What Homer Simpson Can Teach Us About Careers
Simply Hired Staff
A career is often thought of as a straight path. Very rarely do we look at a career as an opportunity to experiment with various trades, crafts, and skills. Maybe we should, as it seems to be working just fine for Homer Simpson.
In the 20+ seasons of The Simpsons, Homer Simpson has held a wide range of different jobs, some very real occupations, while others were utterly ridiculous. In those different jobs he has seen success and failure. But, he’s never been discouraged from trying something new.
Here are Homer’s all-time best jobs.
Astronaut
Believe it or not, at one point Homer was considered the future of NASA. After beating fellow Springfield resident Barney for a spot aboard the space shuttle, Homer is launched into space with Apollo 11 astronaut Buzz Aldrin. However, Homer’s space career is shortened when, after rescuing the Shuttle from disaster, Homer is upstaged by an “inanimate carbon rod”.
Bootlegger
When Springfield outlaws alcohol Homer takes on the law and begins smuggling spirits into town. To stop Homer, the city brings in Rex Banner, an Eliot Ness-style police officer, famous for bringing smugglers to justice. As Homer continues to elude Banner, he rises to folk hero status and dons the moniker “the Beer Baron”. Eventually Rex Banner is catapulted out of town and liquor returns to Springfield.
Grease Collector
After Apu informs Homer that you can trade in grease for money he decides to start his own business. After establishing the Simpson & Son Grease Co. Homer attempts to collect enough grease to make a living. In his first attempt to trade in grease Homer makes only sixty-three cents. Eventually he graduates up to collecting grease from the local fast food restaurant and elementary school cafeteria. But he’s pushed out of the grease business by the local grease collection establishment.
Snow Removal Operator
One of the most most famous Homer jobs is when he became Mr. Plow. In this classic episode Homer purchases a snowplow truck and starts his own business plowing out snowed in driveways. The business is so immensely successful that a rival snowplow company pops up. But to this day Mr. Plow remains everyone’s favorite, due to the commercial jingle, “So remember. Call Mr. Plow, that’s my name. That name again is Mr. Plow.”
Bowling Alley Employee
When Homer pays off all his debts he quits his job at the Springfield Power Plant in order to pursue his dream job, working at the local bowling alley as a “pin monkey”. Although not a glamorous job, Homer loves it and it pays him just enough to cover all his family of four’s expenses. But this all changes when his wife, Marge, gets pregnant with Maggie, the Simpsons’ youngest daughter. The cost of having another daughter means Homer must give up his bowling alley dream and get back his old power plant job, which he does, for his new daughter.
Vigilante
When a cat burglar strikes Springfield and steals Homer’s daughter Lisa’s saxophone, he takes it upon himself to bring the criminal to justice. The cat burglar manages to avoid capture until Grandpa Simpson catches him. The episode concludes with a wonderful spoof on It’s A Mad Mad Mad Mad World, complete with Phil Silvers driving a car across a river. Classic.
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