What's in a Job Title?

Once thousands of people on LinkedIn started using "ninja" or "guru" in a job title, getting creative with these monikers suddenly sounded silly. Does it matter what your title actually says, or is it better to go the creative route?

Most recruiters and HR pros agree that the correct job title for your position is vital for several reasons. It helps employers match your skills with a job description. The correct title also helps determine demand for people with your skills. As much as you might hate to admit it, a job for a chief of happiness doesn't really translate into "human resources manager" when it comes to finding another position.

Using an esoteric job title, or even mislabeling your title, can lead to lost opportunities. Although the chief of happiness might raise an eyebrow or cause a smile and some laughs, computer systems looking over a resume might completely skip over your resume if you don't have the most accurate information. Once again, the applicant-tracking bots might ruin your chances to get creative.

A job title works in both directions, meaning HR has to be careful with how to classify titles with duties and skills.

Direct Titles

Using as direct of a rank as possible may reduce the number of candidates that apply for a position. True-to-life titles and commensurate duties attract real-world people who have the right qualifications. However, if you hire for a marketing manager and someone wants the title "senior marketing manager," you might lose some well-qualified people based on that omission.

On the other hand, the added compensation and benefits should outweigh a loftier title. A candidate might think the same title is a lateral move, but the person has to consider company size, perks and industry clout as well as the title that goes on the resume.

Using a direct title has its disadvantages, but placing loftier emphasis on titles and ranks also has problems.

Loftier Titles

If you're a business professional and you're trying to hire someone, you have several considerations when it comes to how to handle a job title. Look at how much compensation a candidate expects with a title. In this case, a title can cost your HR department a few thousand more dollars per year if you go with a loftier title than what is required of the job. A vice president of marketing may carry more weight than, say, a director of marketing or a marketing manager. A vice president may oversee an entire division of a company, whereas a director or manager probably supervises a smaller aspect within one division.

Overselling a title means you have to offer more money and more benefits. It also paints an inaccurate portrait of your company. It also wastes time and energy when viable candidates realize they aren't qualified for the job.

Does it matter how you handle a job title? Yes, because it's all about perception. However, titles are just names. Titles don't necessarily belie the effort that the person behind the rank performs every day, which is why any compensation package should reward hard work.

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