Why You Need To Practice and Prepare

The Pit. The bleachers came within a few feet from the court boundary line. You slammed into the wall mats while scrambling for the rebounded ball as it got knocked out of bounds. The loud noise of the water being forced through the pipes was nothing compared to the roar on a game night. It was hot, loud, and old. And I loved it. The Pit was the name of my High School gym where I played, practiced, and cheered on the Saints. (our “mascot”) 

The building was built in the late 1920s and even though I attended some seventy years later, I loved learning, growing, and participating in a school environment that was rich in history and character. I thought it would always be there. To my utter dismay, five years post-graduation the historic building was torn down.

I think when we start a new job, the natural expectation is that it will always be there. And how many of us reading this article have either experienced job loss or know someone close to us who has? 

This begs another question: Why do we spend hours learning about a specific career path, then create documentation to prove we can do the work, prepare for the interview process, and get hired… only to let all of that preparation and practice work fade into the background?

I could talk about the brutal truth that many of us don’t think we’ll ever be let go from the job we have.

I could also talk about the casual attitude that is taken towards the job search and interview process.

But let’s talk about the real issue here: 

Why are the job search and interview preparation not practiced over the duration of our career?

To use the basketball analogy, somewhere along the way, we just stopped dribbling. And in case you’re unfamiliar with the game of basketball, once you stop dribbling, you have to pass or shoot… and without a strategy, it means you’re stuck.

Here are five actions tied into the positions on the court so you can keep Practicing and Stay Prepared:

Point Guard

The first step you must take is to realize if you’re not intentionally thinking about your next career move, you’re already stuck. The Point Guard is always anticipating the entirety of the court, looking for who’s open as the play unfolds, but reacting to the strategy of the defense. In our careers, we need to know our competition to know what moves to make.

What to practice: 

Create a weekly habit of catching up on the top 5 competitive companies to yours and see what market shifts are occurring. Be proactive with continued research about your professional peers at these target companies to know when one makes a move and potentially you make a counter-move for their spot.

Shooting Guard

Points rack up in our careers based on the power of the relationships that we build. The Shooting Guard is the go-to for the shot; the one trusted when the game is on the line and only seconds remain to tie it up or get the win. You do not get this position by only shooting hoops every now and again. Similarly, you cannot expect relationships to “pay off” by treating the networking activity with a cavalier attitude.

What to practice:

Create a weekly habit of making time for your contacts. Pick a day that you’ll set aside for this activity and stick to it. Focus on the “warm” and “cold” contacts because you already make time for the “hot” contacts. Thirty minutes for two contacts each week means you will further develop 104 relationships in the span of a year. 

Small Forward

In a world that leans towards specialists, it still pays off to be a generalist. Even if you have a niche, it is so powerful to be hyper-aware of the influences on your role or industry, which means seeing other people. The Small Forward is the most athletic and best all-around player on the court. A fun fact about this ball player position is that they tend to be a bit taller than the other guards. Stature in our careers means looking up and looking around for who can be helped.

What to practice:

Create a monthly habit and look to your current team and talent pool to see who could be helped through mentorship, encouragement, or offering a letter of recommendation. There is a law of reciprocity which means you do reap what you sow. Look to be a helper daily and see this “benefit” you later when you need it, too.

Power Forward

The hidden job market typically appears through the power of a second-degree connection. It’s the “who you know” and how that rebounds into an open door. The Power Forward is not only the second tallest player on the court and known for physicality, but also the go-to for the rebounds. The beauty of the rebound is that it presents another chance to get some points or to reset the offensive play. In our careers, we have to be prepared for the question: “Can you send me your resume?” 

What to practice:

Create a quarterly habit of compiling your best achievements and add them to a “running resume.” The running resume is an ongoing document that keeps all bullet points for the work you’ve done in the positions you’ve held. It’s much easier to edit and execute on the request for the “proof” (a.k.a. the resume) that you can do the work someone is presenting as a possibility for you when you’ve been proactive to pull together that information over time.

Center

There isn’t a job without an interview process and for that to go in the right direction, there must be intentional questions and answers by both sides. The Center is the tallest player on the court, the one appointed for the tip-off, and the one responsible for things within ten feet of the hoop. Blocks or dunks, depending on the side of the court, fall to the Center who is critical to the success of the game. In our careers, we have to be dialed into our deal makers and deal breakers to know if this is a slam dunk or big block when it comes to interviewing.

What to practice:

Create a quarterly habit of checking in on personal and professional goals. Self-awareness is key to making quality decisions that affect the decisions on and off the court. If you have never taken the time or resources to do this through coaching or workshops in the last few years, this is your reminder that an investment in yourself is worth it.

Preparation comes through continued practice. Ask any professional ball player, and they will point you to the hours of practice to be capable of excellence in the game. While we are responsible for our actions in our careers, it’s also clear that we don’t get where we are without others helping us along the way. To quote Coach K:

“To me, teamwork is the beauty of our sport, where you have five acting as one. You become selfless.”