Understanding the designation meaning in job applications

The job market in Malaysia is increasingly competitive, so you might need to do more than list your experience and skills if you want to stand out when submitting job applications. It's important to show the interviewer your professional background on your resume, which means including your designation.  

A clearly defined designation on your resume can help hiring managers understand your seniority and responsibilities within your current role. 

Let's explore what designations mean on a resume, how they're different from job titles, and how you can list them effectively in your resume when you apply for a job. We'll also include common designations you may see in Malaysia and offer tips on how you can use your designation to progress your career. Here's what we'll cover: 

• What is a designation in a job context? 
• Difference between a designation and a job title 
• Importance of designations in your resume 
• How to include designations in your resume 
• Common designations in the Malaysian job market 
• Tips for using designations effectively in your job search 
• Maximising your career potential with proper designation usage 
• FAQs 

What is a designation in a job context? 

A designation usually refers to the position of seniority you hold within an organisation. It defines a few things about you professionally, such as your role, responsibilities, and level within a company's hierarchy. For example, a sales executive designation shows that you work in sales but most likely hold a junior position in a company.  

Difference between designation and job title 

People often think that a designation and a job title are the same thing, but there are some subtle differences between these terms. A designation refers to an employee's status and role within a company's structure. It usually focuses on your job's responsibilities, level of seniority, and authority. 

For example, a senior manager designation means the employee has a senior management role and holds a high rank in the company. This person may manage a team and also report to the company's more senior managers. A designation such as junior or lead indicates the employee's seniority within the company. 

A job title is a more functional term that describes the kind of work an employee does. For example, a marketing specialist job title indicates that an employee's job scope focuses on marketing.  However, their job title might not demonstrate their level of authority. 

Malaysia uses a grading system for designations, especially in government jobs. So, a government employee with a marketing officer grade N41 designation has a specific responsibility level and pay scale. In the private sector, companies use more common terms, such as junior or senior executive, to show an employee's seniority and role progression. 

Influences such as Islam, Confucianism, and Hinduism can impact company structure, progression, and authority in Malaysia's business culture. Understanding designations can help you network more efficiently when navigating the business environment and applying for jobs. 

Importance of designations in your resume 

There are several benefits to including designations in your resume: 

• The hiring manager can assess your experience, seniority, and expertise at a glance. For example, including “senior marketing manager” on your resume lets recruiters know that you have experience leading a team and can manage strategic campaigns for the company. 
• Designations help during resume screening, especially with the growing trend of companies using application tracking systems (ATS), which often filter resumes by picking applicants according to specific designations, such as a company looking for a senior finance executive. So, including designations on your resume can help you pass ATS checks and achieve the next round of interviews. 
• An accurate designation can help if you are a freelancer in the gig economy. For example, you could post “social media specialist” instead of “content creator” as your designation to make clients notice you. 

How to include designations in your resume? 

Here are some tips on including designations in your resume. 

Place your designation beside or below your name 

When formatting your resume, include your designation beside or just below your name. For example, you could write "John Tan, Senior HR Manager" at the top of your resume or include "Senior HR Manager" below your name. This helps to establish your professional identity when a hiring manager looks at your resume. 

Including a designation in your professional summary 

Your resume should have a professional summary to capture the hiring manager's attention and display your abilities and skills in a concise manner. You can include your designation in this section to show expertise and authority in your field. For example, "Experienced social media lead with over 10 years in content and social media strategy, digital marketing, and analysis for global agencies". 

Listing designations in your work experience section 

In your job history, include the official designation you held for each role and the company you worked for. Make sure you're consistent with how you include designations in this section to maintain a professional resume. 

Mentioning relevant designations in your education and certification sections 

If you hold any professional certifications that have designations, make sure to put them in your resume under the certification section. For example, if you've recently passed the Project Management Professional (PMP) certification, you can include "Project Management Professional – Project Management Institute" in this section. This can help you add credibility to your role as a project manager. 

Using designations in your email address for a professional touch 

You can also include a designation in your professional email address to help reinforce your expertise. For example, if you have a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) accreditation, you could use "[email protected]". 

Common designations in the Malaysian job market 

Here are some common designations you can use for job applications in Malaysia:

• Entry level: In your first few roles, you could use designations such as junior developer, marketing officer, human resources admin, or business development executive. These roles usually include hands-on work and give junior employees experience. 
• Mid-level: Mid-level roles usually include senior marketing executive, senior software developer, or supply chain assistant manager designations. Mid-level professionals usually have three to five years of experience and take on more tasks independently. 
• Senior level: This level includes finance director, digital marketing lead, or chief technology officer designations. Employees in this role usually head teams and make strategic plans and decisions for business growth. 

New roles are evolving in Malaysia's growing digital economy, such as data scientist, digital transformation lead, and solutions architect. These designations show expertise in emerging fields and can open the path to more job opportunities in the tech sector. 

Tips for using designations effectively in your job search 

Here are some tips on how you can use designations when looking for a job. 

Research industry-specific designations before applying for jobs 

Before submitting your job application, conduct some research on the designations your industry commonly uses. For example, if you're applying for a position in people management, use common terms, such as compensation and benefits specialist or human resources business partner. 

Align designations with job descriptions and requirements 

If you have a unique title in your current role, you might want to consider tweaking it to a globally recognised term. For example, if your role is marketing evangelist, consider adjusting your designation to ‘marketing specialist’ so it better reflects your responsibilities. 

Use designations to highlight career progression in cover letters 

Use your designation in your cover letter to highlight how you've grown professionally. You could discuss your experience in your entry-level role as a junior developer, for example, and then explain what you achieved to gain promotion into a senior role within two years.  

Explain designations during job interviews 

During job interviews, hiring managers may ask you more about your designations. Take this chance to talk about your role and responsibilities so they can understand how your experience applies to the role you're applying for. 

Maximising your career potential with proper designation usage 

Knowing how to use designations can impact your job search, as it highlights your expertise and helps to differentiate you in a competitive job market. When creating your resume, make sure to present your designation consistently to build a strong professional identity and open paths to career opportunities. It's worth reviewing your resume and including some designations for your role. 

It's also essential to include your nationality and visa status on your resume if you're a foreign worker to make your application transparent and speed up the hiring process. However, listing personal information, such as your marital status or household size, is unnecessary since it's irrelevant in the hiring process. Also, ensure that your resume is no more than two pages and includes roles from the last 10 years. 

FAQs 

Here are some answers to common questions about designations. 

1. What are the latest statistics on the importance of designations in the Malaysian job market? 
   ⁠91% of Malaysian professionals consider designations to be highly important when applying for a job since they show proof of seniority and skills. 
2. How do Malaysian companies typically structure their job hierarchies and designations? 
   ⁠Companies usually follow a structured hierarchy in Malaysia, with a strong focus on respect for the various roles. Jobs usually start from executive and progress to senior executive, assistant manager, senior manager, and C-suite roles. 
3. What are the key differences between designations and job titles in the Malaysian context? 
   ⁠Job titles focus on the function of the role, such as “analyst”, while designations focus on seniority, such as “director”. 
4. How do designation systems in Malaysian government jobs differ from those in the private sector? 
   ⁠Government roles use graded designations based on the years you work and your qualifications. The private sector is more flexible, using designations that highlight your seniority. 
5. What percentage of Malaysian employers use ATS that rely on designations? 
   ⁠Approximately 75% of medium to large employers in Malaysia use ATS platforms that rely on designations and keywords during initial screening. 
6. How do designation hierarchies differ across various industries in Malaysia? 
   ⁠Companies in the tech industry usually have a flatter hierarchy, with designations such as junior or lead developer to show the level of experience. More traditional sectors, such as banking, may have stricter hierarchical designations like assistant manager, director, and vice president. 
7. What are some unique designation titles or grading systems that large Malaysian corporations use? 
   ⁠Petronas uses a numbering system, and Maybank uses designations such as relationship manager 1, 2, 3, and 4 based on experience tiers. 
8. What are the best practices for explaining unfamiliar designations during job interviews in Malaysia? 
   ⁠When a hiring manager asks about an unfamiliar designation during a job interview, you can discuss your responsibilities and achievements in the role and relate them to the job you're applying for.