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Author
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Comment
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Rod
Registered User
(1/9/03 7:02:40 am)
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The Job Seeker & Fairy Tales
I was recently asked to give a presentation at a workforce center – generally unemployed individuals seeking new employment opportunities in the US. I was thinking of using examples of fairy tales as a theme to get people through this tough period in their lives. Some of the stories that come to mind include Hansel and Gretel – the corporation has left them out in the woods cold and alone, and then how they overcame their darkest hours.
I was also thinking of using pieces of fairy tales as a metaphor for something that might be viewed as a dark element in their past. For example, “Why did you leave your last job?” Here using an example about how the glass slipper seemed to fit at first and then was truly a misfit after all would appear to be a constructive element.
These are just a few of the examples I am thinking of. My question to this forum and its participants is this. Has anyone used fairy tales in a similar situation? If yes, how was it perceived and how did you create the framework for leveraging your stories.
Secondly, what other examples from fairy tales could be useful.
Thank you and I look forward to the discussion.
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Jess
Unregistered User
(1/9/03 8:14:54 am)
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Interesting topic
Rod,
I am sure there are many more, give us time. You may wish to peruse the recent topics/archives. Someone posted about book on corporate uses of fairy tales (a text book?). I couldn't find it, but I am sure it was posted in the last 3 months. Also, look at the October/November archives for the topic "dealing with illness." These may get you started.
A common theme in fairy tales is that one must suffer ordeals before reaping a reward. Subtopic: many fairytales deal with the idea that working hard will reap rewards, but first the protaganist goes through ordeals (i.e., Cinderella, the Seven Swans). Subtopic: a good mentor/protector can help you (i.e. Vasillia (sp?), Puss 'n Boots, the Twelve Dancing Princesses) face up to and conquer seeming impossible tasks. Subtopic: loyalty and hard work is rewarded (patient Griselda - although this story has A LOT of negative messages too).
There are also a lines of fairytales regarding ingenuity. For marketing - the brave little tailor - how to toot your own horn, for example. Reinventing yourself, putting the negatives behind you - Donkeyskin.
I need to run, but will come up more.
Jess
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Jess
Unregistered User
(1/11/03 10:45:26 am)
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Two more
For your question on a metaphor for why the interviewee left his last job:
Humor: The three wishes: I got everything I asked for, but it ended up being a sausage at the end of my nose. At which point, I asked for that to be gone too.
For Dot.comers: The fisherman and the fish. I caught the fish (investors put in capital). I had something good - the house on the hill, good food and a beautiful wife (good start-up, good staff, good idea); the wife (you pick the metaphor/company - too expensive of labor, lack of spending discipline?) kept asking for a bigger house and more servants (capital and people) from the fish (investor), until it all disappeared (the investors pulled the rug out). Now I am just a fisherman casting a net again.
Jess
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EG
Unregistered User
(1/11/03 11:03:46 am)
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The shoemaker and the fairy
Was going to use a refrence to a fairy tale just the other day... our engineer has not provided us with documentation for wiring in a large piece of machinery. ( the unit was purchased with no electronics to save $$ ) Yesterday he mentioned that 'perhaps we could submit some sketches to the draftsman whom could generate the documentation... as we are wiring it in...) Wanted to tell him " yeah, and maybe the fairy that made the boots will come in tonight and leave you enough documentation for TWO projects... ".. but some things are better left unsaid...
EG
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Kerrie
Moderator
(2/19/03 9:52:37 am)
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Reasons for leaving last job...
I've been referring to this tale a lot, mostly to myself, but The Goose Girl comes to mind. I'm not saying I was in a position of power that I then lost, but my supervisor tried to limit my capabilities by second-guessing every move. While I was her technically assistant, we became a team, and as soon as I seemed even the least bit "ambitious" (wanting to learn more, take on new tasks, rise to meet a challenge), she would cut me down, give me grunt work without any hope of learning something new or leading our department into new arenas.
Maybe this is more of a Snow White kind of thing- older, experienced supervisor feeling threatened by younger, enthusiatic assistant. I see it happen a lot, and I know more people right now who are unemployed than working.
Towards the end, she became very maternal and overprotective, like in Rapunzel. Unfounded fears of outside authority, health concerns (in my case, she asked several people if they thought I had an eating disorder, which I don't), contant gift giving, and frequent utterances of "but don't tell anyone."
As you can see, I relate work to fairy tales a lot. I hope this helps.
Sugarplum dreams,
Kerrie
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