Acronyms and jargon are much more than kinds of “abbreviations.” They are almost languages all by themselves.

We should use those “languages” as best we can. After all, clients pay us to employ language very powerfully to make their value visible and irresistible.

Want to do that very well? Let’s start with acronyms. Go far beyond just thinking of them as collections of letters. Use them to evoke emotion and make strong cultural connections fast.

We must be articulate when we speak “acronym,” if we are to use that “language” to communicate with our clients, and on their behalves, very well.

We must know the culture the acronyms represent, what deeper meanings they have for decision makers.

That was as true two thousand years ago as it is today. You may see one of the oldest acronyms when you look at a crucifix.

Above Jesus’ head are these letters INRI. That acronym stood, in Latin, for I: IESVS = Jesus, N: NAZARENVS = Nazarene, R: REX = King, I = IVDÆORVM : of the Jews.

The connotation was just the opposite of the literal meaning, the denotation.

Even then, there was another, older, powerful acronym: SPQR: Senatus PopulusQue Romanus. Translated literally is means “The Senate and People of Rome.”

But the connotations were far more powerful. Even the illiterate knew what those letters stood for. If you were a Roman citizen, they represented rights, power, and influence. If you were a Jew living in Judea, they meant oppression, tyranny, cruelty.

Because the acronyms are much more valuable than just some kind of shorthand, understanding them and using them well offers great payoffs for you, your practice, and your clients.

Jargon, too, can be a two-edged sword. It does more than make conversation in a culture more efficient. It establishes affiliation and credibility. It implies wisdom. But that only happens when we use it on our clients’ behalf properly to connect with potential hiring officials and mentors.

However, use jargon, even “correctly,” with people outside the group and the effect is just the opposite. Listeners become confused and embarrassed. Communication is derailed.

Two examples spring to mind: doctors and lawyers. That’s not pejorative. It’s a fact of life. Attorneys are so used to, so bound by, court-tested language, they lapse it without thinking. Doctors fall into the same trap.

Avoid that snare even before you start to write. Ask these questions: Who will read your words? What do you want them to do as a result? Will unfamiliar jargon and acronyms torpedo your client’s success? Could your words immediately redline the résumé, cover letter, and LinkedIn profile you worked so hard to write and for which you client paid considerable money?

Cover letters addressed to the true hiring decision maker are more effective when you fold in acronyms and jargon naturally. A covering email using that approach, addressed to an HR professional, could stop the conversation before it began if your client wasn’t an HR professional herself.

Use acronyms and jargon as marketing tools. Our clients make their first impressions in minutes. That’s also true when we communicate with potential clients. Use their acronyms and jargon appropriately and you’ll form an instant bond.

An example may help. A Navy Captain reached out to ask me how I might help him transition to a civilian career that would be as successful as his time on active duty. After I visited his LI profile, I wrote back to him: “I agree: you really have been successful! Were you promoted BTZ?”

Here’s what those words meant to him: instantly, almost subconsciously. “This guy knows my culture. He knows when every officer who signed up in a given year would usually have been promoted. When he saw my rank and dates, he knew at once I moved up faster than others. That’s why he asked me if I had been promoted BTZ (“Below the Zone).”

I’ll spare you the details but being below the zone means the Navy put him in the top few percent. So, when he said he was promoted BTZ, I responded: ”BZ!” (Spoken as “Bravo Zulu”). That’s Navy lingo for “well done!”

Acronyms, used in the right context, help me build trust right away. You can do the same. Learn how people in your target markets speak and think.

Professional organizations—those composed of, and serving the needs of, a given career field—can help. Visit their websites. Scan their trade journals. You’ll find both sprinkled with jargon and acronyms. The context will guide you to use both in the right ways.

Come across an acronym you don’t understand? Here’s a great starting point: https://www.acronymfinder.com/

Don’t just read the “definition.” Enter it in your browser to find examples of it in use. Then make that acronym a search term to learn even more. Soon you’ll be speaking your clients’ languages almost like a native. See how it appears in news stories and commentaries.

Acronyms are growing very fast in our industry as the C-suite expands. Our clients come to us using those acronyms without thinking twice.

Please don’t be embarrassed by asking them for a definition. Granted, these meanings are not set in stone. Worse yet, some acronyms that appear identical are very different. My CIO is a Chief Innovation Officer. That’s something quite different from a CIO who is a Chief Information Officer. Looking through my records last year, I found myself serving a CDO (Chief Data Officer), a CXO (Chief Experience Officer), and a CCO (Chief Culture Officer).

When your clients slip into jargon and acronyms, ask what they mean, not just in denotation but in connotation as well.

Sometimes the subtly will amaze you. Here in the South, we use this phrase often: “Bless his heart!”

Sounds like a compliment doesn’t it? Here’s what it really means: “That person isn’t too bright!”

Acronyms are the ultimate “key words;” they truly connect. They are far more powerful than the usual collection of traits and adjectives that apply to every career field under the sun. Acronyms build credibility. They built trust.

The effect can be dramatic when your documents go directly to the hiring decision makers, as you know they should.

Therefore, make your clients part of your QA (you know: Quality Assurance) system. Ask them to be sure you’re using their jargon and acronyms correctly.

A senior prison warden reminded of that recently after I drafted his package. I had used the words “convict” and “inmate” interchangeably in his résumé and cover letter. My client was quick to correct me.

In his world, “inmate” means snitch. To many, it’s a derogatory term. “Convicts,” on the other hand, feel they rule the roost. They live by the “Convict Code,” a set of social conventions where the slightest misstep can be deadly. An inmate just wants to serve his time; a convict will kill you if he ever gets the chance.

If the warden hadn’t caught my error, the style of his documents wouldn’t line up with his background. I would have sowed doubt when I was supposed to be helping him build credibility. He would never have made it to the interview. (And yes, he did get the job.)

Did I violate my own rule when I introduced an undefined acronym in the title? If I did, it was to reinforce how to use acronyms well.

If you use acronyms and jargon well, you’ll have great Key Performance Indicators.

You know: KPIs.