Graduates & Football Managers Worlds Apart....

Graduate Recruiters & Fantasy Football Managers - Worlds Apart, Maybe Not...

It’s that time of the year again when professional life and personal life come colliding together and you realise sleep will be at a premium and that those long summer evenings will be a thing of the past.

With the transfer deadline just closed and a new set of closing dates to plan for over the next 12 months, graduate recruitment cycles and the Premier League are both in full swing. Both equally technical and fascinating, ensuring resilience and organisation skills are tested to the limit. 

This year it has become increasingly apparent that there are similarities between  a Graduate Recruiter and Fantasy Football Manager. 

Here we consider some of the differences and contrasts...

As the new seasons kicks off, I find time for reflection and analysis including a comprehensive review of last season, working out where I went wrong and which areas and personnel were successful. 

For recruiting I begin by reviewing the hires that were made last year for the Graduate and Internship intakes. This involves working closely with various stakeholders to understand their feedback, which areas succeeded and need to be replicated in the coming year’s season. 

Then comes planning the the season’s strategy, starting with the sources that were a success and the type of candidates which need to be headhunted this year. Scouts need to be engaged and a strong marketing campaign executed.

When I sit down with my laptop at home on the first Saturday of August it becomes apparent that I will be undertaking a very similar process for my Fantasy Team. I will use a variety of sources and publications to ascertain who was the most successful and consistent players in last year’s Fantasy Football League and which teams I want to focus on. Through thorough research I know where the skills gaps are e.g. will Robin Van Persie be a success at Manchester United and as a result will Arsenal plummet to the lower echelons of the league?

Similar to work, where organisations change their candidate focus, or target universities I have to be aware that the transfer market is still in full swing and that my strong players may change club or even country.

So far the similarities’ are clear and the practices that I apply in both aspects of my life mean that I can balance two jobs one of Graduate Recruiter and the other as Fantasy Football Manager! 

The next stage is to review application forms and decide who to leave on the bench!