“Position desired” on a job application means the job you are applying for. The employer wants the exact title of the opening you want to be considered for, so that your form is routed to the right hiring manager and compared against the right set of applicants. It is one of the shortest fields on the form and one of the easiest to get wrong, usually by being too vague.
What Position Desired Means on a Job Application
Most application forms are generic: the same sheet is used for every opening at a store, warehouse, clinic or office. The position desired field is how the form gets sorted. When you write “cashier”, your application goes to whoever is hiring cashiers. When you write “any position”, it goes nowhere in particular, and often ends up at the bottom of the pile.
The field may also appear as “position applied for”, “job title desired”, “position sought” or simply “position”. They all ask the same question: which job do you want?
How to Fill In the Position Desired Field
- Copy the title from the job posting. If the advert says “Customer Service Representative”, write exactly that, not “customer service” or “phone job”.
- Add the department or location if the company has several. For example, “Sales Associate, Garden Center” or “Server, Downtown location”.
- Include a job number if one was given. Large employers post openings with reference codes; adding the code removes any doubt.
- List a second choice only if the form invites it. Some forms have a “first choice / second choice” layout. If yours does not, pick one.
- Match the rest of the form to it. Your availability, desired pay and skills sections should all make sense for the job you named.
Position Desired Examples
- “Part-time Cashier”
- “Warehouse Associate, night shift”
- “Registered Nurse, Emergency Department”
- “Administrative Assistant (Job Ref. A12)”
- “Line Cook; also open to Prep Cook”
- “Seasonal Sales Associate, holiday season”
Each of these names a real opening, and several add the one detail that makes routing easier: the shift, the department or the reference number.
What to Write If You Would Take Any Job
Do not write “any” or “anything available”. It reads as a lack of interest and gives the employer nothing to act on. Instead, name the role you are best suited for, and if you really are flexible, add a short note: “Cashier; also interested in stocking or customer service roles.” That tells the employer your preference and your flexibility in one line.
If you are dropping off an application without a specific opening in mind, look at the company’s careers page or ask at the desk which roles are open before you fill in the field. Naming an actual opening is always stronger than a guess.
Common Mistakes With the Position Desired Field
- Writing a career goal instead of a job. “Management” on an entry-level form is a goal, not a position desired. Name the job that is open now.
- Leaving it blank. A blank field means the application may never be matched to an opening.
- Writing the wrong title. This happens when you reuse a form or apply to several employers in one afternoon. Read it back.
- Listing several unrelated jobs. “Cashier, mechanic, or office work” suggests you have not read the postings.
- Using internal jargon you have guessed at. Stick to the wording in the posting.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is position desired the same as objective?
No. Position desired is just the job title. An objective is a sentence or two about what you want and what you offer. Some forms have both; fill each in its own way.
Can I put two positions?
Only if the form gives you space for a second choice, or if the two roles are closely related and both open. Otherwise name one.
What if the posting has no title?
Describe the role in the employer’s own words from the advert, such as “front desk position advertised on your website”.
Should I include the pay I want here?
No. Pay belongs in the “desired salary” or “expected pay” field if the form has one. Keep position desired to the job title.