Jeffrey
How does playing college sports benefit you in the work field and when applying for jobs?
I am currently a high school senior who will be playing college football this fall. #athlete
2 answers
Keith Sun, MA, NCC
Keith’s Answer
Playing college sports is an awesome way to market yourself outside the sports world. You can discuss on your resume your experience (using working world language) in whatever football position you play - e.g. memorized 150+ football plays, coordinated sudden decisions for player placement, mentored new players on team culture and playmaking tips, organized study sessions and alternative travel plans for sporting events
You can share in your cover letter how you being a member of a College Sports team taught you leadership, team work, critical thinking, and decision-making under pressure. You can also express how being a college athlete required you to manage your time well and adapt to a constantly changing environment. These are skills that apply in all business fields. It'd be great to market yourself this way for employers when applying for jobs.
Nina Pellitteri
Nina’s Answer
Some of the skills that you develop over the years of being a collegiate athlete that translate into future jobs include:
- goal oriented - we set goals to become an athlete at a young age and we work hard everyday to reach those goals.
- teamwork/dedication- we have been on teams our whole life. We understand how to work collectively towards a goal while also having individual goals to meet.
- resilience - we likely have failed just as much as we have succeeded. We succeed when under pressure and get back up every time we lose. We learn that failure isn't an end, but a new challenge to overcome
- time management - you learn how to manage a full time student agenda with a full time athlete agenda. Bouncing between classes, homework, team workouts and playing your sport.
- leadership / communicators - we know how to work together in large or small group settings to accomplish a goal for the greater good
Overall being a collegiate athlete teaches you many skills that will help you later in life and especially when applying to jobs. You will have a lot of life experiences as an athlete, that will help you stand out from other candidates.