Umpiring experience and job interviews

[Scotty_Ump 43]

Does anyone have stories / advice about talking about your umpiring experience as an asset in a job interview (or adding it on your resume)?

I wonder if employers generally see amateur sports officiating as a "side hustle" or "hobby" that doesn't provide valuable real-life experience (as opposed to a full-time job). I'd love to hear why you think umpiring experience at any level can be a highly-valuable commodity in the workplace.

[beerguy55 747]

I actually just hired someone who had "soccer ref" on their resume, and it came up while I interviewed him.  As an employer I do see sport officiating in a couple of lights - one is about a balanced life that involves more than just your job, much like playing sports, or volunteering, or some hobbies.  The other is about the skills and requirements that are definitely transferable to any workplace - integrity, situation management, dealing with diverse sets of people, dealing with emotional people, dealing with conflict, mediation, sticking with a hard decision, learning from mistakes, self improvement, working with a team (partner) to a common goal, etc.

I recommend you highlight those items during an interview - those skills are valuable and apply almost everywhere.  Don't be afraid to use umpiring situations when asked those typical HR-provided questions about conflict, or making mistakes, or naming one of your faults.

Playing team sports at a competitive level and officiating sports, when on resumes, jump out at me like beacons.   High level team sports provide invaluable experience in collaboration and time management, especially during school - show me someone who can balance schoolwork, team practices, team travel, part time job, and a social life, and I'll show you a rock star you want working for/with you for years.   Show me someone who can work a full time job, umpire evenings and weekends, continuously improve both, and have a family/social life - why wouldn't you want that guy on your team?

And to just level set the type of people I'm hiring - it ain't burger flipping or anything remotely resembling minimum wage.  Post-university, professional, anywhere from 5-20 year industry experience.

[Aging_Arbiter 1,625]

Damn...........That's the 2ND @beerguy55 post that I "liked". What is this world coming to??? 

 

Seriously though, very good/valid points made there.

[noumpere 3,272]

Agreed.  Plus, it sets the expectations on BOTH SIDES as to whether you need to leave early on some / many days to make the games.

If the ER doesn't want you to do so, you can address ti in the nterview and you'll know when deciding whether to take the job.  If the ER doesn't mind, then you;ll know that , and the ER will know that and it won't be a surprise when you adjust your hours to do so.

[stevis 161]

Likewise, I've listed it and used it as discussion points as spoken of above.  There's definitely people skills, crisis management, and performance under pressure that you can point to as positives. In my case, since I'm UIC for our local Little League, I've also been able to point to management experience of a sort. 

[Mudisfun 643]

A friend of mine was an HR VP for a large computer games maker. Whenever he saw umpire or similar on a resume, he told me that he would always make sure to interview that person. 

So yes, it can be helpful... but like anything else on a resume, it has to resonate with the person reading it...

[BlueRanger 92]

It is the best conversation starter for me with adults, especially once they start hearing a HS kid blow their minds about all the rule myths... Lmao, if I had a dollar for every bet I've won on "the hands are apart of the bat" I could buy a black AllStarMAG at MSRP!

BR

[Radwaste50 32]

There is also the crisis communitcation and community involvement aspect 

[Scotty_Ump 43]

Really appreciate the feedback from everyone - this will help me work in the umpire angle much better in interviews.