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Resume, ATS, hiring, and career terms explained

Plain-English definitions of 84 terms you will encounter across your job search — from applicant tracking systems and keywords to the STAR method and total compensation. Each entry links to related terms and, where one exists, a deeper guide.

ATS & Screening Resume Job Search Interview Compensation LinkedIn Hiring & Recruitment Work Arrangements Offer & Onboarding Employment & Gaps

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84 terms defined

Across 10 categories

ATS & Screening

These terms describe how hiring software collects, parses, and searches resumes. Understanding them explains why clear formatting and accurate keyword choices affect whether an application is easy to read and easy to find.

Applicant Tracking System (ATS): Software that employers use to collect, read, sort, and search job applications. Every employer sets it up in its own way, so an ATS might offer recruiter searches, filters, screening questions, and review stages. There is no single scoring or rejection process that works the same way everywhere.; Related terms:Parsing Keyword Knockout question ATS Score; Related guides:Applicant Tracking Systems guide
Parsing: This is how software pulls the content of your resume into separate fields like contact details, work history, education, and skills. Busy layouts, tables, images, or an odd reading order can leave some text missing or in the wrong place. How well it works depends on the parser and the file.; Related terms:Applicant Tracking System (ATS)ATS-friendly Reverse-chronological resume; Related guides:Resume Formatting: Layout, Fonts, Length & File Type
ATS-friendly: A simple way to describe a resume built so hiring software can read the text, spot the section headings, and follow the content in a sensible order. It does not mean every employer’s system will read the file the same way, and it does not promise your resume will move forward.; Related terms:Parsing Applicant Tracking System (ATS)Keyword; Related guides:Resume Formatting: Layout, Fonts, Length & File Type How Applicant Tracking Systems Work: Parsing, Search & Screening
Keyword: A skill, tool, qualification, job title, or industry phrase that matters for a role. The job description is a good place to see the words an employer uses, but only add terms that truly describe your experience, and back them up with proof where you can.; Related terms:Job description Keyword stuffing ATS Score Match Score; Related guides:resume keyword guide
Keyword stuffing: Repeating, hiding, or forcing keywords into a resume with no real context. It makes the resume hard to read and can cost you trust when the words are not backed by real experience. Use relevant, honest language that reads naturally instead.; Related terms:Keyword Job description Match Score; Related guides:Resume Keywords: How to Find and Use the Right Terms
Knockout question: A screening question in an application, such as one about work authorization or a required certification, that can automatically remove candidates who do not meet a firm requirement. Answer these carefully and honestly, since they are one of the few filters that really are automatic.
Boolean search: A search method recruiters use inside an ATS or on LinkedIn. It joins keywords with words like AND, OR, and NOT to narrow the results. Knowing about it helps explain why the exact words on your resume and profile decide whether you show up in a recruiter’s search.
ATS Score: A relevance or match number that some hiring tools show to help a person compare a resume against a role. Where it appears, treat it as a guide for human review, not an automatic yes or no. What it means depends on how each system defines it.; Related terms:Applicant Tracking System (ATS)Match Score Keyword; Related guides:How Applicant Tracking Systems Work: Parsing, Search & Screening Resume Keywords: How to Find and Use the Right Terms
Match Score: An estimate of how closely a resume lines up with a specific job description, usually based on shared skills and language. It can point out terms and requirements worth reviewing before you apply, but it does not judge your overall fit or predict whether you will be hired.; Related terms:ATS Score Keyword Job description; Related guides:Resume Keywords: How to Find and Use the Right Terms

Resume

The vocabulary of resume writing — formats, sections, and content patterns that shape how a resume reads to both people and software. These terms recur across most resume and job-search advice.

Reverse-chronological resume: A resume format that lists your most recent job first and then works back through earlier ones. It gives readers a clear work timeline and is usually easy for parsers to read. Even so, the best format depends on your history, the role you want, and what you most need to highlight.; Related terms:Combination resume Functional resume Parsing; Related guides:How to Write a Resume: A Step-by-Step Guide Resume Formatting: Layout, Fonts, Length & File Type
Functional resume: A skills-based format that groups your experience by skill and plays down dates and job titles. It often makes employers suspicious, because it can look like you are hiding gaps. Most people are better served by a reverse-chronological or combination format.; Related guides:How to Write a Resume: A Step-by-Step Guide
Combination resume: A mix of two formats. It keeps a reverse-chronological work history but opens with a strong summary and skills section. It works well for career changers who want to highlight skills that carry over while still showing a clear timeline.; Related guides:How to Change Careers: Skills, Resume & Job Search Plan How to Write a Resume: A Step-by-Step Guide
Professional summary: A short section of two to four lines at the top of a resume. It says who you are professionally, shows your strongest results with numbers, and names the kind of role you want. It has replaced the objective statement for almost everyone, and it works best when you tailor it to each job.; Related guides:How to Write a Resume Summary: Formula & Examples
Objective statement: An older way to open a resume that described what the candidate wanted from a job. The professional summary has mostly replaced it, because it focuses on the value you bring to the employer instead of your own goals.; Related guides:How to Write a Resume Summary: Formula & Examples
Action verb: A strong verb that starts a resume bullet and shows ownership and impact, such as Led, Built, Reduced, Launched, or Increased. Opening with an action verb makes your achievements clearer and stronger than phrases like "responsible for."; Related guides:How to Write a Resume: A Step-by-Step Guide
Quantified achievement: A resume bullet that uses a solid measure, such as time, volume, money, quality, or scope, to show what changed. Good numbers make your impact easier to grasp, but they should be accurate, fit the context, and appear only when they add real proof.; Related terms:Action verb Bullet Point; Related guides:How to Quantify Resume Achievements With Honest Metrics
Hard skills: Specific, teachable, measurable abilities such as programming languages, software, or certifications. These are the terms recruiters search for most, so name them precisely and use the same wording the employer uses.; Related guides:Resume Keywords: How to Find and Use the Right Terms
Soft skills: People and behavior skills such as communication, teamwork, and problem-solving. They land best when you show them through specific examples and results, rather than just listing them as adjectives.
Transferable skills: Abilities that stay useful across different roles or industries, such as analysis, project coordination, communication, or leadership. If you are changing careers, connect these skills to the new role by showing where you used them and how that experience matches the work you want.; Related terms:Combination resume Job description Portfolio; Related guides:How to Change Careers: Skills, Resume & Job Search Plan
White space: The empty space on a resume between sections, lines, and margins. It is not wasted; it guides the eye and makes the page easy to scan. Squeezing in more by shrinking the margins and spacing usually makes the resume harder to read.; Related guides:Resume Formatting: Layout, Fonts, Length & File Type
Curriculum Vitae (CV): A document that lays out your professional history. In much of the world, CV means the same thing as resume. In the US, and for academic or research roles, it means a longer document that lists publications, research, and your full career history.; Related guides:How to Write a Resume: A Step-by-Step Guide
Resume Headline: A short line near the top of a resume, or on your LinkedIn, that states who you are professionally and what you focus on in a few words, so a reader can place you right away.; Related guides:How to Write a Resume Summary: Formula & Examples
Bullet Point: A single, short line describing one achievement or responsibility, ideally starting with an action verb and backed by a measurable result. Bullets make a resume easy to scan and are where you prove your impact.; Related guides:How to Quantify Resume Achievements With Honest Metrics

Job Search

Terms for the documents, channels, and stages of a modern job search, from the first application through networking, referrals, and follow-up.

Cover letter: A short, focused document that goes with your resume and makes a tailored case for why you fit a specific role. A good cover letter adds context and motivation that the resume cannot, instead of repeating it.; Related guides:How to Write a Cover Letter: Structure, Examples, and What to Avoid
Job description: An employer’s write-up of a role’s duties, qualifications, and working context. It gives you useful language and shows what the employer cares about, which helps you tailor your application. Keep in mind that postings often mix must-haves, nice-to-haves, and broad wishes, so read them in context.; Related terms:Keyword Match Score Transferable skills Knockout question; Related guides:Resume Keywords: How to Find and Use the Right Terms
Hidden job market: An informal phrase for jobs found through internal moves, professional communities, referrals, or direct relationships rather than a public job board. How big and important this channel is depends on your field and market, so use networking to support your public applications, not replace them.; Related guides:Job Search Strategy: Targeting, Applications & Follow-Up Professional Networking for Job Seekers: A Practical Guide
Referral: A recommendation or introduction from someone connected to an employer or hiring team. It can add context and help your application get a closer look, but it does not replace being a good fit, showing proof, or going through the employer’s process.; Related terms:Networking Informational interview; Related guides:Professional Networking for Job Seekers: A Practical Guide
Informational interview: A short, low-pressure chat where you ask someone about their job, company, or career path. It builds relationships and gives you insight without the pressure of asking for a job, and referrals often grow out of these conversations later.; Related guides:Professional Networking for Job Seekers: A Practical Guide
Networking: Building real professional relationships and staying visible to people in your field, so opportunities come your way. The best networking starts with curiosity and a willingness to help, not with an immediate request for a job.; Related guides:Professional Networking for Job Seekers: A Practical Guide
Portfolio: A curated collection of your work that shows what you can do, common in design, writing, and technical fields. If you are changing careers or have little formal experience, a portfolio gives employers concrete proof of your ability.; Related guides:Personal Branding for Job Seekers: Stand Out for the Right Reasons
References: People, usually former managers or colleagues, who can speak to your work when an employer asks, often late in the process. Pick references who will speak about you in specific, enthusiastic terms, and always ask their permission first.; Related guides:Job References and Follow-Up: The Final Steps That Win Offers

Interview

The formats, frameworks, and stages used to evaluate candidates. Knowing these helps you prepare for the specific kind of interview you are facing.

Behavioral interview: An interview style that asks for examples of how you handled past situations, often with prompts like “Tell me about a time when.” A set of true, prepared examples and a structure such as STAR helps keep your answers specific and easy to follow.; Related terms:STAR method Screening call; Related guides:Behavioral Interview Questions: Answering With STAR
STAR method: A way to structure answers to experience-based questions: Situation, Task, Action, and Result. It helps you set the scene, show what you were responsible for, separate your actions from the team’s, and explain the outcome, all without sounding like a memorized script.; Related terms:Behavioral interview Panel Interview; Related guides:STAR method for behavioral interviews Interview Preparation: A Complete, Practical Guide
Technical interview: An interview that tests skills specific to the role, such as a coding challenge or a system-design discussion. Interviewers usually care more about how you solve the problem and explain your thinking than whether you reach a perfect final answer.; Related guides:Technical and Case Interviews: How to Prepare and Perform
Case interview: A format common in consulting and some business roles where you work through a business problem out loud. Interviewers look at how you break down the problem, use data and assumptions, and reach a clear recommendation.; Related guides:Technical and Case Interviews: How to Prepare and Perform
One-way (asynchronous) interview: A recorded interview where you answer set questions on camera with no interviewer there. Treat the camera like a person, keep your energy and eye contact up, and read the instructions on time limits and retakes closely.; Related guides:Virtual and Video Interviews: How to Master Them
Screening call: A short early conversation, often with a recruiter, to check basic fit, interest, logistics, and sometimes salary expectations before you move on to fuller interviews. Come ready with a brief "tell me about yourself" and a salary range you have researched.; Related guides:Interview Preparation: A Complete, Practical Guide
Panel Interview: An interview run by several people at once. Include each person, make eye contact around the group, and aim each answer at whoever asked while still bringing in the others.; Related guides:Interview Preparation: A Complete, Practical Guide
Group Interview: A format where several candidates are interviewed together, often with a group task. Interviewers watch how you work with others and communicate, so speak up clearly without taking over.; Related guides:Interview Preparation: A Complete, Practical Guide
HR Round: An interview stage focused on fit, motivation, expectations, and logistics like notice period and salary, rather than technical skills. Keep your answers honest, positive, and in line with your resume.; Related guides:Common Interview Questions and How to Answer Them

Compensation

Salary, equity, and offer terminology you will encounter when comparing and negotiating a job offer, including region-specific terms.

Base salary: The fixed yearly pay in a job offer, before bonuses, equity, or benefits. Most future raises build on this number, so negotiating it well pays off again and again over time.; Related guides:salary negotiation guide
Total compensation: The full value of an offer: base salary plus bonuses, equity, benefits, and perks. Comparing offers on total compensation, rather than base salary alone, gives you a truer sense of what each one is worth.; Related guides:Salary Negotiation: How to Negotiate a Job Offer with Confidence
Equity (stock options): An ownership stake offered as part of your pay, common at startups. Equity can be a big part of total compensation, but it comes with risk and fine print, so understand the terms before you weigh it against cash.; Related guides:Salary Negotiation: How to Negotiate a Job Offer with Confidence
Sign-on bonus: A one-time payment when you join, often used to make up for a base salary that cannot go higher. It is frequently open to negotiation even when the base pay is fixed.; Related guides:Salary Negotiation: How to Negotiate a Job Offer with Confidence
Counteroffer: A reply to a job offer that proposes different terms, or an offer from your current employer to keep you from leaving. When you counter, be specific, back it up with market data and your value, and keep the tone warm.; Related guides:Salary Negotiation: How to Negotiate a Job Offer with Confidence
CTC (Cost to Company): The total yearly amount an employer spends on you, common in India. It includes base salary, allowances, bonuses, and the employer’s contributions to benefits. CTC is usually higher than the cash you take home, so compare offers on take-home pay too.; Related guides:Salary Negotiation: How to Negotiate a Job Offer with Confidence
Gross Salary: Your pay before deductions such as taxes and retirement or provident-fund contributions. It sits between your total CTC and your net take-home pay.; Related guides:Salary Negotiation: How to Negotiate a Job Offer with Confidence
Net Salary (Take-Home Pay): The amount that actually lands in your bank account after taxes and deductions. When you compare offers, net salary is the number that matters most for your day-to-day budget.; Related guides:Salary Negotiation: How to Negotiate a Job Offer with Confidence
Variable Pay: The part of your pay tied to performance or company results, such as a bonus or incentive, rather than fixed salary. Understand how and when it actually pays out before you count on it.; Related guides:Salary Negotiation: How to Negotiate a Job Offer with Confidence
ESOP (Employee Stock Ownership Plan): A benefit that gives employees a stake in the company, common at startups, usually earned over time. Equity can add real value but comes with risk, so understand the vesting schedule, the terms, and its realistic value before you weigh it against cash.; Related guides:Salary Negotiation: How to Negotiate a Job Offer with Confidence
Appraisal (Hike): A regular performance review that often decides a salary increase, or hike. Keeping track of your achievements with numbers throughout the year makes your case stronger when appraisal time comes.; Related guides:How to Quantify Resume Achievements With Honest Metrics

LinkedIn-specific fields and concepts that affect how recruiters find and read a profile through the platform.

LinkedIn headline: The short line under your name on LinkedIn, and the most searchable part of your profile. Instead of leaving it as just your job title, include your role plus the key skills or specialties you want recruiters to find you for.; Related guides:LinkedIn Profile Optimization: Headline, About, Skills & Experience
Endorsement: A one-click confirmation from a connection that you have a skill listed on LinkedIn. Endorsements add weight to the skills that feed recruiter search filters, so keep your most important skills near the top.; Related guides:LinkedIn Profile Optimization: Headline, About, Skills & Experience
Recommendation: A short written note from a colleague or manager on your LinkedIn profile. Recommendations offer social proof that most profiles lack; ask people you worked closely with, and offer to write one back.; Related guides:LinkedIn Profile Optimization: Headline, About, Skills & Experience
Open to work: A LinkedIn setting that shows you are looking for opportunities. You can display it publicly with a badge or share it privately with recruiters only, which is the safer choice if you still have a job.; Related guides:LinkedIn Profile Optimization: Headline, About, Skills & Experience

Hiring & Recruitment

The roles and processes on the employer side of hiring, from recruiters and hiring managers to sourcing and requisitions.

Recruiter: A professional, either in-house or at an agency, who finds, screens, and guides candidates through a hiring process. Recruiters often run the first screening call and search their applicant tracking system by keyword, which is why the exact words on your resume matter.
Hiring Manager: The person a role reports to, who makes the final hiring decision and defines what the job needs. Unlike a recruiter, the hiring manager judges whether you can do the actual work, so shape your evidence around their priorities.
Talent Acquisition: The wider function and team that attracts and hires people, covering recruiting, employer branding, and workforce planning. Larger companies use it as the umbrella term for their recruiting organization.
Applicant Pool: The full group of candidates who applied for a role. A large applicant pool means more competition and heavier use of keyword filtering, which is why a tailored, ATS-friendly resume matters most for popular postings.; Related guides:Resume Keywords: How to Find and Use the Right Terms
Shortlist: The smaller group of candidates a recruiter or hiring manager picks to move forward, usually to interviews. Getting shortlisted is the immediate goal of your resume and application.
Sourcing: The active search for candidates by recruiters, often on LinkedIn or in a resume database, before or instead of waiting for applications. A strong, keyword-rich profile makes you easy for sourcers to find.; Related guides:LinkedIn Profile Optimization: Headline, About, Skills & Experience
Job Requisition: The formal, approved request to fill a role, including its budget and description. A live requisition means the hiring is funded and real, not just an idea.
Headhunter: A recruiter, usually external, who reaches out to candidates directly, often people who are not actively looking, for specialized or senior roles. Headhunters normally contact you rather than the other way around.
Recruitment Agency: A firm that hires on behalf of employers, matching candidates to their clients’ openings. Agency recruiters can be a helpful channel, but check which client and role they represent before you share your details.

Work Arrangements

Terms for how and where work happens — remote, hybrid, on-site, and the common employment types you will see in postings.

Remote Work: A setup where you do your job from outside a company office, often from home. Remote resumes are stronger when they show self-direction and clear written communication.
Hybrid Work: A mix of remote and in-office work on a set or flexible schedule. Check how many in-office days are expected and where, since the details vary a lot between employers.
On-site Work: A traditional setup that requires you to work from the employer’s physical location. It matters when a posting names a specific location or asks you to relocate.
Full-time Employment: A permanent role with a standard full working week and usually the full set of employee benefits. It is the default arrangement most job postings mean.
Part-time Employment: A role with fewer hours than full-time, sometimes with reduced benefits or none. Part-time work is real experience and worth including, especially early in your career.
Contract / Freelance Work: Temporary or project-based work, either as a contractor or an independent freelancer. It builds real experience you can describe, and it can fill gaps or help you change careers.; Related guides:How to Change Careers: Skills, Resume & Job Search Plan

Offer & Onboarding

Terms for the offer stage and the transition into a new role, including documents and timelines that vary by employer and region.

Offer Letter: A formal document that spells out the terms of a job offer, including title, pay, start date, and any conditions. Get the final terms in writing and read them carefully before you accept.; Related guides:Salary Negotiation: How to Negotiate a Job Offer with Confidence Job References and Follow-Up: The Final Steps That Win Offers
Probation Period: An early stretch of employment when either side can end the relationship more easily while fit is tested. Details like the notice needed during probation are usually written into the offer.
Onboarding: The process of settling a new hire into a company, covering paperwork, tools, training, and early goals. Good onboarding shortens the time it takes to get up to speed.
Background Check: A check an employer runs before or after an offer to confirm your work history, education, and sometimes criminal or credit records. Make sure the details on your resume match reality so nothing looks off.
Notice Period: The time between resigning and your last working day, set in your employment contract. It often runs from two weeks to a few months, depending on the region and your seniority. Employers use it to plan start dates, so know yours before interviews.
Notice Buyout: An arrangement, common in India, where a new employer or the employee pays to shorten or skip the notice period so the candidate can start sooner. Terms vary, so confirm who covers the cost.
Relieving Letter: A document from a former employer, common in India, confirming that you finished your notice period and left in good standing. Some employers ask for it during background checks or onboarding.

Employment & Gaps

Terms for career stage, experience level, and time out of formal work, including region-specific vocabulary.

Fresher: A term, common in India, for a recent graduate or entry-level candidate with little or no full-time work experience. Freshers make their applications stronger with projects, internships, and coursework rather than job history.; Related guides:How to Write a Resume With No Experience
Internship: A temporary, often entry-level role, sometimes paid, that gives you practical experience and can lead to a full-time offer. Internships count as real, valuable experience on a resume.; Related guides:How to Write a Resume With No Experience
Employment Gap: A stretch of time without formal employment in your work history. Gaps are common and usually fine; explain them briefly and honestly, and frame any skills or activities from that time in a positive way.; Related guides:How to Write a Resume: A Step-by-Step Guide
Career Break: A deliberate, often longer pause from work for caregiving, health, study, or personal reasons. It is more accepted now than it used to be, and you can list it plainly, noting any relevant learning or projects.; Related guides:How to Change Careers: Skills, Resume & Job Search Plan
Job Hopper: A label for someone who changes jobs often, which some employers look at more closely. If your history has short stints, focus on your impact and the reasons for each move, and let strong results show the value you added.
Work Authorization: Your legal right to work in a given country, such as citizenship, a work visa, or permanent residency. Applications often ask about it as a knockout question, so answer it accurately.; Related guides:How Applicant Tracking Systems Work: Parsing, Search & Screening
Tenure: How long you have spent in a role or at a company. Longer tenure can suggest stability; when tenures are short, explaining them with impact and context reassures employers.

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Resume, ATS, hiring, and career terms explained