Career Lessons From The 2022 World Cup

The World Cup is the largest global event in the sporting world, and every four years, millions watch to see how their country fares against the best competition on the planet. Argentina, led by the legendary Lionel Messi, took the FIFA World Cup Trophy home this year.

Argentina showed how to excel on the world’s biggest stage, but you don’t need to be a pro athlete to find some valuable takeaways for your own career. If you’re looking to achieve new career goals, take these lessons from the pros and become a champion in your chosen field!

Lead by example

Whether you’re a star player, team captain, manager, or leading a project, leadership is important. And the best leaders are those that lift up their team and lead by example.

LinkedIn’s Aaron Toumazou shared 10 career lessons learned from superstar Lionel Messi. Messi’s leadership works because he himself follows every lesson he instills in his team. Messi sets a high standard and constantly works to improve himself while always holding himself accountable. He also constantly exudes confidence to create a culture of it.

By showing his team he’s willing to put in the work and create a culture of winning, he fosters a sense of community and positivity in the locker room. His teammates know they can rely on him. We may not play the same game, but we can all learn from Messi’s leadership.

Teamwork is key

In any sport, even if you have a superstar, you can’t achieve success alone. Even solo sport athletes need coaches and other allies. To be the best, you need to learn how to put your ego aside and be a team player.

Team foundit reminds us that every member of a team has a different skill set, and those skills must work in harmony for the success of the team. Messi might be one of the greatest athletes in sports, but he can’t do everything alone. In business, we all have strengths and weaknesses, and a good team player will know how to work with others for the success of the project.

“When working on a team project, involve each member as much as possible, and get their help when needed.” –Team foundit

Refine your strategy

In a game of Xs and Os, your strategy and scheme must evolve to stay on top of the game and to compete at a high level. Even if you aren’t in direct competition, it always pays to take time to evaluate your process and see what you can do better.

Online Manipal’s Editorial Team shows that Spain has been disappointing in recent seasons thanks to their reliance on a short pass technique. This was a big reason the team had an early exit in 2022. By refusing to adapt as needed, a team is doomed to poor results.

Make growth a priority by constantly reviewing your performance with regular feedback. assessments, and performance reviews. Even teams that are consistently winning know to keep evolving.

Don’t throw in the towel early

There’s a reason sports games are played out and don’t end early for “mercy” rules. Recently in the NFL, the Minnesota Vikings were down 33-0 at halftime to the Indianapolis Colts. But the team rallied and came back with a thrilling 39-36 victory in overtime, the largest comeback in NFL history. Just because you don’t find early results doesn’t mean they won’t come, and perseverance is one of the most crucial keys to success.

Career coach Mei Phing stressed that the most important part of starting a new career is in the first 90 days when you can learn about company culture and practices. You might fail in those early days, but it’s a valuable time for growth, and you’ll be impressed with how far you can go if you keep working.

Make the most out of bad calls

In sports, there can only be one winning team. Even most hopefuls usually go home in defeat. Sometimes that defeat is due to outside sources you could never have prepared for or predicted. But there are lessons to be learned in defeat, and we can use those lessons to come back stronger.

Liquid Planner mentions lousy calls by the refs and unfortunate injuries as things that happen to every team. Even the most well-prepared teams can’t prevent those. In our own lives, we’ll always face setbacks and failure. But the best teams are those that can grow and adapt, and you can emulate this in your own work. Try to find a silver lining or a lesson and incorporate it moving forward.

“Flexibility in the face of change and resilience in the face of confusion are non-negotiable. Push through the discomfort and prepare yourself for anything.” –Liquid Planner

Wrap up

The World Cup is one of the most widely-celebrated events in sports and brings so many people together. But beyond the obvious entertainment, we can learn valuable lessons from the best of the best that we can incorporate into our own life. Our jobs might be wildly different from our favorite players, but their mindsets are worth emulating in any career!

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Why Should You Hire Former Athletes?

At NexGoal, we specialize in matching organizations with top-tier talent with a focus on former athletes and those with the athlete mindset. While our history working with and being founded by former athletes may make us biased, the experts agree that you can’t go wrong filling your company with ex-athletes. Studies show that former athletes may make 5-15% more than their peers. Meanwhile, Japanese companies are heavily turning to retired athletes in order to achieve competent workers. Many hiring managers and CEOs like ASM Sports Groups’ Christopher Vidal have found former athletes to be some of their best candidates.

The traits that allow athletes to succeed at their chosen sport translate seamlessly to the business world. Even those who didn’t play organized sports can still embody the traits of a successful athlete—this is what we refer to as the “athlete mindset.” If you’re seeking to fill your organization with quality talent, you can’t go wrong with hiring someone with the athlete mindset thanks to these virtues.

Goal-oriented

No matter the sport, every athlete is a competitor striving for ascending heights. Their goals may be different, but each athlete is working towards an ever-changing finish line. From making the varsity squad to becoming a world champion, everyone starts somewhere and creates a clear vision of where to go next.

All Business’ Jon Forknell points out that this teaches former athletes to excel both on their own and as part of a team. Both of these tenets are highly desirable in the professional world as well. Athletes know that to achieve their goals, they’ll have to put in the work themselves. The coach isn’t taking the shot for them, writes Forknell.

But most sports are a team effort, and even those that aren’t can benefit from teamwork. Knowing how to succeed as a team to help the squad reach its goals is crucial for athletes and professionals alike.

Coachability

Think of your favorite athlete. No matter how gifted they are or how much inherent potential they had, it took years of coaching for them to achieve their goals. An athlete’s willingness to grow and accept criticism, feedback, and direction from a mentor is something that serves them well in life after sports.

“If you aren’t able to humble yourself and submit to the coach, you’re not playing.” –Vaughn A. Calhoun

GradLeaders points out that even solo sport athletes have coaches. Someone that grew up being coached and knowing how to accept criticism without becoming offended will be off to a better start in the workforce than someone less disciplined.

The contemporary career climate evolves at breakneck speed thanks to ever-changing technology and world events. Being able to accept guidance is critical to keep up.

Balanced

Being a student-athlete can be tough as you’re expected to wear different many different hats (sometimes literally). Balancing academics with team events, practices, and games, potentially for multiple sports, means that athletes must have excellent time management skills and the ability to balance their many duties.

“Playing a sport through high school and then in college, and maintaining a good GPA is not easy. It reflects very nicely on the resume of an athlete, and shows to the potential employer that the person can manage their time effectively.” -Chris Valleta

Not only does this make former athletes fantastic at scheduling, but they know how to prioritize and compartmentalize in the workplace. A former athlete is well-positioned to know what tasks to prioritize and how to stay focused when things get hectic.

Emotional strength

Being an athlete isn’t all glory. Because of the competitive nature of sports and other extracurricular activities, most of those in any given event will not be the winner. It takes a lot of effort to win, but one must also learn how to lose with dignity.

Businessman and former NFL player Chris Valletta says that athletes having a network of teammates and coaches helps facilitate a sense of belonging, a boost in mental health, and a group to lean on in hard times, helping keep them strong.

Athlete Career Placement mentions an athlete’s discipline as one of their most valuable traits. Knowing how to focus on a goal and compartmentalizing failure in order to focus on the next steps give them an edge in staying emotionally strong when things get tough at work. The past few years have shown that changes can happen quickly, and having the emotional strength to come out on top is crucial.

Wrap up

Remember—one didn’t have to play a sport at a high level to have the athlete’s mindset. Not all had the privilege or physical gifts required to have a long sports career. These intangible traits we recognize from former athletes are found in many, and these are the types of candidates that can truly make an impact in your organization. Consider former athletes and those with the athlete mindset for your next opening and you won’t be disappointed with the results!

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Testimonial: Former MLB Pitcher Slides Into Med Sales Role

At NexGoal, we take our athlete career placements very seriously – which is why our Project Coordinators spend so much time working with each candidate to put them in the best position to succeed. Once our candidates are placed, we like to take the time to share that candidate’s journey with all of you.

Our client is a leading designer, manufacturer, and marketer of innovative healthcare products. The needs of their customers and their patients drive everything they do. Because of their dedication to excellence, innovation, and value, they seek those same values in their employees. They turned to NexGoal to find their next Respiratory Sales Specialist.

We were fortunate to make contact with Zach Seipel, a former MLB pitcher with the Atlanta Braves. Zach has a deep passion for the healthcare industry thanks to his mother’s experiences as a nurse. Over his three-year MLB career, Zach combined his love of healthcare and his athletic background by learning about the treatment and recovery of athletes. Zach’s dedication to healthcare, along with the competitive drive, coachability, persistence, and confidence that made him a successful athlete, made him a perfect candidate for our client’s opening.

Once Zach connected with NexGoal recruiter Brittany Brady, he knew it was the right fit. “The NexGoal team really gets the athlete experience and what former athletes like me can bring to an organization. It was clear they really knew their stuff,” Zach said of his decision.

Brittany and Zach formed an easy rapport, and Zach highlighted their interactions as a bright spot in the process. “I felt like [Brittany] really listened to me and understood me. She kept in touch regularly, was available to answer any questions or concerns I had, and provided valuable knowledge on what went on behind the scenes during the hiring process. ” Zach said.

It didn’t take long for Zach to get the job and begin his new career. “The process couldn’t have been easier. Job searching can be a pain, but with someone like Brittany and the [NexGoal] team on your side, it’s a lot easier. If you’re looking for a new job, I highly recommend reaching out to them.”

Over the past 10+ years, we have specialized in placing former athletes in careers with our various corporate clients. The core of our business surrounds athlete job seekers, and Zach was quick to recommend NexGoal to any other former athletes looking to make a career change.

“NexGoal truly understands what life after the game is like and how to help athletes pivot,” Zach said.

The NexGoal team would like to thank Zach for his valuable feedback and for sharing his journey, and we wish him continued success in his new role as a Respiratory Sales Specialist.

Are you looking to advance your career in the prestigious medical device industry? Your dream job is only a click away! We look forward to placing you in your next career. You can get started by filling out our Athlete Candidate page here.

Employers: Are you looking to bring on highly qualified candidates like Zach, who may not find you on their own? Reach out and discover how quickly we can connect you with top active and passive job seekers near you!

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Learn From The NFL Draft And Recruit Like The Pros

This is an exciting week in the world of sports as the 2022 NFL Draft begins. For those who don’t follow the sport, during the National Football League’s annual draft, the 32 teams recruit former college football players through an arranged system over the course of seven rounds.

The draft is the best way for teams to bring in new talent, and the process of talent evaluation is extensive. Each pick is a risk, as you’ll never have a complete picture of a prospect’s ceilings, and the fit with the right team can change everything.

In that way, business recruiting is similar. Recruiters must hire who they believe the best candidate is based on the information they have, and they can’t ignore their gut feelings. If your organization wants to recruit like the pros, you need to approach the process like the pros. Embrace these NFL Draft principles for your next hiring cycle.

Analyze your team’s needs

Scouting is a major part of the hiring process, but it starts with self-scouting. Know your team’s strengths and weaknesses. An NFL team may need a wide receiver, but they won’t just bring in anyone to fill the role. They need a good scheme and cultural fit. What can that prospect do for your team that others can’t? How can they fulfill the team’s unique needs?

Ask yourself what the ideal candidate would look like. Maybe you’re a tech recruiter and you need someone a little more specialized this time. Perhaps you’d like your next shift manager to have stronger people skills. The insight you can from self-analysis will put you in a better position before you even start researching candidates.

ATD’s Angel Green recommends shifting to a continuous performance management process to keep analyzing your team’s performance. The more frequently you self-scout, the more prepared you’ll be when a need arises.

“Is a position about to open because performance is lackluster in an area? Do you need to add a utility player? Add some strength? Build for the future depth?  By constantly having a pulse on how your players are performing, you can be strategic in your recruitment efforts.” –Angel Green

But don’t reach

The flip side of the above point is to avoid simply hiring the first person that checks your boxes. In the NFL, a team may “reach” for a position of need when there are better options on the board or they could get the same player much later. A team may need a quarterback and take a less polished option early while other teams are getting quality players ready to make the jump.

Gut feeling matters, but don’t ignore analytics. The best resumes are data-driven and provide tangible measurements of performance. Just as the NFL has more analytic data available than ever before, use all available data at your disposal before you make the hire.

Bet on traits

A college football prospect is almost never a finished product. Even the best can’t-miss prospects need time to adjust to the faster, stronger competition of the pros and to learn the more complicated playbooks. Instead, what makes a player desirable is the traits they possess. Teams will bet that possessing valuable traits is enough, and the player can learn the “teachable” skills down the road. NFL scouts swear by intangibles, traits like confidence, mental toughness, and coachability, as some of the most important traits.

“Some guys carry themselves like they’re hoping something good happens. Other guys carry themselves like they expect to make something good happen. And [with the latter], you really can feel it.” –Stephen White, former NFL defensive lineman

Your hiring search is best served by following the same philosophy. You may have a deep wishlist of traits and skills you’d like your next hire to have, but it’s rare you’ll find someone that possesses them all. Decide what skills are a priority for you. Many soft skills, including communication skills and adaptability, are highly-transferable and hard to teach. Meanwhile, proficiency in a specific software may be something easy to pick up as the employee gets acclimated.

Consider floor vs. ceiling

NFL teams must balance players that can come in and play right away versus players that can become future superstars. You may find a player that seems pro-ready, but they might not get much better than they were when you drafted them. Meanwhile, a player with desirable traits in need of polish can lead your team to glory with the right coaching.

Are you looking for someone who can come in and fill a role immediately, or do you want to nurture growth and find someone that can play a major role for your organization in the future? Every organization needs both, and there’s no shame in being a role player or depth piece. But it’s important for scouts and hiring managers alike to look at a candidate’s floor and ceiling.

Sell your team

In the NFL, players don’t get to choose their employer, but neither party is served by a bad fit. A player telling a team they won’t want to play for them isn’t unheard of. Job seekers, meanwhile, DO get to make their choice. Modern Hire reminds us that interviews are a two-way street. You need to sell your organization and why you’re the best fit for this prospect.

Have a backup plan

You never know how the board will fall in the NFL Draft. You may desire a player, but your rival gets the chance to draft them before you do. In the business world, your ideal candidate may take a more lucrative offer or seek a benefit you just can’t meet. You can’t put all your eggs in one basket. Good NFL teams will find multiple players to fit their needs, and you need to as well.

Remember that we said to avoid reaching. Don’t stop interviewing after you find one candidate you really like. Continue to do your research and gather data. In that way., you’ll be prepared for anything.

Wrap up

There may be no “business world draft”, but recruiters can learn a lot from the big leagues. NFL teams must constantly evaluate their needs and choose which traits to prioritize, and a savvy organization will do the same. Embrace the above strategies and recruit like the pros!

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Testimonial: Former Soccer Player Lands New Med Sales Role

At NexGoal, we take our athlete career placements very seriously – which is why our Project Coordinators spend so much time working with each candidate to put them in the best position to succeed. Once our candidates are placed, we like to take the time to share that candidate’s journey with all of you.

Our client has consistently developed innovations to improve patient care and developed worldwide distribution for their products for over 60 years. As an industry leader in the medical device world, we knew that only the best would do for their Respiratory Sales Representative opening.

And we knew our candidate, David Phillips, was the best. We were fortunate to be able to work with David, a former soccer player who attended Malone University and Bowling Green State University. With his pleasant demeanor and athlete’s drive for success, we knew David would be perfect for our client’s opening.

David was contacted by one of our recruiters, Brittany Brady, who saw David’s potential and reached out. “From beginning to end [Brittany] was so helpful and punctual in all aspects. I would highly recommend to anyone looking to make a career change to reach out to anyone at Nexgoal, especially Brittany, and have them help. They will get the job done! She did for me!” David said on the process.

Brittany and David were in touch through the entire process, and David praised Brittany’s poise and availability. “She also helped me navigate through a very uncomfortable and unfamiliar spot and made it so comfortable for me. Without Brittany, I don’t think I would be working in this new role.”

David spoke highly of NexGoal following the process and recommends the NexGoal team for anyone looking for a new position. “NexGoal takes it very personally and cares about you and where you get placed. They will do anything to make sure you get the job you are fighting for!” David exclaimed.

Over the past 10+ years, we have specialized in placing former athletes in careers with our various corporate clients. The core of our business surrounds athlete job seekers, and David was quick to advocate that other former athletes like himself and competitive-minded job seekers come to NexGoal when looking for their next opportunity.

The NexGoal team would like to thank David for his valuable feedback and passionate words, and we wish him continued success in his new role as a Respiratory Sales Representative.

Are you looking to advance your career in the thriving medical device industry? We have the opportunity for you! We look forward to placing you in your next career. You can get started by filling out our Athlete Candidate page here.

Employers: Are you looking to bring on highly qualified candidates like David, who may not find you on their own? Reach out & discover how quickly we can connect you with top active & passive job seekers near you!

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