Careerathletes.com is a career networking Web site for college athletes entering the workforce.
Its commercials feature people dressed up in a business suits but holding lacrosse sticks, or basketballs or tennis rackets all in front of a black backdrop.
The Web site states that it provides student athletes with career development tools that assist in the transition from a lifetime of competitive athletics to the workplace. But how far can networking get you? And can an athlete ever be fully prepared for the departure from a team environment?
Ed Gurka, who graduated in May of 2008, was on the Marist men’s swim team and now works for Northwestern Mutual Financial Network in Manhattan.
“When I was a senior I didn’t really know what I wanted to do,” Gurka said. “I put my resume on monster track and then sometime in February or March I was called in for the interview. It was a five step process so I ended up going back to them four more times.”
But it’s not as if Gurka was simply handed a job, before he was asked to interview with Northwestern Mutual, he looked to other outlets.
“When I was looking for places to work I wasn’t exactly thrilled with my choices,” he said. “Obviously, the goal is to work with a reputable company. So when I was called for my job now, I did my research.”
While Gurka was able to obtain a job relevant to his major (business finance), Spencer Hartmann, who graduated in 2009 and was also on the men’s swim team, is having a harder time making use of his degree in IT.
Instead, he’s working as an assistant manager at a gym, as well as working as the coach of a high school swim team while looking for a more major-specific career.
Hartmann says he uses his experience as a student swimmer to help him coach.
“Mainly, I know how they try to get away with certain things,” he said. “But I know what they’re going through and I’m a competitive person, so I hope to impart that onto them.”
Hartmann said that competing is one of the top things he misses from being on a school team.
“My plan was to keep swimming after college. I swam with a club team for a little bit but it was hard to stick with it because there was no team camaraderie.”
Gurka agreed that camaraderie was something he missed as well.
“The strangest part was last year, in August when you’re ready to go back and you don’t,” he said. “You just assume you’re going back. It’s really that first year that was hardest when you realize it’s over.”
Hartmann’s last bit of advice for anyone looking for a job was to apply anywhere, even if you lack certain qualifications.
“Don’t say you’ll eventually get around to applying to a job because you’re nervous about qualification, just apply everywhere.”
