Refers to the selection and hiring of employees who will bring diverse perspectives and specialized skills to an employer, often filling gaps in existing staff competencies and creating opportunities for growth into new markets. “Culture add” is seen as an improvement on the concept of “culture fit” which can stifle innovation and lock employers into a cycle of hiring only like-minded individuals.
A term originating in human resources that refers to an employee’s compatibility with the culture, goals, mission, and values of an employer, and their ability to quickly assimilate into a cohesive team. The concept of “culture add” has emerged as a preferred term and an improvement on the idea of “culture fit,” encouraging companies to seek new and different perspectives.
According to iCIMS (provider of talent acquisition software), embracing a data-driven recruitment process makes it possible to find and keep top talent at your company, especially when you incorporate the latest in recruitment metrics and analytics tools.
Moving beyond gut feelings and traditional relationship-building, this evidence-based approach delivers proven results for recruiting and HR teams striving to meet their business objectives—with less waiting, less hassle, and less missed opportunities.
Refers to tools or methods some companies use to assess the skills and abilities of prospective and current employees for hiring, promotion, training, and/or talent development decisions. A 2018 report (Saville and Holdsworth- SHL) found that about 60% of workforce managers use a tool for talent development, and about 93% of recruiters use a tool for hiring purposes. Examples of the various types of employee assessments include:
360-Degree Feedback: Gathers feedback from multiple sources including peers, subordinates, supervisors, and sometimes external stakeholders, to provide a comprehensive view of an employee’s performance. It focuses on assessing interpersonal skills, leadership abilities, teamwork, and communication effectiveness.
Psychometric Assessments: Assesses psychological traits and characteristics of individuals, such as cognitive abilities, personality traits, behavioral tendencies, and emotional intelligence; e.g., Myers-Briggs Type Indicator, DISC assessment, and Hogan Personality Inventory.
Performance Appraisals: Evaluating an employee’s job performance against predetermined criteria and goals, typically occurring at regular intervals such as annually or semi-annually, and focusing on aspects like task completion, goal achievement, job knowledge, and contributions to the organization.
Skill Tests and Simulations: Assess proficiency in specific job-related skills or tasks. These can include practical exercises, case studies, role-playing scenarios, or technical exams designed to measure competencies such as problem-solving abilities, technical expertise, decision-making skills, and attention to detail.
Behavioral Interviews: Asking candidates to provide specific examples of past behaviors or experiences in various situations. Interviews are designed to predict future behavior based on past actions and assess competencies such as adaptability, conflict resolution skills, leadership potential, and problem-solving abilities.
The ways that new employees are welcomed to the organization, receive information about how the organization functions on a day-to-day basis, and are introduced to others who work for the organization.
An Employer Services Compliance library helps employers electronically navigate the complicated and dynamic landscape of employment forms required for workforce compliance across the U.S., addressing the essential tasks conducted by Human Resources (HR) teams. The plethora of forms stem from federal, state, and local jurisdictions, and cover issues such as digital labor law, family rights, gender equity, medical and family leave, paid sick leave, pregnancy accommodation, wage and hour, and state separation—in onboarding, employment, and offboarding.
Fair chance hiring is designed to give people with some type of criminal record greater employment opportunities.
A fair chance employer bases employment decisions on the applicants’ qualifications rather than their criminal records, and (1) does not include questions about arrests or convictions on its application, (2) does not inquire about criminal convictions before extending a conditional offer of employment, and (3) while can still consider criminal convictions, must first individually assess the conviction as it directly relates to the job position plus how much time has passed since the conviction. If the employer decides against hiring the applicant, it must complete an adverse action process required under the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA). The process includes sending a pre-adverse action notice to the applicant and identifying the conviction that makes the employer want to deny employment. This process includes a copy of the background check report and gives the applicant five days to challenge the information or present mitigating evidence. The employer sends a final adverse action notice to the applicant if making a final decision not to hire the applicant and provides a copy of their rights under the FCRA and state laws.
As of January 2025, 37 states and 150 municipalities and counties in the U.S. had enacted fair chance or ban-the-box laws. (Ban the Box laws are aimed at removing the check box that asks applicants about their potential criminal record from employer hiring applications.)
Related Federal laws:
Congress passed the Fair Chance to Compete for Jobs Act of 2019 as a part of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2020, which was signed into law in Dec. 2020. The law prohibits federal agencies from awarding government contracts to federal contractors that require criminal background information before extending conditional offers of employment.
Title VII of the 1964 Civil Rights Act prohibits discrimination in all aspects of employment that is based on the protected characteristics of employees or applicants. This includes giving equal employment opportunities to people with convictions.
Refers to a pedagogical model and instructional strategy that reverses, or “flips”, the typical cycle of lecture attendance and homework completion. This technique increases learner engagement and the effective use of classroom time by assigning exploration of new content (such as viewing recorded lectures online) as pre-class homework, and using in-class time to engage in live problem-solving.
This model shifts the passive acquisition of knowledge outside of the classroom, and improves engagement through active learning inside the classroom. Learners in a flipped classroom have immediate access to instructor feedback when completing tasks, unlike learners who complete traditional homework in isolation.
According to iCIMS (provider of talent acquisition software), for talent acquisition teams, full cycle recruiting offers an end-to-end hiring process that delivers results, without frustrating candidates or overwhelming hiring managers. In today’s competitive talent market, it delivers a more efficient and more human approach to hiring.
Also known as hybrid flexible, the term refers to an instructional mode for a hybrid college course that permits flexible learner attendance. Learners may attend along a spectrum of options, from fully online through full in-person (face-to-face / F2F). There are commonly four pillars of HyFlex:
Learner Choice: Learners (not the instructor) determine when and how they will participate within guidelines. Participation options often change by topic, week, module, lesson, etc.
Equivalency: Learning activities regardless of delivery mode support the same learning outcome(s).
Reusability: Use of the same learning objects for all students in all participation modes.
Accessibility: Learners need the technology and skills to use the technology to access course materials. The instructor ensures learners have access to the required technology, skills training, and support to be successful.
Some institutions include a pillar for equity; that learners in all modalities have equal opportunities to engage in course activities, receive feedback, and ask questions.
Search engines that gather job postings from job boards, employer websites, industry and professional association websites, and other internet sites. Postings are consolidated into a single searchable interface. Job Aggregators typically sort job listings by various categories such as part-time/fulltime; hourly/salary; start date; and location
Enhances the traditional resume by bridging the divide between employer hiring systems and Learning and Employment Records (LERs), enabling the use of LERS when applying for jobs and in employee advancement. LER-RS are designed to:
Make an individual’s resume narratives, skills, and experiences machine-readable and verifiable through digital credentials.
Empower individuals to self-assert.
Enable the exchange information between an individual’s digital wallet and Human Resources (HR) recruiting technology platform of an employer.
Support employer initiatives, including skills-based hiring initiatives.
A specification in a contract between an employer and employee that prevents the employee from working for a competing employer or starting a competing business after the worker’s employment ends. The restriction typically applies to a stated time period and geographical area. On April 24, 2024, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) voted to ban new non-compete agreements with all employees, including senior executives. Existing non-compete agreements with senior executives remain enforceable but all other workers with non-compete agreements are unenforceable. Non-compete agreements have been designed historically to protect company secrets and intellectual property and encourage investment in employee training. The new FTC rule affects workers employed by for-profit businesses; it does not apply to non-profit organizations. The rule goes into effect 120 days following publication in the Federal Register, however, it may be subject to court challenges.
According to iCIMS (provider of talent acquisition software), offer management software eliminates manual, error-prone processes to get offer letters out to candidates faster. Branded templates and e-signatures are stored within the system for easily repeatable processes, while approvals are managed at scale during this critical stage of the recruitment lifecycle.
According to iCIMS (provider of talent acquisition software), onboarding software streamlines the onboarding process by replacing handwritten forms with online documents, including Employment Eligibility Verification (E-Verify), paperless I-9, iForms and background checks. Onboarding software can save your company money by eliminating all shipping and storage fees associated with the handling of paper forms and by removing your HR staff from the data entry process.
Refers to an evaluation process that assesses individuals’ skills, knowledge, and/or performance using openly available modes that allow for scrutiny, feedback, and participation from various sources. The term is often used in educational contexts in which the assessments are designed to be fair, equitable, and conducive to learning. Open assessment methods may include open-book exams, peer assessments, self-assessments, project-based assessments, portfolios, and simulators (e.g., in aeronautical fields, the military, and health education) to assess skills, knowledge, and/or performance in occupational contexts.
Alternative terms: transparent assessment, inclusive assessment, participatory assessment, collaborative assessment
According to iCIMS (provider of talent acquisition software), any software application that facilitates chat or text messaging engagement during the recruitment process. A recruiting chat software application could be part of an end-to-end recruitment platform, or it could exist as a stand-alone application that can be added to the recruitment process.
According to iCIMS (provider of talent acquisition software), recruitment metrics are a measurement of the effectiveness of your recruiting process. Organizations can use these data to benchmark how their recruitment process stacks up against industry averages and to make improvements for correcting any inefficiencies. Some examples of recruiting metrics include:
• Candidate experience
• Cost of hire
• Sourcing channel
• Retention rate
Recruitment analytics is the practice of using data-driven insights to optimize hiring practices and strategies. It involves gathering, analyzing and interpreting recruiting data to identify trends, flag gaps and improve the company’s overall hiring performance.
According to iCIMS (provider of talent acquisition software), recruiting operations optimizes the process of talent acquisition. Recruiting operations is most often a role inhabited by a single person, but at larger organizations, it can also take the form of a small department. Regardless of how it takes shape, recruiting operations is a strategic function that oversees and improves the hiring process from end to end.
According to iCIMS (provider of talent acquisition software), recruitment is the process of finding and screening qualified candidates for a specific position and offering the position to the best candidate. An applicant tracking system can help manage the complex and rewarding recruitment process.
Recruiting software is an application designed to help organizations recruit employees more efficiently. Businesses of all sizes leverage it to handle job applications and manage and screen resumes. Other features include individual applicant tracking, requisition tracking, automated resume ranking, job posting, pre-screening and response tracking.
According to iCIMS (provider of talent acquisition software), screening is the process of testing an applicant on their trustworthiness, skills and personality to ensure that they are a good fit for the position. This can be done through screening questions and skills matching submitted with an applicant’s resume.
According to iCIMS (provider of talent acquisition software), sourcing is the ability to identify and classify candidates by skill and experience level, and then allocate them to open positions based on these metrics as the positions become available. The candidate’s resume then becomes available for the recruiter or hiring manager to contact the candidate.
According to iCIMS (provider of talent acquisition software), Strategic Workforce Planning is the process of aligning your talent strategy with long-term business goals. It’s about anticipating workforce needs, identifying skill gaps, and ensuring your organization is equipped with the right people at the right time. The key benefits of SWP include improved talent retention, enhanced organizational agility, and the ability to adapt quickly to market changes.
According to iCIMS (provider of talent acquisition software), talent acquisition is the process of finding, attracting and engaging highly talented individuals and having them join an organization. It includes applicant tracking, onboarding, workforce planning, sourcing, recruitment marketing automation and more.
Talent assessment tools are used for pre-employment screening purposes, assessing candidates on their knowledge and skills, work style, and personality. Talent assessments can include multiple-choice questions, open-ended prompts, and questions requiring audio- or video-based responses.
According to iCIMS (provider of talent acquisition software), talent pipeline is a pathway between job seekers and employers. Organizations build a talent pipeline to create a supply of candidates it can access any time.
Talent pipelining is a type of proactive recruiting. It requires effort, strategy and maintenance. When it operates successfully, it provides organizations with a steady flow of high-quality applicants.
Your talent pool is your pipeline of top potential candidates.
Can refer to a specific school or learning institution in which an employer invests in order to create a pipeline for the training and preparation of that employer’s future workers.
According to iCIMS (provider of talent acquisition software), text recruiting software uses SMS, chat, and AI across multiple platforms to engage with candidates at scale. All communications are housed within a compliant platform, eliminating the need for recruiters to send texts to candidates from their personal phones.
This can include “Text to apply,” which enables candidates to send a word or code to a phone number to begin the application process. Once they send the code or keyword, they’ll receive an automatic response with further information. The candidate may receive a complete application, a document with more information, or a link to a form or website.
Many employers offer training to their employees throughout their job tenure. Employer-based training programs are typically used to introduce employees to their roles or to the industry, help them enhance their skill sets, and advance within the company (Indeed Editorial Team, 2021). Most training programs include mentorship opportunities and pathways to strengthen employee abilities. They often foster stronger engagement and connection with the company or organization, help forge an inviting company culture, and boost retention rates.
Some employers go a step further than on-site training to offer employees or potential employees a pathway to a credential designed by the company. These companies are becoming learning providers by developing their own curricula, focusing on broadly applicable technology skill sets such as IT support, cloud computing, and digital marketing rather than niche skills only applicable within the company
According to iCIMS (provider of talent acquisition software), video interviewing refers to an interviewing style which takes place remotely using digital video technology. Video interviews can be two-way, where both the interviewer and the job candidate are present during the video session, or one-way, where the candidate pre-records their interview with prompts from the recruiter.
According to iCIMS (provider of talent acquisition software), is a scheduled online event hosted on a single online channel that’s designed to connect large groups of candidates with recruiters. Candidates and talent acquisition professionals meet in a virtual space to discuss job opportunities.
This is part of a larger virtual recruiting strategy, where talent acquisition professionals make use of teleconferencing, virtual events, text engagement, and web-administered forms and assessments to conduct their recruitment efforts.
Future Forward Institute developed the Win-Win Workplace Framework to redefine the employer-employee relationship around a set of tools that CEOs, C-Suite leaders, small business owners, managers, and employees can draw on to co-construct a more sustainable, human-centered workplace. The framework is comprised of nine pillars posited as integral to driving business success:
Centering Employee Voices—Creating formal channels for feedback from employees and using that feedback to improve the workplace.
Cultivating Mutualistic Working Relationships—Building intentional positive and collaborative relationships between employees and employers.
Implementing Intersectional Inclusion Strategies—Creating a workplace that is inclusive of all employees, recognizing each individual’s background and identities.
Reimagining Employee Benefits—Offering a comprehensive benefits package that includes human-centered offerings such as parental leave, subsidized childcare, and dependent care.
Hiring STARs (Skilled Through Alternative Routes) versus Prioritizing Credentials—Hiring candidates based on skills, talents, abilities, and results rather than solely on academic credentials.
Developing Deep Talent Benches—Nurturing and developing talent within the organization to fill future leadership roles.
Using Human-Capital Reporting as a Competitive Strategy— sing disaggregated human-capital data and metrics as part of decision-making.
Distributed Leadership-Entrepreneurial Structures—Empowering employees throughout the organization to take ownership and make company decisions.
