Wondering what is the best title for a resume? You’ve landed in the right place.
Resume titles don’t just showcase your designation, but also help your resume get noticed by recruiters for specific vacancies.
On average, recruiters receive at least 118 resumes for a single job, 75% of which get rejected by Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS).
Applicant Tracking System is a software used by most employers (98.8% of Fortune 500 companies) to filter the most qualified applicants based on the keywords used in their resumes.
And you guessed it, resume titles are one of the first keywords that are scanned by ATS as they’re located at the top section of a resume.
Thus, one of the many reasons why writing a correct resume title is important.
Read on to learn more about resume titles and get clarity on the following questions related to them:
- What does a resume title mean?
- What are the best practices to follow when writing a resume title?
- How to title a resume file?
- What are some good resume title examples?
What is a Resume Title?
Resume title refers to your current or most recent job title that allows the recruiters to get an idea about your area of expertise.
It generally appears at the top part of the resume below the header and the section for your contact details.
A resume title serves as a professional identification of your resume in terms of the role you’re seeking and due to the same reason, you must write the correct resume title.
A resume title must be clear, specific, and should not contain company jargon or exceed 1 or 2 lines.
For instance, if you are a software developer with a focus on frontend development, your resume title can be “Frontend Software Developer”.
And in case you are applying for an entry-level position, your resume title must communicate your experience level. For example, your resume title can be “Junior Frontend Developer” or “Entry-level Frontend Developer.”
What Should the Title of My Resume Be?
Given the importance of having a correct resume title, you need to follow the best practices to determine a suitable title for your resume that not only highlights your expertise and skills but also manages to grab the recruiters’ attention.
Here are some tips that you can follow to ensure that your resume title meets its purpose:
Refer to the Job Listing
It's always a good approach to refer to the job listing and identify the title used by the recruiters for the given position and use the terminology in your resume title.
For instance, if the job listing calls for a content writer, ensure to write content writer as your resume title instead of opting for other variations like content creator or creative writer.
Doing so enhances your resume’s ATS-friendliness and ensures that your resume grabs the recruiter’s attention as they are more likely to read a resume that matches their requirements.
Consider Your Experience Level
Since resume titles help recruiters understand your area of expertise, skills, and experience, you must highlight your experience level in the resume title.
For example, if you are a business analyst with 6+ years of experience, and are applying for a senior role, you can write “Senior Business Analyst” as your resume title. While if you are a fresher applying for an entry-level position, your resume title can be “Junior Business Analyst” or “Entry-level Business Analyst.”
By highlighting your experience level in your resume title, you can increase the relevance of your resume for the specific job position.
Highlight Your Skills & Certification
Another useful tip to make your resume title highly relevant to the role and its requirements, (thereby making your resume irresistible to the recruiters) is by highlighting a specific skill or certification in your resume title.
For instance, if you are applying for the role of a project manager and one of the requirements include being skilled in agile methodologies, you can highlight your certification in the resume title if you have one. Like so: “Project Manager Certified in Agile Methodologies”
Even if the requirement is not mandatory and is listed as a “good to have” skill, highlighting your certification and a primary skill can help your resume stand out to the recruiters.
Keep it Specific and Avoid Fluff
Typically, your resume title should not exceed a single line because as the name suggests, it is simply a title. It is supposed to be short and to the point.
Avoid using long and vague phrases that are generic such as “result-driven” “dedicated” “dynamic” etc. Instead, focus on highlighting a specific skill or qualification.
Also Read: What is a LinkedIn headline?
How To Title a Resume File?
Now, simply writing an appropriate resume title is not enough. You must also ensure that your resume file is named correctly.
Given below are some tips to help you title your resume file correctly:
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Use your name and job title: Rather than simply saving your file as “resume.docx” or “resume.pdf”, consider naming the file with your first and last name, followed by the role you’re applying for. Like so: “Dennis_Klein_Marketing_Manager.pdf”
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Keep it short: Naming your resume too long won’t do you any good. For example, if the position you’re applying for has a long name like “frontend software developer” and you also have a middle name, avoid writing your middle name while saving the file. You can also skip writing the job title and simply use your first and last name, followed by resume.pdf or docx.
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Avoid using spaces and special characters: Ensure that your resume file name is not separated by blank spaces as the spaces can get replaced by other characters when the resume gets processed by the server or the ATS. Instead, separate the words using an underscore like so: “first_name_last_name_resume.pdf.” The same thing applies to special characters as well.
Also Read: How to format a resume correctly in 2023?
Resume Title Examples
For your reference, listed below are some good resume title examples:
Resume Title Examples for Entry-level Business Analyst
- Entry-level Business Analyst skilled in Data Analysis
- Business Analyst Certified in Agile Methodologies
- Aspiring Junior Business Analyst
- Junior Business Analyst skilled in Data Management and Interpretation
- Entry-level Business Analyst Proficient in Financial Analysis & Forecasting
- Highly-Motivated Junior Business Analyst
Resume Title Examples for Customer Service
- Experienced Customer Service Representative with Strong Communication Skills
- Dedicated Customer Service Professional with a Proven Track Record of Success
- Certified Customer Service Specialist
- Bilingual Customer Service Professional
- Entry-level Customer Service Representative
- Proactive Customer Service Manager
Key Points from the Blog
- Resume title refers to your current or most recent job title that allows the recruiters to get an idea about your area of expertise.
- If the job listing calls for a content writer, ensure to write content writer as your resume title instead of opting for other variations like content creator or creative writer.
- Since resume titles are meant to help recruiters understand your area of expertise, skills, and experience, you must highlight your experience level in the resume title.
- Highlighting certifications in your resume title is crucial because it adds to your creditability and emphasizes your skills and expertise.
- Use your name and job title to name your resume file and use underscores instead of blank spaces to separate the words.
Use Hiration’s AI-powered Resume Builder with 24x7 chat support to create a stellar resume within minutes. If you have any queries, you can also write to us at support@hiration.com.
