Professional Athletes

Ron McDaniel of GR8TR Today Magazine interviewed NexGoal CEO Kevin Dahl regarding the firm’s recent success and plans for the future.

Following a 14-year professional hockey career that spanned the NHL and the Olympics, Kevin Dahl found himself quickly transitioning to the entrepreneurial world. In 2009, he co-founded NexGoal, a national recruiting firm with a niche in finding and placing former athletes from all levels of competition into new careers.

NexGoal works directly with both clients and candidates to take the stress out of the job search for all parties involved. Many of their corporate clients share the belief that individuals who exhibit the core values of confidence, persistence, time management, and coachability make up their best employees.

Recently, I had the opportunity to interview Kevin and learn more about NexGoal’s recent success and what’s in store for 2022 and beyond.

Question: How has your athletic experience translated into the business world? How have you leveraged your experience as a professional athlete towards a career in recruiting?

Kevin: I found my journey in entrepreneurship to be similar to my athletic career in terms of the effort required and the adversity I faced. Athletes need persistence, work ethic, drive, leadership, and coachability to be successful at their chosen sport, and those same tenets are valuable in the business world.

My hockey tenure also taught me how to manage people and teammates effectively and what it truly means to be a part of a team. The importance of building a winning team full of true competitors is equally as vital as with any sports team. Hockey is a long season that, like recruiting, requires a consistent, daily effort.

Recruiting is about attention to detail, which plays a major role when comparing one’s natural ability with the intentionality and effort it takes to succeed. Winning in sports AND being on a good team requires a lot of concentration on small details. Natural ability alone can only get you so far but combined with the hunger to learn and ‘practice makes perfect’ mentality, the sky’s the limit.

Question: What first attracted you to starting NexGoal?

Kevin: When I retired from the game and started looking for jobs I had to go through the experience of putting together a resume and reaching out to people to help me. I didn’t have a lot of experience in those areas and learned there were a lot of athletes in the same boat.

After my experience in putting together a resume and putting my skills on paper without real-world experience, I realized I could help others do the same. That eventually led to starting NexGoal.

Question: What were the greatest challenges you faced working in recruiting as a result of COVID-19? What adjustments have you made in lieu of remote and hybrid workplaces?

Kevin: COVID-19 caused a lot of industries to rethink how they conducted their day-to-day business, and we were no exception. Through trial-and-error, we learned how to rely on technology like Zoom and adapt to our team working remotely. We were able to adapt to a new way of working with zero turnover. Because we had first-hand experience, our recruiting team could relate to organizational needs, and we knew what our clients were looking for.

The pandemic caused what many call the “Great Resignation,” where workers reevaluated their careers to find something that better aligned with their values. Our own research found that a good culture and feeling valued made workers the happiest, so we’ve become more thorough in our initial conversations and write-ups with new clients.

Question: In what industries and positions has NexGoal experienced your greatest growth?

Kevin: We reinvented our client list in wake of the pandemic. Based on our own experience, we knew what changes companies needed to make to survive the pandemic. We researched specific industries that were successfully remotely operating and looking to grow, and we learned which industries were putting hiring on hold. We’d previously had success with the Medical Device and Mortgage/Title industries. These industries adapted to the pandemic well, so we focused our energy on working with them. Our efforts led to great success.

Question: What sets NexGoal apart from its competitors?

Kevin: At the end of the day, our Recruiting Process is what sets us apart. We’re thorough in researching our client partners and our job seekers, and we have a scout’s eye for talent. This business is about building strong relationships, and our clients keep coming back to us. We’ve consistently received great testimonials from our partners.

“Since becoming a partner to assist us with our recruiting needs, NexGoal has done an excellent job identifying talent for our organization that aligns with our company culture, our values, and what our customers have come to expect from our sales team!”

Steve Wilson, US National Sales Manager, A Global Medical Device Company

Question: Why do clients always stay with NexGoal for a long period of time?

Kevin: Our clients stay with us for long periods of time, some over ten years, and many of our placed employees remain with our clients to this day. We became a true partner in their recruiting efforts.

This is where the athlete’s mindset comes into play. We’re competitive and persistent in our recruiting efforts, and we don’t settle for anything less than the best.

Question: Beyond recruiting, are there any resources you provide for job-seekers and employers alike?

Kevin: Yes! We take pride in keeping our audience up-to-date with all the latest hiring and workforce trends. From tips and tools to enhance job-seekers’ resumes, cover letters, interview
techniques (and more), to our guiding principles for employers monitoring remote/hybrid work, leadership, and company culture, you won’t want to miss what we have in store for 2022! Be sure to visit our Career Advice Library and sign up for our Job-Seeker and Employer eNewsletters.

Question: Where can people learn more about you and get connected with NexGoal Recruiting?

Kevin: You can learn more about NexGoal and get in touch with our recruiting team via this Contact Form. Find us on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, and more here.

Staff
Job Search Tips
March 9, 2016

Robert Griffin III Can Write Ultimate Redemption Story

Let’s play a game of quarterback A vs quarterback B. In this comparison, we will be comparing their statistics in their rookie seasons. In his rookie season, QB A passed for 3,200 yards and 20 touchdowns with just five interceptions. His QB rating was 102.4, and he also rushed for 815 yards and seven touchdowns.

In his rookie season, QB B threw for 3,118 yards and 26 touchdowns with 10 interceptions. His QB rating was 100.0, and he rushed for 489 yards and four touchdowns.

By all comparisons, these two players began their careers with very similar statistics. Both were effective passers in their rookie campaign and both were also dangerous on the ground. As rookie seasons go, this is ideally what teams want to see as both players contributed immediately while showing immense potential for the future.

Now, what if I told you both QBs were taken in the same draft? Most would assume that these two QBs both had to be early first round picks. In actuality, QB A was the 2nd pick and QB B was the 75th. QB A was a Heisman Trophy winner with ideal size and off the chart measurables. QB B was an undersized senior transfer who many had written off as a career backup.

Featured: Start your own Job Redemption story now, join our Athlete-Candidate Database

Do you know yet who I’m comparing? For the few of you who may not know, here’s my last hint. In his first four seasons, QB B has made the playoffs in all of them, been to two Super Bowls and won one. He is also a three-time Pro Bowler. In four seasons, QB A has yet to win a playoff game, has only made one Pro Bowl (in his rookie season) and was just cut by his team.

Know now? QB A is former Redskins QB, Robert Griffin III. QB B is Seahawks QB, Russell Wilson. It seemed like (during their rookie season) their two careers would follow the same trajectory, but everything changed after 2012. To be exact, everything changed after the two QBs faced off in the 2012 NFC Wild Card game.

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In what could be compared to a movie-like plot, Griffin would seriously injure his knee in the Wild Card game and has since been unable to recover his former self. Wilson, on the other hand, has blossomed into one of the best QBs in the game since the Wild Card game. The mighty Heisman winner, who had achieved success with ease, is now in the shadow of the gritty overachiever.

In this movie plot some might see the story as David vs. Goliath.

Everyone loves an underdog story and Wilson represents the perfect David. Wilson has surpassed every expectation and silenced all doubters while completely eclipsing the giant that was Griffin. According to this plot, the story is officially over and David has officially won.

While this kind of ending might satisfy many viewers, I see a potentially more powerful ending. Redemption.

Seeing an athlete fall from grace and recover to regain success is a story that we all take to heart. It’s a story that we experience every time we fail in our personal lives and in our careers, and have to go pick up the pieces to fight again. There’s a real emotional bond to a good redemption story for both those involved and those viewing it.

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Griffin has the perfect opportunity to write the ending to this redemption story. What Griffin has to figure out now is how to overcome adversity with confidence. The root of all of his problems began with his knee injury. While he made a remarkable recovery from the injury, his play has yet to recover. He plays with hesitation and seems worried about getting hurt or making a mistake rather than making plays.

Griffin needs to completely forget the misfortunes of his past. What’s done is done. There is no changing the past. What can be changed is the approach he takes at his next opportunity. Griffin is well aware of what it feels like to achieve success at the highest level of play in the NFL. He needs to remember that mindset he had in his rookie season and let it take him back to a place of confidence.

What Griffin is currently experiencing is his Wilson moment. Everyone doubts him. Few believe he can carve out a successful career in the NFL–this needs this to be his motivation. Expectations can only be defined by the individual, not by others.

Griffin should set his expectations high. He knows he can achieve success. Knowing this is half the battle, and the other half is hard work and execution. Results will not come as easily in his next opportunity. Like Wilson, every day he will have to prove his case. However, that chip on his shoulder has the ability to take Griffin from irrelevant to great.

In a plot twist where Wilson now has it all and Griffin has nothing, Griffin has a chance to embrace his current situation as the underdog and orchestrate the ultimate NFL redemption story. Will this be the end to a David vs. Goliath story or will Goliath rise from the ashes to fight again? As lead writer, only Griffin can construct this stories ending.