At Game Plan, we work with hundreds of companies each week and often discuss their efforts in recruiting top talent to work at their companies. In particular, there is also a great interest in hiring student-athletes to fill open position across industries.
We’ve covered the reasons for that here before, but largely; it’s their work ethic, leadership abilities and the very skills these individuals develop while participating in athletics their entire lives that make student-athletes sought-after candidates.
What we also hear from these employers is that they want to reach the athletes and the individuals that are most influential to helping these student-athletes find jobs – the student-athlete stakeholders in the athletic department (advisors, coaches, counselors, etc.) — more directly and more frequently.
Our answer? Start working with them early on and find unique ways to get in front of them.
This can be done a number of ways, but it’s clear that just visiting campus at career fairs isn’t cutting it anymore. Brands need to connect with the student in the ways they are used to connecting (i.e. social media, texting, etc.). They also have to find ways to integrate their brand and messages into the pre-existing paths for the student-athletes. Brands have to add value to the student to help students gain a solid understanding around who they are, what they do, and the opportunities that exist. They have to do this with an understanding of the time demands of an athlete.
“College is a hard transition for any student – especially for athletes who are expected to juggle practices, meetings and classes…Through this innovative relationship with Game Plan, it’s our goal to meet student-athletes where they are – in an easy-to-access platform that they are already familiar with.” – Senior Vice President of Hands on Banking, Wells Fargo
Unique ways of doing this are through the programming that is already planned for student-athletes throughout the school year around topics like financial education, life skills, career preparation, and more. For example, we’ve worked with Wells Fargo to integrate new engagement opportunities for the brand and the student-athletes through eLearning courses.
Additionally, planned assessments of skills and development are also a good way for brands to share their expertise, while also providing valuable insights to the student-athletes throughout their journey.
At Game Plan, we connect employers, athletic departments, and student-athletes. Likewise, brands have the opportunity to connect with athletes at a very early stage in their college and developmental career. Something that can be an asset when you look at recruiting top talent. Whether you want to connect with a freshman or a senior — it can be facilitated.
Through a candidate journey that educates the individual on the employer brand, the career opportunities allow student-athletes to experience the culture and ultimately sets up for a full-time hire that can onboard and begin achieving from day one.
Other benefits? Employers and recruiters can:
- Engage college athletes as early as their freshman year.
- Promote their employer brand and career opportunities to student-athletes in the same online platform they are managing their developmental journey.
- Showcase the employer brand through customized eLearning content.
- Review candidate portfolios detailing their entire journey through college and beyond.
Regardless of how you do it, the message is clear — that to effectively recruit, it’s time to get creative and branch out from the traditional paths of recruiting talent. It’s essential to meet the student-athletes where they are and through new, dynamic approaches and engagement opportunities.
For more information, please reach out to sales@gameplanworks.wpengine.com.
