Buzz

Like many others I have a love-hate relationship with buzzwords. They play an interesting role in the business ecosystem.

On one hand they are like a secret language that allows professionals from similar backgrounds to find one another; like the dance of the honey bees used to lead one another to flowers. On the other hand, these vague terms can potentially lock great people out of career and advancement opportunities. Buzzwords can act as a rallying cry to get people to champion your cause. The problem is sometimes they are often fuzzy, which makes it hard to deliver on promises. This can lead to fatigue and resentment.

How do we harness the power of buzzwords for good?

Avoid using buzzwords in job ads. Sure a "coding ninja with great synergy" sounds cooler than, "programmer with excellent collaboration skills," but is it possible that you are scaring away fantastic candidates.

Avoid overuse and try to choose words that are specific enough that they won't mean something different for everyone. This is important in marketing, and probably even more important in employer marketing. You want to sound current and attract your audience but you also want your promises to be clear and actionable.

What's your favorite buzzword?