UK Recruitment Glossary
Bonus Clawback
In recruiter context
Common in UK financial services (mandated by FCA/PRA rules), increasingly common in tech and senior commercial roles. Typical triggers: leaving within 12-24 months of receiving the bonus, gross misconduct discovered after the fact, or material restatement of the financials the bonus was based on. UK enforceability is mixed — courts will uphold reasonable clawback periods (up to 3 years for senior FS roles) but often won't enforce penalties dressed up as clawbacks. Candidates evaluating offers with sign-on bonuses or large variable comp should read the clawback clause carefully — a £30,000 sign-on with a 24-month clawback is effectively a £15,000 sign-on if you might move within 2 years.
Related terms
Contractor
A self-employed worker engaged on a day rate, usually for a fixed project or fixed term.
Notice Period
The time you must work after resigning before your employment officially ends.
ATS (Applicant Tracking System)
Software that hiring teams use to receive, store, filter, and rank job applications.
Why Should We Hire You?
A common interview closing question testing whether you can articulate your fit in 60 seconds.