By Claire Klieger
To follow-up on my recent post about “Let it Go (and other Career Take-aways from Frozen,” I realized that this movie is filled with other possible career lessons (and oddities—families of trolls, bizarre relationships with reindeer, possible child abuse in the form of locking your children up in a castle…but I digress). The biggest of these is how to interview better by not acting like Olaf. So without, further ado, here are all of the reasons why Olaf would likely bomb any interview:
1. Talking about one’s butt and other “over sharing”. Part of what makes Olaf endearing in this movie is the fact that he often says whatever is on his mind but volunteering information such as “I don’t have a skull” or “Oh, look, I’ve been impaled” would not be good tactics in an interview. Sometimes you may be tempted to explain things that you anticipate might be an issue for an employer, but you never want to volunteer negative information about yourself, whether that might be a lack of relevant experience or skill sets or health-related concerns. If it’s truly something that is of concern to your potential employer you can be sure that it will come up during the interview.
2. Failure to do your homework. Could there really be a bigger example of this than Olaf devoting an entire musical number (which, I have to admit, is maybe my favorite of the film) to his love a season that could literally destroy him? Similarly, on an interview, you will be sure to “melt” any of your own chances at success if you don’t properly prepare, which can include making statements about things that you don’t really understand. While It’s always a good idea to have things to say to demonstrate your interest in the industry or working at that organization, you need to be sure that you’ve adequately done your homework. Sadly, if you make gaffs about the employer or the industry, it’s highly unlikely you would get a second chance or the equivalent of your “own personal flurry!”
3. Not listening effectively (and not getting people’s names right). Olaf spends almost the entire movie thinking that both the reindeer and the ice seller share the name Sven. Obviously, it goes without saying that you should get people’s names right when writing thank you notes after an interview, but equally important is listening to the interview question that is asked. I know that sounds fundamental but I never ceased to be surprised by how often someone can give an answer to a question that wasn’t really what was asked. Before responding, take time to make sure you fully understand the question.
4. Not following directions. Leading up the climax of the film, Anna, Kristoff, Sven and Olaf race back to the castle to try find a remedy for Anna’s frozen heart. Kristoff knows that the townspeople will naturally be alarmed at the sight of a snowman come to life since most people stop believing in Frosty the Snowman by the end of childhood. As such, he warns Olaf to “stay out of sight!,” a suggestion that Olaf agrees to do but then promptly ignores. Hopefully, failing to follow directions in an interview would not result in your interviewer screaming in fear, however, paying attention to the details about when to arrive, what is appropriate attire, or what materials are necessary to bring are all things you should know in advance.
While Olaf is unlikely to score any points in a formal interview setting, he wins my vote for an amusing addition to this instant Disney classic. Or, perhaps this entire blog post (and the last one) are signs that I have spent far too much time watching Frozen.
