UK Recruitment Glossary
Soft Skills
In recruiter context
The cliché word for the genuinely hard part of hiring. Hard skills (Python, Excel, AutoCAD) are easy to assess via tests; soft skills are harder to measure and harder to develop. UK employers increasingly hire on soft-skills strength when candidate technical skills are roughly comparable. The two soft skills I see win out most often in 2026: written clarity (because it scales remote work) and stakeholder management (because hybrid teams have more cross-team friction than co-located ones). 'I have great communication skills' on a CV says nothing — instead, demonstrate it with a specific example where the soft skill produced a measurable result.
Related terms
Portfolio Career
Building income from multiple sources — a permanent role plus consulting, multiple part-time roles, …
Cold Application
Applying to a job without any prior contact, referral, or recruiter conversation.
Hybrid Working
A working pattern split between office and remote — typically 2 or 3 days a week in the office.
Upskilling
Building new skills within your existing role or career path — usually to take on more responsibilit…