English for Job Seeking: Essential Vocabulary

"tailor your CV"

To customise your CV for a specific job by highlighting the most relevant skills and experience.

"You should tailor your CV to match the keywords in each job description before applying."

"cover letter"

A one-page document submitted with a CV that introduces you and explains why you are the right candidate.

"Her cover letter explained her career change and made a compelling case for her transferable skills."

"references available upon request"

A phrase indicating that professional references can be provided if the employer asks for them.

"He ended his CV with 'References available upon request' rather than listing contact details."

"employment gap"

A period in your work history when you were not employed, which may need to be explained to employers.

"She addressed her employment gap by explaining she had been caring for a family member."

"quantify achievements"

To use specific numbers or data to demonstrate the impact of your work on a CV or in an interview.

"Instead of saying he improved sales, he quantified his achievements: 'Increased revenue by 32% in Q3'."

"applicant tracking system"

Software used by employers to filter and rank CVs automatically based on keywords and criteria.

"Many CVs are rejected by an applicant tracking system before a human ever reads them."

"executive summary"

A short professional profile at the top of a CV summarising your key skills and career goals.

"The recruiter appreciated the executive summary, which clearly stated his seniority and target role."

"professional profile"

A brief personal statement on your CV or LinkedIn page describing your background and what you bring to employers.

"Her professional profile on LinkedIn attracted three inbound recruiter messages in the first week."

"behavioural interview"

An interview format where candidates are asked to give specific past examples to demonstrate skills and competencies.

"In the behavioural interview, she was asked to describe a time she had resolved a conflict with a colleague."

"STAR method"

A structured technique for answering behavioural questions: Situation, Task, Action, Result.

"He used the STAR method to answer every competency question clearly and concisely."

"panel interview"

An interview where you are questioned by multiple interviewers at the same time, often from different departments.

"The panel interview included the hiring manager, an HR representative, and a potential team member."

"competency-based questions"

Interview questions designed to assess specific skills by asking for real examples from your past experience.

"Competency-based questions like 'Tell me about a time you led a project' are common in corporate interviews."

"strengths and weaknesses"

A classic interview topic where candidates discuss their professional abilities and areas they are actively improving.

"When asked about strengths and weaknesses, she spoke honestly and showed self-awareness."

"follow-up email"

A thank-you message sent to interviewers after a job interview to express continued interest and gratitude.

"He sent a follow-up email within 24 hours to thank the panel and reiterate his enthusiasm for the role."

"culture fit"

The degree to which a candidate's values and working style align with those of the company.

"The interviewer emphasised culture fit as much as technical skills when evaluating candidates."

"elevator pitch"

A brief, persuasive summary of who you are and what you offer, delivered in the time it takes to ride an elevator.

"She rehearsed her elevator pitch so she could answer 'Tell me about yourself' confidently in under two minutes."

"headhunter"

A recruiter who proactively approaches qualified professionals for specific positions, rather than waiting for applications.

"A headhunter contacted her through LinkedIn and offered to put her forward for a director-level role."

"shortlist"

The reduced list of candidates selected from all applicants to progress to the interview stage.

"Out of 200 applications, only eight candidates made it onto the shortlist for interviews."

"job specification"

A detailed document outlining the duties, responsibilities, qualifications, and skills required for a role.

"She read the job specification carefully before writing her application to address every requirement."

"notice period"

The length of time an employee must continue working after resigning before they can leave a job.

"His notice period was three months, which some potential employers found too long to wait."

"probation period"

An initial phase of employment, typically three to six months, during which performance is evaluated before confirmation.

"She passed her six-month probation period and was officially confirmed in the permanent role."

"passive candidate"

A professional who is currently employed and not actively looking for a job but may be open to the right opportunity.

"Most senior hires are passive candidates who need to be approached directly by a recruiter."

"job board"

A website or platform where employers post vacancies and job seekers can search and apply for positions.

"She set up daily alerts on a job board so she would hear about new openings immediately."

"talent pool"

A database of pre-screened candidates that a recruiter or employer can draw from when a vacancy arises.

"The company built a talent pool of strong applicants to fill future positions quickly."

"informational interview"

A casual conversation with a professional in your target field to gain insight and make connections, not to apply for a job.

"She requested an informational interview with a product manager to understand what the role truly involves."

"LinkedIn connection"

A first-degree professional contact on the LinkedIn platform, part of your direct professional network.

"After the conference, he sent a personalised LinkedIn connection request to every speaker he had met."

"mutual contact"

A person you both know who can introduce or vouch for you in a professional context.

"She mentioned a mutual contact in her email, which significantly increased her chances of a reply."

"personal brand"

The professional identity and reputation you project online and in person, including your expertise and values.

"Building a strong personal brand on LinkedIn helped him attract job opportunities without actively applying."

"warm introduction"

A referral or introduction to someone made through a mutual contact, as opposed to a cold approach.

"Getting a warm introduction to the hiring manager made her application stand out from the pile."

"industry event"

A conference, seminar, or meetup within a professional field where networking opportunities arise.

"He attended every relevant industry event to build relationships with potential employers and peers."

"mentor"

An experienced professional who provides guidance, advice, and support to help someone develop their career.

"Her mentor helped her navigate the transition from academia into the corporate sector."

"referral"

A recommendation from a current employee or contact that introduces a candidate to a job opening.

"Candidates who apply through a referral are statistically far more likely to get an interview."

"base salary"

The fixed regular payment an employee receives before any bonuses, overtime, or benefits are added.

"Her base salary was $80,000, with an annual performance bonus of up to 20% on top."

"total compensation"

The complete value of an employment package, including salary, bonuses, equity, benefits, and perks.

"When comparing offers, always evaluate total compensation rather than just the headline salary."

"counter-offer"

A response to an initial job offer that proposes different terms, usually a higher salary or improved conditions.

"She made a counter-offer requesting $10,000 more and an additional week of annual leave."

"salary range"

The minimum and maximum pay a company will offer for a given role, used as a basis for negotiation.

"The job posting listed a salary range of £45,000–£55,000 depending on experience."

"benefits package"

The collection of non-salary perks offered by an employer, such as health insurance, pension, and paid leave.

"The benefits package included private health insurance, a pension contribution, and gym membership."

"equity / stock options"

The right to purchase company shares at a fixed price, commonly offered by startups as part of a compensation package.

"The startup offered a modest salary but compensated with generous equity / stock options."

"signing bonus"

A one-time payment offered to a new employee as an incentive to accept a job offer.

"To offset his forfeited bonus, the new employer offered a signing bonus of $15,000."

"market rate"

The typical salary paid for a particular role and level of experience within a given industry and location.

"She researched the market rate before negotiating and successfully argued for a pay increase."

"onboarding"

The process of integrating a new employee into an organisation, including training, orientation, and introductions.

"The onboarding programme lasted two weeks and covered company culture, tools, and team structure."

"performance review"

A formal meeting where an employee's work is evaluated against goals and objectives, often determining pay progression.

"During her performance review, she highlighted three major projects she had delivered ahead of schedule."

"KPI (Key Performance Indicator)"

A measurable target used to evaluate whether an employee or team is achieving their goals.

"Her main KPI for the quarter was to reduce customer churn rate by 5%."

"line manager"

The direct supervisor responsible for day-to-day management and support of an employee.

"He met with his line manager every week for a 30-minute check-in to discuss priorities."

"constructive feedback"

Specific, actionable feedback that identifies areas for improvement while being respectful and supportive.

"She appreciated that her manager offered constructive feedback rather than vague criticism."

"delegation"

The act of assigning responsibility and authority for a task to another person, usually a subordinate.

"Effective delegation allowed the team lead to focus on strategy while her team handled execution."

"remote working arrangement"

A formal agreement allowing an employee to work from a location other than the main office, such as from home.

"He negotiated a remote working arrangement for three days a week before accepting the offer."

"company culture"

The shared values, behaviours, and practices that define how people work and interact within an organisation.

"The company culture was collaborative and open, which was exactly what she had been looking for."