UK Recruitment Glossary
Long-Service Award
In recruiter context
Common UK milestones: 5 years (often £100-£500 voucher), 10 years (£500-£1,500), 25 years (more substantial — £1,000-£3,000 plus extra leave). Some long-service awards are tax-free if structured correctly under HMRC rules: must be after 20+ years' service, value under £50 per year of service, gift not cash. Cash awards are always taxable as income. Worth asking about when evaluating offers at companies with long-tenured workforces — public sector, large financial services, established UK retailers all have structured schemes. Less common at growth-stage tech companies due to short median tenure.
Related terms
Employee Referral
A current employee recommends you for a role, often putting your CV at the top of the pile.
National Living Wage
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Cold Application
Applying to a job without any prior contact, referral, or recruiter conversation.
Networking
Building professional contacts who can refer you, advise you, or hire you in the future.