Revealed: The 3 Types of Employees Directors Look For in Your Career

Revealed: The 3 Types of Employees Directors Look For in Your Career

By Michael Harrison

March 14, 2025 at 09:55 PM

Crafting a successful career in sports requires understanding how leadership perceives different types of employees. Here's what Carl Francis, director of communications for the NFLPA and Georgetown University professor, shares about three employee categories:

Smiling businessman in dark suit

Smiling businessman in dark suit

The New Hire:

  • Must display confident body language with firm handshake and eye contact
  • Should maintain a positive, smiling demeanor
  • Personality fit is crucial for success
  • Technical skills are secondary to cultural alignment

The Underperformer:

  • Often shows entitlement and unwillingness to adapt
  • Lacks understanding of their role and company mission
  • Fails to research the organization thoroughly
  • Has misaligned expectations about the position

The Above and Beyond Employee:

  • Shows flexibility and willingness to work outside comfort zone
  • Excels at collaboration and team communication
  • Actively seeks knowledge and professional development
  • Engages with other departments for broader perspective
  • Builds strong professional networks

Key Success Strategies:

  1. Research potential employers thoroughly
  2. Align your values with the company's mission
  3. Be an active listener and continuous learner
  4. Network with sports professionals
  5. Maintain confidence while being a team player

Sports job search platform

Sports job search platform

Two women gardening outdoors

Two women gardening outdoors

Man flexing in business attire

Man flexing in business attire

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