If you are on the job hunt odds are that you are wading through a multitude of job adverts. After a while they can all seem to blend together in a sea of buzzwords and ‘required experience’, and it can be difficult to differentiate between what employers say and what they mean.
Job adverts use the language they do for a reason. They are telling you exactly what they want from you as a candidate for the role. Advertising for available roles is not free. A huge amount of thought and planning has gone into that two paragraph job description you are trying to decipher. We have put together some guidance on common job ad abbreviations that you may come across.
Soft skills and buzzwords
Thankfully, most job adverts tend to make use of the same soft skills and buzzwords, although different jobs will require different skills. For example, if the advert asks for a ‘team player’ that means that you need to be sociable as well as willing and able to work well with others. If it says that they are looking for someone proactive then you should be a self-starter who can work independently without needing a manager looking over your shoulder at all times.
Interestingly, many jobs will require both of these soft skills. Other popular ones include:
- the ability to work well under pressure or in a fast-paced environment (meaning that you will have deadlines and multiple tasks at a time)
- having good communication skills (meaning you should be able to get along with people of all levels
- being flexible (meaning you should be willing to work some overtime and potentially do some travelling).
Abbreviations
Job adverts are notorious for using abbreviations for phrases that are commonly used in recruitment. Here are some that you are likely to come across.
What does FTC mean in a job advert?
This is an acronym for ‘Fixed term contract’, that’s a job that lasts for a set amount of time. For example, 3 months or until a certain project has finished.
What does PA mean in a job advert?
‘Per annum’, literally means ‘per year’. It is normally used to clarify that the listed salary is for one year’s work.
What does PW mean in a job advert?
‘Per week,’ same as above except for one week’s work.
What does OTE mean?
‘On target earnings’, this usually means that you will have a base salary and the rest will be based on things like commission and bonuses. If you hit all these targets you will receive your salary OTE.
What does DOE mean for salary?
‘Depends on experience’, this is usually in reference to the salary and can mean that there is a general salary range set. But the employer might be willing to pay more for someone with more experience or qualifications.
Pro Rata per annum definition
Not an abbreviation, but Latin for ‘in proportion’. This usually means that if you, for example, earn £30,000 per annum pro rata but work 20 hours per week rather than the usual 40 you will earn £15,000 per year.
What does Competitive Salary mean in a job advert?
Another non-abbreviation, but a commonly used phrase. This means that while the salary might not have been finalised yet, the candidate can assume that it will match other employers’ offers for similar roles.
Optimise your CV
Once you have ensured that you know what the employer is looking for, show them that you are the perfect candidate. The first glimpse they will get of who you are will be your CV. Make sure it is as perfect as it can be!
In order to do this, go back to the job advert. If they are asking for a fantastic team player, make sure your CV mentions the group work or projects you have been involved in. If they are looking for someone with perfect communication skills, make sure you mention any situation where you have communicated well with others in order to succeed.
The key to this is not to lie, but to showcase. Your greatest talent might be your ability to work well under heavy pressure. However, if the advert is asking for someone flexible and proactive those are the characteristics you should be highlighting instead. Do not simply put your best foot forward, but put the correct foot forward.
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