Remote work & hiring glossary
Plain-language definitions of the remote-work, pay, and hiring terms you meet while job hunting — written for Indonesians applying to global and remote roles.
Remote work
5 termsRemote work
Remote work is any job you do from outside a traditional office — usually from home — communicating with your team over the internet instead of in person.
Work from home (WFH)
Work from home (WFH) means doing your job from your residence instead of commuting to an office, using a computer and internet connection.
Hybrid work
Hybrid work is a mix of remote and in-office work, where employees split their week between home and the company's premises.
Digital nomad
A digital nomad is someone who works remotely while traveling, using the location independence of an online job to live in different places.
Asynchronous work
Asynchronous (async) work is a way of collaborating where people do not have to be online at the same time — you leave written updates that teammates read and respond to on their own schedule.
Pay & compensation
4 termsGross vs net salary
Gross salary is your total pay before any deductions; net salary is what actually reaches your account after tax and other deductions are taken out.
USD salary
A USD salary is pay denominated in US dollars, common for remote roles at foreign companies — valuable in Indonesia because global pay meets local cost of living.
Take-home pay
Take-home pay is the amount of money you actually receive after all deductions — it is the same as net salary.
Equity & RSUs
Equity is a share of ownership in a company offered as part of pay; RSUs (restricted stock units) are a common form where you receive company shares that vest over time.
Hiring process
5 termsApplicant tracking system (ATS)
An applicant tracking system (ATS) is software companies use to collect, sort, and filter job applications — it often screens resumes for keywords before a human reads them.
Technical interview
A technical interview is a hiring stage that tests your job-specific skills directly — for example coding a solution, reviewing a design, or solving a domain problem live.
Take-home assignment
A take-home assignment is a task an employer gives you to complete on your own time during hiring, so they can judge your real work rather than only an interview.
Probation period
A probation period is a trial phase at the start of a job — commonly three months — during which either side can end the employment more easily while they confirm it is a good fit.
Notice period
A notice period is the advance warning you must give before leaving a job — often 30 days — so your employer has time to plan for your departure.
Employment type
3 termsContract vs permanent (PKWT vs PKWTT)
A permanent job (PKWTT) has no end date and fuller protections; a contract job (PKWT) runs for a fixed term and ends on an agreed date unless renewed.
Internship
An internship is a temporary, often entry-level position designed to give you practical experience in a field, sometimes paid and sometimes for course credit.
Freelance
Freelance work means being self-employed and taking on projects for one or more clients, rather than being an employee of a single company.
Application documents
3 termsResume vs CV
A resume is a short, one-to-two-page summary of your relevant experience tailored to a job; a CV (curriculum vitae) is a longer, complete record of your academic and professional history.
Cover letter
A cover letter is a short message accompanying your resume that explains why you want the role and why you are a strong fit, in your own voice.
Portfolio
A portfolio is a curated collection of your actual work — projects, designs, writing, or code — that proves your skills more directly than a resume can.