James Cluskey is a former professional tennis player. Now he’s a recruitment specialist helping other athletes find jobs after sport. Here are his top tips for life in a new work environment.
Whether you’re a professional sportsperson retiring at the age of 30 and changing career, or an accountant looking to get into sales, the transition can be a daunting experience.
Here at Mason Alexander, I head up the sports desk. One component of my job is helping place elite athletes into thriving companies.
Mason Alexander is a leading Irish recruitment firm, delivering permanent, temporary and contract appointments across a range of dedicated functions and industries.
Apart from sport, Mason Alexander works across multiple areas including financials services, accounting, legal and sales and marketing. We have compiled an eight point plan for you on embarking on a career change:
Understand your motivations – We all go through ups and downs during our careers. Why do you want to change careers? Think about your motivations and if this is the right decision for you going forward.
Use your network – People love to give advice. Look at your own network and make contact with people currently working in the desired area. Arrange a call or coffee to understand the sector and day to day work involved, and gain a greater insight into the field you want to work in.
Online Research – The internet can be a useful tool for research. Review company websites and LinkedIn; see who works there, their backgrounds, how they got there and understand more about the business.
Go to events in that sector – Look for events relevant to the industry your looking to get into. Go to these events and talk to people from the sector and understand is this the career you want to move into.
Approach a market expert – Approach a
