It seems the market is flooded with products that promise to make your life easier, to make your day run smoother, to make the world a brighter place to be. But in the world of HR, are some of those shiny new objects, meaning software and jargon, helping or clouding your path to success? Over at Fistful of Talent, blogger Jessica Lee takes a look at the dazzling array of professional resources, and finds herself not exactly convinced of their worth. "[I]s what you're trying to sell me on really all that necessary to be a great HR pro, or to provide great HR service? I mean, to have a smooth running HR function, do you need to be using all those fancy, glittering objects?" Of course, some of those "glittering" objects can revolutionize your workday and clear the clutter from your desk, as long as they're straightforward and easy to use (ahem, CATS Applicant Tracking System). But, as with any decision, it's best to look before you leap into the newest technology trend. This tendency towards flashiness has  also extended to the vocabulary that is all too commonplace in the HR world. Here are some of the author's biggest conundrums:

• "Talent acquisition versus recruiting. I'm not sure what the difference is, if anything.
• Talent management... I don't really know what that term means... and I'm not sure when we started using the term "talent" so frequently!
• Onboarding versus orientation... is there truly a difference?
• Total rewards and total compensation... am I referring to the same thing here when I use either term? And are incentives different from rewards, which are different from recognition? Am I messing up all the terms here?
• Applicant versus candidate... some days I forget the difference and use them interchangeably. Can someone from the OFCCP please let me know?"

The article wraps up with some sage advice applicable to all professionals, not just those in HR. "It's easy to get distracted by shiny new objects, but let's keep our eyes on the prize. What's your goal? What are you trying to achieve? What's the strategy you're going to employ?  Answer those questions and then figure out the tools and tactics that will support it."