How Headhunters Spell Trouble:
'FD,' 'PP,' 'Noncom' and 'TMI'

By SARAH E. NEEDLEMAN
The Wall Street Journal
May 9, 2006; Page B9

Recruiters, like many specialized professionals, have pet words and phrases they pull out regularly at work. These code words can speak volumes about what a search executive is thinking about a candidate.

Here is a sampling of terms -- some more common than others -- that search executives say they often rely on when assessing potential hires:

TMI: Short for "too much information," is a term used by one recruiter and refers to candidates who give long-winded answers.

FD: Meaning "factual discrepancy" on résumés is another favorite.

Search virgin: Deborah Sawyer, a partner at Morgan Howard Worldwide in Stamford, Conn., puts this stamp on candidates who don't know how the executive-search business works. A common misconception is the belief that recruiters are responsible for finding them a job, she says. What they sometimes don't know is that recruiters are hired by companies to help them fill positions with qualified talent. Such candidates often voice their disappointment or anger to recruiters, which can derail their chances. "I probably won't ever put them in front of a client," Ms. Sawyer says.

PP: Is used by one recruiter to indicate "poor presentation"; sometimes comes to mind before he even shakes a candidate's hand.