Career Lessons from the 90s Movie Don't Tell Mom the Babysitter's Dead

I wanted to share something easy and fun today. I hope it's a good break for you!

As an elder millennial who didn't have a parent in a corporate job, the 90s movie Don't Tell Mom the Babysitter's Dead really formed some of my early beliefs about being a woman in the workplace.

Whoa, it is so 90s.

And frankly I don't think the movie was wrong - or that a ton has changed!

If you haven't watched it, it's worth it. And I need to watch the new one!

Here are a few of its lessons:

1) Don’t lie on your résumé. Sue Ellen may have bluffed her way into a VP role, but most of us don’t have a closet full of designer shoulder pads to pull that off! Keep it real, folks.

2) Always support your boss in front of external stakeholders: “I’m right on top of that, Rose!” Whether or not you know what’s going on, sometimes it’s about managing the moment.

3) Learn as you go. Sure, Sue Ellen didn’t have “Excel skills” on her resume, but she figured things out along the way. Moral? You don’t need to know everything on day one (but a crash course helps).

4) Carolyns exist. Beware of the office gossip (pro tip: gossip positively!) Boundaries are key! Document everything. Re Gus all I have to say is, document everything.

5) Creativity matters. Remember her runway show? Sure, it’s not always literal high fashion, but bringing fresh ideas to the table can set you apart.

6) Network! If Sue Ellen taught us anything, it’s the power of making friends in the right places, even if it’s the underpaid office staff who know all the real dirt. Connections are key!

7) Fake it till you make it…but responsibly. She may have “winged it” a little too much, but stepping into a new role often means leaning into discomfort.

Just make sure you’re not drafting fake invoices for fashion shows.

Tag someone who could use a little ‘90s movie inspiration for their career! 😉