The Biggest Secrets For Athletes And Gym Goers to Jumpstart Your Career
By Zach Hartman
Spring 2023
Networking is an important part of the job hunt. If you know people who know people who know people who know people, you have a higher chance of finding a job because of the people you know. Everyone needs a job after college or some kind of career, using your connections to get those jobs or start that career is a perfect way to get that jumpstart. Sports and Fitness are also a big part of many people’s lives. Using your connections you have made through sports and fitness can drastically help you gain that job or career right out of college. Those relationships have been built over time and are genuine connections with avenues for help everywhere. To network with your connections made through sports and fitness you need to utilize their experiences, unique story, and wisdom or knowledge.
Importance Of Relationships
Building relationships in anything you do is a viable factor in things like making friends, receiving mentorship, or even help you get a job done. These connections can also carry with you your whole life and may open some avenues that you didn’t realize they could. Your relationships and connections may be just what you need in order to get that job you want or to even get a good standing job in general. The personal connections that you make will be used for your benefit in the past, present, or future. When you form a strong relationship with someone, especially in sports, they can be a great advocate for your career. These connections can also praise to future employers about your work ethic, drive for success, resilience, and competitive nature if all of those aspects are important to your future career. Your connections and relationships can provide you with support and wisdom, as well as giving you opportunities to new avenues and careers that you would be hesitant to go for on your own. If the relationships you have built and the connections formed through sports and fitness are genuine, then those relationships and connections should want to see you succeed and help you get to where you want to be. According to Arkansas State University on why connection and networking is key, it is important to surround yourself with people who have skills and knowledge that complement yours. As well as surrounding yourself with people who have more experience so that you are able to build on your own knowledge and add to your own repertoire of skills in the process.
Importance Of Sports With Jobs
According to theladders.com, adding sports to your application can help you get that job you have been targeting. Playing a sport can show some of your qualities and characteristics that you have and need in sports that you can carry over into the workforce. Skills learned in sports carry over to your career, gaining the edge over the competition. Even talking about sports in an interview can gain you an edge over the competition. You can show the employer the importance of hard work, self-discipline, pushing yourself to learn, and many more that translates to the job. Sports will teach you many things and how to handle many things at once, all these are important characteristics involved within jobs and careers as well.
Networking Opportunities
There are many ways and opportunities to network to find that future career or even a different opportunity right out of college. Referrals and your personal network are one of the most important ways to connect with jobs and future career opportunities. Ranking towards the top compared to websites like LikedIn or Indeed, Job Fairs, and Networking events. This is because personal connections offer more reliability with employers and a sense of honesty that comes with a referral or direct contact with an employer and your personal connections. Being able to leverage your connections will significantly increase your chances of finding and getting a job. There is also an increased chance at receiving a job that your connection works at or for, now we know this is not always the case. But a connection or relationship that you have and if you’re able to take advantage of opportunities that may present themselves from those connections, then you will receive a job.
Building and Maintaining a Network
Ultimately you can build a network by attending job fairs and networking events, but those connections you make will not be as genuine or carry as much weight as personal connections. There are many people who you can build your network with from the start of your college career. All of these connections can play an important role in your job hunt in the future or when the time comes for the hunt. If you are able to keep building connections and making new relationships throughout your college career through sports and fitness, there will be plenty of opportunities to utilize those connections. Since the connections have been being built from the beginning, there will be more reliability and trust in the relationship which will help you in your job hunt. Building connections with fellow students, teammates, and peers can be powerful because you are all on similar journeys with a similar goal. If you are able to keep and maintain these connections, you will be able to create those connections that last for a lifetime with support the whole way. If you are able to maintain contact with these connections, they will add you to their network as well as yours and the relationship will benefit off of both people involved
“The bulk of your time should be spent networking, and you should use different networking strategies so that you can keep getting good traction in the job search.”
Ways to Build and Maintain Relationships and Connections with Peers or Teammates for a Career
Provide value to the connection/relationship.
Stay in contact with new connection.
Build trust and core values of relationship.
Utilize relationship built for career opportunities.
Introduce yourself, bond over similarities, trust gut and first feeling during introduction.
Creating these relationships and connections with your peers can offer your support from someone who is most likely going through the same thing as you. These connections that your make in college with your peers and teammates can also lead to potential business partners. They can also keep you up to date with new and best practices.
An example of peers and teammates using their relationships and connections through sports or sports related activities to gain jobs is James Hart. James Hart currently has an internship with the Windy City Bulls as he wraps up his last semester of college. He was on the North Central College football team, winning two national championships during his time playing. Coaches, teammates, supervisors, coworkers all helped him get his career search started for internships and a potential career that he could enjoy. He stays in contact with all of his connections so that if there is a potential job opportunity or opening in the future that he could be a good fit for, he will be available if possible. All of his connections and job opportunities would not be possible without sports playing such a big role in his life. He credits a majority of his job opportunities to his role and involvement in not just playing sports but being aware of different sports topics as well.
Ways To Build and Maintain Relationships and Connections With Adults Or Coaches For A Career
Build relationship based off respect, show professionalism.
Take on a “mentee” role, gaining knowledge.
Gain trust and acknowledge potential opportunities that could be presented.
Ask for help, utilizing their connections and making them your own.
Introduce yourself, be respectful showing your gratitude for the relationship.
Creating these relationships and connections with your coaches or adults can offer you support that you don’t have yet. Those men and women have been through the job hunt and search before and know what to expect. They also have more connections and know more people to put you into contact with while you are looking for a job. There are also many more pros to who you know.
An example of an adult or a professional using his connections to gain his current job and potential career is Jordan Kraft. Jordan is currently a graduate assistant for athletic facilities and event management. He participated on the North Central College football team and has now graduated from NCC and moved on from football as well, winning one national championship during his time on the team. His coaches from football played a pivotal role in him receiving his current GA position. Specifically, his defensive line coach was a big connection for him to have and use while looking for his current role. That connection was able to provide him with advice and have multiple one on one talks about future positions he was interested in. He was also able to receive the job because he had a connection and relationship with the guy he was taking the job for. That connection was able to write a very detailed recommendation on why Jordan was the best candidate for the position, which ultimately played a huge role in him getting the position. Sports has always had an impact on his life and helped him develop himself and realize his desired career path.
An example of an adult or professional that recruits and looks at resumes and job candidates every day is Kaylen Stelmaszek. Kaylen is a National Sales Recruiter at Total Quality Logistics in Lombard IL, she recruits nationally for TQL, interviews candidates, and keeps in touch with them during the interview process. She attended Carthage college where she worked as a recruiter for fraternities and sororities which helped propel herself in her career as a recruiter at TQL. When asked about some important things that she looked for in a resume, Kaylen said, “the objective (short description on your skills and goal in job search), education and work history (with dates and responsibilities), and campus involvement. She also said that some great qualities that a candidate can have that would transfer over to the job would be strong work ethic, coachability, and confidence. Kaylen also understands the importance of having a sports background. She says that it only helps a candidate when they have a sports background because sports teach athletes to demand persistence, overcome challenges, and build resilience which are all valuable skills to transfer to the workplace. A candidate will also have an edge over another candidate with similar work experience if they have a sports background because of those characteristics. Roles that are more fast-paced and competitive will suit athletes more and typically give former athletes an advantage over other candidates. Overall, candidates with sports backgrounds look more favorable than other candidates because of all the attributes above.
Zach Hartman is a senior at North Central College. He will graduate in May of 2023 with a major in finance and minor in marketing. He was a part of the North Central College football team, winning two National Championships during his career. He has enjoyed his time at NCC and hopes he can carry a lot of NCC values with him in his future endeavors. His aspirations for the future are to go into sales where he can make connections and maintain his current ones. Zach is from the LaSalle-Peru area, but hopes to remain in the Naperville area after school for work.