Career Terms Glossary
Job searching comes with its own vocabulary. Here are the terms you'll encounter most often, and what they actually mean.
ATS (Applicant Tracking System)
Software employers use to collect, sort, and search resumes before a person reviews them. Most medium and large companies run applications through an ATS first, which means a resume that isn't formatted clearly may never reach a human reader, even if the candidate is qualified.
STAR Method
Situation, Task, Action, Result: a structured way to answer behavioral interview questions. Describe a specific situation you faced, the task you were responsible for, the actions you took, and the measurable result. Most interviewers using behavioral questions expect all four parts in some form.
Behavioral Interview
An interview style that asks about past experiences to predict future performance. Common format: "Tell me about a time when..." These questions are looking for specific examples, not hypothetical answers about what you would do in a situation.
Transferable Skills
Skills gained in one role or industry that apply directly to a different one. Communication, project management, data analysis, and customer-facing experience transfer across most industries. Worth naming explicitly on a resume even when the job history looks unrelated.
Cover Letter
A short document accompanying a resume that explains why you're a fit for a specific role. A useful cover letter addresses the actual job requirements rather than restating the resume. The resume already does that.
Ghost Job
A job posting that stays live with no real intent to hire. Sometimes used to gauge candidate interest, build a future pipeline, or satisfy an internal process. Practical check: if a posting is several months old and the company isn't visibly hiring at scale, it may be worth finding a direct contact rather than applying through the listing.
Remote, Hybrid, and On-Site
Remote means fully home-based: no required office days. Hybrid mixes home and office time, either on a set schedule or as needed. On-site requires full-time physical presence. Postings don't always use these terms consistently, so check the actual job description for commute expectations before applying.
Resume Match Score
A numeric estimate of how well a resume aligns with a specific job description's requirements. HireFocus generates a match score for every job you evaluate, alongside an A–F grade and a list of missing skills, so you can focus your time on roles where you're actually competitive rather than sending identical applications everywhere.