UK Recruitment Glossary
Background Check
In recruiter context
Standard for UK roles above £40k and for any regulated industry (finance, healthcare, legal, public sector). Typical scope: identity verification, right-to-work, employment dates and titles for the last 5-10 years, qualifications verified directly with awarding bodies, references from named contacts, and for some roles a basic DBS or financial-services FCA check. Most checks are run by third parties (HireRight, Sterling, Onfido). Lying about employment dates is the #1 reason offers get withdrawn at this stage — much more common than candidates think. Be precise and consistent across CV, LinkedIn, and application form. Discrepancies under 30 days are usually overlooked; longer ones get queried.
Related terms
Upskilling
Building new skills within your existing role or career path — usually to take on more responsibilit…
Salary Sacrifice
An arrangement where you give up part of your gross salary in exchange for a non-cash benefit, savin…
DEI (Diversity, Equity, Inclusion)
An umbrella term for hiring practices that broaden candidate pools and reduce bias.
Cold Application
Applying to a job without any prior contact, referral, or recruiter conversation.