Glossaire du recrutement

166 définitions sur le recrutement, la recherche d'emploi, les biais cognitifs, les profils psychologiques et le droit du travail.

A

AI Recruitment

Use of artificial intelligence technologies to automate and enhance recruitment processes — sourcing, CV screening, candidate matching, video assessment.

rh-tech

ATS (Applicant Tracking System)

HR software that centralises and automates the management of job applications throughout the recruitment process.

Recrutement

Actiris

The public employment service of the Brussels-Capital Region, supporting job seekers and employers in the 19 Brussels municipalities.

belgique

Affinity Bias

Tendency to favour candidates who share our own characteristics, experiences or values — school attended, hobbies, background, nationality.

Biais de recrutement

Ageism

Discrimination based on age — both explicit and implicit — that disadvantages older (and sometimes younger) candidates in recruitment and employment.

Biais de recrutement

Algorithmic Matching

Use of algorithms to automatically identify and rank the best candidates-job combinations based on multiple criteria — skills, experience, location, salary expectations.

rh-tech

Anchoring Bias

Cognitive tendency to rely too heavily on the first piece of information encountered (the anchor) when making subsequent judgements or decisions.

Biais de recrutement

Anonymous CV

Technique consisting of removing identifying information (name, photo, age, address, nationality) from CVs before screening, to reduce unconscious bias.

Biais de recrutement

Assessment Centre

Standardised evaluation method combining multiple exercises (role plays, case studies, group exercises, psychometric tests) to assess candidates' competencies.

evaluation

Asynchronous Video Interview

Recruitment format in which candidates record video answers to predefined questions at a time of their choosing, which recruiters then review asynchronously.

Entretien d'embauche

Attribution Bias

Tendency to attribute candidates' successes to external factors and failures to internal factors (or vice versa) based on in-group/out-group dynamics.

Biais de recrutement

B

BCE — Crossroads Bank for Enterprises

Belgian federal database containing official registration information for all companies and self-employed individuals, identified by a unique enterprise number (VAT number).

belgique

Behavioural Interview

Interview technique based on the premise that past behaviour is the best predictor of future behaviour, using questions that elicit specific examples of past experiences.

Entretien d'embauche

Belbin Team Roles

Model identifying nine complementary team roles (Plant, Coordinator, Monitor Evaluator, etc.) to optimise team composition and collaboration.

evaluation

Big Five — OCEAN Model

The most scientifically validated personality model, measuring five traits: Openness, Conscientiousness, Extraversion, Agreeableness, and Neuroticism (OCEAN).

evaluation

Blockchain in Recruitment

Application of blockchain technology in recruitment to verify credentials, protect candidate data integrity, and create tamper-proof records of qualifications and work history.

rh-tech

Bore-out

Syndrome of professional exhaustion caused not by overload but by chronic boredom and lack of stimulation at work, leading to disengagement and demotivation.

Marché du travail

Brown-out

Gradual fading of professional motivation and commitment caused by a growing sense of disconnect between work tasks and personal values or meaning.

Marché du travail

Burnout

State of severe chronic exhaustion — physical, emotional and mental — caused by prolonged exposure to occupational stress, characterised by exhaustion, cynicism and reduced professional efficacy.

Marché du travail

Business Case Interview

Selection exercise in which the candidate analyses a realistic business problem and presents recommendations, assessing structured thinking and decision-making under pressure.

Entretien d'embauche

C

CV (Curriculum Vitae)

A document summarising a candidate's professional experience, education and skills, used to apply for jobs.

Recherche d'emploi

CV Parsing

Automated technology that extracts and structures data from CVs (experience, skills, education, contact details) for integration into an ATS or matching engine.

rh-tech

CV-free recruitment

A recruitment approach that evaluates candidates on their actual skills rather than their academic or professional background.

Recrutement

Candidate Prospecting

Proactive approach by which a recruiter identifies and contacts potential candidates who are not actively looking for a job.

sourcing

Career change

A significant change of role, sector or activity requiring the acquisition of new skills and a redefined professional project.

Recherche d'emploi

Careers Site

Dedicated section of a company's website where it publishes its job openings and presents itself as an employer.

sourcing

CliftonStrengths

Gallup assessment identifying individuals' top 5 (or all 34) strengths-based talent themes to help them invest where they naturally excel.

evaluation

Clone Syndrome

Organisational tendency to systematically hire candidates who resemble existing team members or previous role holders, limiting diversity and innovation.

Biais de recrutement

Cold Emailing

Sending an unsolicited email to a candidate who has had no prior contact with the recruiter, in order to present a job opportunity.

sourcing

Collective Agreement

Agreement negotiated between employer organisations and trade unions that establishes working conditions, wages and rights applying to all workers in a sector or company.

Droit du travail

Competency Framework

Structured document describing the key competencies (knowledge, skills, behaviours) required for each role in an organisation, with performance indicators at each level.

Compétences

Confirmation Bias

Cognitive tendency to seek, interpret and recall information in a way that confirms one's pre-existing beliefs or first impressions about a candidate.

Biais de recrutement

Conformity Bias

Tendency for group members to conform to majority opinions during panel evaluation, suppressing individual independent judgements.

Biais de recrutement

Continuing Professional Development

All formal and informal learning activities undertaken throughout a career to maintain, develop and expand professional competencies.

Compétences

Contrast Effect

Cognitive distortion where a candidate is evaluated not on absolute criteria but in comparison to candidates seen immediately before or after.

Biais de recrutement

Cover letter

A document accompanying the CV that explains why the candidate is applying for this specific role and what they bring to the company.

Recherche d'emploi

Cultural Fit

Degree of alignment between a candidate's values, working style and personality and a company's culture, values and ways of working.

Entretien d'embauche

D

DISC Assessment

Behavioural model that classifies individuals into four profiles — Dominance, Influence, Steadiness, Conscientiousness — to understand communication and work styles.

evaluation

Direct Approach

Recruitment technique consisting of directly contacting a candidate — without them having applied — to present a professional opportunity.

sourcing

Disability Employment

Employment of people with physical, sensory, cognitive or psychosocial disabilities, supported by specific legal protections and incentive mechanisms.

Diversité & inclusion

Dismissal

Unilateral termination of an employment contract by the employer, subject to compliance with notice period requirements or payment of compensation in lieu.

Droit du travail

Diversity & Inclusion Policy

Set of formal commitments, programmes and governance mechanisms through which an organisation structures its approach to diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI).

Diversité & inclusion

Diversity Quotas

Mandatory or voluntary minimum representation targets for specific groups (gender, ethnicity, disability) in hiring, boards or leadership positions.

Diversité & inclusion

Dunning-Kruger Effect

Cognitive bias where people with limited knowledge or skill in an area overestimate their competence, while experts tend to underestimate theirs.

Biais de recrutement

E

EVP — Employee Value Proposition

The set of benefits, values and experiences that a company offers its employees in exchange for their skills, commitment and time.

sourcing

Elevator pitch

A concise 30–90 second presentation of your background, skills and professional goals.

Recherche d'emploi

Emotional Intelligence

The ability to recognise, understand, manage and use one's own emotions and those of others to think and behave effectively.

evaluation

Employability

An individual's capacity to find and maintain employment, based on the combination of skills, adaptability, professional network and market positioning they develop throughout their career.

Marché du travail

Employee Turnover

Rate at which employees leave an organisation and are replaced, measured over a given period. High turnover is costly and indicates management, culture or compensation issues.

Marché du travail

Employee referral

A programme in which employees recommend candidates from their network in exchange for a bonus if the candidate is hired.

Recrutement

Employer Brand

A company's reputation as an employer — how it is perceived by current employees, job candidates and the general public.

sourcing

Employer Branding

All actions and strategies implemented to build, promote and manage a company's reputation as an employer.

sourcing

Enneagram

Personality typology model identifying nine fundamental character types, each with its own motivations, fears and development patterns.

evaluation

Equity / Capital Participation

Form of remuneration giving employees the right or ability to acquire shares in the company — through stock options, warrants, free shares or profit-sharing plans.

Rémunération

Extra-Legal Benefits

Benefits offered by employers beyond the legal minimum — company car, group insurance, meal vouchers, hospitalisation insurance — often with advantageous tax treatment.

Rémunération

F

FOREM

The public employment and training service of Wallonia, supporting job seekers and employers in the Walloon Region.

belgique

Fixed-Term Contract (CDD)

Employment contract with a defined start and end date, used for temporary or specific needs, subject to strict conditions in Belgian law.

Droit du travail

Flexible Benefits / Cafeteria Plan

Compensation system allowing employees to personalise their benefits package by choosing from a menu of options within a defined budget.

Rémunération

Freelancing

Self-employed work status in which an individual offers their skills and services to multiple clients without an employment relationship, taking on both professional freedom and business risk.

Droit du travail

Full Employment

Economic condition in which virtually everyone willing and able to work can find employment — conventionally defined as an unemployment rate of around 4–5%.

Marché du travail