You may slave over your job postings for online job boards or social media. You might consider listing all the details to help narrow down the right candidates. And even when you do that, you may find that your applications are not what you were expecting. If your job postings aren’t attracting the right candidates, the problem might be in your title. In a culture of clickbait articles and shorter attention spans, the real magic may be in the job title. Here are a few ways you can create more eye-catching titles for your jobs.

Be Descriptive Not Generic

There is going to be a big difference between an ad for “Administrative Assistant,” and “Hands-on Assistant for CEO.” Even slight shifts in the descriptors can give someone a better picture of what the job will be and what they need to know to apply. Think like the candidate and create a title that will be engaging.

Research Other Standards

It can also help to research your competition. How do they describe similar positions to the ones you’re hiring? Do some reconnaissance and create job titles that are engaging based on what you see in the marketplace. Or, you can create more engaging job titles in an attempt to sway qualified individuals your way.

Avoid Being Overly Cute

Sometimes, the urge to make a creative job title goes too far in the wrong direction. This was something popularized by the use of “Director of First Impressions” rather than, “Receptionist.” Being creative is fine, but being overly cute can be a detriment. A better option would be, “Customer Facing Front Desk Professional.”

Test Out the Titles

With the use of social media as the primary tool for advertising, there is no reason not to test out some options. Post the job with different titles to see what grabs more attention and attracts more qualified candidates. This research can give you more insight on what your demographic prefers and how you can tailor your online communications for them overall.

About StaffEx

As a small, locally owned Tampa Bay-area firm, we focus on administrative, light industrial and skilled trades, providing temporary, temp-to-hire staffing and direct hire recruiting. We also offer strategic staffing and payrolling solutions to simplify your staffing function and reduce the time you spend on administrative tasks. If you’re looking to expand your workforce in 2016, trust the experts and contact StaffEx.