Lessons from films: How (not) to handle your first day at work

The outfit prep, the sweaty palms, the test-run commute. It can only mean one thing – the first day of a new job.

We revisit some classic films to see what nuggets of wisdom they can bring us for tackling the all-important first day.

(Beware: spoilers!)

Acting too cool for school

When Jack Black’s character, Dewey Finn, fraudulently accepts a teaching position under the guise of his roommate Ned, it’s safe to say that delivering top-notch educational value is not his main priority. Moseying in after lunch, his laissez-faire attitude (“I say, time for recess!”) doesn’t quite cut it at prestigious Horace Green school. From insulting the class’ usual teacher, to using oh-so-nearly inappropriate language, Dewey’s first day is like a one stop shop of errors to avoid.

Whilst he thankfully goes on to turn things around (and create some epic music along the way), his first moments in the classroom are a good reminder that attitude really can make all the difference.

Being inventive with the truth

Desperate to see his children after his ex-partner is granted sole custody, actor Daniel Hillard comes up with an unconventional solution – applying to be the family’s housekeeper, made up in full costume as fictional good egg “Mrs Euphegenia Doubtfire”. Fooling your ex-partner-turned-employer with an elaborate deception – what could possibly go wrong?! (Spoiler: a lot).

Whilst most of us would probably stop short of inventing a whole new identity, beware the temptation of the small, white lie. Appealing as it may be to get creative with the truth, you never know what sort of hole you may dig for yourself.

Assuming one size fits all

After unexpectedly being identified as the all-important “Dragon Warrior”, unlikely hero Po the panda can’t wait to get stuck into kung fu training. Sadly, his initial attempts don’t quite hit the mark, with trainer Shifu announcing that “there is now a level 0” when seeing his efforts. Convinced that the only path to success is training in the same way as kung fu masters the Furious Five, he wrestles with self-doubt and fear of failure. Eventually, Shifu realises that, unlike the others, the key to training Po is through his first love – food.

There’s a lesson here for new starters and managers alike; there’s no ‘one size fits all’ for unlocking someone’s true potential. A bit of time, faith, and creative thinking on both sides can go a long way.

Judging a book by its cover

When FBI Special Agent, Gracie Hart, is sent undercover as a beauty pageant contestant, it certainly doesn’t strike anyone as a match made in heaven. Paired up with pageant consultant, Victor Melling, they are both equally horrified at the prospect of getting action-focused Gracie contest-ready. However, as events unfold, Victor, Gracie, and her fellow beauty queens alike, discover the value in each other’s expertise and how much they can learn from each other to help shape their own paths.

It's easy to jump to conclusions and be led by our assumptions – we’ve all been guilty of that! Gracie’s story, and her blossoming friendships within the pageant world, are good reminders to keep an open mind about ourselves and others. We may well be surprised.

Stealing someone else’s thunder

If you’re into music, you’re probably familiar with this one! When Himesh Patel’s character, Jack Malik, finds himself in a reality-bending universe in which he’s the only one who has heard of the Beatles, he launches the musical career of his dreams by reintroducing their songs to the masses. Losing sight of his true goals and values along the way, he’s eventually set back on track by alternate-reality John Lennon who advises him to fight for the woman he loves and “tell the truth to everyone” whenever he can.

If you’re faced with a slightly-too-tempting opportunity to step in and take credit for someone else’s work, maybe think of Jack and err… let it be (see what we did there?!)