter to make yourself stand out as a candidate. In this article, you will learn why job titles are important and how you should add them to your resume to land that next great job.

Are Job Titles Really Important?

Job titles might not seem like that big a deal. After all, how are a sales associate, a sales representative, and a salesperson different? The truth is, job titles are most crucial for the job search and can speak volumes about your skills and work experience overall.

Skills

A job title can tell a hiring manager a lot about your skills. They will know that a web developer is familiar with web design, information technology, software development, software engineering and is familiar with enhancing the user experience without you ever saying so on paper. Additionally, a hiring manager will know that you are a good team leader if you had a senior staff role such as a product manager, vice president, chief technology officer (CTO), chief information officer (CIO), or program manager.

It can also make entry-level jobs sound much more professional. If you worked in customer support, for instance, you might say that you were a customer service representative. Always think about how to present your skills in a solid job title. Don’t just say you handled your previous employer’s social media. Instead, list that you were the company’s social media manager.
Work experience

Job titles can lend a sense of credibility to your skill set and say a lot about your experience in just a few words. They can also indicate your level of expertise within a specific industry. For instance, an entry-level financial analyst or marketing analyst typically has far less experience than a chief marketing officer. Higher-level management jobs are where job titles can matter the most. You can even apply for these senior positions once you gain enough experience.

Overall, you will want to be mindful of both the job titles you place on your resume and those you search for on LinkedIn or some other job board. Doing so can help you find job openings that match your interests and skill sets.

How To Know What Job Titles To Put On Your Resume

Here are some tips on how to pick what job title to put on your resume.

Keep your qualifications in mind.

If you’re hoping to move up in the workforce, then it’s good to note what position you currently hold, the experience you have gained so far, and what the qualifications for this senior role are. Recruiters will not even consider a candidate that doesn’t have the right experience, after all. Study the job description for all necessary qualifications before applying.

This doesn’t mean that all junior-level staff shouldn’t apply for senior positions within a company. For instance, if you worked as an administrative assistant for a few years, you then might have the experience needed to become a good project manager or office manager.

If you’re still unsure of how to format your jobs on your resume, try out the ResumeNerd resume builder.

Choose jobs within your field of interest.

When searching for job postings that fit your skill sets, you should try to stick within your field of interest. For instance, a former marketing manager might take an interest in programming, but it doesn’t necessarily make them a programmer on paper.

It’s different if you’re trying to switch careers. Keep the focus on transferable skills, and keep your specific skill set in mind when applying for a new job in a new industry. For example, you might not qualify to be a business development manager with electrical engineering or mechanical engineering experience, but if you’ve worked with clients in your engineering job and developed relationships with vendors, you can feature those experiences and related skills.

FAQs: Job Titles

How do I know what to put as my job title if my company didn’t list one?

If you have worked at the same company for a while but aren’t sure what your job title is, then you can always come up with one yourself. Of course, you don’t want to embellish your role within a company, either. If you are a junior bookkeeper, for instance, claiming that you were the chief financial officer at your last job is not exactly truthful. Being caught lying will only harm your chances.

Instead, research the most common job titles in your industry. Read through the job descriptions and choose one that best fits your current role.

Who decides my job title?

Ultimately, the human resources department for the company you work for decides what your role is called. You might find that certain roles have different names in different companies. One company might list its chief financial officer as the “account manager,” while another might say they have a “marketing specialist” or simply a “CFO.” However, if you don’t have a job title, it doesn’t hurt to ask human resources person about it, either.

Do I need to talk about my job title in my cover letter?

The cover letter gives you an extra opportunity to tell the hiring manager all about your specific skills and work experience. Using the most appropriate job title can definitely make you stand out against your competitors. If you want to know more about how to write a good cover letter, visit the ResumeNerd blog for more information.

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About The Author

Cindi Cervone Carlson

Cindi Cervone Carlson is a Senior Vice President for Challenger, Gray & Christmas, Inc. Cindi is responsible for developing, delivering, and implementing a dynamic, world-class organization dedicated to delivering outplacement consulting, training, support, and executive coaching. Cindi started her career at Challenger as a client who had lost her job. Over the past nine years, she has risen from an entry-level, part-time professional to Senior Vice President.