If you haven’t seen Ferris Bueller’s Day Off for some strange reason (not from the US, no television, don’t enjoy awesome 80s movies, don’t have a soul, etc.), here’s a lovely tribute song, complete with a callback in the chorus to one of my favorite parts. Afterwords, you can go out and rent and watch the movie. I’ll wait.
Welcome back! Sure took you a while (special features, huh?).
For those of you who cheated, the gist of the movie is that Ferris Bueller takes the day off (re: ditches) school with his girlfriend and best friend and goes on all sorts of adventures. Wow, sure sounds great, huh?
Also, he has to escape the wrath of the principal and get back home in time to not arouse the suspicions of his parents.
So, you, having now passed a few hours’ time watching the YouTube clip and movie, what does this have to do with the job search?
Besides pointing out how awesome Chicago is (and that there are probably a few jobs there, so take a look if you don’t mind moving, or the Cubs), the movie plays out the potential consequences of the age-old problem of relative value. Which is more important to Ferris: education or shenanigans? Since he takes the day off, it’s pretty safe to say what his choice is.
So let’s take that thought process and turn it into a job search. Say that Ferris is currently in a part-time or entry-level job that he doesn’t like much (school), and he wants to take time to look for a better job (take the day off). He will have to do it without alerting his boss (principal) and co-workers (parents), as this could have dire consequences. So instead, he plans out how to go about looking for work (shenanigans) without arousing suspicion.
While I wouldn’t advocate Ferris’ method, especially as he pretty much takes over Chicago (the parade and baseball game especially) and uses deceit to get ahead (Abe Froman), there is something in his approach that I do suggest you use: confidence.
Often, when looking for a job while having another one, people get nervous about being found out by their bosses and co-workers. Clandestine lunch interviews are planned, personal emails are diverted, phone calls are made discreetly (through one’s office phone, of course), and the whole thing has a dirty, torrid affair-like sense to it. This in turn affects not only the interviewing process, but the person’s feelings towards their current and prospective employers.
But Ferris goes for the gusto. There’s no shame in looking for something better and grabbing for what one knows that they deserve. As long as there is awareness and disclosure on the part of the person looking to move on towards the interviewer, there is no reason to feel guilty. Go for the brass ring, but be cordial and polite to your current employer(s). And be aware of and ready to accept the consequences. It’s just a job. Don’t feel bad about wanting something better.
Unless you’re trying to get a position as the Sausage King of Chicago. In which case, be careful.
This post dedicated to the memory of John Hughes, whose films I (mostly) missed by a few years in both theatrical release and generation, but still enjoy.
