May the (Work) Force Be With You: 9 Career Lessons from Popular Science Fiction

My 4-year-old son Brendan is obsessed of late with Star Wars. We have a Wii and Lego Star Wars is his favorite game. If you are a parent and have passed through this age, you know that kids can really get obsessive about their favorite things. He loves that silly game, and talks about it all the time. Non-sequiturs abound. We’ll be reading books at bedtime, and he’ll tell me about wanting to be a red-hat guy who goes up the side of a building using the hooks, or how he likes Yoda, but doesn’t like being Yoda in the game, because he’s too slow, unless he’s using the force. He likes light sabers. And I can’t get that damn Mos Eisley Cantina music out of my head, no matter how hard I try.

So lately, I have had science fiction invade my mind, my dreams, and my thoughts. It’s starting to bleed into my workday, and so I thought I’d share some lessons from popular science fiction that you can apply to your job search and your career.

“The answer is out there, Neo. It’s looking for you. And, it will find you. If you want it to.”–Morpheus to Neo in The Matrix.

Morpheus is really outlining Neo’s epic quest with this line, and it may strike some as high-and-mighty to think of their job search in such terms. But is this really a bad thing? You are the hero in your life story, and if you aren’t going to be the champion in your job search, maybe it’s time to look within. Are you looking for answers, or are they right out there, looking for you?

“When you can’t do something smart, do something right.” Jayne Cobb in Serenity.

Jayne is a crusty, cynical and rough guy, driven by base desires…usually money. So it makes sense that he would dwell on the practical and dismiss the need for intellectually driven solutions. Adjusting to the reality that this results-driven approach is favored by many managers can be frustrating to job-seekers coming right out of school, especially when they work in a field like student affairs, a touchy-feel-ey, theory-driven sector of the workforce. We don’t like metrics, and we are often terrible at quantifying our accomplishments and proving our points. And the reality is that many student situations need quick responses that may not be compatible with extended periods of brainstorming, processing and building consensus. Sometimes you just have to do what you have to do. The thinking and processing can come later, and may be seen by some constituent parties (supervisors, parents, and students) as beside the point. So at times, it’s best to dwell on getting things done, rather than obsessing over whether the solution was the best in all worlds, or just the best solution, given the circumstances.

“I find your lack of faith disturbing.” Darth Vader in Star Wars.

Nobody wants to be around someone who is a negative Nelly all the time. It gets old quickly. So believe in yourself, or no one else will. Have faith that there will be positive outcomes for your search and in your long-term career development, and if you don’t feel this way now, try to act like you do until things settle out. If you just can’t find that faith in your abilities, maybe it’s time to get some career coaching or talk to a trusted colleague, mentor, member of the clergy, or professional counselor. Depression and other psychological issues can really set you back in your career, if you don’t take steps to address them.

“The 9000 series is the most reliable computer ever made. No 9000 computer has ever made a mistake or distorted information. We are all, by any practical definition of the words, foolproof and incapable of error.” HAL 9000 in 2001: A Space Odyssey

HAL was a really impressive machine, and capable of many things, but the incapacity to admit errors was, in the end, an error in and of itself. Like HAL, some co-workers, supervisors, or supervisees you come across will insist on their infallibility, and at times, they will lock you and others out. You’ll find it terribly annoying and even possibly dangerous to your well-being.

There are actually a few lessons here. First, be aware of who these people are, and be wary of them.

Second, in your job search, pay attention to signs of inflexibility in your potential co-workers and supervisors. It will help you steer clear of potentially bad situations, or at least go into them knowing some of what to expect.

Third, and this is possibly the most important…don’t be a HAL. Nobody wants to work with a HAL. They can picture being locked out of the pod bay door, screaming. And in space, no one can hear you scream. Show any sign of arrogance or inflexibility in your interviews, and the hiring committee will likely pull your plug.

“Admiral, if we go by the book, like Lieutenant Saavik, hours could seem like days.” Spock, to Kirk in Star Trek: The Wrath of Khan.

If institutions are known for anything, it’s love of policies and protocols. My uncle used to work for the government (Department of Energy) and we never really understood what he did, but to sum it up the best I understood it, he made rules about how to make rules.

When you come out of graduate school and into your first job, you’ll likely have a lot of enthusiasm for student development theory and spend a lot of time talking about how we “challenge and support” our students, and you’ll suggest responses to situations that are “developmentally appropriate” and holistic.

Then, soon enough, someone will shut you down with “that’s not how we do it around here” or “this is our protocol, and you need to follow it.”

In the movie, though, Spock’s comment to Kirk was actually his way of telling Kirk that the logical thing to do would be to interpret the rules in their own way, to get things done. This ability will come to you once you understand not just the written policies and protocols, but the institutional culture, and the “code-speak” that goes along with it. Then you will know how to play by the rules, and when to creatively interpret them with an eye toward obeying the spirit, if not the letter, of your institution’s protocols.

“If money is all that you love, then that’s what you’ll receive.” Princess Leia to Han Solo in Star Wars.

Let’s not kid ourselves. We all need money, and most of us love having it. But if that is all you come to work for, then that is all you’ll get. Make sure that you have other reasons to come to work, that light you up. Times are tough and many people are out of work, so it’s understandable if you find yourself in the position of taking a less-than-ideal job, out of the necessity to survive. But don’t stop looking for sources of fulfillment other than money. It’ll empty you out, and leave you spent.

“Ooh. Ah. That’s how it starts. Then comes the running and the screaming.” Dr. Ian Malcolm in The Lost World: Jurassic Park.

On some level, the kid inside you probably thinks that it would be cool to walk around a park full of dinosaurs. We spend time thinking about working for big-name schools, working with people who are recognized authorities, studying with the leading scholars of this-or-that. But this is an awfully rosy view and it will not sustain itself over time. Sooner or later, the dinosaurs get hungry, the experts show their sharp teeth when people disagree with them, and the scholars come at people with their claws out, roaring this or that about their latest research and how it should change how you do something or another. It can be confusing, and kind of scary. So before you go into the dinosaur park, see it for what it is. In the workplace, you need to see things as the really are, not only as you wish them to be. (Or you’ll be somebody’s lunch someday.)

“A man is defined by his actions, not his memories.” Kuato to Quaid, in Total Recall

It’s best to live in the present and work toward the life and career you want, rather than dwell on how things once were. The good old days weren’t all good, but they are definitely old. Try to cultivate a sense of mindfulness, and understand how things are, in the present moment. Then work from there, to connect the dots, and act accordingly. The best way to get to the future you want is to work through the present moment, rather than living in the past.

“Okay, princess. That’s it. The fairy tale is over. Welcome to real life!”–Lone Star in Space Balls

Your life and your career exist here, in reality, and dwelling on the ideal can leave you stuck in a fantasy world. Hard work can make some of your dreams come true, so keep plugging away at the things that matter most to you, cultivate the skills you will need, and stay connected to the people and the opportunities that will get you where you are going.

May the (work)force be with you!