Hey, Freshy! Feeling Lost? Discover Secrets from the ‘Devil Wears Prada’
Uncover what career secrets we can learn from the Devil Wears Prada movie
So you have just graduated as one of the top students and landed your first prestigious job — what now?
Are you prepared for what is coming?
Do you have the right attitude for your new job?
I’ve been in this scenario one too many times when exploring different kinds of jobs. Jumping into a working life straight from university can be different. The practice of your knowledge can be different. It’s normal to encounter challenges along the way.
During my third watch of “The Devil Wears Prada,” I thought, this time it hits differently. Andy is me. We were about the same age, going through the same things. We were scared stiff about nailing that prestigious first job. Encountering a ruthless employer who asked the big questions that would leave us stuttering, “W-what?” and stated facts that would completely disarrange our brains. That would be the moment when we realised that we were not prepared at all for the interviews.
In this article, we will take what we can learn about the movie.
Why did this person ask this question?
Why did they react like that?
Why did they ask questions that suggest we messed up?
Honour Your Workplace
If they’ve got an etiquette, follow it. Care about it. Don’t be that person who knows everything just because you know you’re smart. There will always be things that we can learn.
Remember when you got hired, you won the position many people were fighting for. Even if the job came naturally to you, appreciate it. You have to adjust to your workplace — the norm, the culture. Who knows what you can learn from morphing into one of the successful employees?
Plenty of times in my life, I looked up to successful people and wanted to be like them. So, I started copying their habits and how they think. I’d ask myself,” What would they do in this situation? What would they think?” It’s funny how, bit by bit, I morphed into the new me. I was attracted to the same reality as that person.
When Andy came to the workplace with a nonchalant attitude, she ended up being a laughingstock. In fact, she sort of just did her own thing and thought she knew best — she didn’t want to adjust. Her refusal to embrace the work culture and habits of her coworkers ended up backfiring on her, making her the butt of jokes and causing her to struggle with her tasks. It wasn’t until she changed her approach, dressed the part, changed her work ethic, and adjusted her attitude that she started to thrive.
P.S: Staying loyal to your employer can pay off in the long run.
Care About EVERYTHING You Do
Sometimes, we land on something that may not fit our liking but would do us a favour in the long term.
“Whatever it is that you do, put your heart into it. All the success will follow.” — Sheamus Aaren. Me.
Andy went through the challenges she faced at the workplace after her first failure. She did not quit her job and instead tackled the challenge. After that, she skied rocket in her job. Eventually, when she chose to quit, Miranda even gave her a glowing recommendation to Andy’s potential employer.
Had quit before on her first failure, she wouldn’t have earned Miranda’s recommendation for future job prospects in popular publications. All those good grades in the university don’t have to prove anything in real-life work. So, no whining. Adjust to the new standard.
Never Lose Sight of Your Loved Ones
Make time for your loved ones. If the people mean a lot to you, make time for them. Our careers sometimes require us to change and grow. But it doesn’t mean that you have to forget who has helped support you along the way. Take time to reach out and connect.
On a different note, it’s disappointing how Nate reacted to Andy’s career advancement. When she mentioned her new clothes, he responded, “I liked the old ones.” It felt like, he was trying to pin her down to her old self even as she was growing and moving forward.
One or Two Things I Disagree With
I believe it’s perfectly acceptable to recycle the people in your life when you feel like you are going towards the direction you are meant to go. At times, the people from our past aren’t able to accompany us as we evolve and grow.
The problem arises when you are heading somewhere you don’t want to be and end up losing friends along the way. Andy found herself heading down the wrong path and losing friends in the process.
As for the Paris situation, I’m unsure if the question was about whether she had a choice. Professionally, Andy was obligated to accompany her boss, Miranda. It wasn’t Andy’s fault that Emily had an accident, and even if Emily had been healthy, Miranda still wanted Andy to go. Andy wasn’t picking her coworker over anything; she was only doing her job.
PS: I think gaining a sense of fashion should be celebrated. Apparently, not everyone in her circle was supportive of that.
“You Don’t Deserve It.” Emily Said.
Now, I don’t believe in “suffering to get what we want”. Especially when the best job I ever landed came out of nowhere. It happened when I least expected it when I wasn’t even actively looking. And you know what? It was exactly what I wanted to do.
The truth is, nobody should have to suffer to get what they want. Who says success has to come with pain? Sure, some people might give us jealous looks when things come easily to us because it’s harder for them.
Yes, Andy may not care as much as Emily in the workplace. But the qualities that Andrea possessed made her deserving of the job. Emily’s breakdown in the hospital was a difficult situation, but Andy didn’t deserve to bear the brunt of it.
Have the Courage to Walk Away
A prestigious job may bring you a name and even fame, a good resume, and the possibility to work wherever you want after you finish your first year or project there. But if the environment is toxic and full of backstabbing, it’s better to find a new workplace where you get treated better. In another case, it could also be a prestigious job that didn’t fulfil your life purpose.
Andy did something that many wouldn’t dare to do. She chose to walk away even when she was at the top of everything — when the money was good, people respected her, and the boss loved and admired her. However, she realized that she didn’t want to become like Miranda, so she made a bold decision to leave before it was too late and set herself free. It couldn’t have been easy letting go of the glamour she had but, she prioritized her happiness and values.
Bullet Points to Remember
Let’s be short here:
- Appreciate the job that you got, even when it came easily.
- Adjust to the norm, etiquette, and work ethic in your new workplace.
- Be open-minded, and don’t act like you know everything even when you’re the top student.
- Tackle the challenge before you leave the job. Take what you can learn from solving that problem.
- No whining, adjust and grow to the new standard in your new workplace.
- Pour your heart into whatever you do. Even when it’s the things you’re not aligned with.
- Make time for your loved ones. Take time to reach out to your friends as well.
- Your personal growth is worth celebrating. If your loved ones make snide remarks about it, it’s worth questioning their motives.
- You don’t need to suffer to get what you want.
- Dare to walk away from things that are not serving you.
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Thank you for reading :)
