THIS ARTICLE IS FOR: ✅ Self-Serve
Stage: Trial / Onboarding / Live
Owner: CS
Last updated: 2026-01-20
TL;DR
The Job Titles filter tells ListKit who inside a company you want to contact.
Start with owners and executives, then add department-specific roles.
Keep Contains mode ON (recommended for almost all users).
Avoid generic titles like “Director” by themselves.
Build wide but relevant title lists to avoid missing buyers.
When you’d use this / Why it matters
Your outreach only works if it reaches someone who can say yes.
The Job Titles filter directly controls list quality, reply rates, and deal velocity by ensuring you target real decision-makers and influencers.
Step-by-step: How to use the Job Titles filter
Go to Search → Filters in ListKit.
Open the Job Titles filter.
Add:
Leadership titles (decision-makers)
Department-specific titles (people who feel the pain)
Leave Contains mode ON (default).
Combine with other filters (industry, company size, funding, etc.).
Run your search.
Step 1: Start with true decision-makers
For most B2B offers, owners and executives can approve budgets immediately.
Always include these leadership titles
CEO
Founder
Co-Founder
Owner
President
Managing Director
Principal
Partner
Chairman
These titles:
Represent real decision-makers
Are universally recognized
Work perfectly with Contains
Rarely create irrelevant matches
Titles you should NOT use alone
❌ Never use “Director” by itself
With Contains enabled, “Director” will match:
Creative Director
Funeral Director
Facilities Director
Retail Director
Studio Director
This quickly pollutes your list.
When “Director” is safe
Only use it when paired with a department:
Marketing Director
Sales Director
Operations Director
HR Director
IT Director
Finance Director
Step 2: Add job titles that match your service
After leadership, add titles that directly feel the pain your service solves.
Marketing services
CMO
VP Marketing
Head of Marketing
Marketing Manager
Digital Marketing Manager
Growth Manager
Performance Marketing Manager
Paid Ads Manager
Acquisition Manager
Brand Manager
Content Manager
Social Media Manager
Sales services
VP Sales
Head of Sales
Sales Director
Sales Manager
Business Development Manager
Account Executive
SDR / BDR
Operations & systems
COO
Head of Operations
Director of Operations
Operations Manager
Process Manager
Systems Manager
HR & recruiting
Head of HR
HR Manager
People Operations
Talent Acquisition Manager
Recruiting Manager
IT, software & cybersecurity
CTO
VP Engineering
Head of IT
IT Manager
Security Manager
Rule of thumb:
If a role could logically feel the problem your service solves, include it.
It’s better to include 8–15 relevant titles than miss buyers.
Step 3: Understand “Contains” vs “Exact Match”
Contains (recommended, default)
With Contains enabled, typing CEO will match:
CEO
CEO / Founder
CEO & Owner
Interim CEO
Global CEO
Why this works best:
Job titles are inconsistent
People combine roles
Companies format titles differently
👉 99% of users should keep Contains ON
Exact Match (use sparingly)
Use Exact Match only when you need strict control, such as:
Only “SDR” (not “Senior SDR”)
Only “CFO” (not Finance Director)
Avoiding hybrid titles
If you don’t have a specific reason → don’t use it.
Step 4: Build a complete title list
For best results:
Combine leadership + department roles
Add all realistic variations
Keep Contains ON
Avoid generic titles alone
Focus on who actually feels the pain
The goal is coverage without noise.
Example use case
Offer: Google Ads & performance marketing for e-commerce brands
Leadership titles
CEO
Founder
Co-Founder
Owner
President
Managing Director
Marketing titles
CMO
VP Marketing
Head of Marketing
Marketing Manager
Digital Marketing Manager
Performance Marketing Manager
Paid Ads Manager
Growth Manager
Acquisition Manager
With Contains ON, this captures:
“CEO / Founder”
“Head of Growth & Marketing”
“Director of Marketing & Sales”
“CMO – E-commerce”
You reach everyone who can buy or influence the decision.
Expected outcome
You should now see leads that consistently:
Have real buying authority
Match your service offering
Respond at higher rates
Move faster through your pipeline
Troubleshooting / FAQs
Q: How many job titles should I include?
Typically 8–15 per search, depending on your offer.
Q: Why am I seeing irrelevant roles?
You’re likely using generic titles (e.g., “Director”) without a department.
Q: Should I include junior roles?
Only if they influence or champion purchases (e.g., SDRs for sales tools).
Q: Can I reuse job title lists?
Yes. Many teams keep standard title sets by service or ICP.
Callouts
If ListKit runs campaigns for you (Managed Program)
What ListKit handles:
Selecting the right decision-maker titles
Testing and refining title sets over time
What you should do:
Tell your account manager who typically buys your service
How to request changes:
Share feedback on lead quality with your account manager
If you use ListKit self-serve (DIY)
Steps in the product:
Search → Filters → Job Titles
Add leadership + service-specific roles
Keep Contains ON
Avoid generic titles alone
Final takeaway
The Job Titles filter is how you reach people who can say YES.
Start with owners and executives → add service-relevant roles → keep Contains ON → avoid generic titles → and you’ll consistently build clean, high-intent lead lists without polluting your results.