6 Disney Villains Who Would Excel in Today’s Job Market
Disney has created some of the most reprehensible villains that adults and kids alike have loved to hate for generations. But all vileness aside, many of these villains have some traits that might be deemed admirable by some; namely prospective employers. I mean, who wouldn’t want an employee who is shrewd; won’t take no for an answer; loyal to a fault; and determined to succeed, even if it kills him? The truth is, whether we like it or not, there might be a few lessons to be learned from some of Disney’s most deplorable characters. So, with that said, here’s a list of Disney villains who probably would have excelled in today’s competitive job market.
1. Scar
The prodigal Cain to Mufasa’s Abel, Scar was cast out from the pride and left to fend for himself with nothing but the help of some clueless hyenas, natural enemies of the lion. That didn’t stop him, though. Scar had his eye on the throne and he was determined to get it by any means necessary.
How does Scar have an ideal employable trait? Well, wicked, homicidal tendencies aside, he’s properly trained for the job. In fact, he’s far more qualified than that spoiled slacker lion cub Simba who can’t even growl correctly, but will naturally inherit the gig because of his daddy. According to an article in Lansing State Journal, most employers are looking to hire someone they won’t have to train. They want a candidate who can jump straight into the role. Scar was not only ready to hit the ground running, he already had plenty of experience building an entire army of hyenas… and teaching them to sing and dance to choreography. Your move, Mufasa.
How does Scar have an ideal employable trait? Well, wicked, homicidal tendencies aside, he’s properly trained for the job. In fact, he’s far more qualified than that spoiled slacker lion cub Simba who can’t even growl correctly, but will naturally inherit the gig because of his daddy. According to an article in Lansing State Journal, most employers are looking to hire someone they won’t have to train. They want a candidate who can jump straight into the role. Scar was not only ready to hit the ground running, he already had plenty of experience building an entire army of hyenas… and teaching them to sing and dance to choreography. Your move, Mufasa.
2. Cruella De Vil
Surely we all remember Cruella De Vil, Anita’s psychotic boss with an insatiable fur obsession. While admiring Anita’s designs, Cruella couldn’t help but notice a picture of her dog, Perdita, inspiring her to design an array of nightmare inducing fur coats that would make a grown man sick to his stomach. So, how exactly does this sadistic woman make for a competitive candidate in today’s job market? Well, let’s take a closer look.
Innovative? Check. Passionate? Check. Dressed for success? Check. Ability to work unsupervised… well, nobody’s perfect but that heinous puppy killer we despise, just happens to have a lot of the qualities that could help her in a modern day job hunt, namely an entrepreneurial spirit. According to a recent article written by AARP, (yep, in this economy they’re still job searching), the line between finding a job and starting a business is getting blurry. The article goes on to advise job seekers to develop a unique brand. While Cruella’s Dalmatian puppy couture may have been a horrific idea, it still would have surely served her brand as a Silence-of-the-Lambs-esque psycho for animals. And I’m sure the ability to take a risk is another asset in this, er, dog-eat-dog economy.
Innovative? Check. Passionate? Check. Dressed for success? Check. Ability to work unsupervised… well, nobody’s perfect but that heinous puppy killer we despise, just happens to have a lot of the qualities that could help her in a modern day job hunt, namely an entrepreneurial spirit. According to a recent article written by AARP, (yep, in this economy they’re still job searching), the line between finding a job and starting a business is getting blurry. The article goes on to advise job seekers to develop a unique brand. While Cruella’s Dalmatian puppy couture may have been a horrific idea, it still would have surely served her brand as a Silence-of-the-Lambs-esque psycho for animals. And I’m sure the ability to take a risk is another asset in this, er, dog-eat-dog economy.
3. Jafar
If Jafar were compared to any historical figure, it would probably be Rasputin of the Romanov dynasty. As the sultan’s most trusted advisor, Jafar had little interest in promoting the welfare of the sultan or Agrabah. Instead, he spent his time in search of a magical lamp with a genie. They say there’s a fine line between genius and insanity.
So, why would this evil genius excel in today’s job market? According to Isenberg School of Management, today’s economic climate will require that job searchers be particularly resourceful, using all the Internet has to offer to land a job. This includes taking advantage of social networking sites such as LinkedIn.
There’s no doubt if Jafar were around today, he would take advantage of all the social networking opportunities available in order to find that lamp. This is a man who was able to trick an elusive street rat into wandering with him into the desert, walking into the mouth of terrifying tiger dune, and retrieving a lamp. Sure it didn’t end well for him in his quest to become ruler of the universe but his job search might have led him to a promising career as a bounty hunter.
So, why would this evil genius excel in today’s job market? According to Isenberg School of Management, today’s economic climate will require that job searchers be particularly resourceful, using all the Internet has to offer to land a job. This includes taking advantage of social networking sites such as LinkedIn.
There’s no doubt if Jafar were around today, he would take advantage of all the social networking opportunities available in order to find that lamp. This is a man who was able to trick an elusive street rat into wandering with him into the desert, walking into the mouth of terrifying tiger dune, and retrieving a lamp. Sure it didn’t end well for him in his quest to become ruler of the universe but his job search might have led him to a promising career as a bounty hunter.
4. Gaston
It’s no secret that confidence is a beneficial attribute for job seekers. Think Energy Group [link] agrees. Well, not only is Gaston not lacking in that area, there’s an entire song about it. And the best part is that it’s his fellow companions who sing it, which is quite possibly the greatest job reference ever.
5. Ursula
When Ursula noticed that her silence curse wasn’t keeping a man from falling in love with a partially naked redhead, she decided to take matters into her own hands by morphing into Vanessa; an evil, attractive mute with hypnotic powers. She used those powers to put Prince Eric under a spell that would have led them to a marriage if that nosey seagull Scuttle, hadn’t eavesdropped on her conversation with herself in the mirror. Now, if that’s not going above and beyond, I don’t know what is. According to an article in Fox Business, job seekers are going to need to be proactive, get out of their comfort zone and take a few risks. Ursula’s willingness to marry a prince in order to take over the ocean puts the rest of our efforts to shame.
6. Lady Tremaine
Lady Tremaine may give stepmothers a bad name, but according to an article in US News & World Report she’s a job interviewer’s dream. Sure her chilling stare might cause some discomfort, but prospective employers might overlook that when they see how impeccable her manners are. Not to mention she’s extremely loyal… to her daughters. She has clear long-term goals, even if they only include one of her daughters marrying the prince; and her problem-solving skills are second to none. She was even able to ruin Cinderella’s dress without touching it by getting her daughters to fight over the borrowed items used to construct it. In fact, add another quality to that list: delegation. Looks like somebody’s on the fast track to manager.
