This Is How to Get Your Next Job

#11: Don’t Say Anything That’s Gobbledygook

I don’t understand half the things job hunters say. And neither do would-be employers.

I’ll ask people the type of culture they want to work in and they’ll say or write, “ROWE.” (I since learned it means Results-Only Work Environment.)

I’ll ask them to tell me about their expertise and they’ll say that they know all about “gift proposals,” or “build and grow programs,” “random walk,” or “pack out labs.” Or someone will describe himself as a “person-centered change agent who drives results through actionable learning frameworks.”

When someone rattles off these terms and phrases that are perfectly understandable to them but Greek to me, I get distracted. I am preoccupied, trying to figure out what they ...