Why would anyone want toemploya rugby player?
Why would any company want to employ an ex-rugby player when there are other candidates with more relevant experience? Why hire a muscle-bound ‘egg-chaser’ who has spent his entire professional life essentially playing a game, and has probably never set foot in an office?
“I used to ask myself those questions when I was playing,” admits former Leinster and Ireland back-row Kevin McLaughlin. “And I always thought the answers were bullsh*t. But a lot of the attributes that make you a good rugby player are assets in the workplace: the attitude of putting the team first; seeing the bigger picture; the ability to perform under pressure, and make hard decisions; the idea of leadership, leading by example.
“The office environment is completely different, but many of the same principles apply around performance.”
Leading Irish recruitment firm Mason Alexander certainly thinks so. Jointly founded and part-owned by Ireland full-back Rob Kearney, they recently became the first Irish company to set up a dedicated sports desk, advising athletes on career transition as well as “specialising in the recruitment for governing bodies and sport-related companies”.
James Cluskey, a former tennis professional who is now head of sport at Mason Alexander, is in no doubt about the value of former professional sportsmen in the workplace.
“They bring an attitude and mindset, a resilience and an attention to detail that can add a lot if they are given the right opportunity in a company prepared to work with them and help them improve,” he says. “They are good at setting goals and working as a team.
“It can be a difficult transition, feeling like you are starting again, but athletes can bring so much.”
Line Up Consultancy’s David McHugh, who is advising Mason Alexander’s sports venture, adds: “Professional sportsmen have transferable skills that are really valuable in the workplace: focus, dedication, goal-setting, teamwork, working under pressure… they are used to authority. They know how to set their minds to something, how to commit to things.
“If you can get them education along the way, they are very employable. You can teach people skills in an office environment, but the most important thing is getting the right people – and athletes are often the right people.
“I always tell the athletes I represent that it is as important to invest in themselves as it is to invest in their sports career.”