Only Jocks Need Apply

The next time you’re looking for an exceptional candidate to fill a job, skip the cover letter and resume summary. Skim the work experience section and even the education. Instead, search for the section that lists extracurricular or leisure activities.  Maybe the Awards and Recognitions section. An article in Forbes suggests that if you want a great hire, look for an athlete.

So you’re not a sports team or a secondary school looking for a high school soccer coach? There are many reasons why someone who was a successful athlete might be the perfect choice to fill any position. They don’t even have to be an award or medal winner. People who were athletes and played on organized sports teams have some special attributes and skills that fit very well in the workplace and contribute to on-the-job success. Solo or weekend athletes—the ones that run 10ks or compete in Ironmans or take on any serious, athletic endeavor—have the kind of discipline and drive you’re looking for.

In order to run a marathon, you have to train.  Athletes know that they have to train continuously. You can’t just run a few 5ks before a race and expect to compete in a marathon and do well. It takes a lot of time—boring, long runs in all kinds of weather. Getting to the gym early or running at 5 a.m. before going to work. You have to be relentless, always focused on a goal. You have to be willing to make sacrifices to continue to train your body to become conditioned to do the job. The same type of relentless pursuit of a goal makes an athlete a focused, goal-oriented employee. 

Few athletes get the gold medal on the first try. Read the story of even the most successful athletes and you’ll see as many failures as successes. Athletes may get discouraged, but the best don’t quit. They learn from their mistakes, make adjustments and press on. 

The workplace isn’t easy on mistakes. Some people are so stressed out by fear of making mistakes they don’t take the kind of risks necessary to make a big impact. If you play any kind of sports, you have to accept the fact that you won’t win all the time. But by competing, you’re in the game and have a chance to be a winner. Employees who are afraid to take risks aren’t the innovators and self-starters companies need to beat the competition. Athletes understand that you have to take some risks to stretch beyond your capacity in order to get to the next level.

Athletes know what it means to work as a team. They learn how to collaborate and take advantage of other people’s strengths to compensate for their weaknesses. They learn how to motivate and support others in order to make the team successful. Even a professional golfer or tennis player is part of a team. Golfers need trainers, sponsors and caddies. Tennis players work with trainers, coaches and nutritionists. They need physical therapists to help them recover after a tough tournament and work through injuries. They need to rely on the expertise of others to help make them the best they can be. These are all attributes of a successful workplace team player, giving and getting to make the team successful.

Attitude can’t be taught. A competitive person doesn’t need much motivation but relies on her own drive and discipline to reach goals. Job skills and experience are important to fitting into a position. Not all athletes are right for the job. But a candidate who has had athletic experience and the discipline and skill to compete adds another dimension to the job and puts new meaning in the team concept.

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