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March 2, 2025
Quick Answer:
Making your CV job title searchable helps recruiters and applicant tracking systems find you—using clear, relevant keywords increases your chances of being shortlisted.
Key Takeaways
No? Then you could be missing some great career opportunities. Recruiters spend a lot of time searching their databases and job boards for candidates. If your CV is on there but the job title vague, confusing and just not easily searchable, you won’t appear in the search results.
Many great candidates are missed out purely due to this one simple thing. As an example, imagine the recruiter is searching for a Website Manager; they will use keywords that match with the job title or skills. If your job title is something obscure such as ‘Digital Overlord’ you will never be seen.
This is a disappointing state of affairs, particularly when someone has spent hours producing a bespoke CV. Once posted online, they never hear anything back and have no idea why. The truth is, an actual person might never see it as the computer software can only see what it is programmed to detect. The software works by scanning CVs for information that is shown in a particular job description, scoring each applicant according to their matching criteria. If you haven’t optimised your CV job title, making it easily searchable, then it will get overlooked every time.
When producing your CV, think about how a computer will see it. By tailoring your CV to fit the job that you are applying for, the trick is to include relevant keywords and specifically an accurate job title. Your CV needs to be appealing to the hirer and easily readable by the software. Take the time to select some appropriate keywords and insert them into your CV. Most of all, the job title must accurately and simply describe what you do. If your current employer has given you some fancy and eccentric job title, this can be included in the detail but don’t use it as the main heading.
You need to be selected for this new vacancy so pinpoint what the recruiter is specifically looking for. Match your job title to the one they use. Similarly, if they ask specifically for ‘two years’ experience of website management’, insert this phrase into the appropriate section of your CV. Use clear and descriptive language that does not confuse but relates to the industry you are working in.
Don’t make the error of keyword stuffing. Repeat your job title only a maximum of three times – maybe use one as the header, on in the ‘skills’ section and one in the ‘work experience’ paragraph. To get this right, study the job advert carefully. Put yourself in the shoes of the recruiter and think of how they will be searching. If their job advert doesn’t give enough detail, research the job title via Google and pinpoint specific search terms.
It may feel a little odd at first, composing your CV to appeal to a machine, but it is worth the extra effort. By making your CV job title searchable, with the finer content appealing to the person who will look at it later, you have a far better chance of securing your dream job. Tailoring your keywords to match the job description can help you pass applicant tracking systems and stand out to hiring managers.
For more information, get in touch with our team.
info@cmdrecruitment.com
01225 805080
Recruiters and applicant tracking systems use keywords to find candidates, so a clear job title improves your chances of appearing in search results.
It involves using relevant terms from job descriptions so your CV matches search criteria used by recruiters and software.
Yes—creative or unclear titles may not match search terms, meaning your CV could be missed entirely.
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About the Author
CMD Recruitment Career Team
This article was written by recruitment specialists at CMD Recruitment, a UK recruitment consultancy supporting employers and candidates across Wiltshire, Bath, Bristol and the wider South West.
The team regularly shares insights on recruitment trends, hiring challenges and career advice to help professionals navigate the evolving job market.
Reviewed by senior recruitment consultants at CMD Recruitment.
