Vocabulary used by Human Resources Business Professionals

Here are some vocabulary words and phrases used by Business Professionals who work in Human Resources:

 to work overtime = to do more than the usual hours required by the contract 

 shift work = when groups of workers work at different times of the day and night 

 to be on the night shift = to work with a group during the night, often from ten pm to six am 

 flexitime = a system where people can vary the start and end times 

 full-time = work a whole working week 

 part-time = to work a part of the day or week 

home working = to work from home rather than going into the office 

time sheet = a record of the numbers of hours worked by an employee 

to clock in/out = to record the start or finish time of work on a special machine 

hourly rate = the salary that is paid per hour of work 

When a post becomes vacant, the company 'advertises the post' in the press. 

A company can use a 'recruitment agency' to fill their vacancies 

A 'job description' details all the duties, responsibilities and personal qualities necessary for a specific job. 

Your 'qualifications' are your academic or professional diplomas. 

'Salary and benefits' are what you are paid and the extras you receive in return for the work you do. 


After the final interviews, a formal 'job offer' is made to the best candidate. 

The job offer will also specify a 'probation period' at the end of which a new recruit can be dismissed if they are not suitable for the position. 

If you 'make somebody redundant', you dismiss them from their job for economic reasons. 

If you 'recruit' people, you persuade them to work for you. 

If you 'headhunt' someone for a job, you approach them because you think they are well-qualified for the job and offer them the job. 

If you 'hand in (or give in) your notice', you tell your employer that you are going to leave the company. 

If a company 'gives someone notice', they tell them that they are going to lose their jobs. 

If an employer 'sacks' someone, they fire them. 

'Severance pay' is money paid to workers when they are made redundant. 

'Pay' is money that you get from your employer, either as a wage or as a salary. 

'Back pay' is money owed to you by your employer for work done in the past which has not yet been paid. 

A 'pay rate' is the amount per hour (or some other period) that you pay. 

'Net pay' is the amount earned after deductions (usually for social security and pensions and perhaps for tax.) 

'Performance-related pay' is where the amount you are paid depends on the quality/quantity of your work. 

A 'pay scale' is a range of different pay rates which people will receive depending on various factors (e.g. their grade in the company, their qualifications, their years in the company.) 

A 'salary' is the money you are paid, usually monthly, for doing a job, usually non-manual. 

If you 'are out of' a job, you do not have any work. If you are 'put out of a job', you are made redundant. 

If you 'create' a job, you establish a new job which didn't previously exist. 

An 'absorbing' job is one that is very interesting and claims all your attention.

 A 'casual' job is one which is not regular or fixed. 

A 'dead-end' job is one with no hopes of promotion or advancement.