Most people that I’ve spoken with dislike buzzwords. The overuse of these empty words and phrases seems to be a visual and aural splinter lodged in the IT industry. Words like “Top Talent,” “Guru,” “Rock Star,” etc., are fully and deeply engrained in HR and Recruiting language around the country. Every company wants the best, and you in the IT field see how nearly every recruiter wants to “Network with Top Talent,” but who defines the talent as top? How masterful and learned does this Guru have to be? How much does one have to rock to be a Rock Star? As a recruiter at Anchor Point, I get the opportunity to speak directly with decision makers in order to understand the meaning beyond the buzzwords, and there’s less to it than you would think.
Buzzwords are instantly recognizable in IT, but their underlying meaning is usually simple. The company may actually need that one-of-a-kind tech maestro for a highly complex and specific project, but usually what they need is an intelligent and personable individual who has a basis of knowledge with a certain technology and role, and can learn the nuances of the position relatively quickly. No bells or whistles or halos or magic wands. You do not have to be at the top of your field to be great at a job, and you do not need to outlandishly oversell yourself as a Guru or Wizard. If you are qualified for an opening, it will come out in further conversations with a good recruiter about what is actually required for a specific position.
Buzzwords serve a limited and often harmful purpose. They are empty and non-descriptive, they can be ego-strokers for the overconfident (although it does feel nice to be called top talent sometimes), and they can confuse or alienate qualified individuals. However, in reality these kinds of blanket terms are here to stay, so the best course of action would be to push beyond the hollow lingo, and find the deeper meaning before applying to or shying away from a position. Get the best picture possible of the position and ask yourself: can I do the job that they request of me, and do it in an efficient manner? Can I add value to the company within this position? If you can answer “yes,” it doesn’t matter what they want to title you (sensei? nahhh...maybe).
We work with the people in charge of hiring to find out what the company needs for a position, instead of relying on a list of qualifications written or copy/pasted by an HR department. Talk to me, or any Anchor Point recruiter to get past the buzzwords and into the brain of your next potential employer. It is our job to do so, it is why our company is so successful, and it is why you will be successful when you work with us.