Accomplishments - these are the achievements you have had in your life or career. These important points can really help sell you to an employer.  In your cover letters, resumes, and job interviews, focus on key career accomplishments that you can verify. 

Action Verbs - The building blocks of effective cover letters and resumes. These solid, descriptive verbs illustrate your assets, skills, experience and accomplishments. Always avoid non-descriptive verbs such as "work", "do" or forms of the verb "to be". As an alternative, start each descriptive section with an action verb. You can type in "action verb" into a search engine and come up with good ones. 

Assessments - These tests ask you a series of questions and try to provide you with some sense of your personality and career interests. You should not rely on the results of these tests by themselves however the results can be a good starting point for discovering more about yourself and your interests.  As well they can identify careers you may not have considered yet. 

Background Check - Are used by employers to verify the accuracy of the information you provide to them on your resume &/or job application (these can also include criminal checks). Areas checked include - previous/current employment verification, educational background, references, criminal records, driving records, medical records, credit history, etc. 

Benefits - A very important part of your job and salary negotiation process. Every employer offers a varying degree of benefits. These benefits can include vacation time, personal days off, sick leave, medical insurance, life insurance, retirement and pension plans, child care, stock options, as well as other possible options. See also Compensation Package and Salary. 

Career Assessment - See Assessments.

Career Change - A Change in career or employment area/sector. Majority of experts today predict that the average person will change careers anywhere from 3 to 5 times in their lives. Career change can occur for a number of reasons including loss of work, dissatisfaction, advancement opportunity among others.  

Career Coach - Also known as a career adviser, career consultant, personal career trainer and work-life coach. Is a person who guides another in planning and managing their career, especially managers and executives. They can act as a support structure for anyone needing guidence relating to career direction. 

Career Exploration - The process of searching for a rewarding career or employment path. This is often done prior to leaving an old career and starting a new career. 

Career Fair - Organized events the allow companies to meet and assess a large number of potential job candidates.  There are varying types of career fair including specific ones for college & university students as well as specific industry events for professionals.  

Career or Job Objective - A section sometimes included on resumes. Purpose is to focus your resume and display to the employer how you can benefit him or her. 

Career Planning - The ongoing process of always evaluating your current current and future career path.  Things to look at include your lifestyle, preferences, life and work skills, dreams, current job and potential career paths. 

Career Portfolio - See Job Skills Portfolio.

Career Research - See Career Exploration.

Chronological Resume - A resume organized by employment history in reverse chronological order.

Cold Call - When a job-seeker approaches an employer for employment with no previous indications of intent or advetisement of a particular position. A good job seeking technique that is often under-utilized.

Company Research - See Researching Companies.

Compensation Package - Defined as the total monetary value an employee receives from his or her employer. In other words, the combination of salary and benefits an employer provides to an employee. When assessing various job offers, you should always consider the total package. 

Consultant - See Freelancer.

Contract Employee - When an employee works for one organization or agency and has his or her services sold to another company on a project or time basis. 

Corporate Culture - The collection of beliefs, expectations, and values shared by an organization's members and transmitted from one generation of employees to another. The culture sets the rules of conduct of a company and defines acceptable behavior of employees of the organization. This culture is important to understand if a job-seeker is planning on working for a particular organization.

Counter Offer or Counter Proposal - Relates salary and benefits negotiation between an employer and potential (or current) employee.  Remember, almost all elements of a job offer are negotiable, including the salary, benefits, moving expenses, and other specifice job issues (for example work load).

Cover Letter or Covering Letter - A letter sent with other documents (such as a resume or application) to explain more fully or provide more information. When applying for employment a cover letter should always accompany your resume or application. A good cover letter should encourage the employer to reead your resume and other information. 

Curriculum Vitae - Alson know as CV or vita, it is very similar to a resume.  The main difference is that it is more formal and includes a detailed listing of items beyond the typical resume items, such as publications, presentations, professional activities, honors, and additional information. These are more common in Europe and less common in North America.

Declining Letter - A letter sent to an employer for the purpose of turning down a job offer. You should never burn bridges therefore it is important to be very polite and sensitive in case he or she would like to approach the employer again someday. 

Degrees & Certifications - One of a series of steps in a process, course, or progression given to students upon completion of a program of study.  This can include high school, trade schools, colleges and universities, and other agencies.

Diversity Job-Seekers - A number of groups who are condidered disadvantaged.  This may include demographic groups such as women and minorities.  The basis is that they often face extra challenges in their job searching. 

Electronic Resume (or E-Resume) - A resume that is submitted to an employer electronically, usually by email.  As well, some resumes are submitted via employer web pages. 

Elevator Speech - A 15 to 30 second briefing that job-seekers use in a variety of situations such as job interviews, career fairs, networking events, and others. It essentially tells the employer who you are and what make you unique and special. 

Email Cover Letter - A cover letter that is submitted to an employer electronically, usually by email.  As well, some cover letters are submitted via employer web pages. 

Employment Gaps - The period of time between employment when a person is unemployed and out of work.  This can be for any number of reasons.

Freelancer  - A person who is self-employed and bids for term jobs and projects with multiple employers. Freelancing offers many people the freedom and flexibility that perminant employment does not. 

Franchising - A legal and commercial relationship between a trademark owner, service mark, brand name, or advertising symbol and an individual or organization wishing to use that identification for a business. 

Functional Resume - A resume organized by skills and functions.

Hidden Job Market - The portions of the job market that are not publicly advertised.  A substantial portion of the job market is "hidden" therefore to access this often forgotten source of employment. Best way to access the "hidden market" include networking and cold calling. 

Independent Contractor - See Freelancer.

Informational Interviewing -- Just what it sounds like -- interviewing designed to produce information. What kind of information? The information you need to choose or refine a career path, learn how to break in and find out if you have what it takes to succeed. It's the process of spending time with one of your network contacts in a highly focused conversation that provides you with key information you need to launch or boost your career. 

Internships --- One of the best types of work experiences for entry-level job-seekers because a majority of employers say experience is the most important factor in whether you're hired. Internships involve working in your expected career field, either during a semester or over the summer. Besides gaining valuable experience, you get exposed to the business environment and gain valuable references and network contacts. 

Interview - See Job Interviewing.

Job Application - Many organizations require you to complete an application (either to get an interview or prior to an interview). Even though many of the questions duplicate information from your resume, it is extremely important to complete the application neatly, completely, and accurately. 

Job Boards -- Also referred to as Job Sites. There are five levels or types of job boards: general job boards (such as Monster.com and HotJobs.com), industry-specific job boards (such as TeachingJobs.com), geographic-specific job boards (such as AtlantaJobs.com), job-seeker specific "niche" boards (such as MBAJobs.com), and company career centers (such as HomeDepot.com). 

Job Clubs -- Sometimes known as networking clubs or job-finding clubs, enables you to expand your network of contacts -- and also serves as a key support group when the job-hunt is longer or harder than you expected. A great tool for job-hunting, and job-seekers can either join an existing club or start your own! 

Job Fair -- See Career Fair.

Job-Hunting Etiquette -- There are certain rules or protocols that should guide a job-seeker's conduct while job-hunting. Some people call these rules good manners, but more refer to them as business etiquette. 

Job-Hunting on the Internet -- Not a magic elixir that will guarantee that you find a job, but still a door to opportunities and techniques not available before the advent of the Net. Most job-seekers should spend no more than about 20 percent of their time and effort looking for a job online, though job-seekers in the technology/computer industry might be wise to spend up to 50 percent of their time looking for a job online. 

Job Interviewing -- All about making the best matches. Both the employer and the job-seeker want to determine if the fit is right between them. First impressions are key (see "dress for success"), and preparation is critical to interviewing success.  See also:

• screening interviews -- usually conducted by a member of the human resources department, the screening interview is designed to weed out unqualified candidates. Providing facts about your skills is more important than establishing rapport.
• traditional interviews -- uses broad-based questions such as, "why do you want to work for this company," and "tell me about your strengths and weaknesses." Interviewing success or failure is more often based on the job-seeker's ability to communicate and establish rapport than on the authenticity or content of their answers. 
• behavioral interviews -- based on the premise that past performance is the best indicator of future behavior and uses questions that probe specific past behaviors, such as "tell me about a time where you confronted an unexpected problem" and "tell me about an experience when you failed to achieve a goal." 
• panel/group interviews -- uses a committee of people, usually around a table, asking questions. The key to this type of interview is to balance eye contact with both the person who asked the question and the remainder of the group.
• case interviews -- used primarily by management-consulting firms to determine how well suited you are to the consulting field. Case interviews measure problem-solving ability, tolerance for ambiguity, and communication skills along several dimensions. The idea is to find out how well you identify, structure, and think through problems. 
• situational interviews -- sometimes also referred to as a scenario-based (problem-solving) interview, where the job-seeker is placed in a hypothetical situation (such as dealing with an irate customer), and is judged by how well s/he reacts to complex information and ability to resolve problem and arrive at solutions. 
• stress interviews -- usually are a deliberate attempt to see how you handle yourself under pressure. The interviewer may be sarcastic or argumentative, or may keep you waiting. Expect these things to happen, and when it does, don't take it personally. Calmly answer each question as it comes. Also called intimidation interviews. 
• phone interviews -- have only one purpose: to decide if there is a good enough match to justify a site visit. Make sure to set a specific time for your telephone interview -- not just "sometime this week." 

Job Offer -- See Offer of Employment.

Job Satisfaction -- A term to describe how content an individual is with his or her job. It includes many factors, including the work itself, value to the organization, impact on organization, compensation, and more.When workers are very unhappy with their jobs, they suffer both mentally and physically. 

Job Search Agent -- A program offered by many job boards that allows job-seekers to passively search for jobs by selecting criteria for new job postings. At some time interval, the program emails the job-seeker a list of new job postings that fit the criteria, allowing the job-seeker to decide whether to take any action.

Job-Search Domino Effect -- States that five key phases comprise any good job search, and if you ignore any one of them or conduct one poorly, the likelihood of a successful job search decreases dramatically -- just as if you pulled a domino out of a row of dominos. 

Job Shadowing -- One of the most popular work-based learning activities because it provides job-seekers with opportunities to gather information on a wide variety of career possibilities before deciding where they want to focus their attention. Job shadows involve brief visits to a variety of workplaces, during which time you "shadow," observe, and ask questions of individual workers. .

Job Skills -- The skills you need to do a particular job. For example, an accountant needs to have good math and accounting skills; a doctor needs to have good medical, scientific, and personal skills.

Job Skills Portfolio -- Also referred to as a Career Portfolio, a job-hunting tool a job-seeker develops to give employers a complete picture of who you are, including samples of your work -- your experience, your education, your accomplishments, your skill sets -- and what you have the potential to become -- much more than just a cover letter and resume can provide.

Key Accomplishments -- An optional part of your resume, but one that is growing in use -- especially with scannable (text-based) resumes. This section should summarize (using nouns as keywords and descriptors) your major career accomplishments. Sometimes also referred to as "Summary of Accomplishments," "Qualifications Summary," or simply "Accomplishments." For more details, see resume.

Keyword Resume - A resume typically identified by a keyword summary and heavy usage of keywords throughout resume that emphasizes key nouns and phrases.

Keywords -- Nouns and noun phrases that relate to the skills and experience that employers use to recall resumes scanned into a database. Keywords can be precise "hard" skills -- job-specific/profession-specific/industry-specific skills, technological terms and descriptions of technical expertise, job titles, certifications, names of products and services, industry buzzwords, etc. 

Letter of Acceptance -- Used to confirm the offer of employment and the conditions of the offer; i.e., salary, benefits, starting employment date, etc. It is always a good idea to get the entire offer in writing. 

Letter of Agreement -- A brief letter outlining the conditions of employment. Whether initiated by the employer or the candidate, it is always a good idea to get your entire offer in writing. Sometimes is form-based or may even be an employment contract. See also salary and salary negotiation.

Letter of Interest -- See Cover Letter.

Letter of Recommendation -- A letter of support for your skills, ability, and work ethic, usually written by a former boss or co-worker, but could also be from a teacher or personal reference. Good for applying to graduate school, but seen as fairly worthless in job-hunting because no one who would write you a recommendation letter would say anything negative about you. See reference list.

Low-Wage Worker/Low-Wage Job -- Call them low-wage workers employed in low-paying, minimal or no-benefit jobs. Call them exploited or the working poor. Call them living (barely) from paycheck to paycheck with no job security. Call them under-educated, under-trained, and under-respected. Call them job-seekers stuck in dead-end jobs. But, whatever you do, do not call them low-skilled or lazy. 

Mentor -- A person at a higher level within a company or within your profession who counsels you and helps guide your career. Some organizations have formal mentoring systems, while most informal mentoring relationships develop over time. A mentor relationship is one where the outcome of the relationship is expected to benefit all parties in the relationship for personal growth, career development, lifestyle enhancement, spiritual fulfillment, goal achievement, and other areas mutually designated by the mentor and partner.

Moonlighting -- The experience of working multiple jobs (also referred to as dual or multiple jobholding). People working multiple jobs come from just about every demographic group. Appears to be on the rise.

Networking -- Involves developing a broad list of contacts -- people you've met through various social, professional, and business functions -- and encouraging them assist you in looking for a job. People in your network may be able to give you job leads, offer you advice and information about a particular company or industry, and introduce you to others so that you can expand your network.

Non-Traditional Careers -- Careers in which fewer than 25 percent of the workforce is of one gender. There are many pros and cons for job-seekers considering working in a non-traditional career path. .

Occupational Outlook Handbook -- Published by the U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, this guide provides detailed information on more than 250 occupations. The Handbook discusses the nature of the work and the typical working conditions for persons in each occupation. In addition, it details the requirements for entry and the opportunities for advancement.

Offer of Employment -- An offer by an employer to a prospective employee that usually specifies the terms of an employment arrangement, including starting date, salary, benefits, working conditions. Also called a job offer. 

Older (Mature) Workers -- Job-seekers who are older than 45 face more challenges in the job-search than other types of job-seekers. 

Overqualified -- A label employers often use on mid-career job-seekers who appear to have one of three flaws: too many years of experience, too much education, too highly paid in current or previous job. 

Phone Interview -- See Job Interviewing.

Portfolio Career -- A situation where instead of working a traditional full-time job, job-seekers work multiple part-time jobs (including part-time employment, temporary jobs, freelancing, and self-employment) with different employers that when combined are the equivalent of a full-time position. Portfolio careers offer more flexibility, variety, and freedom, but also require organizational skills as well as risk tolerance. 

Quarterlife Crisis -- A period in your twenties marked by high anxiety about your career -- and finding your “true” career, multiple job and/or career changes, fears and self-doubt about achieving career and personal goals, depression, and feeling lost or adrift. Experts say that the crisis hits folks in their twenties, because after years of learning the system of how to succeed in school, college grads are thrown into the world of work with no real understanding of how to succeed in it. 

Recruiters/Headhunters/Executive Search Firms -- Professionals who are paid by employers to find candidates for specific positions. They often recruit candidates, but job-seekers can also approach them. Often specialize by industry or geographic region. Avoid any firms that require you to pay for their services. 

Reference List -- Sometimes also referred to as a Reference Sheet. Simply a listing -- with key contact information -- of your references. Never include references on your resume or cover letter; they should be listed on a separate references sheet that matches the look of your resume. Never provide a list of references to an employer unless you are requested to do so. 

References -- A group of people who will say good things about you and who know specifics strengths that you offer. Can include work references (current and past supervisors), educational references (former teachers or school administrators), and personal references (who can speak of your character). Always ask people before including them as a reference for you.

Researching Companies -- The process of gathering information about a company, its products, its locations, its corporate culture, its financial successes. This information is extremely valuable in a job interview where you can show off your knowledge of the company, and can also help you in writing your cover letter. 

Resigning/Resignations -- When you decide it's time to quit your job (also referred to as giving notice), it's always better to submit your official resignation -- with your industry's customary amount of notice. Whenever possible, do not leave on bad terms with your employer. 

Resume -- A key job-hunting tool used to get an interview, it summarizes your accomplishments, your education, as well as your work experience, and should reflect your special mix of skills and strengths. See also:  

Salary -- Financial compensation an employee receives for performing the job, and part of your compensation package. Can be determined by hourly, daily, weekly, monthly, and yearly. Also can include overtime pay, bonuses, and commissions. See also Benefits and Compensation Package. 

Salary History -- Some employers will request that you submit a salary history. A salary history tells them the level and frequency of your promotions. It should be separate page from your resume or cover letter. Be sure to include the full compensation you received in each job, not just salary information. By providing a salary history, you sometimes place yourself in a precarious position of either pricing yourself out of the position or appearing to be at a lower level than the company seeks.

Salary Negotiation -- An extremely important process in which job-seekers attempt to obtain the best compensation package possible, based on skills and experience, the industry salary range, and the company's guidelines. See also Benefits, Compensation Package, and Salary. 

Salary Requirements -- Some employers may ask you to state the salary you require for a specific job opening. You've got to be careful here. If your salary requirement is too high, you won't get an offer. If it's too low, you won't get what you're worth. The best strategy is to state that you're open to any fair offer and are willing to negotiate. 

Situational Interview -- See Job Interviewing.

Stress Interview -- See Job Interviewing.

Summer Jobs/Part-Time Jobs for Teens -- Whether it's to gain experience, earn some spending money, or save for college, getting a summer or part-time job is almost a rite of passage for most teens. Teens are often limited to certain types of jobs and hours worked per week. 

Survival Job -- Typically a low-end, low-paying job that a displaced job-seeker takes on a temporary basis (often as a last resort) to cover basic living costs, in order to survive and avoid bankruptcy -- or worse.

Telecommuting -- Also referred to as Teleworking, is a employment arrangement where the employee works one or more days from a remote location, often an office in the employee's home. For job-seekers seeking increased job flexibility and reduced commuting times and costs and for employers seeking a better balance of morale and work efficiency.

Temping -- Working short employment stints with a variety of clients, usually through a temping agency or staffing firm. Previously temps were mostly administrative, but job-seekers can now find temping agencies covering most professions. Temping is great for building resume, learning skills, networking -- and job flexibility and variety. See also Temporary Agency.

Temporary (Temp) Agency/Staffing Firms -- Companies that place workers in jobs on a contract or temporary basis. Some provide training. Many are specialized (professional, clerical, computing, accounting, etc.). See also Temping. 

Testing -- An increasing number of employers are using a variety of career and skill-based tests to screen job applicants. Thus, you may be asked to take any number of tests during your job search, from aptitude and personality tests to honesty and drug tests.

Thank You Letters -- After every interview, you should send a letter thanking each person who interviewed you. It’s just common courtesy, and only a small percentage of job-seekers actually perform this crucial ritual, so you'll stand out from the crowd. 

Transferable Skills -- Skills you have acquired during any activity in your life -- jobs, classes, projects, parenting, hobbies, sports, virtually anything -- that are transferable and to what you want to do in your next job. 

Underqualified -- The underqualified or just plain unqualified label most often plagues new graduates with limited experience, as well as career-changers whose experience is outside the area they now wish to pursue.

USP -- An advertising term -- unique selling proposition -- that refers to the one thing about a product that makes it distinct from all others. In job-hunting, job-seekers need to find the one thing that makes you more qualified for this job than anyone else. What can you offer that no other applicant can? 

Vita -- See Resume.

Workaholism -- a condition where work becomes all-consuming, becoming more important than personal or family obligations. The person lives for his or her work, has only work friends, rarely takes time off, and is always in communication with the office. Does not function well outside work. 

Workplace Values -- Concepts and ideas that define a job-seeker and influence your satisfaction -- not only with your job, but with your life. Job-seekers should perform a values check every few years to make sure your career is on track.