One of my favorite 90’s movies is Don’t Tell Mom the Babysitter’s Dead, starring Christina Applegate. I wore out my VHS tape from repeat viewings, watching Sue Ellen climb her way to the top of the career ladder as a teenager pretending to be an adult professional. The main plot point involved what I can only see now as a major HR nightmare!
5 Lessons Learned:
- Contact references before hiring a service professional
This whole situation could have been avoided if Sue Ellen’s mother took the time to speak with references before leaving her children (and teenagers) with the mean and cranky Mrs. Sturak. She was not the sweet, child loving, woman that was hoped for. Would this knowledge kill the entire plot? Yes, but they’d have one less dead, old woman to leave on the doorstep of a funeral home.
- Fibbing on your resume will bite you in the a$$ later
Sure, people “fluff” their resumes from time to time. Fortunately, hiring managers and recruiters will have the opportunity to dive into the details, giving a candidate the chance to explain and share stories about their experience. But straight-up lies…?! This is a big NO-NO. Lies will always catch up to you. Sue Ellen pretty much created her resume out of thin air to land the Executive Assistant job at General Apparel West. What’s worse is that she lied about her personal information, including her date of birth, after being hired. The humiliating big reveal took place in front of her industry peers and colleagues during her own fashion show event. Not a good look, Sue Ellen.
- 90’s fashion is a thing and it’s making a comeback
The 90’s were all about bright colors, grunge, and pretty much the whole kitchen sink. Sue Ellen successfully saved her uniform company by making a huge change in their designs while focusing on the needs of the younger, more hip professional. This trend is in play as we speak, with many long established companies focused on attracting top talent from the millennial generation by updating their brand messaging and creating unique, attractive offerings for employees.
- Snitches get stitches
A young Dave Duchovny played the character who ultimately brought down Sue Ellen and exposed her lies. Then he was fired for being a d*ck. The lesson here is classic: Mind your own business! Exposing a colleague’s weakness for your own personal gain is not a good path to pursue. If you think someone is breaking a rule and you feel the need to tell someone, notify HR and presume innocence. Let HR take it from there, then get back to work.
- Be the rock when your manager is having a nervous breakdown
“I’m right on top of that Rose!” – One of my favorite scenes is when Sue Ellen’s boss, Rose Lindsey, has a nervous breakdown after learning that her company is quickly becoming unprofitable largely due to undesirable and outdated products. Sue Ellen quickly realizes that she can add value and potentially keep the company from shutting down. She steps up, inspires her colleagues with her vision, and ultimately saves the company with her big ideas.
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Josh Charles in his Clown Dog uniform, just because…
