The Cloud, 3G, Big Data, Crowdsourcing. Sound familiar? We’ve all heard these buzz words thrown around in conversation, but do you know what the words really mean? It’s true,
incorporating these words into every day conversation or an interview answer makes you sound quite sophisticated. That is, until someone asks you to define what you are talking about. We’ve all been there, that gut-wrenching moment when someone discovers you really had no idea what they were talking about all along. So what do you do, keep faking it or fess up and admit you don’t know?
If you are in a social setting – you may be able to fool the people around you. But you may not. And it’s only a matter of time before someone pulls out an iPhone and uncovers your malarkey.
If you are in an interview – stop QUICK and don’t make it worse. Chances are you won’t be able to fool your interviewer and he or she knows you are faking it, especially in the tech industry. While knowledge is important, honesty and character are also key. “I don’t know” is a perfectly acceptable answer. Follow up by showing initiative to find the answer.
Here is a list of Mashable’s Top Tech Buzzwords You Use But Can’t Define: Big Data, The Cloud, The Next Big Thing, Social Discovery, Web 2.0, Solid State, CERN, Solar Max, De-dupe, 3G/4G/5G, SoLoMo.
How many can you define? How many can you fake convincingly?
While “Fake it ‘til you make it” may work in some settings, an interview is not one of them. And in a digital age ruled by iPhones and instant answers, think twice before faking it.
*Mashable’s Top 10 tech Buzzwords you use but can’t define (and answers!) http://mashable.com/2012/03/16/confusing-tech-buzzwords/