A system and method are provided for processing an imaging job using adaptive universal symbols. The method comprises: establishing a user interface (UI) representing imaging job options with adaptive universal symbols at a job source, which can be an imaging driver or a direct submit application; accepting adaptive universal symbol selections from the UI; sending an imaging job to an imaging device, in an imaging device-specific format, along with the adaptive universal symbol selections; and, at the imaging device, processing the imaging job in response to the selected adaptive universal symbols. With respect to print, copy, or fax jobs for example, the adaptive universal symbols may represent options such as staple, cut, fold, hole-punch, trim, N-up, duplex, paper size, input tray, output bin, copies, collation, margin, sheet/page orientation, or front/back covers.