Uncovering the career potential in ex-athletes

Olympic athletes are often faced with a major life transition when they take the decision to retire. This transition can be challenging, as it requires them to shift their focus, identity, and skills to a new field. However, many athletes successfully navigate this change and go on to build new careers in a variety of fields. Here’s an overview of what often comes next for these athletes, the career paths they typically pursue, the challenges they face, how the common traits that contributed to their success can translate into their new career, and how potential employers can assess those traits.

1. Career Paths After Sports

• Coaching and Sports Management: Many athletes stay within the sports industry by becoming coaches, trainers, or sports managers. Their expertise and experience make them valuable mentors and leaders in developing not just the next generation of athletes but also potential business leaders.

Coaching is different from being an athlete, for sure, but it is similar in a lot of ways

You still get to feel and experience competition, but you don't really do it yourself. I was in a world I still have a lot of passion for in a sport that I loved. You build relationships with other people who share that passion and want to get better.”

https://www.mckinsey.com/careers/meet-our-people/careers-blog/erison

• Broadcasting and Media: With their in-depth knowledge of sports and strong public profiles, many former Olympians transition into broadcasting, working as sports commentators, analysts, or hosts on television and radio. Witness the unique dynamics and analysis that Rebecca Adlington and Mark Foster brought to the Olympic Swimming coverage.
• Entrepreneurship: Some athletes leverage their fame and work ethic to start their own businesses. This could include anything from launching a sports-related product line to opening a gym or mentoring.
• Corporate Roles: Olympic athletes often find roles in corporate environments, particularly in marketing, sales, or motivational speaking. Their experience in high-pressure situations and goal-oriented mindsets are highly valued in business settings.
• Advocacy and Non-profits: Many former Olympians are passionate about social issues, particularly those related to sports, health, and youth development. They often take on roles in non-profit organisations or start their own foundations to give back to the community.
• Further Education: Some athletes choose to return to school to earn degrees in areas of interest, such as business, law, or medicine, which can open up new career opportunities.

2. Challenges in the Transition

• Identity Shift: For many athletes, their identity is closely tied to their sport. Transitioning away from being an “Olympian” can be difficult and may require a significant psychological adjustment.
• Financial Management: Not all Olympians earn significant money during their athletic careers, and managing finances during the transition period can be challenging. Planning and financial literacy are critical.
• Finding a New Passion: Athletes often need to find a new passion or purpose in life that can replace the intensity of training and competition. This search can be challenging but is crucial for long-term fulfilment.

3. Common Traits for Success

• Discipline and Work Ethic: The discipline developed through years of training for the Olympics is a major asset in any career. This work ethic helps them to set and achieve new goals in their post-athletic careers.
• Resilience and Adaptability: Athletes are used to facing challenges, setbacks, and intense pressure. These experiences make them resilient and adaptable, traits that are crucial for success in any new career.
• Goal-Oriented Mindset: Olympic athletes are masters at setting and achieving goals. This ability to focus on long-term objectives is beneficial in business, education, and other fields.
• Teamwork and Leadership: Many Olympic sports require teamwork and leadership, skills that are directly transferable to many careers. Even in individual sports, athletes often rely on a team of coaches, trainers, and other support staff.
• Public Speaking and Communication Skills: The experience of being in the public eye, giving interviews, and communicating effectively is a valuable skill, especially in roles that require public speaking, media engagement, or leadership.
• Networking: Athletes often have strong networks built during their sporting careers, which can be a valuable resource when transitioning to a new career. These networks can provide opportunities, mentorship, and support.

4. Examples of which assessments can help measure those traits

Many athletes will not be aware of the traits they have developed, or the level to which they have developed them. However, there are many tools out there that can help them, or their potential employers, understand more about their strengths e.g.

• Resilience and Adaptability: https://www.gfbgroup.com/emotional-intelligence-questionnaire

• Goal-Oriented Mindset https://www.gfbgroup.com/shl-opq32-leadership-report

• Teamwork and Leadership: https://www.gfbgroup.com/gfb-personality-profile

Conclusion

The transition from Olympic athlete to a new career can be challenging, but many athletes find success by leveraging the traits that made them successful in sports. Whether through staying in the sports world or venturing into business, Olympic athletes often continue to achieve great things after their competitive careers end. They can be an invaluable asset to any business.

If you’d like to find out more about how we can help your organisation understand an individual's potential please get in touch - email info@gfbgroup.com or call us on +44 (0) 333 090 2580.