Job search and interview glossary

A category of software that listens to a live interview and shows the candidate suggested answers or notes in real time. It differs from a mock interview tool, which is used for practice beforehand. Some employers and interview formats prohibit live assistance, so check the rules before using one.

Related: What is an AI interview copilot? · Is it cheating to use AI in an interview? · Crush Coach

Software employers use to collect job applications, store candidate records and move people through hiring stages. Recruiters use it to search, filter and review applicants; what it filters on is set up by each employer.

Related: The ATS keyword myth, explained · Resume score · ATS parsing

The step where an applicant tracking system reads an uploaded resume and copies its contents into structured fields such as job titles, dates and skills. Unusual layouts, text inside images and multi-column designs can be read incorrectly, so a simple layout is the safer choice.

Related: Applicant tracking system

A screening an employer runs, usually after a conditional offer and with your consent, that may verify identity, employment history and education and, depending on the role and local law, check criminal or credit records.

Crush Job's term for the interview prep sheet its Interview Killer module builds for one role. It holds an evidence map that matches the posting's requirements to lines from your own resume, STAR stories, and the likely questions plus questions to ask for each interview stage.

Related: See a sample prep sheet · Interview Killer

An interview built on questions about what you have actually done in the past, usually phrased as "Tell me about a time when...". It rests on the idea that past behavior is a good guide to future behavior, and answers are commonly structured with the STAR method.

Related: STAR method · Behavioral interview STAR guide

Contacting someone you have no existing connection with, such as a recruiter, hiring manager or employee at a target company, to ask about a role or for advice. Short, specific messages that make one clear request tend to get more replies than long or generic ones.

Related: Informational interview

A short letter sent with a resume that explains why the applicant wants this role and how their experience fits it. Some employers require one, some make it optional, and some never read it; when it is requested, it should be specific to the job.

A polite message checking on the status of an application or interview after the expected response date has passed. It is usually sent to the recruiter and kept brief.

Related: Thank-you note

The person who will manage the new hire and who usually makes, or has the strongest say in, the final hiring decision. Hiring-manager interviews tend to go deeper into the actual work than recruiter screens do.

Related: Recruiter

An informal conversation with someone who works in a role, team or company you are interested in, held to learn about the work rather than to apply for a job. It is a common way to research a career path and build professional contacts.

Misrepresenting who you are or what you can do during hiring, for example having another person take an interview, using a false identity or claiming credentials you do not hold. Employers that see it may add identity checks or in-person rounds, and it can lead to a rescinded offer or termination.

The employer's written summary of a role: its responsibilities, required and preferred qualifications, and often location, pay range and benefits. It is the best single source for what to emphasize in a resume and what to prepare for in interviews.

Related: Job description templates · Resume tailoring

Comparing the words in a resume with the skills, tools and titles named in a job description. Recruiters often search an applicant tracking system by keyword, so using the posting's own terms for skills you genuinely have makes a resume easier to find.

Related: The ATS keyword myth, explained · Resume tailoring

A yes-or-no or short-answer question on an application, such as work authorization or a required license, that the employer uses to screen out applicants who do not meet a basic requirement. Answer these accurately: a wrong answer can remove an application before anyone reads the resume.

Related: Applicant tracking system

The line of text shown under a person's name on LinkedIn, in search results and next to their posts and comments. By default it shows the current job title; many job seekers rewrite it to name the role and skills they are targeting.

A rehearsal interview, run by a friend, a career coach or software, that simulates a real one so you can practice answering out loud and get feedback before the interview that counts.

Related: Try a mock interview · Mock It! · Practicing with an AI that talks back

The written job offer that states the title, pay, start date and main terms of employment. An offer may be conditional on steps such as a background check, and it is normal to ask questions or negotiate before signing.

Related: Total compensation

An interview with two or more interviewers at the same time, often from different teams. Each panelist may focus on a different area, so it helps to address answers to the whole group and learn everyone's role beforehand.

A short first-round call, often 15 to 30 minutes and usually with a recruiter, that checks basic fit: background, interest in the role, availability and pay expectations. Passing it typically leads to interviews with the hiring team.

A collection of work samples, such as projects, designs, writing or code, that shows what a candidate can do. It is common in design, engineering, writing and marketing roles and is usually shared as a link on the resume.

A person who finds, screens and schedules candidates for open roles. An in-house recruiter works for the hiring company; an agency recruiter works for a staffing firm that the company pays. Recruiters usually run the early stages and the offer, while the hiring manager decides who is hired.

Related: Hiring manager

People, usually former managers or close colleagues, whom an employer may contact to ask about your work. Reference checks typically happen near the end of the process, so ask your references ahead of time and tell them about the role.

Adjusting a resume for one specific job: reordering and rewording real experience so the most relevant parts come first and use the posting's language. Tailoring should change emphasis, not facts.

Related: How to tailor a resume to a job description · Does resume tailoring work? · Rezi Ninja

The minimum-to-maximum base pay an employer has set for a role or level. Some U.S. states and cities require pay ranges in job postings, which makes the band a useful starting point for negotiation.

Related: Total compensation

An interview built on hypothetical questions, such as "What would you do if...", that ask how you would handle a situation you may face in the role. Unlike behavioral questions, they ask about the future rather than the past.

Related: Behavioral interview

A way to structure an answer to a behavioral question in four parts: the Situation, your Task, the Action you personally took and the Result. It keeps an answer short, specific and easy for an interviewer to score.

Related: STAR method worksheet · Behavioral interview STAR guide

An interview in which every candidate for a role is asked the same set of job-related questions and answers are scored against the same rating scale. The U.S. Office of Personnel Management describes it as using rules for eliciting, observing and evaluating responses.

Related: Behavioral interview

An interview that tests job-specific skills directly, for example a coding exercise, a case study, a design critique or a work sample. The format varies widely by field and employer, so it is worth asking the recruiter what to expect.

A short message sent to interviewers, usually by email within a day of the interview, thanking them for their time. A good one mentions something specific from the conversation and briefly restates interest in the role.

Related: Follow-up email

Everything an employer pays you, not only base salary: bonuses, equity such as stock grants, retirement contributions, health insurance and other benefits. Two offers with the same salary can differ widely in total compensation.

Related: Salary band