UK Recruitment Glossary
Auto-Enrolment
In recruiter context
Eligibility: 22-State Pension age, earning over £10,000/year, working in the UK. Employees can opt out within 30 days but get auto-re-enrolled every 3 years. Most employers contribute more than the 3% minimum — 5-8% is standard at established firms, 10%+ at financial services. The 50p-on-the-pound match rate (1% employer for every 1% employee) is one of the highest-return moves available to UK earners. Many UK employees opt out due to short-term cash flow pressure and lose substantial long-term wealth in the process.
Related terms
Sick Note / Fit Note
A medical certificate from a UK GP confirming you are unfit for work — required after 7 days of illn…
Screening Interview
The first interview, usually 20-30 minutes by phone or video, run by a recruiter.
Employment Gap
Any period without paid employment shown on a UK CV — redundancy, parental leave, illness, caring, s…
ATS (Applicant Tracking System)
Software that hiring teams use to receive, store, filter, and rank job applications.