Life lessons from “The Devil Wears Prada”

Just the other day, I watched the movie ‘The Devil Wears Prada,’ a movie about a young college graduate who lands a highly sought-after job as the co-assistant to the editor-in-chief of a powerful fashion magazine. Andrea, like many people starting their career or profession, got off to a very rough start in her job — her colleagues doubted she would make it, and were waiting for her to fail. Over time, though, she catapults herself into a better position and earns the respect of her colleagues. She does this by proactively anticipating her principal’s thoughts and actions and learning to be always one step ahead.

As I watched the film unfold, I realized there are several life lessons that I wish I had known when I was at the start of my career and would like to share same with you.

Don’t be discouraged if you start off slow

Many people will start off slowly in their career or in their position, just like Andrea does in the film. Not everyone is able to get off the blocks so quickly as though they were running a sprint race. Many of us have been conditioned that there is no second chance for a first impression. This may be true, but a lasting impression can be more important than a first impression. No matter how poorly or slowly you start, you can change perceptions of you with hard work and dedication. Look out for that…