Taking On the Job Hunt Like a Fantasy Football Draft

With fantasy football drafts in full gear, it’s easy to see a few parallels between the research-based, tactical processes of drafting a great team and landing a dream job. Below are a few tips to maximize your job search that also translate into tactics for fantasy football.

Organize your leads and look to eliminate risk

For those putting together fantasy football teams, it is wise to avoid big risks and unpredictable behaviors and players. Similarly, when researching and setting a plan for your job hunt, be sure to organize your job prospects into categories – making sure that a certain amount of your options are considered “low-risk.” Include prospects for an impressive, big-name company, but don’t commit to this end when it comes to the job search. Ultimately, knowing your strengths and the ideal job for you should eliminate most risk. If you are truly seeking the job you want most and would be the best fit, you shouldn’t find yourself risking too much in the process – or it might be time to re-evaluate.

Get to know your top prospects

Once you’ve determined your top companies or leads, begin to understand them on a more personal level. Just as you would follow your fantasy football picks to learn about their behaviors, injuries, or athletic trajectory, pay attention to the trends and behaviors of the companies you’d most like to work for. A critical part of this is building relationships, and much of this today is done through social media. Continue to share content related to your field, follow the organizations and employees that you’d like to learn from or work for, and begin lightly promoting your own work when necessary. Stay up to date on the current objectives and needs of the companies you are most drawn to in order to be able to discuss these areas in an interview should the opportunity arise.

Don’t get distracted by “all-stars”

Like a star quarterback with plenty of press, the bigger and more well-known companies can be distracting and difficult to obtain, job-wise. Sometimes, the best jobs (and fantasy team members) are the lesser known opportunities, or “sleeper selections.” A smaller company, for example, could offer you more flexibility with your schedule and more personal relationships, while a large, well-known company could easily overwork you without much regard for your personal life or schedule. If you’ve taken the time to research your prospects, a solid company could be the one you initially overlooked, but could end up benefiting you the most personally and professionally. Remember, sometimes the best jobs are not advertised openly – you might have to dig deeper through your network – and the same goes for some fantasy football picks.

Whether you are job hunting or putting together a stacked fantasy football team, keep in mind the value of solid research and risk-mitigating decisions, and avoid the potential distraction of “all-star” companies or players: they aren’t always the most reliable choice. Being organized, intentional, and focused on your end goal are all mentalities and practices that can be applied to your strategy for job prospects and draft picks – and if you’re actively putting together a fantasy football team with these tactics, consider it a low risk trial of your job hunt experience down the road.

Are you ready to begin your job hunt with Adecco Staffing?  If you have the skills , we can help you get started! Begin by creating a profile and searching our opportunities in your area.