The Job Application

Jargon buster

Feeling confident about your job application but confused by some of the words in the job description? You are not alone. Here, we explain in more detail some of the terms you might find and what they mean.

HOURS OF WORK
FULL-TIME

Typically 5 days a week
35+ hours a week
Generally 9am through to 5pm Monday to Friday, but may include weekends

PART-TIME

Works less than 35 hours a week
Hours and days worked can vary greatly job to job

CONTRACT TYPES
ZERO HOURS
On a zero hours contract, the employer is not required to provide a minimum number of hours per week and the employee is not obligated to accept any work offered. However, employees are still entitled to holidays and to be paid minimum wage.
PERMANENT
With this type of contract you will be required to sign a contract of employment and will usually receive employee benefits such as health cover or pensions. A permanent position usually offers more job security and is a good option if you are looking to advance your career in the same industry.

TEMPORARY
Temp roles are typically for a short period of time e.g. holiday or maternity cover. This can be an effective way of gaining work experience if you are unable to commit to a permanent job, for example, student summer work. You won’t usually be entitled to company benefits and sometimes you may work through a recruitment agency rather than directly through an employer.

SALARY
P.A. / PER ANNUM
When used against a salary this means the total amount of money you will earn each year.

PRO RATA
This term is used to describe the salary for a part-time job and is a proportionate salary for the amount of hours worked. An example is if a full-time job (40 hours) pays £16,000 a year, 20 hours pro rata would be a proportionate salary of £8,000 per annum.

OTE: ON TARGET EARNINGS
This figure is a suggestion on what could be earned in a year, but is not a guaranteed salary. This is normally used when describing commission-based jobs, such as sales or recruitment.

THE JOB ADVERT
JOB DESCRIPTION
A list of duties and responsibilities relevant to the job you are applying for. This includes what would be required of you and what tasks you will be expected to do.

PERSON SPECIFICATION
A list of skills, knowledge and experience required for the job you are applying for. The list is usually broken down as “Essential” or “Desirable”.

ROLE REQUIREMENTS
ESSENTIAL
You must have the skills, knowledge or experience to be able to do the job. This can be from any experience you have gained, including voluntary work, home experience, college, school, or work experience.

DESIRABLE
These are skills, knowledge or experience that employers would like applicants to have. It is an added bonus if you have the skills listed under desirable, however, it is not essential that applicants meet these criteria.

THE APPLICATION PROCESS
SHORTLISTING
This is the process the employer goes through to select successful applicants for interview. They will review applications received and only shortlist the ones closest to the person specification. Those who are not shortlisted are typically rejected from the recruitment process.

ASSESSMENT (CENTRE)
This would indicate that the interview process includes a practical test, exercise or assessment, as well as or instead of a traditional interview. This could include taking part in a group task letter or composing a letter or email, and is to assess your suitability for the job.

STARTING THE JOB
PROBATION OR PROBATIONARY PERIOD
A period of time set by the employer that starts from day one of your new job, and typically last between 3 and 12 months. This is a chance for your employer to assess your suitability for the role. During this time, you may not get all the benefits, pension or holidays that other employees are entitled to.

During your probation, you will have regular meetings with your manager to assess your performance. Probation may be extended if you are not meeting the standards required by the employer. At the end of your probationary period, your employment will either be confirmed or terminated; it will usually only be terminated if you are not performing to an acceptable standard.

PERFORMANCE IN THE JOB
Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)
KPIs are set out by a company to help employees understand what they are working towards, and for the employer to identify any further development or training the employee may require.

A manager will often use a KPI plan to outline an employee's expected performance standards and goals, as well as outlining areas for skills improvement. This should be reviewed with the employee on a regular basis. For example, a KPI for a telephone banking advisor might be that they take a minimum of 20 customer calls per 8 hour shift.

PAY AND TAX
NATIONAL INSURANCE (NI)
You will begin paying National Insurance once you are aged 16 and over and are earning more than £157 per week. National Insurance Contributions are paid to allow you to qualify for certain state benefits including – in later life – the State Pension.

TAX CODES
It is normal to pay tax on your wages but different people pay different levels of tax. Therefore, depending on circumstances, employees will have different tax codes. How much tax is paid relates to how much your income is.

P45
This is a certificate given to an employee at the end of their employment with a company. This provides details of tax code, gross pay, and tax paid for that year. This certificate is then passed to the individual’s new employer.

IN THE JOB
CODE OF CONDUCT
Rules outlining the responsibilities, social norms and proper practice for individual employees or for the company as a whole. It is important to follow the rules outlined within the code of conduct and to behave in a professional manner at all times.

FLEXI-TIME
Some employers offer a flexible working hours arrangement to their staff. Employees still work their set number of weekly hours, however, instead of a standard “9am-5pm”, the start and finishing times are selected and mutually agreed by the employer and employee.