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Decoding Workplace Jargon

Starting a new job means diving into a world full of mysterious buzzwords. Experts say that understanding business language boosts confidence and productivity, according to a recent LinkedIn study—especially for young employees entering the workforce. Understanding this jargon can boost your confidence and show you’re in the know. Here’s a breakdown of common terms to help you feel like a pro from day one.

• KPIs (Key Performance Indicators): These measurable goals track success, like “increasing engagement by 20%.” KPIs provide clear benchmarks for what’s expected in your role.

• SWOT Analysis: This stands for Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats. SWOT is used to assess project or business challenges and plan strategies accordingly.

• OKRs (Objectives and Key Results): OKRs align teams with measurable goals. Objectives define what to achieve, while key results specify the steps, like “add four new clients each quarter.”

• SLA (Service Level Agreement): Common in customer service, SLAs set standards for response times and quality. Meeting SLAs ensures you’re hitting targets for speed and service.

• MQL (Marketing Qualified Lead): MQLs are leads likely to convert based on interest level, helping marketing and sales teams prioritize valuable prospects.

Understanding this kind of language can help your career, but jargon is always a moving target. A quick tip to help you navigate in meetings is to keep a running list of words you hear and then google them later, when you are back to your desk. No question is ever a bad question—but when you’re new to a job, doing some of your own research before going to your boss is always smart.

Top Apps of 2024

New releases are shaking up the app world, and this year’s top downloads prove it. From budget shopping to must-have social platforms, TechCrunch used overall downloads to break down which platforms are holding our attention.

1. Temu – Leading the pack with a massive 41.98 million downloads, Temu is the go-to app for budget shopping, offering everything from clothes to gadgets at rock-bottom prices. It’s not just about deals—Temu’s gamified shopping experience (think coupons and free gifts) keeps users hooked.

2. TikTok – No surprises here. TikTok saw 33.23 million downloads, staying the course near the top of the list. But TikTok is more than just videos: it’s also become a legit alternative to Google for quick searches and recommendations.

3. Threads – Meta’s Threads hit hard this year with 32.32 million installs, showing that Gen Z is open to fresh social platforms. With Instagram integration and a new buzz around its redesign, Threads is a strong competitor to X (formerly Twitter).

4. ChatGPT – With 24.63 million installs, OpenAI’s ChatGPT is gaining steam fast. As AI tools become mainstream, ChatGPT can be a useful resource for study help and career guidance alike.

5. CapCut – ByteDance’s video-editing powerhouse CapCut raked in 21.72 million downloads. Its user-friendly editing tools make it the perfect companion app to TikTok.

Honorable Mentions: Netflix (15.67M), Snapchat (19.16M), and Spotify (10.45M) remain strong players, with platforms like Shein (14.68M) and Lemon8 (7.7M) appealing to niche interests. 2024’s app landscape reveals a focus on creativity, social connection, and smart spending—defining the future of digital experiences.

Free Donuts! (Tomorrow)

In a sweet move inspired by World Kindness Day on November 13, Krispy Kreme is offering up free doughnuts. Here’s the deal: the first 500 guests at every participating Krispy Kreme in the U.S. get a dozen glazed donuts for free—no strings attached.

Krispy Kreme rep Dave Skena says the idea is to “enable and inspire many dozens of small acts of kindness.” In other words, they’re hoping you’ll resist the urge to devour all 12 and instead hand some off to friends, family, or maybe that co-worker who keeps borrowing your phone charger.

You can grab your free dozen inside the store or through the drive-thru. And if you’re feeling extra generous, Krispy Kreme is asking folks to spread the kindness online by tagging them with #KrispyKreme. So, set an alarm, beat the crowd, and celebrate World Kindness Day with a friend—or 12.