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July 29, 2019

Here’s why businesses should hire athletes

Nancy Altobello
Magic Johnson and the Los Angeles Lakers
Getty Images
Magic Johnson and the Los Angeles Lakers

Several years ago, EY launched the Women Athletes Business Network to help top women athletes transition from competitive sports into successful careers in business and leadership. Our research found that 94% of C-suite women played sports, so we decided to see what would happen when you support competitive athletes through mentorships with top women in business.

Our hypothesis was correct The skills and experience gained through sports translate into marketable leadership skills.

July 29, 2019

Why You Should Hire 'Athletes'

We call them athletes, because they can tackle any position. And they're the best type of employees you can hire at a start-up. Here's why.

By Jason FreedmanCo-founder and CEO, 42Floors@jasonfreedman

After we closed our round of Series A funding for 42Floors, we began working on hiring the right people.  Because we got a lot of good press, we got inbound job requests from some impressive people. As we looked at the most impressive resumes, we kept seeing a trend: people who were incredibly good at one thing. But that’s actually a problem for us.

One of our early decisions was not to hire specialists, but generalists--we call them athletes, because they can play every position. These jacks-of-all-trades types are the best kind of early employee you can have at a start-up. They may not be the best at any one particular skill, but they have lots of good skills that can be applicable all over the company, and they are very adaptive. Athletes are employees who think and act like founders because they’re not so locked into one individual role that they lose track of the wider needs of the company. And in the early stages of a company when your needs are changing almost daily, you want employees who are not only flexible, but enjoy changes in their day-to-day jobs. 

Here are a few tips we've learned about finding and hiring athletes: Read more>

July 29, 2019

Life After the Olympics

Craig Donofrio


Image via Republic of Korea @ Flickr

 

Of the 2,925 athletes competing in the 2018 Winter Olympics*, only a few hundred will receive a medal. Even fewer will receive sponsorships. For the rest, life after the Olympics often means entering the workforce with everyone else.  

Depending on their home country, most of the athletes won’t see a bank account boon from the games alone. Team USA athletes get a medal bonus—$25,000 for a gold, $15,000 for silver, and $10,000 for bronze—from the United States Olympic Committee, but that’s if they make it to the podium. Most Olympians are unbelievably talented but fall under the low-paid amateur category. That’s not a knock on Olympians—often the only difference between amateur and professional athlete is that the pros are paid to play. In order for Olympians to make decent money, they have to land a sponsorship. Read more>

July 29, 2019

10 Reasons Why Businesses Should Hire Former Athletes

By Richard Braanson  August, 17, 2017
 

Determined to make a memorable return to the tennis court at the next Necker Cup, I have enlisted the help of former top doubles player James Cluskey. We have been hitting it out at 6am each morning to strengthen the areas of my game that need work. I have been really enjoying our sessions together. I’m not just improving; we’ve also been having some great chats about business and sports.


Image by Take Aim Photography

Having recently retired, James is in the process of starting his own business – however it hasn’t been easy. Like many other retired athletes, he has experienced some testing emotions and challenges.

Boxing legend Sugar Ray Leonard was famously quoted to say, “Nothing could satisfy me outside the ring… there is nothing in life that can compare to becoming a world champion, having your hand raised in that moment of glory, with thousands, millions of people cheering you on.” James explained to me that this feeling isn’t uncommon, and sadly many ex-athletes develop a loss of identity and tunnel vision, which often leads to depression. Read more>

July 29, 2019

Why Employers Want to Hire Student Athletes

It’s the last full week of summer, Hounds! As the NFL season kicks off, MLB gets ready for playoffs, and our own Assumption athletes continue practicing and competing, sports are a hot topic this time of year. But did you know athletics can take you far beyond the field? Whether you’re a member of one of Assumption’s NCAA Division II teams or a participant in intramural sports, your athletic experience could help you win it all in your job search.

Simply put, employers want to hire athletes. Participating in sports helps someone build traits that businesses thrive upon. Read more>

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