Glossary · 45 terms

Resume, ATS, and Job Search Glossary

All recruitment terms clearly explained in English. Click a letter to navigate.

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A

ACQR (method)
A method for writing resume experience bullet points: Action + Context + Quantification + Result. Turns a vague description into a high-impact bullet point.
APEC
Association Pour l'Emploi des Cadres (Association for Executive Employment). A French organization that supports executives and graduates with a bachelor's degree or higher in their job search. Its job board is a reference for executive positions in France.
Application follow-up
An email sent 5-7 days after an application to confirm it was received and reiterate interest. Multiplies the response rate by 4, according to CVpass data.
ATS (Applicant Tracking System)
Software that automatically screens resumes before a human reads them. It extracts the resume's text, searches for keywords from the job posting, assigns a score, and ranks candidates. Most large French companies use one.
ATS filter
Automatic criteria that eliminate a resume before any human review. Examples: a keyword score below a threshold, a missing required degree, an incompatible location, or years of experience below the minimum.
ATS score
A score out of 100 assigned by an ATS to a resume compared against a job posting. Typical weighting: keywords 40%, formatting 20%, sections 20%, numbers 20%. Usual passing threshold: 60/100.

B

Bullet point
A bulleted line used under a work experience to describe a task or a result. A good bullet point fits on 1-2 lines, starts with a past-tense action verb, and contains at least one number.

C

Canva (resume)
Popular graphic design software for creating visually appealing resumes. The problem: the default PDF export often contains elements ATS can't read (columns, icons, text flattened into an image). A large share of Canva resumes lose a significant part of their content during automatic extraction.
CEFR
Common European Framework of Reference for Languages. A 6-level scale (A1, A2, B1, B2, C1, C2) for assessing language skills. Use it on a resume instead of vague terms like 'read, spoken, written' or 'basic'.
Chronological resume
A resume that lists experiences in reverse chronological order (most recent first). The standard format in France, ideal for linear career paths. Not recommended for career changers or profiles with many gaps.
Contact information
Contact details at the top of the resume: email, phone, city, LinkedIn. No need for a full address, date of birth, or marital status.
Cover letter
A document that accompanies the resume to explain the candidate's motivation and fit for the role. In 2026, the trend is toward a short letter (10 lines, 3 paragraphs), read in 30 seconds, that adds information not already in the resume.

E

E-E-A-T
Expertise, Experience, Authoritativeness, Trustworthiness. Criteria used by Google and AI search engines to assess the reliability of content. On a resume, this translates into the credibility of the career path, quantified proof, and verifiable references.
Easy Apply (LinkedIn)
A LinkedIn feature that lets you apply to a job posting in one click using your profile as a resume. Convenient but saturated: some postings receive 500+ applications within hours. Useful for volume, but should be complemented with targeted applications.

F

France Travail (formerly Pôle Emploi)
France's public employment operator. Manages unemployment benefits and connects candidates with companies. Official name since 2024.
Functional resume (or skills-based resume)
A resume that highlights skills rather than chronology. Useful for career changes or to hide gaps, but viewed unfavorably by ATS and French recruiters who look for a work history. Use with caution.

G

Greenhouse
An ATS widely used in tech and American start-ups. Also present at many French scale-ups.

H

Hard skills
Measurable, objective technical skills: Excel proficiency, Python programming, IFRS accounting, C1 English. Should be highlighted on the resume with as much precision as possible (exact tools, level, certifications).
Hybrid resume (or combination resume)
A resume that combines a skills-based presentation (at the top) with a chronological list of experiences (at the bottom). A good compromise for career changers or atypical profiles.

J

Job board
An online platform that aggregates job postings. The main ones in France: Indeed, Welcome to the Jungle, LinkedIn Jobs, APEC, HelloWork, Jobteaser.
Job interview
A meeting with the recruiter or manager to assess the candidate's fit for the role. In France, a hiring process involves 3 interviews on average (HR, manager, executive).
Job posting
An ad published by a company to fill a position. Contains a title, responsibilities, desired profile, and benefits. The basis to analyze before tailoring your resume: spot the 8-12 dominant keywords in it.

K

Keyword density
The number of times a keyword appears in the resume divided by the total word count. ATS favor moderate density (1-3%): too little signals a lack of competency, too much falls into 'keyword stuffing' and is penalized.
Keyword stuffing
The practice of excessively repeating the same keywords in a resume to fool the ATS. Detected and penalized by most modern systems. Aim instead for natural integration, in varied contexts.
Keywords
Specific terms found in a job posting that ATS try to match in resumes. Technical skills, tools, methodologies, certifications. Reusing them exactly in the resume is the basic rule for passing the filters.

L

LinkedIn
A professional social network, essential in 2026 for executive job searches. An optimized profile generates passive outreach from recruiters.

N

NPS (Net Promoter Score)
A customer satisfaction indicator measured on a scale of 0 to 10. Useful to mention on a resume for support, customer relations, or team management roles.

O

OKR
Objectives and Key Results. A goal-setting method used by tech companies (Google, LinkedIn, many start-ups). Worth mentioning on a resume if you led or contributed to an OKR cycle.

P

Parsing (extraction)
The step where the ATS 'reads' the resume's content. It extracts the text, identifies the sections (experience, education, skills), and recognizes companies and dates. A well-structured resume makes parsing easier; a Canva or multi-column resume sabotages it.
Pillar page
A long, comprehensive content page that covers a topic in depth (2,000-3,000 words) and links together several shorter articles. On CVpass, the 3 pillars are: passing the ATS, the perfect resume, finding a job.

R

Response rate
The number of replies (positive or negative) divided by the number of applications sent. The most important metric to track during a job search. Minimum acceptable threshold: 10%. Below that, the resume isn't passing the filters.
Resume title
A single line under the name that states the target job title. The most important line on the resume. Must be precise (not 'Speculative application' or 'Curriculum Vitae'), mirroring the target job posting.

S

Scrum
An agile project management method. A frequent keyword in tech, IT, and product job postings. Worth mentioning on a resume if you actually worked in sprints, with a Product Owner, Scrum Master, and daily stand-ups.
SEMrush / SEO
Web ranking tools worth mentioning if relevant to the target role (digital marketing, content manager, growth).
Single-column layout
A resume structure with a single column, from the top to the bottom of the page. Much more readable by ATS than multi-column layouts, which scramble the text order during extraction.
SMART (goals)
A method for formulating goals: Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, Time-bound. Useful for structuring bullet points and career goals.
Soft skills
Behavioral skills: communication, leadership, problem-solving. Hard to verify on a resume, so only mention them if backed by a concrete result (e.g. 'Led training sessions, 200 people trained' rather than 'Good communicator').
Speculative application
An application sent to a company that hasn't posted a matching job opening. Effective only if targeted (a personalized message to the right person, not a resume sent in bulk). Accounts for around 15% of hires in France.
STAR (method)
A technique for answering behavioral interview questions: Situation + Task + Action + Result. Lets you tell a story about an experience in a structured, quantified way in 30 seconds.
Summary (or headline)
A 3-line paragraph at the top of the resume, right under the contact information. Structure: years of experience + 2-3 strong skills + goal. An alternative to empty phrases ('passionate, dynamic').

T

Taleo (Oracle)
A long-established ATS used by many large French corporations. Known for being strict about extraction: a resume that passes Taleo passes any other ATS.

W

Welcome to the Jungle (WTTJ)
A French job board specialized in tech, start-ups, and scale-ups. Very high quality. Postings come directly from companies with detailed profiles (photos, values, team).
Word (.docx)
Microsoft Word format. The safest one for ATS (100% compatible). Preferable when in doubt between Word and PDF. In 2026, often explicitly requested by recruiters who want to edit the resume.
Work experience
The resume section that lists past positions. For each position: job title, company, dates, city, 3-5 quantified bullet points. Listed in reverse chronological order.
Workday
An ATS widely used at large companies (banks, firms, multinationals). Its application form is long and detailed, which filters out unmotivated candidates.

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ATS and resume glossary: 40+ clear definitions (2026) | CVpass