7 Reasons you Should Hire Former Athletes

In a recent study, published by Atlantic, economists find the evidence that former athletes earn 5% to 15% more than their non-athlete peers. In addition to this, the Journal of leadership and Organizational studies published a study in which they found out that athletes are more self-confident and possess better leadership skills then students who opt for other extra-curricular activities, in high school and college. In this particular case, the author compared the results of sports playing students with those who participated in band.

All of these studies suggest that there exists some evidence in the fact that employers prefer athletes more while hiring. The study reveals a higher earning pattern of former athletes, which imply that athletes experience a much more steep growth curve than non-athletes.

There are certain characteristics which makes athletes more prominent and a favorable choice. It is their persistence and determination which gives them an edge over other competitors. Below are some of the characteristics exhibited by the athletes, which convince hiring managers that they are the right fit for the company.

1. They are passionate about their work

Most people who play sports are passionate about their game. They have been practicing and playing it for the majority of their lives, and they continue to play it with the same zeal as day one. This is the drive that employers look for in potential employees.

In a survey, employers revealed that they don't only prefer athletes. They also prefer musicians, writers and anybody who spent a lot of time in mastering a skill. It shows the employers that the person does not shy away from hard work, and can invest time and efforts in completing and mastering difficult tasks.

Employers also reveal that the problem with well-rounded students is that they hop on from one activity to another, in order to create a perfect resume. This habit of conquering all the tasks at once makes them a jack of all trades, and there is a high probability that they are masters of none.

2. They are detail-oriented and goal-oriented

Athletes are driven by a passion to win. They come up with creative strategies to achieve their targets. This is another favorable characteristic, which companies look for in potential candidates, while hiring. Companies highly value critical thinking skills combined with the ability to think out-of-the-box. Athletes are usually equipped with creative skills. They are also very particular about precision. A slight mistake and they can miss the winning shot. Continuous practice teaches them the art of precision and they can easily identify small details that others tend to overlook.

3. They are emotionally strong

Playing sports are linked to higher emotional strength and cognitive skills. A person who plays sports has a team to rely on, which gives them a sense of belongingness. Having a reliable company of friends and colleagues boosts their mental health and their chances of suffering from depression or anxiety are greatly reduced. And this is critically important, as the growing economic burden of Depression in the US an issue of increasing concern and costs society upwards of $210 Billion per year. 

If you have been playing sports all your life, it also shows that you were able to go to a high school which had athletic options, which implies that you spent your formative years productively. It also shows that your parents/guardian were supportive enough to take you to all of your practices. These might look like extremely tedious details but all of these factors play an important role in determining an individual's future success. In no way does this mean that people deprived of such privileges in childhood are not capable of achieving success. Experiments only reveal the unidirectional causality, under this particular circumstance.

4. They exhibit time management skills

In order to succeed in highly competitive workplace environment, it is absolutely imperative that an individual possess exceptional time management skills. 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. He can commit to various tasks simultaneously and can achieve amazing results in all of them.

5. They have good leadership skills

Employers these days seek to employ people who can take initiative on their own. Athletes have good leadership skills. Years spent on the sports grounds have made them realize the importance of seizing the opportunity at the right time. Employers find the quality of taking initiative and then leading the whole team to success highly likeable in individuals.

6. They are good team players

Probably the first lesson team sports teach an athlete is the importance of the team. No matter how good of a player they are, without a good team they are nothing. They don't work for individual success; they strive for the team as a whole. This is why employers see them as a valuable addition to their team.

7. They have a strong work ethic

Athletes have to follow a strict routine of practice, to be eligible to play in a college or a high-school team. They have a strong work ethic. They value commitment and are aware of the importance of their time and other’s time. In this sense, they are highly disciplined and organized.

These are some of the traits, possessed by athletes, which gives them an edge over others. But, at the end of the day, an employer looks for the skills. It is quite possible that a successful athlete fails to exhibit any (or some) of the qualities listed above and in that case, his or her athletic skills won't give them any advantage in excelling in the job market. On the contrary, it is very much likely that a person with no athletic background posses all of these skills. After all, an experience is worth nothing if you don’t learn anything from it.

Chris Valletta is an award-winning entrepreneur, author, media contributor and former NFL Player. With a passion for using athletic-performance principles to achieve business success, Chris has developed an established track record of launching and scaling several multi-million dollar ventures. He is Co-Founder of the Sports Apparel and Accessories brand, MISSION, and author of “Team WORKS!”, a book that converges athletic principles with business success – with the Foreword written by the 45th President of the United States, Donald Trump.

Serving entrepreneurs as well as companies of all sizes, Chris is a sought-after speaker for top-tier universities, professional development programs and business teams looking for an edge in their performance.

Chris received his Bachelor’s degree in Communication, Rhetorical Theory and Political Science from Texas A&M University and Executive Degree in Entrepreneurship from Harvard Business School. He serves on the Advisory Board for the Center for New Ventures and Entrepreneurship (CNVE) and the Leadership Council for the Association of Former Students at Texas A&M. He is also an Advisor to Texas A&M’s Startup-Aggieland entrepreneur-incubator program. He has served as an Advisor to the NFL and Commissioner Roger Goodell on issues of personal-conduct policy revisions and overall brand strategy. He is a regular independent contributor to Fox News, Fox Business, CNN and MSNBC on matters related to business, workplace performance, entrepreneurship and athletics.