I hear people quoting this holiday classic throughout all of December. I imagine this is mostly to help us all physically and emotionally survive "the most wonderful time of the year" or the "happiest season of all," whichever you prefer.
In my opinion the best quotes are either spoken by Chevy Chase's character, Clark Griswold, or his ridiculous cousin-in-law, Eddie, played by Randy Quaid. (See below.)
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| I sooo need a hat like that. |
One of my favorite quotes is this one: Ellen (Beverly D'angelo) and Clark discuss Cousin Eddie's lack of a job. Ellen says to Clark,
"[He]says he's holding out for a management position."
It gets a laugh, of course, because we all know it's ludicrous for Eddie to even consider himself management material. Moreover, when you hear a line like that you're reminded of every lazy person out there who uses a lame excuse to not take any work. You immediately think, "you're holding out for a management position?! Oh, please... just get a job!"
When job hunting (granted, a not-so-fun-task) people get antsy and accept the first or second offer they receive for scarcely relevant work, even when there's not an immediate financial need. Or they're reticent to go out on a limb and create their own work, either by combining different job functions into one or inventing their own unique product or service. While these atypical approaches may take time and many small steps, they're most likely to offer a lifetime of achievement and fulfillment.
So, when you are not Cousin Eddie or in dire financial straights, what do you do?
When to Let that Offer Go
It's tricky to figure out when to wait for something better, but here are my top ten clues to NOT take that initial job offer:
1. You know deep down that you won't be able to do the job really really well because the tasks you'll be given mostly utilize your weak spots. Even when the potential employer is extremely confident in your abilities, you don't want to risk setting yourself up for failure. Furthermore, you may be a competent, smart and ambitious individual, as the employer will recognize, but that doesn't mean you can do anything. Everyone has limits. And remember that many employers don't truly know what aptitudes make a person good for a particular job.
2. It has no relevance to your interests, career path or vision.
3. You will be working with people that don't hold or respect your core values in the least.
4. You'll be extremely bored and unchallenged. And you've determined this by ASKING THE POTENTIAL EMPLOYER what exactly you will be doing. Don't be like me and step in it big time!
5. You can't honestly picture yourself going into this job for more than a few months before becoming very stressed.
6. You imagine yourself dreading Monday morning- and every other day of the week- in this position.
7. You find yourself creating fictitious advantages to taking the position.
8. You cannot verbally articulate how this could lead to something more beneficial.
9. It is completely outside the network that you want to join.
10. The environment is the exact opposite of you: too corporate and rigid, or too unstructured and loosey-goosey. Or perhaps it's too cold and unfeeling or too heartaches-r-us.
Furthermore, talk to others who know you well, relatives or friends, that truly appreciate what you are capable of, and have truly listened to your desires for the future. If they give you reason to believe that something else out there aligns better with your strengths, listen to them! They might just be right.
Unless, of course, they're a Cousin Eddie. Then you might want to let that opinion go.
