The definitive source for learning about career,
job-hunting, and employment terms.
This glossary of job, career, and employment terms is designed to
give job-seekers a quick definition -- and then provide links where you
can find more details, samples, and much more information.
Accomplishments -- these are the achievements you have had in
your career. These key points really help sell you to an employer --
much more so than everyday job duties or responsibilities. In your cover
letters, resumes, and job interviews, focus on key career
accomplishments -- especially ones that you can quantify.
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Action Verbs -- The building blocks of effective cover letters
and resumes. These concrete, descriptive verbs express your skills,
assets, experience, and accomplishments. Avoid nondescriptive verbs such
as "do," "work," and forms of the verb "to be." Instead, begin each
descriptive section with an action verb. Almost every resume book has a
list of great action verbs to choose from.
Assessments -- These tests ask you a series of questions and
try to provide you with some sense of your personality and career
interests. You shouldn't rely on the results of these tests by
themselves, but the results can be a good starting point for discovering
more about yourself and your interests and considering careers you may
not have thought of.
Background Check -- Used by employers to verify the accuracy
of the information you provide on your resume or job application -- and
beyond. On the rise as prices fall on these services. Items checked
include: employment verification, educational background/degrees,
references, credit history, medical records, driving record, court
records, criminal records, and more.
Benefits -- An important part of your compensation package,
and part of the salary negotiation process. Note that every employer
offers a different mix of benefits. These benefits may include paid
vacations, company holidays, personal days, sick leave, life insurance,
medical insurance, retirement and pension plans, tuition assistance,
child care, stock options, and more. Can be worth anywhere from 20 to 40
percent of your salary. See also Compensation Package and Salary.
Career Assessment -- See Assessments.
Career Change -- Changing your occupation by devising a
strategy to find new career choices. Most experts now predict that the
average person will change careers three to five times over the course
of his or her work life. Change may occur because you don't enjoy the
work as much as you used to. Or maybe you can't progress further in your
career.
Career Coach -- Also called career consultant, career adviser,
work-life coach, personal career trainer, and life management
facilitator. These professionals have been likened to personal trainers
for your life/career, serving the role as your champion, cheerleader,
advocate, mentor, partner, and sounding board on all issues related to
your job or career search. tech jobs
Career Exploration -- The process of finding a rewarding
career path, as well as specific jobs within a particular career path.
Think of career exploration and planning as building bridges from your
current job/career to your next job/career.
Career Fair -- There are many types of job and career fairs --
from those scheduled during Spring Break for college students to
industry-specific fairs for professionals -- but they all have a common
theme: a chance for a company to meet and screen a large volume of
potential job candidates while simultaneously an opportunity for
job-seekers to meet and screen a large number of employers.
Career Objective/Job Objective -- An optional part of your
resume, but something you should contemplate whether you place it on
your resume or not. It can sharpen the focus of your resume and should
be as specific as possible -- and written in a way that shows how you
can benefit the employer.
Career Planning -- The continuous process of evaluating your
current lifestyle, likes/dislikes, passions, skills, personality, dream
job, and current job and career path and making corrections and
improvements to better prepare for future steps in your career, as
needed, or to make a career change.
Career Portfolio -- See Job Skills Portfolio.
Career Research -- See Career Exploration.
Case Interview -- See Job Interviewing.
Chronological Resume -- See Resume.
Cold Call -- When a job-seeker approaches an employer (usually
through an uninvited cover letter) who has not publicly announced any
job openings. See hidden job market and cover letters.
Company Research -- See Researching Companies.
Compensation Package -- The combination of salary and fringe
benefits an employer provides to an employee. When evaluating competing
job offers, a job-seeker should consider the total package and not just
salary. See also Salary and Benefits.
Contract Employee -- Where you work for one organization (and
its salary and benefit structure) that sells your services to another
company on a project or time basis. Compare to freelancer.
Corporate Culture -- The collection of beliefs, expectations,
and values shared by an organization's members and transmitted from one
generation of employees to another. The culture sets norms (rules of
conduct) that define acceptable behavior of employees of the
organization. It's important for job-seekers to understand the culture
of an organization before accepting a job.
Counter Offer/Counter Proposal -- A salary negotiation
technique used by job-seekers when a job offer is not at an acceptable
level. Almost all elements of a job offer are negotiable, including the
salary, non-salary compensation, moving expenses, benefits, and
job-specific issues.
Cover Letter -- Should always accompany your resume when you
contact a potential employer. A good cover letter opens a window to your
personality (and describes specific strengths and skills you offer the
employer). It should entice the employer to read your resume.
- uninvited (cold contact) cover letter -- The most common type of
cover letter, since such a large percentage (80-95 percent) of the job
market is "closed," meaning the job openings are not advertised.
Usually part of a direct mail campaign in which the job-seeker is
trying to uncover hidden jobs.
- invited cover letter -- Written in response to an advertised
opening, whether in a newspaper, trade publication, on the Internet,
or even on the company's bulletin board. Employer expects -- and even
welcomes the cover letters.
- referral cover letter -- An extremely effective type of cover
letter that springs from networking efforts. The referral letter uses
a name-dropping tactic as early as possible in the letter to attract
the reader's attention and prompt an interview. .
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Curriculum Vitae (CV) -- See Resume.
Declining Letter -- A letter sent to an employer to turn down
a job offer. The writer should keep the door open in case he or she
would like to approach the employer again someday.
Degrees & Certifications -- Recognition bestowed on students
upon completion of a unified program of study, including high school,
trade schools, colleges and universities, and other agencies. .
Diversity Job-Seekers -- Numerous disadvantaged groups --
women and minorities -- often face extra challenges in the job-search.
Dress for Success -- First coined by author John Malloy in the
1970s, the term Dress for Success signifies tailoring one's
attire, grooming, and overall appearance toward making a great first
impression in a job interview -- as well as maintaining a professional
look while on the job to aid career advancement. Will dressing properly
get you the job? Not by itself, but it will give you a competitive edge
and help you make a positive first impression.
Electronic Resume (or E-Resume) -- A resume (see resume)
that is sent to the employer electronically, either via email, by
submitting to Internet job boards, or residing on their on Web page.
Includes numerous formats of resumes linked by their mode of delivery.
Email Cover Letter -- A cover letter (see Cover Letter)
that is sent to the employer electronically via email. There are
different rules that apply to writing these kind of cover letters,
though the fundamental principles remain the same.
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Employment Gaps -- Are those periods of time between jobs when
job-seekers are unemployed, either by choice or circumstances. Employers
do not like seeing unexplained gaps on resumes, and there are numerous
strategies for reducing the impact of these gaps on your future
job-hunting.
Freelancer/Consultant/Independent Contractor -- Where you work
for yourself and bid for temporary jobs and projects with one or more
employers. Freelancing is not an alternative to hard work, but many
people enjoy the freedom, flexibility, and satisfaction of working for
themselves.
Functional Resume -- See Resume.
Hidden Job Market -- Only about 5-20 percent of all job
openings are ever publicly known, which results in about four-fifths of
the job market being "closed," meaning you can't find out about any new
openings unless you do some digging. Strategies for uncovering the
hidden job market include networking and cold calling. See networking
and cold calling.
Home-Based Careers -- Numerous opportunities exist for
job-seekers who want more control over time and work, who want job
flexibility to spend more time with family -- by working from home.
Unfortunately, this area is also one that has the most potential for
scams and other fraudulent activities.
Informational Interviewing -- Just what it sounds like --
interviewing designed to produce information. What kind of information?
The information you need to choose or refine a career path, learn how to
break in and find out if you have what it takes to succeed. It's the
process of spending time with one of your network contacts in a highly
focused conversation that provides you with key information you need to
launch or boost your career.
Internships --- One of the best types of work experiences for
entry-level job-seekers because a majority of employers say experience
is the most important factor in whether you're hired. Internships
involve working in your expected career field, either during a semester
or over the summer. Besides gaining valuable experience, you get exposed
to the business environment and gain valuable references and network
contacts.
Interview -- See Job Interviewing.
Job Application -- Sometimes also referred to as an
Application for Employment. Many organizations require you to
complete an application (either to get an interview or prior to an
interview). Even though many of the questions duplicate information from
your resume, it is extremely important to complete the application
neatly, completely, and accurately.
Job Clubs -- Sometimes known as networking clubs or
job-finding clubs, enables you to expand your network of contacts -- and
also serves as a key support group when the job-hunt is longer or harder
than you expected. A great tool for job-hunting, and job-seekers can
either join an existing club or start your own! .
Job Fair -- See Career Fair.
Job-Hunting Etiquette -- There are certain rules or protocols
that should guide a job-seeker's conduct while job-hunting. Some people
call these rules good manners, but more refer to them as business
etiquette. tech jobs
Job-Hunting on the Internet -- Not a magic elixir that will
guarantee that you find a job, but still a door to opportunities and
techniques not available before the advent of the Net. Most job-seekers
should spend no more than about 20 percent of their time and effort
looking for a job online, though job-seekers in the technology/computer
industry might be wise to spend up to 50 percent of their time looking
for a job online.
Job Interviewing -- All about making the best matches. Both
the company and the job-seeker want to determine if the fit is right
between them. First impressions are key (see dress for success), and
preparation is critical to success.
- screening -- usually conducted by a member of the human resources
department, the screening interview is designed to weed out
unqualified candidates. Providing facts about your skills is more
important than establishing rapport.
- traditional -- uses broad-based questions such as, "why do you
want to work for this company," and "tell me about your strengths and
weaknesses." Interviewing success or failure is more often based on
the job-seeker's ability to communicate and establish rapport than on
the authenticity or content of their answers.
- behavioral -- based on the premise that past performance is the
best indicator of future behavior and uses questions that probe
specific past behaviors, such as "tell me about a time where you
confronted an unexpected problem" and "tell me about an experience
when you failed to achieve a goal."
- panel/group -- uses a committee of people, usually around a table,
asking questions. The key to this type of interview is to balance eye
contact with both the person who asked the question and the remainder
of the group.
- case -- used primarily by management-consulting firms to determine
how well suited you are to the consulting field. Case interviews
measure problem-solving ability, tolerance for ambiguity, and
communication skills along several dimensions. The idea is to find out
how well you identify, structure, and think through problems.
- situational -- sometimes also referred to as a scenario-based
interview, where the job-seeker is placed in a hypothetical situation
(such as dealing with an irate customer), and is judged by how well
s/he reacts to complex information and ability to resolve problem and
arrive at solutions.
- stress -- usually are a deliberate attempt to see how you handle
yourself under pressure. The interviewer may be sarcastic or
argumentative, or may keep you waiting. Expect these things to happen,
and when it does, don't take it personally. Calmly answer each
question as it comes. Also called intimidation interviews.
- phone -- have only one purpose: to decide if there is a good
enough match to justify a site visit. Make sure to set a specific time
for your telephone interview -- not just "sometime this week."
Job Offer -- See Offer of Employment.
Job Search Agent -- A program offered by many job boards that
allows job-seekers to passively search for jobs by selecting criteria
for new job postings. At some time interval, the program emails the
job-seeker a list of new job postings that fit the criteria, allowing
the job-seeker to decide whether to take any action.
Job-Search Domino Effect -- States that five key phases
comprise any good job search, and if you ignore any one of them or
conduct one poorly, the likelihood of a successful job search decreases
dramatically -- just as if you pulled a domino out of a row of dominos.
Job Shadowing -- One of the most popular work-based learning
activities because it provides job-seekers with opportunities to gather
information on a wide variety of career possibilities before deciding
where they want to focus their attention. Job shadows involve brief
visits to a variety of workplaces, during which time you "shadow,"
observe, and ask questions of individual workers.
Job Skills -- The skills you need to do a particular job. For
example, an accountant needs to have good math and accounting skills; a
doctor needs to have good medical, scientific, and personal skills.
Job Skills Portfolio -- Also referred to as a Career
Portfolio, a job-hunting tool a job-seeker develops to give
employers a complete picture of who you are, including samples of your
work -- your experience, your education, your accomplishments, your
skill sets -- and what you have the potential to become -- much more
than just a cover letter and resume can provide.
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Key Accomplishments -- An optional part of your resume, but
one that is growing in use -- especially with scannable (text-based)
resumes. This section should summarize (using nouns as keywords and
descriptors) your major career accomplishments. Sometimes also referred
to as "Summary of Accomplishments," "Qualifications Summary," or simply
"Accomplishments." For more details, see resume.
Keyword Resume -- See Resume.
Keywords -- Nouns and noun phrases that relate to the skills
and experience that employers use to recall resumes scanned into a
database. Keywords can be precise "hard" skills --
job-specific/profession-specific/industry-specific skills, technological
terms and descriptions of technical expertise, job titles,
certifications, names of products and services, industry buzzwords, etc.
Letter of Acceptance -- Used to confirm the offer of
employment and the conditions of the offer; i.e., salary, benefits,
starting employment date, etc. It is always a good idea to get the
entire offer in writing. .
Letter of Agreement -- A brief letter outlining the conditions
of employment. Whether initiated by the employer or the candidate, it is
always a good idea to get your entire offer in writing. Sometimes is
form-based or may even be an employment contract. See also salary and
salary negotiation.
Letter of Interest -- See Cover Letter.
Letter of Recommendation -- A letter of support for your
skills, ability, and work ethic, usually written by a former boss or
co-worker, but could also be from a teacher or personal reference. Good
for applying to graduate school, but seen as fairly worthless in
job-hunting because no one who would write you a recommendation letter
would say anything negative about you. See reference list.
Mentor -- A person at a higher level within a company or
within your profession who counsels you and helps guide your career.
Some organizations have formal mentoring systems, while most informal
mentoring relationships develop over time. A mentor relationship is one
where the outcome of the relationship is expected to benefit all parties
in the relationship for personal growth, career development, lifestyle
enhancement, spiritual fulfillment, goal achievement, and other areas
mutually designated by the mentor and partner.
Networking -- Involves developing a broad list of contacts --
people you've met through various social, professional, and business
functions -- and encouraging them assist you in looking for a job.
People in your network may be able to give you job leads, offer you
advice and information about a particular company or industry, and
introduce you to others so that you can expand your network. .
Occupational Outlook Handbook -- Published by the U.S.
Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, this guide provides
detailed information on more than 250 occupations. The Handbook
discusses the nature of the work and the typical working conditions for
persons in each occupation. In addition, it details the requirements for
entry and the opportunities for advancement.
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Offer of Employment -- An offer by an employer to a
prospective employee that usually specifies the terms of an employment
arrangement, including starting date, salary, benefits, working
conditions. Also called a job offer.
Older/Mature Workers -- Job-seekers who are older than 45 face
more challenges in the job-search than other types of job-seekers.
Recruiters/Headhunters/Executive Search Firms -- Professionals
who are paid by employers to find candidates for specific positions.
They often recruit candidates, but job-seekers can also approach them.
Often specialize by industry or geographic region. Avoid any firms that
require you to pay for their services.
Reference List -- Sometimes also referred to as a Reference
Sheet. Simply a listing -- with key contact information -- of your
references. Never include references on your resume or cover letter;
they should be listed on a separate references sheet that matches the
look of your resume. Never provide a list of references to an employer
unless you are requested to do so.
References -- A group of people who will say good things about
you and who know specifics strengths that you offer. Can include work
references (current and past supervisors), educational references
(former teachers or school administrators), and personal references (who
can speak of your character). Always ask people before including them as
a reference for you. .
Researching Companies -- The process of gathering information
about a company, its products, its locations, its corporate culture, its
financial successes. This information is extremely valuable in a job
interview where you can show off your knowledge of the company, and can
also help you in writing your cover letter.
Resigning/Resignations -- When you decide it's time to quit
your job (also referred to as giving notice), it's always better to
submit your official resignation -- with your industry's customary
amount of notice. Whenever possible, do not leave on bad terms with your
employer.
Resume -- A key job-hunting tool used to get an interview, it
summarizes your accomplishments, your education, as well as your work
experience, and should reflect your special mix of skills and strengths.
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- chronological resumes -- a resume organized by your employment
history in reverse chronological order, with company/job
titles/accomplishments/dates of employment.
- electronic resumes -- see electronic resume above.
- functional resumes -- a resume organized by skills and functions;
bare-bones employment history often listed as a separate section. .
- keyword resumes -- an e-resume typically identified by a keyword
summary (and heavy usage of keywords throughout resume) that
emphasizes key nouns and phrases. See keywords above.
- scannable resumes -- a resume that has been prepared to maximize
the job seeker's visibility in an electronic resume database or
electronic resume tracking system. Becoming somewhat less important as
more and more companies simply request electronic versions of resumes.
- text resumes -- also referred to as text-based or ASCII resumes, a
resume that has been prepared to maximize the job seeker's visibility
in an electronic resume database or electronic resume tracking system.
- Web-based resume -- a resume that resides on the Web. A Web-based
resume can range from quite ordinary to very elaborate. Fundamental
principles of good resume writing, content, and design apply.
- Curriculum Vitae -- also called a CV or vita and similar to a
resume, but more formal, and includes a detailed listing of items
beyond the typical resume items, such as publications, presentations,
professional activities, honors, and additional information. Tends to
be used by international job-seekers, and those seeking a faculty,
research, clinical, or scientific position. tech
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Salary -- Financial compensation an employee receives for
performing the job, and part of your compensation package. Can be
determined by hourly, daily, weekly, monthly, and yearly. Also can
include overtime pay, bonuses, and commissions. See also Benefits and
Compensation Package. .
Salary History -- Some employers will request that you submit
a salary history. A salary history tells them the level and frequency of
your promotions. It should be separate page from your resume or cover
letter. Be sure to include the full compensation you received in each
job, not just salary information. By providing a salary history, you
sometimes place yourself in a precarious position of either pricing
yourself out of the position or appearing to be at a lower level than
the company seeks.
Salary Negotiation -- An extremely important process in which
job-seekers attempt to obtain the best compensation package possible,
based on skills and experience, the industry salary range, and the
company's guidelines. See also Benefits, Compensation Package, and
Salary.
Salary Requirements -- Some employers may ask you to state the
salary you require for a specific job opening. You've got to be careful
here. If your salary requirement is too high, you won't get an offer. If
it's too low, you won't get what you're worth. The best strategy is to
state that you're open to any fair offer and are willing to negotiate.
Scannable Resume -- See Resume.
Summer Jobs/Part-Time Jobs for Teens -- Whether it's to gain
experience, earn some spending money, or save for college, getting a
summer or part-time job is almost a rite of passage for most teens.
Teens are often limited to certain types of jobs and hours worked per
week.
Telecommuting -- Also referred to as Teleworking, is a
employment arrangement where the employee works one or more days from a
remote location, often an office in the employee's home. For job-seekers
seeking increased job flexibility and reduced commuting times and costs
and for employers seeking a better balance of morale and work
efficiency.
Temping -- Working short employment stints with a variety of
clients, usually through a temping agency or staffing firm. Previously
temps were mostly administrative, but job-seekers can now find temping
agencies covering most professions. Temping is great for building
resume, learning skills, networking -- and job flexibility and variety.
See also Temporary Agency.
Temporary (Temp) Agency/Staffing Firms -- Companies that place
workers in jobs on a contract or temporary basis. Some provide training.
Many are specialized (professional, clerical, computing, accounting,
etc.). See also Temping.
Testing -- An increasing number of employers are using a
variety of career and skill-based tests to screen job applicants. Thus,
you may be asked to take any number of tests during your job search,
from aptitude and personality tests to honesty and drug tests.
Text Resume -- See Resume.
Thank You Letters -- After every interview, you should send a
letter thanking each person who interviewed you. It’s just common
courtesy, and only a small percentage of job-seekers actually perform
this crucial ritual, so you'll stand out from the crowd.
Transferable Skills -- Skills you have acquired during any
activity in your life -- jobs, classes, projects, parenting, hobbies,
sports, virtually anything -- that are transferable and to what you want
to do in your next job.
USP -- An advertising term -- unique selling proposition --
that refers to the one thing about a product that makes it distinct from
all others. In job-hunting, job-seekers need to find the one thing that
makes you more qualified for this job than anyone else. What can you
offer that no other applicant can?
Vita -- See Resume.
Workplace Values -- Concepts and ideas that define a
job-seeker and influence your satisfaction -- not only with your job,
but with your life. Job-seekers should perform a values check every few
years to make sure your career is on track.
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