Jargon Jumble

“Are you a lateral?” Huh? A lateral? A lateral what?? I’m human…. I don’t know about lateral… That question was one of the first in a week full of similar jargon assimilation. What is it about large process driven companies? Where a person is known by the abbreviations he keeps. Try being a new recruit in one of them and you’ll know what I’m talking about. Everyone you are introduced to, in an effort to be friendly and all, that bombards you with jargon. Whats your PU? Who’s your PL? The business is divided into GOs and Verticals. The GOs are divided into WAM, SAM, NAM, I will send you an RFI. Please respond to the RFI with an RFP. Log your CCD requests in the AHD tracker…. Aaaaaaarrrrgggghhhhhhh!

But that was last week. I’m now in week two of being an employee in that large process driven company. I am now officially an employee number, with a PU assigned to me and not a name. I am known by the beeps my ID card makes as I enter and leave the premises. I have had many CCD requests logged, tracked and closed. And best of all? I know what it means to be a lateral!