4 Education Career Lessons From TV

The Show: Ugly Betty

Betty Suarez (America Ferrara) works at fashion magazine Mode, where the competition is deadly — sometimes literally. Betty is sweet and hard working, but with her shaggy hair, over-sized glasses, metallic braces and tacky clothes, she’s also the ugly duckling in the fashion-forward office. Still, her professionalism and dedication to the job have brought her success on more than one occasion.

The Lesson:

The message of Ugly Betty may be all about inner beauty, but if a real-life Betty showed up at a magazine looking like she did, she wouldn’t have lasted a day. Dressing professionally reflects on who you are personally and matters a lot in your career. But that also doesn’t mean you should start crash dieting and break the bank on designer clothes!

Observe your school culture and imitate a similar sense of style. It’s appropriate to wear heels or a tie sometimes, but especially when working with young students, jeans and a t-shirt may be just fine. No matter the situation, it’s important to always look put together, professional and appropriate.