Why I Hate the Words ‘Guru’ and ‘Rockstar’
August 20, 2009
I hate the word guru almost as much as the word rockstar when referring to business people.
If you see a job posting for a Rockstar Web Developer or a Rockstar Designer or a Marketing Guru, run the other direction, because the person hiring obviously doesn’t know much about developers, designers, marketers, rockstars or gurus.
I’m guilty of using the term Rockstar, sure. But after reading it, I realized that I sounded like a complete asshole. Developers develop, designers design, and rockstars play loud instruments (sometimes poorly) and sometimes have promiscuous sex. There isn’t a correlation.
If you want a great marketing person, advertise that you’re looking for someone that knows how to make things stick, how to recognize and help create purple cows, and who will know what you’re talking about when you say ‘Holy Kaw!’
If you’re hiring, your reputation should be enough to attract the right people. If it’s not, the project you’re working on should be interesting enough to attract them. If the project isn’t that interesting, then you shouldn’t be seeking a rockstar.
