Developer Hiring & Job Market Language

Engineering managers writing job descriptions, running technical assessments, and discussing compensation need vocabulary across several areas: inclusive job description language ("must have" vs. "nice to have"), assessment rubric terms (correctness, code quality, edge case handling), compensation vocabulary (base, bonus, RSU, vesting, cliff), and levelling vocabulary (scope, autonomy, IC track). These exercises cover each area with real phrasing used in hiring conversations.

Avoid gender-coded and hype language ("ninja", "rockstar", "crushing it"); separate "required" (3-5 genuinely essential items) from "preferred" qualifications; describe the work and outcomes rather than a persona; and include a transparent salary range where possible — increasingly required by law in many US states, the UK, and the EU. See the Job Description Writing exercise set for practice.

Base salary is fixed annual pay, excluding bonus and equity. Total compensation (TC) is base + annual bonus + the annualised value of equity. Equity (commonly RSUs — restricted stock units — at public companies, or stock options at private companies) usually vests over 4 years with a 1-year cliff, meaning no equity vests until 12 months of employment. See the Compensation & Offer Vocabulary exercise set.

Levelling is the process of determining a candidate's or employee's seniority level (e.g. Junior, Mid, Senior, Staff, Principal) based on demonstrated scope, technical complexity, autonomy, and impact — not years of experience alone. A "leveling panel" or calibration committee typically reviews interview evidence against a written rubric before confirming the level for an offer.

Be timely, specific where company policy allows, and respectful: thank the candidate, state the decision clearly, and where possible give one constructive, role-specific takeaway rather than a vague "didn't do well enough." Avoid ghosting — even a brief message that closes the loop is better for the candidate and for employer brand than silence.

A "req" (requisition) is the formal, budget-approved authorization to hire for a role. A backfill req replaces someone who left (team size stays the same); a growth req is a brand-new slot that expands the team. This distinction matters in budget conversations — backfills are usually approved faster since the budget already exists.

Common terms: "take-home project" (asynchronous coding exercise), "live coding" (real-time, watched), "system design whiteboard" (architecture discussion), and rubric terms like correctness, code quality, test coverage, and edge case handling. Fair take-home briefs specify a clear problem statement, constraints, evaluation criteria, and a stated time limit.

FTE stands for "Full-Time Equivalent" — the standard unit for counting permanent full-time headcount, as distinct from contractors (who are usually budgeted separately). During a "headcount freeze," a company pauses new FTE hiring, though contractor hiring may sometimes continue since it doesn't draw from the frozen FTE budget.

Regrettable attrition is the departure of a strong performer the company wanted to keep — the metric leadership tracks most closely as a retention signal. Non-regrettable attrition is the departure of an underperformer or a role being phased out, and is generally not a retention concern. Both can be voluntary (resignation) or involuntary (termination, layoff).

Engineering managers, HR business partners, technical recruiters, and founders who are non-native English speakers and need to write job descriptions, run technical assessments, discuss compensation and equity, communicate engineering levels, or plan headcount in professional, precise English.