We have all seen them on LinkedIn. Those cool titles that people use to either glamorize, personalize, or optimize what they do for a living. Retail Jedi, Ninja Java Dude, Accounting Wizard, Engineering Magician and wait for it... Chief Biscuit Dunker!
Nowadays these unconventional job titles are appearing on resumes as well. Interesting? Yes, for sure. Funny? Of course. Landing the interview? Not so much.
Why should you not be changing the job titles on your resume?
The short answer: It's a risky maneuver and doesn't contribute in any way to give you an edge over the rest of the candidates apply for the job.
The long answer: ATS (applicant tracking systems) are designed to look for specific keywords, phrases, and/or terms.
Engineering Magician will not be flagged if the job requires an Engineering Technician. This means your resume may not even be read by a recruiter or hiring manager AT ALL. Secondly, these quirky titles may create the perception that you are not too serious about your job.
Next week we will unpack employment dates, gaps, and reasons for leaving.
Original article: http://mforcestaffing.com/Articles/ask_a_recruiter_should_i_ever_change_a_job_title_on_my_resume.aspx