At NexGoal, we specialize in matching organizations with top-tier talent with a focus on former athletes and those with the athlete’s mindset. While our history working with and being founded by former athletes may make us biased, we’ve found time and time again that ex-athletes and those with the athletic mindset tend to exceed in the business world thanks to their highly-sought after skills.
But you don’t have to be an athlete to have these crucial skills, and those who have never played a sport can still learn valuable career lessons from their favorite teams and athletes. Over the years, we’ve looked at what makes former athletes so successful in business and found insightful takeaways from the biggest sporting events in the world. For your enjoyment, we’ve compiled five of our favorite articles comparing the sports world and the business world.
Why Should You Hire Former Athletes?
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.
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.
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!
Career Lessons From The 2023 Masters Tournament
The beginning of spring not only means warm weather is finally arriving but also one of the most exciting events in professional sports—the Masters Tournament.
One of the four major events in professional golf, the Masters is an iconic tournament where legends are made at the iconic Augusta National Golf Club. Each individual storyline at the Masters is fascinating in its own way, and we can take many lessons from the pros for our own life. If you’re looking to advance your career, take these cues from golf’s most iconic event!
Career Lessons From The 2023 Stanley Cup Finals
With the Vegas Golden Knights defeating the Florida Panthers in the Stanley Cup Finals, the 2023 NHL season has reached its end. As exhilarating as watching hockey can be, if we take a closer look, we can find some valuable lessons for our own lives.
“Playoffs are like a quarter-long sales battle, minus the injuries.” -Kevin Dahl, NexGoal CEO and former NHL player
Two teams of committed team members working toward an ultimate goal is always something we can learn from, even if we aren’t athletes ourselves. Here are valuable career lessons those of us not on the ice can learn from hockey’s ultimate games.
Wrap up
We hope these articles can highlight why we believe so strongly in former athletes and those that embody the athlete’s mindset. You don’t need to be a pro athlete to learn valuable business insights from the sporting world’s biggest stars, and we hope these pieces can assist in your own career. Expect to see even more parallels between athletics and business in the future, and please don’t hesitate to share your own experiences or observations with us!
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