Resources & glossary
HR, career, and recruitment terms — defined clearly. A reference for clients, candidates, and the wider HR community.
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9
9-box grid
Fractional HR- A talent-review tool that plots employees on two axes — current performance and future potential — across nine cells. Used to inform succession planning, development investment, and retention focus.
A
AI in recruitment
AI & Modern HR Tech- The use of machine learning to source candidates, screen CVs, schedule interviews, draft outreach, and surface insights from hiring data. Most useful as augmentation; most risky when used to make final selection decisions without human review.
Asynchronous interview
AI & Modern HR Tech- A format in which candidates record video answers to predefined questions on their own schedule. Speeds early-stage screening and removes time-zone friction; should always lead to live conversations for finalists.
ATS (Applicant Tracking System)
Career & CV- Software used by employers to receive, store, and screen job applications. ATS systems parse CVs into structured data, search them by keywords, and rank candidates before a human reviews them. An ATS-friendly CV uses clean structure, standard headings, and the right keywords so it is parsed correctly and surfaced for the right roles.
ATS vs CRM (recruiting)
AI & Modern HR Tech- An ATS manages active applicants for open roles; a recruiting CRM nurtures relationships with passive candidates over time. Modern talent acquisition stacks combine both — ATS for execution, CRM for pipeline building.
ATS-friendly CV
Career & CV- A CV designed to be parsed accurately by Applicant Tracking Systems while remaining easy to read for humans. Key features: standard section headings (Experience, Education, Skills), no text inside images, simple fonts, no complex tables or columns, and keyword alignment with the target role.
Related: CV writing & LinkedIn optimization →
B
Behavioral interview
Career & CV- An interview format based on the premise that past behavior predicts future behavior. Questions typically begin with "Tell me about a time when…" and are best answered using the STAR method.
Belonging
DEI & Belonging- The lived experience of being valued, respected, and free to contribute as oneself. Belonging is the outcome that diverse and inclusive practices are designed to produce, and the strongest predictor of retention.
Boolean search
LinkedIn & Personal Branding- A search technique using AND, OR, NOT, parentheses, and quotation marks to combine keywords precisely. Used by recruiters on LinkedIn and ATS platforms to surface niche candidates. Knowing how recruiters search informs how you write your profile.
C
Candidate experience
Recruitment- The sum of every interaction a candidate has with an employer — from job ad to offer (or rejection). A strong candidate experience strengthens employer brand whether or not the candidate is hired.
Career Development Framework
Fractional HR- A structured map of roles, levels, and capabilities that defines what growth looks like inside an organization. Provides a shared language for promotion decisions, development plans, and internal mobility.
Career pivot
Career & CV- A deliberate change in career direction — function, industry, or both — that builds on transferable skills rather than starting from zero. Successful pivots require a clear narrative that connects past experience to the new target.
Career re-entry
Career & CV- Returning to professional work after an extended break — for caregiving, study, health, or other reasons. Re-entry requires positioning the gap with confidence, refreshing skills where needed, and rebuilding professional networks.
CHRO (Chief Human Resources Officer)
Fractional HR- The executive responsible for all people-related strategy and operations — talent, organization design, performance, reward, culture, and compliance. A fractional CHRO performs the same function on a part-time basis.
Coaching
Learning & Development- A structured, time-bound process where a coach helps a professional unlock specific outcomes — career clarity, leadership effectiveness, performance, or transition. Powered by questions, not advice.
Coffee badging
Employer Branding & Culture- The behavior of coming into the office briefly — long enough to be seen — and leaving. Often a signal that office presence is mandated without being meaningfully connected to purpose.
Compa-ratio
Compensation & Total Rewards- An employee's actual pay divided by the midpoint of their salary band, expressed as a percentage. Compa-ratios above 100% signal seniority within band; below 100% signal room for growth or potential under-payment.
Related: Career strategy & advisory →
Related: Read: Coffee badging →
D
DEI (Diversity, Equity & Inclusion)
DEI & Belonging- A combined commitment to diverse representation, equitable systems, and inclusive day-to-day experience. Sustainable DEI is built into hiring, performance, pay, and promotion practices — not delegated to a single program.
E
Employee engagement
Employer Branding & Culture- The degree of emotional commitment, motivation, and discretionary effort employees bring to their work. Distinct from satisfaction (how content people are) — engagement is about how invested they are.
Employee listening
AI & Modern HR Tech- A continuous, multi-channel approach to understanding how employees experience work — combining surveys, pulse checks, exit interviews, and unstructured signals. The basis for evidence-led culture and engagement work.
Employer brand
Employer Branding & Culture- The reputation of an organization as a place to work, as perceived by current employees, candidates, and the wider market. It exists whether you manage it or not — the question is whether it works for or against you.
eNPS (Employee Net Promoter Score)
Employer Branding & Culture- A single-question metric — "How likely are you to recommend this company as a place to work?" — scored 0–10. Promoters minus detractors gives the eNPS. Useful as a longitudinal trend, weak as a standalone diagnostic.
Equity (stock options)
Compensation & Total Rewards- A grant giving employees the right to purchase company shares at a fixed price after a vesting period. A core retention and alignment lever in start-ups and scale-ups, where equity often substitutes for above-market cash.
EVP (Employee Value Proposition)
Employer Branding & Culture- The articulated promise an employer makes to current and future employees — the experience, rewards, growth, purpose, and culture they can expect in exchange for their contribution. The EVP is the strategic foundation of employer branding.
Executive CV
Career & CV- A CV written for C-suite, VP, and senior leadership roles. Emphasizes business outcomes, P&L responsibility, scope (team size, budget, geography), and strategic impact rather than task-level descriptions.
Related: Read: Beyond perks and pay →
Related: Employer branding strategy →
Related: Executive CV writing →
F
Fractional HR
Fractional HR- Senior HR leadership delivered on a part-time, ongoing basis — typically by an experienced practitioner who works with several organizations. A practical model for SMEs, scale-ups, and start-ups that need senior HR thinking without a full-time hire.
Related: Fractional HR partnership →
G
Glassdoor
Employer Branding & Culture- A widely used review site where current and former employees rate employers and share salary data. Glassdoor presence is a material employer-branding asset; how leadership responds to reviews matters as much as the reviews themselves.
Related: Read: Managing Glassdoor →
H
HRIS (Human Resources Information System)
AI & Modern HR Tech- The system of record for employee data — personal information, employment, compensation, leave, and performance. The foundation that every other HR tool integrates with.
Hybrid work
Employer Branding & Culture- Any working model that combines in-office and remote time on a structured basis. Effective hybrid models are designed around the work itself, not around presence for its own sake.
I
Inclusive job description
DEI & Belonging- A job ad written to attract a wider, more representative candidate pool — neutral language, must-have vs nice-to-have separation, transparent compensation, and removal of unnecessary credential requirements.
Internal mobility
Learning & Development- The movement of existing employees into new roles, projects, or geographies inside the same organization. Strong internal mobility programs reduce attrition, lower hiring costs, and build institutional knowledge.
L
L&D (Learning & Development)
Learning & Development- The function and practices that build employee capability — onboarding, technical training, leadership programs, coaching, and continuous learning. A strategic L&D function is one of the strongest signals of a serious employer brand.
LinkedIn ghostwriting
LinkedIn & Personal Branding- A service where a writer crafts LinkedIn posts and articles in the voice of a senior professional or executive who supplies the perspective but lacks the time to write. The goal is a consistent, authentic published presence.
LinkedIn profile optimization
LinkedIn & Personal Branding- The process of rewriting and restructuring a LinkedIn profile so it ranks for the right searches, communicates a clear professional brand, and converts viewers into connections, recruiters, or clients. Covers headline, About, Experience, Skills, and visual identity.
LinkedIn SSI (Social Selling Index)
LinkedIn & Personal Branding- A LinkedIn-internal score (0–100) measuring how effectively a user establishes a professional brand, finds the right people, engages with insights, and builds relationships. A useful directional metric, not a goal in itself.
Related: LinkedIn optimization service →
M
Mentorship
Learning & Development- A structured developmental relationship in which a more experienced professional guides a less experienced one over time. Distinct from coaching: mentorship is relational and long-term; coaching is task-focused and time-bound.
Mock interview
Career & CV- A simulated interview designed to mirror the format, tone, and difficulty of a real one — usually followed by structured, recruiter-level feedback on substance, structure, and delivery.
O
OKRs (Objectives and Key Results)
Fractional HR- A goal-setting framework pairing a qualitative Objective with 3–5 measurable Key Results. Used to align teams around outcomes that matter, on a quarterly cycle.
Onboarding
Recruitment- The structured process of integrating a new hire into the organization — covering role, team, systems, culture, and expectations. Effective onboarding typically spans the first 90 days, not just the first day.
Org design
Fractional HR- The deliberate shaping of structure, roles, reporting lines, and decision rights so the organization can deliver on strategy. Good org design reduces friction; poor org design quietly taxes every project.
P
Pay equity
Compensation & Total Rewards- Equal pay for work of equal value across gender, ethnicity, and other protected characteristics — controlling for role, level, location, and tenure. Increasingly subject to disclosure requirements under EU directives.
People analytics
AI & Modern HR Tech- The disciplined use of data to answer questions about hiring, performance, engagement, retention, and pay. Mature people analytics shifts HR decisions from anecdote to evidence.
Performance framework
Fractional HR- The combined set of expectations, conversations, ratings, and decisions that govern how performance is defined, measured, and rewarded. A well-designed framework is consistent, transparent, and tightly linked to the company's definition of "good".
Personal branding
LinkedIn & Personal Branding- The deliberate positioning of a professional identity across digital and offline channels. A strong personal brand answers three questions clearly: what you do, who you do it for, and why it matters.
Pre-boarding
Recruitment- Everything that happens between offer acceptance and day one — paperwork, equipment, introductions, welcome materials. Strong pre-boarding reduces no-shows and accelerates time-to-productivity.
Programmatic job advertising
AI & Modern HR Tech- The use of automated bidding and audience targeting to distribute job ads across channels — optimized for cost-per-application or cost-per-hire. Standard practice for high-volume recruiting.
Psychological safety
DEI & Belonging- The shared belief in a team that it is safe to take interpersonal risks — to ask questions, admit mistakes, and challenge ideas without humiliation. The single strongest predictor of high-performing teams in modern research.
Pulse survey
Employer Branding & Culture- A short, frequent survey (often monthly or quarterly) that measures a small set of employee-experience indicators. Designed to surface change quickly between deeper annual engagement surveys.
Related: Personal branding services →
R
RACI matrix
Fractional HR- A simple table assigning each task or decision an owner: Responsible, Accountable, Consulted, Informed. Removes ambiguity in cross-functional work and is a fast diagnostic tool for stalled projects.
Replacement guarantee
Recruitment- A clause in a recruitment engagement under which the agency conducts a complimentary search if a placed candidate leaves or is dismissed within an agreed period. The market standard is 3 months.
Resume parsing
AI & Modern HR Tech- The automated extraction of structured data — name, roles, dates, skills — from a CV file. Quality of parsing determines whether a CV is searchable, ranked correctly, and surfaced to recruiters at all.
Reverse-chronological CV
Career & CV- The most widely accepted CV format, listing roles from most recent to oldest. Preferred by recruiters and ATS systems because it makes career progression and recency of experience immediately visible.
Related: Read more in our FAQ →
S
Salary band
Compensation & Total Rewards- A predefined pay range for a given level and role family, with a minimum, midpoint, and maximum. Bands create internal equity, support transparent conversations, and make compensation defensible.
Salary transparency
Recruitment- The practice of publishing salary ranges in job ads and being open about pay structures internally. Increasingly required by EU directives and proven to widen, diversify, and accelerate talent pipelines.
Servant leadership
Employer Branding & Culture- A leadership philosophy in which the leader's primary role is to develop, enable, and remove obstacles for their team — rather than to direct from above. Closely associated with high-engagement, low-turnover cultures.
Sign-on bonus
Compensation & Total Rewards- A one-time payment offered at the start of employment, often used to offset forfeited equity, lost bonuses, or a relocation. Typically subject to clawback if the employee leaves within a defined period.
Skills taxonomy
Learning & Development- A structured, organization-wide vocabulary of skills, organized by family and proficiency level. Underpins workforce planning, internal mobility, learning recommendations, and AI-assisted talent matching.
Skills-based hiring
Learning & Development- Selecting candidates primarily on demonstrated skills and capability rather than degrees or pedigree. Widens talent pools, reduces bias, and is increasingly common in tech, fintech, and remote-first organizations.
Span of control
Fractional HR- The number of direct reports a manager has. Healthy spans depend on role complexity and team maturity — typically 5–9 for senior managers and 8–15 for operational team leads.
STAR method
Career & CV- A structure for answering behavioral interview questions: Situation, Task, Action, Result. STAR turns vague claims into concrete, verifiable stories and is the standard framework taught in interview coaching.
Stretch assignment
Learning & Development- A project deliberately chosen to extend an employee's skills, scope, or visibility beyond their current role. The most efficient form of leadership development — far cheaper and stickier than classroom training.
Structured interview
DEI & Belonging- An interview where every candidate is asked the same predefined questions, scored against a calibrated rubric. Significantly improves predictive validity and reduces bias compared with unstructured conversations.
Succession planning
Fractional HR- The structured process of identifying and developing internal candidates for critical roles, so the organization can navigate planned and unplanned departures without losing momentum.
Related: Interview coaching →
T
Thought leadership
LinkedIn & Personal Branding- Publishing original perspective on a defined topic with enough consistency and credibility to influence how others in the field think. Distinct from content marketing — the goal is reputation, not lead volume.
Time-to-hire
Recruitment- The number of days from the moment a candidate enters the pipeline to the moment they accept an offer. Tracked alongside time-to-fill (which starts at requisition opening) to diagnose pipeline efficiency.
Total rewards
Compensation & Total Rewards- The full package of value an employee receives: base salary, variable pay, equity, benefits, learning, recognition, flexibility, and career growth. Modern employer brands compete on the whole package, not just the paycheck.
U
Unconscious bias
DEI & Belonging- Patterns of judgment that influence decisions outside of conscious awareness. Awareness alone changes little; structured processes — calibrated scorecards, blind reviews, panel hiring — reduce its impact.
V
Variable pay
Compensation & Total Rewards- Compensation tied to performance — individual, team, or company — paid on top of base salary. Includes annual bonuses, sales commission, and profit-sharing. Effective only when the link between behavior and payout is clear.
Vesting
Compensation & Total Rewards- The schedule by which an employee earns the right to their granted equity over time — most commonly four years with a one-year cliff. Designed to align long-term incentives with tenure.
W
Workforce planning
AI & Modern HR Tech- The process of forecasting and shaping the size, shape, cost, and capabilities of the workforce against business strategy. Strategic workforce planning makes hiring proactive instead of reactive.
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