A–Z of Recruitment Vocabulary

Introduction: Recruitment English Made Easy

You might already work in recruitment, be thinking about applying for a job in HR, or simply want to understand what your colleagues are talking about in meetings. The world of hiring has its own special vocabulary, and it can be confusing if English isn’t your first language.

This A–Z of recruitment will walk you through the most useful words and phrases you need to understand job adverts, interviews, and HR conversations. Use it as a quick reference, a revision list, or a speaking resource for your next online English lesson.

A–Z of Recruitment Vocabulary

A is for applicant – the person who applies for a job.

B is for background check – when a company researches the history of an applicant or candidate, including criminal records, work history, and sometimes social media.

C is for cover letter – an email or letter that goes with your CV to explain why you’re applying for a job.

D is for direct hire – when a company hires someone directly without using a recruitment agency or other middle-man.

E is for entry-level – a job that requires little or no previous experience.

F is for fixed-term contract – a contract with an end date. After this date the job normally finishes, unless the company extends it.

G is for group interview – an interview where more than one candidate is in the room at the same time and they are interviewed together.

H is for headhunt – when a recruiter finds someone for a vacancy instead of waiting for them to apply. The person usually already has a job in another company.

I is for initial interview – the first stage of an interview when there are several steps in the application process.

J is for job seeker – a person who is looking for a job.

K is for KSA – an abbreviation used in HR that stands for Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities.

L is for lay off – when a company has financial problems and needs to remove people from their jobs. People who are laid off don’t have a job anymore, but they are not sacked or fired for bad behaviour.

M is for minimum wage – the lowest amount of money you are legally allowed to pay someone.

N is for non-disclosure agreement (NDA) – a contract you sign that says you are not allowed to share confidential information about the company.

O is for overtime – all time worked over your normal contract hours. In some companies, overtime is paid at a higher rate.

P is for panel – a group of people who interview a candidate together.

Q is for queasy – a feeling of sickness in your stomach that you might get before a very important interview.

R is for recruitment agency – a company that specialises in finding jobs for job seekers and candidates for companies.

S is for sack – when somebody is forced to leave the company because of poor performance or bad behaviour. You can also say fire.

T is for talent pool – a database or list of potential future candidates for a company.

U is for umbrella company – a company that sits between the client and the worker. The client pays the umbrella company, and the umbrella company then pays the worker. Often used for fixed-term contracts.

V is for vacancy – a job that is available.

W is for wages – the money you are paid per week or per month. You can also talk about an hourly wage.

X is for xylophone – something you might buy your child to celebrate your new job.

Y is for yell – something you might do with happiness if you get hired for your dream job.

Z is for Zoom – software for online meetings that can be used for remote job interviews and video calls.

Bonus Recruitment & HR Vocabulary

Application process – the steps from applying for a job to being hired.

Aptitude test – a test used in the application process to see if you are suitable for a job before you are accepted.

Candidate – someone being considered for a job.

Induction – a day or period of training before you start a job.

Hire – what a company does when they find the right person for a job.

Redundancy pay – money a company gives you if they have to lay you off.

Turn down – to say no when you are offered a job or opportunity.

HR – stands for Human Resources, the department that deals with people, contracts, salaries, and recruitment.