Washington ESD unemployment claim form - occupation not listed, what do I put?

Choose the closest match to your actual job duties, not just the title. For Digital Marketing Coordinator, I'd probably go with Marketing Specialist since that covers the marketing aspect. The important thing is that it reflects what you actually did at work.

I had the same issue when I filed last year. My title was 'Client Success Manager' which wasn't listed. I called Washington ESD to ask and they told me to pick the option that best describes my primary job functions. In your case, if you're doing marketing work, Marketing Specialist sounds right.

You could also try using Claimyr to get through to an actual Washington ESD agent to ask about this. I used their service last month when I couldn't figure out part of my application and it was super helpful. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ that shows how it works. Way easier than trying to call on your own.

The occupation codes are just for statistical purposes mostly. Pick Marketing Specialist since that's the core of what you did. I work in HR and we deal with these forms all the time - they're not going to reject your claim over occupation category.

this happened to me too!! my job was like 'customer experience specialist' and that wasnt on there either. i just picked customer service representative and it was fine. dont overthink it

Pro tip: keep a record of what occupation code you selected in case they ask about it later during adjudication or if you need to file again. Just write down 'chose Marketing Specialist for Digital Marketing Coordinator role' somewhere safe.

The Washington ESD system is so outdated with these job categories. Half the jobs that exist now weren't around when they made these lists. Just pick whatever is closest and move on.

I'm in a similar boat - my title was 'Growth Marketing Manager' and I ended up selecting Marketing Manager. Close enough right? The key duties were the same even if the title sounds different.

Don't stress about this too much. I've filed unemployment claims in three different states and they all have this same issue with job titles not matching. Just be consistent with whatever you choose.

You know what's funny? I had the opposite problem - my job title was so generic ('Coordinator') that like 10 different occupation codes could have fit. Ended up calling Washington ESD and waiting on hold for 2 hours just to ask about it.

The real question is whether this will slow down your claim processing. In my experience, mismatched occupation codes can sometimes trigger manual review, but it's usually not a big deal.

I work in workforce development and see this all the time. The SOC codes (Standard Occupational Classification) that Washington ESD uses are federal categories that don't always align with modern job titles. Marketing Specialist is definitely your best bet for Digital Marketing Coordinator.

just put marketing specialist and call it a day. i overthought my first unemployment claim too and it was unnecessary stress. the occupation thing is not going to make or break your claim

One more thing to consider - if your employer shows up in Washington ESD's system with a different occupation code for your position, that could cause a minor delay. But again, it's easily resolved and doesn't affect your eligibility.

For what it's worth, I had a totally different occupation on my initial claim vs my weekly claims (long story) and Washington ESD never said anything about it. They care more about your work history being accurate.

Update: I just helped my sister file her claim last week and she had the same issue with her job title not being listed. We used Claimyr to get through to Washington ESD and the agent confirmed that Marketing Specialist would be perfect for Digital Marketing Coordinator. Took like 10 minutes total instead of guessing.

Marketing Specialist 100%. I review these applications as part of my job and that's exactly what we'd expect to see for someone in digital marketing. You're good to go.

Thanks everyone for all the helpful advice! I'm going to go with Marketing Specialist like most of you suggested. Really appreciate this community - made something that seemed complicated feel much more manageable.

I went through this exact same situation last year with my "Content Marketing Specialist" title. The key thing I learned is that Washington ESD really doesn't care about the exact title match - they're looking at your actual work duties and wage history. I ended up choosing "Marketing Specialist" too and had zero issues with my claim. The whole process felt intimidating at first, but once you submit it, you realize it's not as critical as it seems. Just make sure your work history and earnings info is accurate - that's what really matters for your benefit calculation.

I just went through this same issue a few months ago with my job title "Social Media Marketing Coordinator" - definitely go with Marketing Specialist like everyone's suggesting. I was worried about it too but realized I was making it way more complicated than it needed to be. The occupation code is really just for their data tracking, not for determining your eligibility or benefit amount. What matters most is that your previous employer reports your wages correctly to Washington ESD. I picked Marketing Specialist and my claim was approved without any questions about the occupation choice. Don't let this small detail hold up your application!