100 Words Every Job Seeker Should Know

No.	Term	Definition
1.	Applicant Tracking System	Software screening resumes and managing candidates.
2.	Application	Formal submission for a job opening.
3.	Assessment	Test evaluating skills, aptitude, or fit.
4.	Assignment	Take-home task demonstrating job-related abilities.
5.	At-will employment	Employment terminable by either party anytime.
6.	Background check	Verification of criminal, employment, or identity history.
7.	Behavioral interview	Interview using past examples to predict performance.
8.	Benefits	Non-wage compensation like insurance, PTO, retirement.
9.	Blind resume	Resume with identifying details removed to reduce bias.
10.	Bonus	Extra pay tied to performance or company results.
11.	Boolean search	Search using AND, OR, NOT operators.
12.	Candidate	Person being considered for a role.
13.	Candidate profile	Summary of skills, experience, and preferences.
14.	Career change	Transition to a different occupation or industry.
15.	Career objective	Brief statement of desired role and goals.
16.	Case interview	Problem-solving interview common in consulting roles.
17.	Certification	Credential proving proficiency in a specific skill.
18.	Compensation	Total pay including salary, bonus, and benefits.
19.	Competency	Demonstrable ability combining skills, knowledge, behaviors.
20.	Conflict of interest	Situation where personal interests affect professional judgment.
21.	Contract role	Fixed-term work agreement, often project-based.
22.	Counteroffer	Employer’s revised offer after negotiation.
23.	Cover letter	Letter explaining fit and motivation for role.
24.	Culture add	Unique strengths improving team diversity and culture.
25.	Culture fit	Alignment with company values and working style.
26.	CV	Detailed academic or international career history document.
27.	Diversity hiring	Recruitment efforts to broaden representation.
28.	E-verify	System confirming work authorization eligibility.
29.	Elevator pitch	Brief, compelling self-introduction for networking.
30.	Employee referral	Candidate recommended by a current employee.
31.	Employment gap	Period without formal employment on a resume.
32.	Equal opportunity employer	Employer committed to nondiscriminatory hiring practices.
33.	Equity	Ownership stake, often via stock options or RSUs.
34.	Exit interview	Conversation gathering feedback when leaving a job.
35.	Experience	Relevant work history demonstrating capability.
36.	FAANG	Major tech firms: Meta, Apple, Amazon, Netflix, Google.
37.	Final interview	Last-stage interview before hiring decision.
38.	Freelance	Self-employed work for multiple clients.
39.	Full-time	Regular employment with standard hours and benefits.
40.	Functional resume	Resume organized by skills rather than chronology.
41.	Gap analysis	Comparison of current skills to job requirements.
42.	Ghosting	Recruiter or candidate stops responding without notice.
43.	Gig work	Short-term, task-based work engagements.
44.	Glass ceiling	Invisible barrier limiting advancement for some groups.
45.	Golden handcuffs	Incentives that discourage leaving an employer.
46.	Gross salary	Pay before taxes and deductions.
47.	Hard skills	Teachable, measurable technical abilities.
48.	Headhunter	Recruiter sourcing candidates for specific roles.
49.	Hiring manager	Manager responsible for selecting the candidate.
50.	Hybrid work	Mix of remote and in-office work.
51.	Informational interview	Career conversation to learn, not to apply.
52.	InMail	LinkedIn direct message to non-connections.
53.	Internship	Temporary role for learning and experience-building.
54.	Interview	Conversation evaluating candidate fit for role.
55.	Job board	Website listing job openings.
56.	Job description	Document outlining duties, requirements, and qualifications.
57.	Job offer	Formal proposal of employment terms.
58.	Job requisition	Internal approval to hire for a position.
59.	Job title	Name describing role and seniority.
60.	Key Performance Indicators	Metrics used to measure job performance.
61.	Keyword optimization	Aligning resume terms with job posting language.
62.	Layoff	Employer-initiated job loss due to business reasons.
63.	Leadership	Ability to guide, influence, and deliver results.
64.	LinkedIn	Professional networking platform for careers and hiring.
65.	LinkedIn headline	Short tagline summarizing role and value.
66.	Market rate	Typical pay for a role in a region.
67.	Mentor	Experienced advisor supporting career development.
68.	Minimum qualifications	Required baseline education or experience for role.
69.	Mission statement	Organization’s purpose and guiding intent.
70.	Mock interview	Practice interview to improve performance.
71.	Negotiation	Discussion to improve offer terms.
72.	Net salary	Take-home pay after deductions.
73.	Networking	Building professional relationships for opportunities.
74.	Notice period	Time between resignation and last workday.
75.	Offer letter	Written document detailing employment terms.
76.	Onboarding	Process integrating a new hire into role.
77.	Open to Work	LinkedIn setting signaling job-seeking availability.
78.	Overqualified	Having more experience than the role requires.
79.	Panel interview	Interview with multiple interviewers at once.
80.	Part-time	Work schedule with fewer than full-time hours.
81.	Performance review	Evaluation of work results and development areas.
82.	Phone screen	Initial brief interview to assess basic fit.
83.	Portfolio	Curated examples demonstrating work quality and range.
84.	Probation period	Initial trial period before confirmation of employment.
85.	Professional references	Contacts who can vouch for your work.
86.	Promotion	Advancement to higher responsibility or pay.
87.	Qualifications	Education, skills, and experience meeting role needs.
88.	Quantify achievements	Use numbers to show impact and results.
89.	Recruiter	Person responsible for sourcing and screening candidates.
90.	Remote work	Working from home or outside the office.
91.	Request for salary range	Asking employer’s budgeted pay band.
92.	Resume	Concise summary of experience, skills, and achievements.
93.	Resume summary	Brief top section highlighting key strengths.
94.	Role requirements	Skills and experience needed to succeed.
95.	Salary band	Pay range for a role level.
96.	Salary negotiation	Discussing pay to reach mutually acceptable terms.
97.	Screening interview	Early interview filtering candidates for next steps.
98.	Skills matrix	Table mapping skills to proficiency levels.
99.	Soft skills	Interpersonal abilities like communication and teamwork.
100.	STAR method	Structured storytelling: Situation, Task, Action, Result.