Key Terms
Work experience
Job title, employer name, location, start and end dates
Transferable skills
Skills usable across multiple professions; largely soft skills; require little to no employer training.
Soft skills
Personal attributes and interpersonal abilities (communication, adaptability, work ethic); a component of the "total me"
Hard skills
Technical, job-specific abilities (accounting, coding, CPR certification).
Lifelong learning
The ongoing, self-motivated pursuit of knowledge and skills throughout one's career; critical for adapting to workplace
Networking
Deliberately building professional relationships to exchange information, ideas, and opportunities.
Resume
A professional inventory of education, experience, skills, and accomplishments; purpose is to advance to the next stage
Master resume
A comprehensive document containing all experience and qualifications; the source document from which customized resumes
Cover letter
A 3-4 paragraph introduction attached to a resume; identifies the position, demonstrates fit, and reflects genuine inter
STAR technique
Interview response framework — Situation, Task, Action, Result; best used for behavioral questions.
Parallel construction
Consistent grammatical structure across resume bullet points; required for professional presentation.
Chronological resume
Most common format; lists work experience starting with the most recent position.