Retirement is one of the few certainties an athlete will face in his athletic career and most of the athletes will need to get a 9 to 5 job to be able to cope financially after their career ends. Unfortunately, research shows that athletes are often unwilling to plan in advance for their careers after sport and in combination with the fact that, most athletes don’t have any previous work experience in a full-time job, and may have missed out on education because of their sporting commitments, makes the transition even harder.
In order to avoid suddenly finding yourself in deep water, you have to start planning how you want your life after sports to be, long before the end of your sporting career. Actually, we believe that preparation for the end of your athletic career should begin as soon as you start chasing your sport dream.
You can start by considering what you want to do when you retire. Many athletes choose to remain in the sports industry, as coaches, scouts, trainers, etc. but you have a lot of other options as well. Find your passions and think of potential career paths that align to them. Research the industry and make a list of skills, experience and education needed to get a job in companies that work in that area. If you need specific or technical skills to get the job you’re interested in, there are courses or qualifications you can take in order to be the perfect candidate.
As an athlete you acquire a number of transferable skills during your sporting career which can be applied in other areas of your lives and to other non-sport careers. Such transferable skills include organizational skills, adaptability/flexibility, dedication and perseverance, patience, self-motivation as well as abilities associated with performing under pressure, meeting challenges/deadlines and setting and obtaining goals.
In order to have a successful career transition you need to utilize your transferable skills, develop personal resilience, obtain formal education, and create a professional network which will help you find opportunities and experiment with new roles outside of sport.
People, who you have met during your sporting career, may prove useful in your career search. And if you don’t know anyone from the industry you want to work in you have to try and make new contacts in that area.
In order to apply for a job, you need a curriculum vitae (CV), a cover letter explaining why you are the right fit for the job and to give a good impression at the job interview, so prepare yourself ahead of time to make sure you’re ready when the time comes.
If you have any questions on how to transition to your life after the end of your sports career you can contact us at [email protected] .
