Would You Be Selected For The All-Star Game?

Would You Be Selected To Play In A Business Professional All-Star Game?

Major League Baseball’s All-Star Game is tonight. Players with the best stats, best skills, most appreciated by fans, get a chance to be forever known as an All-Star.

Consider for a moment, what if there was an All-Star Game of some kind for business professionals in your respective profession? Sales, accounting, customer service, manager, engineer, teacher, small business owner, doctor, counselor, CEO—would you be selected to play in this All Star Game tonight? Why would you be selected? What position would you play?

When the world at-large votes on who is an “All-Star,” what do voters look for? What traits, stats, evidence, examples, results, consistency, values, effort do they consider when deciding to put a check mark next to your name? What makes your stats and efforts this first half of the business season stand out from the rest? Do you even keep track of your stats?

As a search professional retained by business leaders and business owners to find the best of the best, my clients ask these questions about candidates I source and introduce to the client for a specific search project. Leaders want to know they are interviewing and ultimately making an offer to the best candidate—an All-Star—for the job they have open. Leaders look at the proven statistics of the candidate. They don’t believe the stories/excuses if the stats don’t support the story. Leaders look at:

·     Job history and consistency of good decision-making in career advancement

·     Compensation history that shows this person is earning an All-Star income as proven by what value that person brings to the marketplace.

·     Conditioning routine: Is the person working to maintain good physical health? Are you healthy, confident, committed to maintaining a personal fitness program and a confident image to the business community when representing a employer?

·     On and off season training routines: Does this candidate practice and hone their business skills via reading books, webinars, videos, rehearsing, researching their career plans and monthly success. Can you prove you are doing this?

·     Outside investment of training: Is the candidate investing their money in their own professional development in coaching or counseling to learn about their weaknesses and build their business strengths?

·     Industry knowledge and contribution: Does the candidate know their marketplace and participate in the community? Are they an expert in knowing what is going on in their industry, the trends, challenges, the future?

·     Does their resume, knowledge summaries and LinkedIn profiles reflect a professional presentation that will represent their employer and self with confidence and gain trust and credibility?

·     Unemployed? Why? What is the real reason? And if so, what is the person doing to enhance their skills, update their professional presence and knowledge to compete in the marketplace. Do we hear excuses and blame for why the person is not working or do they have examples of how they are working on their personal skills to improve?

If you have the courage to look deeply into yourself and ask these questions, you will be on your way to an All-Star game sooner than you think. Take the time to really examine what areas of professional development you need to really improve on. Take a course, read a book, get in better physical condition to demonstrate to demonstrate to a hiring manager that you are in game ready position.

Remember: No employer in a capitalistic society owes any business professional “the chance” to work for them and be successful. You and I must demonstrate and earn their vote by showing we work hard and smart to be an All-Star.

Prove you are ready to play in the big game in showing that hiring manager you have the stats to prove it. And if your stats are not strong now, show what you are doing to improve your average.

Russ Riendeau, PhD is the author of The Big Swing: What the Chicago Cubs are teaching business leaders about capitalism, commitment and culture. (Eyecatcher Press) Kindle. He is the senior partner of the New Frontier Search Company--a retained search firm.