Career & Resume Glossary

The STAR method is a framework for answering behavioural interview questions. You describe the Situation, the Task you were responsible for, the Action you took, and the Result you achieved. It keeps answers structured, specific, and evidence-based instead of vague.

A professional summary is a short paragraph (usually 2–4 lines) at the top of a resume that states who you are professionally, your core skills, and your most relevant achievements for the role you're targeting. It replaces the outdated 'career objective' and is the first thing a recruiter reads.

A resume headline is a single line that captures your professional identity — typically your role, experience level, and a key specialisation. On job portals like Naukri and LinkedIn it's the short, searchable line under your name that recruiters scan first.

An Applicant Tracking System (ATS) is software that employers use to collect, store, parse, and rank job applications. It scans each resume for keywords, skills, and structure, then filters or ranks candidates against the job description before a human recruiter reviews them.

An ATS score is a percentage (usually 0–100) that measures how well your resume matches a specific job description. It is based on keyword and skill overlap, relevant experience, and clean formatting. A higher score means your resume is more likely to pass automated screening and reach a recruiter.

An ATS-friendly resume is one formatted so an Applicant Tracking System can read it accurately. It uses a single-column layout, standard section headings, common fonts, and plain text instead of tables, columns, images, or graphics — so no content is lost when the resume is parsed.

Resume keywords are the specific skills, tools, qualifications, and role-related terms that appear in a job description and that an ATS scans for. Including the right keywords — truthfully and in context — raises your match score and your chances of being shortlisted.

Resume parsing is the process by which an Applicant Tracking System reads an uploaded resume and converts it into structured data — name, contact details, work history, skills, and education. If the layout is complex, parsing can misplace or drop information, which lowers your match and visibility.

CTC (Cost to Company) is the total amount a company spends on an employee in a year. It includes your base salary, allowances, bonuses, and the employer's contributions like PF, gratuity, and insurance. CTC is always higher than your in-hand (take-home) salary because it bundles benefits and deductions.

Expected CTC is the total annual compensation (Cost to Company) you request for a new job. Recruiters ask for it to check budget fit. It's usually quoted as a range above your current CTC, based on your experience, the role, and market rates.

In-hand salary (take-home salary) is the money you actually receive in your bank account each month after deductions are removed from your gross salary. Deductions include your provident fund (PF) contribution, professional tax, and income tax (TDS). It is always lower than your CTC.

A notice period is the duration an employee must keep working after submitting a resignation before formally leaving. It's set in your employment contract and is commonly 30, 60, or 90 days in India. It lets the employer plan a handover and backfill the role.