5 Career Savvy TV Characters
Who says role models can’t be fictional?
We all have favorite TV show characters that we see ourselves in, that we admire, that we aspire to be more like. We’ve picked out a few of our favorite leading ladies and gentlemen that are truly killing it career-wise to help inspire your own journey into the workforce.
Lorelei Gilmore
Lorelei is the ultimate fearless female who has followed her heart despite an entire world of disapproval to get where she is now. She tossed aside her silver spoon and worked relentlessly up from being a maid at the Independence Inn to being the head honcho in charge. She later opens her own inn, The Dragonfly, with her partner in crime and best friend Sookie. Lorelei’s story of riches to rags to riches again (well, kind of) is one of passion, determination, and scrappiness. She never does anything unless she knows she can put 110% into it, and that’s what makes her such a success.
Kimmy Schmidt
Kimmy is strong and unwavering in her optimistic ideals which is a really hard thing to maintain in a cynic-ridden city like New York. With nothing but a middle school education, she immediately sees opportunity everywhere, embracing the world-is-your-oyster mentality that so many of us dismiss as cliché. She walks up to Dylan’s Candy Bar on her first day out of the bunker and begins confidently soliciting work. Ultimately, Kimmy ends up as the nanny for an absurdly wealthy family wrought with disfunction. No matter where she’s employed or who she’s dealing with, she does everything in her power to fight for good and help others—proof that plucky and successful does not equate to selling out and watering down your ideals.
Leslie Knope
Leslie is a kickass feminist who loudly and passionately wants to be in politics for all the right reasons. She stays firmly committed to the belief that governments are meant to serve the people and will do anything she can to make that a reality for the city of Pawnee. She proudly displays the likes of Hillary Clinton and Condoleeza Rice in her office and isn’t shy to say that she hopes to be the first female President of the United States. Leslie is a female force to be reckoned with and reminds us to lift each other up, especially in overwhelmingly male-dominated industries like politics.
Ted Mosby
Ted’s main storyline is love-driven, so it’s easy to forget about his career. Regardless of his dramatic relationship status at any given time, he is consistently passionate (to a nerdy level) about buildings and architecture. For a long while, Ted strives to get his name out there to no avail and finally becomes a professor of architecture. But he doesn’t give up. He realizes he loves teaching but doesn’t stop pursuing his dream of adding to the New York skyline. Ted’s story unfolds over years until his dream finally comes true. It’s an underrated subplot that teaches us about patience, about never settling and about how sometimes, life just takes a while. Career trajectories don’t always go according to plan, and that’s a blessing in disguise.
Mr. Feeny
Throwing back to the 90’s for one of the most iconic school principals in the history of television. We all remember the way Mr. Feeny delivered infinite wisdom to Cory, Shawn, Topanga and the gang. He was the cornerstone of that show, a rock while everyone else was stumbling through the beautifully chaotic process of growing up. Mr. Feeny dedicated his entire life to his students, showing us that work will sometimes inevitably tire you out—but when you’ve chosen to do the thing you love more than all other things, it won’t feel like work at all.
