A reporting manager is the manager an employee formally reports to at work: the person who typically oversees the employee’s work, sets or reviews priorities, and serves as a main point of accountability. The phrase is standard business and human-resources language, not slang, but its exact meaning can depend on an organization’s structure. It can […]
Remote first describes an approach to work in which a company or team makes remote participation the default when designing its communication, processes, and tools. It does not always mean that every employee works from home or that an office is unavailable. The central idea is that people working away from an office should be […]
“References available upon request” is a statement sometimes placed on a résumé or job application to say that the applicant can provide professional references if an employer asks. It is a standard, formal English phrase—not slang or a nonstandard expression—but it is often unnecessary on a modern résumé. Understanding what it promises, when to include […]
A reference check is a process of contacting someone who can speak about a person’s work, qualifications, character, or experience. The phrase is most often used in hiring: an employer asks a candidate’s former manager or another professional contact for information relevant to a job. Understanding what a reference check can—and cannot—show helps job seekers […]
A reduction in force, often shortened to RIF, is an employer’s planned reduction of its workforce, usually because jobs or positions are being eliminated. The term appears in human-resources documents, workplace announcements, government employment rules, and news reports. It is a standard, formal business expression—not slang—but it can sound indirect because it describes the organizational […]
A recruiter screen is an early hiring conversation used to check whether a candidate and a role appear to be a reasonable match before the process moves further. It is commonly a short phone or video call with a recruiter, though the exact format and purpose vary by employer. The phrase is standard recruiting and […]
“Reason for leaving” is a standard English phrase that asks why someone is departing from a job, organization, place, or situation. In hiring, it most often means the explanation a candidate gives for ending or planning to end a job. You may see it on an application, hear it in an interview, or encounter it […]
Previous employer means a person or organization that employed you before the present time or before a particular job. You will often see the phrase on job applications, résumés, and employment-verification forms. It is standard English, not slang or a special employment-law term. The exact employer you should name depends on the question: a form […]
“Position applied for” means the job or role a person is asking to be considered for. It commonly appears as a heading or blank field on a job application, where the applicant writes the title of the vacancy they want. The wording is standard formal English, not slang, but it is a compact label rather […]
“Phone screen” has two common meanings: the display on a mobile phone, and a short preliminary interview conducted by phone, usually as part of a hiring process. The surrounding words usually make the intended meaning clear. It is a standard English phrase, not slang, though the hiring meaning is familiar workplace shorthand. This guide explains […]