Job Search
Someone who is currently looking for a new job.
What is an active job seeker?
Occupation-specific knowledge and technical capabilities.
What is a hard skill?
Someone an employer can contact to verify your work history, professional strengths, and other qualifications.
What is a job reference?
Brief 3–5 sentence overview of your career and qualifications, geared toward hooking a hiring manager’s interest.
What is a resume summary?
Interview conducted over the phone, usually before an in-person meeting.
What is a phone interview?
Websites on which employers post job ads and job seekers search for new career opportunities.
What are job boards?
Ability to manage your own emotions as well as understand others’ feelings and adjust your behavior accordingly.
What is emotional intelligence?
All materials sent from a job seeker to a prospective employer. Could include cover letter, resume, and/or supplemental questions requested by the hiring company.
What is a job application?
Highly detailed outline of qualifications structured in a specific way. Typically used when applying for academic, education, scientific, or research positions.
What is a curriculum vitae (CV)?
A nice shirt (with our without a tie, for men), dress slacks (or a skirt, for women), and close-toed shoes.
What is business casual attire?
When someone inexperienced in a particular role or career follows someone more experienced to learn about their daily duties and responsibilities.
What is job shadowing?
Learning experience for someone (like a student) with little to no experience in their field. Role may be paid or unpaid, and could lead to a full-time position.
What is an internship?
Job reference who can vouch for your disposition and character.
What is a personal reference?
Buzzwords and phrases your resume needs to have to make it through the ATS.
What are keywords?
Interview with an experienced professional with the purpose of answering questions about a particular career or industry.
What is an informational interview?
Similar to a resume summary, this short blurb outlining your professional career and qualifications can be used for social media profiles, career portfolios, and interviews.
What is a professional bio?
Unpaid experience that (if career-relevant) can serve as a resume builder.
What is volunteering?
3–5 paragraph letter introducing your resume and describing why you would bring value to a potential employer’s organization.
What is a cover letter?
Resume format that lists previous positions in reverse chronological order.
What is a chronological resume?
Job interview in which multiple employees—usually from different areas of the company—screen one or more candidates.
What is a panel interview?
When an industry experiences high demand for certain skills that are in low supply.
What is a skill gap?
Workshops, courses, or lectures you take to expand your knowledge of topics in your field.
What is professional development?
A computer program that scans resumes for specific data, such as keywords and contact information.
What is an applicant tracking system (ATS)?
List of ATS-scannable skills that appears directly after your resume summary.
What are core competencies (key skills)?
30–40 second summary of your professional bio, the unique value you bring to the table, and your top career achievements.
What is an elevator pitch?