Who Are You Recruiting into Your Business?

If you are recruiting high quality individuals who understand the concepts of hard work, teamwork, and leadership, don’t overlook NCAA athletes.
 
Being an NCAA athlete is much like working a full-time job while attending college, especially in Division I.
 
Watching the first round of the NCAA basketball tournament, also known as March Madness, the leadership lessons I learned as a college basketball player began streaming through my mind.
 Why college athletes?
 
Let’s look at basketball players. Statistics show that of 18,816 men and 16,509 women NCAA basketball players, the percent who actually go pro are 1.2% and 0.8% respectively.  
 
That leaves a large talent pool for your organization to find the right fit for your organization’s culture, especially if yours is a culture of excellence.  
 
What do college athletes bring to the table?
 
College athletes…
-> set goals and are coachable.
-> understand the concept of hard work.
-> maintain a winning attitude that is infectious among others on their team and within their circles.
-> are accustomed to working independently while maintaining the team relationship.
-> make decisions and solve problems quickly.
-> maintain a “We may be down, but we are never out,” attitude.
-> don’t have to be the star to be a leader.
 
These qualities were the highlights of the recruiting trip to my alma mater, The Citadel, The Military College of South Carolina where we recruited several athletes who became top performers and valuable members of our team.
 
When looking for your organization to always do its best, be sure to recruit those who bring their best every day, the NCAA athlete. 

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