acceptance letter

A letter informing an employer of one's decision to accept a job offer.

accomplishment

Something at which you succeeded as a direct result of your efforts.

achievement

See accomplishment.

Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)

A federal civil rights law that was designed to prevent discrimination and enable those with disabilities to participate fully in all aspects of society.

annual report

The primary document public companies use to disclose corporate information to shareholders.

background check

Used by prospective employers to verify the information included on a job candidate's resume or application, including work history and educational background; may also include looking at criminal records and credit history.

behavioral interview

An interview during which the interviewer asks the job candidate to demonstrate her competencies by giving real-life examples of when she has used those competencies. This may be either a standalone entity or part of a regular job interview.

benefits

The part of your compensation package that is in addition to salary. May include health and life insurance, personal days, vacation, pension plans, tuition assistance, and severance packages.

body language

The nonverbal gestures and mannerisms used to interpret one's true feelings.

career coach

A career development expert who advises clients about job searching and career advancement.

career counselor

A career development expert who usually has a master's degree in counseling and often is licensed by a state board of licensure.

career exploration

This step of the career planning process involves gathering information about an occupation in order to make a decision regarding career choice.

Certified Professional Resume Writer (CPRW)

A resume writer who is certified by the Professional Association of Resume Writers.

chronological resume

A resume on which work experience is listed in reverse chronological order (that is, the most recent job is at the top of the list).

Civil Rights Act of 1964, Title VII

This federal law prohibits employment discrimination based on an individual's race, religion, sex, or national origin.

civil service

Employment in the federal government, or in a state or local government.

combination resume

A resume that combines the information included on both a functional and a chronological resume; skills are emphasized but an employment history is included.

committee interview

See panel interview.

competencies

A combination of your knowledge, skills, and abilities.

confidentiality agreement

Part of an employment contract that prohibits an employee from disclosing confidential or sensitive information; also referred to as a nondisclosure agreement.

corporate culture

The shared values, goals, and practices that give a corporation its unique personality.

cover letter

A letter sent along with a resume; the cover letter's purpose is to introduce the job seeker to the person who will be reviewing the resume and to express the candidate's interest in the job.

curriculum vitae (CV)

A summary of one's work experience that is much more detailed than a resume; it includes academic background, publications, and other professional achievements.

Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC)

The federal agency that oversees the enforcement of antidiscrimination laws.

exempt employee

Refers to employees who are exempt from the overtime and minimum wage provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act; exempt employees are generally those working in executive, administrative, professional, or outside sales positions.

Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA)

U.S. law that establishes minimum wage, overtime pay, record-keeping, and child labor standards; these standards affect nonexempt full-time and part-time employees in the private sector as well as in federal, state, and local governments.

Family and Medical Leave Act (FLMA)

Enacted in 1993, this federal law allows for a leave from work for the birth or adoption of a child or one's own illness or that of a family member.

Form 10-Q

A quarterly report that a publicly held company files with the SEC. Form 8-K

The form a publicly held company must file with the SEC to report the occurrence of any material events or corporate changes.

functional resume

A resume on which skills are categorized by job function; abilities are emphasized rather than work history.

glass ceiling

A term that refers to the invisible barrier which certain groups, e.g., women and minorities, cannot pass to reach higher career levels.

goal, long-term:

A career or personal objective that can take from three to five years to complete.

goal, short-term

A career or personal objective that can be reached in one to three years.

group interview

A job interview during which a group of candidates are interviewed at the same time.

hard skills

The skills you learned in school or through some other formal training.

hiring manager

The person for whom a job candidate will work if hired; the hiring manager interviews and selects the candidate.

human resources (HR) department

The department in a company that is responsible for selection, hiring, and training employees; sometimes referred to as the personnel department.

illegal questions

Technically, the questions that a prospective employer cannot, by law, ask a job candidate. Often refers to questions used to gather information which the employer cannot use to make a hiring decision because of antidiscrimination laws. See also Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.

informational interview

A meeting during which someone planning his or her career learns about an occupation from someone who has firsthand knowledge.

internship

A work experience, usually unpaid and often done for academic credit, that is usually related to one's field of study.

interpersonal skills

One's ability to get along with others.

job banks

Websites that list job openings and allow users to search through them by location, job type, and often keywords such as job title and employer. See also resume banks.

job club

A group of people who meet to offer support to one another during the job search process; usually help is offered in resume writing, job interviewing, and networking.

job description

Provides details about a job, such as duties, requirements, and hours.

job objective

The section of a resume that tells a prospective employer what type of job the candidate is seeking.

job offer

An offer made to a job candidate by the prospective employer; a job offer usually includes specifics about the job, such as salary, benefits, hours, and starting date.

job posting

A notice announcing that a job is available; it usually gives some details about the position and its requirements.

job reference

Someone the potential employer may contact to ask about a job candidate; generally this person will be able to recommend that the employer hire this person.

job reference list

A neatly formatted list of job references that includes names and contact information.

mentor

One who provides guidance for a less-experienced colleague.

mock job interview

A practice job interview that is sometimes videotaped.

network

The group of individuals with whom one can share career-related information.

noncompete agreement

Part of an employment contract or a separate agreement that states one will not compete with his or her employer; an employee may be asked to sign a noncompete agreement upon being hired; also referred to as a noncompete clause.

nondisclosure agreement

See confidentiality agreement.

nonexempt employee

Refers to employees who are covered by the Fair Labor Standards Act; nonexempt employees must receive overtime pay and must be paid at least the current minimum wage.

panel interview

A job interview during which a group of people interview a job candidate; also referred to as a committee interview.

personality inventory

A tool used to find out what personality type one fits into; personality inventories are used as self-assessment tools.

portfolio

A collection of work; a portfolio generally contains pictures, photographs, or writing samples, but may include any work samples a job candidate wants a prospective employer to see.

Pregnancy Discrimination Act of 1978

An amendment to Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 that protects a woman from being discriminated against based on her pregnancy or related condition.

privately held company

A company owned by individuals or groups of individuals.

publicly held company

A company that has shares of stock that are traded on a stock exchange. The owners of the shares of stock are called shareholders and they have a financial stake in the company.

qualifications

The knowledge, skills, and abilities a job candidate must have in order to be hired for a particular position.

reasonable accommodation

Adjustments or modifications to the workplace provided by an employer to enable people with disabilities to enjoy equal employment opportunities.

reference

See job reference.

rejection letter

A letter informing an employer of one's decision to reject a job offer.

resume

A summary of one's work history and educational background; a resume is usually one page in length; see also chronological resume, combination resume, and functional resume.

resume banks

Websites that allow users to post resumes so employers may search through them to find eligible applicants.

salary history

A document included as an addendum to the resume; lists salaries for each job on the resume.

salary negotiation

The process a job candidate goes through to obtain the best possible compensation package.

screening interview

The initial interview with a prospective employer. Usually someone from the human resources department will try to verify items on the candidate's resume, such as dates of employment, schooling, etc.

Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC)

The U.S. government agency that protects investors and maintains the integrity of the securities market.

selection interview

The interview during which the hiring manager will try to determine if the applicant is the best-qualified job candidate.

sexual harassment

Unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, or other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature; rejection of this conduct may have a negative effect on one's employment, work performance, or create an intimidating, hostile, or offensive work environment; sexual harassment violates the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

soft skills

Skills that aren't specific to any occupation, but instead enhance one's performance regardless of what one's actual job is.

stress interview

A technique sometimes used by interviewers to weed out job candidates who can't handle adversity; the interviewer purposely makes the candidate uncomfortable or anxious.

thank-you letter

A letter a job candidate should send, following a job interview, to each person who participated in his interview.

transferable skills

Skills one has gathered through jobs, hobbies, volunteer work, or other life experiences that can be used in future jobs or in a new career.

work history

Past jobs as described on one's resume.

vita

See curriculum vitae.