Next Chapter, New Game
Transitioning from high level athletics, be it the NFL, NBA or other professional sports is a major turning point in an athlete’s life. The same goes for students who have competed at elite levels of competition but unfortunately did not make the cut to the professional level. It’s quite an adjustment leaving a game you love. You have devoted your entire life to perfecting your game and now it’s over. It’s time to turn the page on a new chapter and find a new “game”!
A life in the sports arena requires tremendous amounts of energy and effort learning the intricacies of your specific craft. What you may not realize is that during that journey, you learned and incorporated other major life and job skills that will serve you well as you transition to your next career.
You have already beaten the odds! According to NCAA.com, “More than 480,000 compete as NCAA athletes, and just a select few within each sport move on to compete at the professional or Olympic level.” This linked article discusses the probability of competing at a professional level and that percentage is remarkably low. The NFL Players Association states the average length of career is 3.3 years. The NFL claims that the average career is about 6 years (for players who make a club’s opening day roster in their rookie season).
As you make the conversion to a new career, consider utilizing a transition coach. The transition coach is uniquely trained, helping the client navigate the path towards a positive career change. The transition coach assists clients with resetting their state of mind and reclaiming their perspective empowering them to make the best choices. Identifying a former athlete’s distinct occupational skills enables them to visualize how these skills easily translate into other careers.
Your former organization’s Player Engagement staff should be able to provide insights and recommendations on transition coaches to best serve your specific needs. A trusted coach or friend may also have the names of transition coaches. It is important to find the right person who will have your best interests in mind during this important adjustment period.
Some former professional athletes prefer to move into the corporate world. As a rule you will be granted an interview simply due to your having been a former professional athlete. Corporate entities love hiring former high level athletes. According to an article by David K. Williams, “A staggering 95 percent of Fortune 500 CEO’s played college sports, and 96 percent of women in C-suite positions are former athletes.”
More than a few former athletes have never participated in a formal interview for a non-sports related job. This is a point that cannot be overlooked. The hiring manager and others on the interview team base their interview questions on the core competencies of the company as well as the particular job description for which you are interviewing. Demonstrating your transferable skills and talents as well as being asked behavioral questions will also be a part of a corporate job interview.
During your former career, you would never have considered playing a game without being fully prepared with hours of practice to ensure that you were at your peak of excellence in order to play your best game. Proper job interview preparation requires practice and authentic feedback to ensure you are conveying your skills and talents in an optimum manner for success. Simply showing up should never be an option. I specialize in helping you become more fully prepared for any job interview. I will help you run your own personalized “interview play”.
Barry Rubin, Head Strength and Conditioning Coach for the Kansas City Chiefs
Most high level athletes are very coachable. The nature of sports alone requires that they be eager to learn, apply their learning and continue to practice improving their skills. My friend and high school teammate, Barry Rubin is the Head Strength and Conditioning Coach for the Kansas City Chiefs. When speaking, we frequently discuss the “coachability” of athletes. Coach Rubin works with every member of his team to ensure they are at their peak level of performance. Through our discussions, we found that the coaching I provide to my clients is similar to how he coaches his players.
Coach Rubin creates a specific plan for each player then guides them through the steps and follows up by giving his expert coaching observations. The player repeatedly practices the exercises followed by feedback. My clients receive a customized game plan with step by step guided instruction followed by coaching observations. We practice repeatedly! The method of learning will feel very familiar to athletes!
Having competed in high level athletics is a massive achievement. The transition from your all encompassing life’s work will be emotional. You are turning the page on life’s new chapter that will feature a new “game”. The possibilities are endless.
I offer a completely free 30 minute introductory job interview coaching session. Contact me today to prepare for your tomorrow!