Across the country potential employees are applying for jobs and entering the workplace. But with fierce competition for the best jobs how can you make yourself stand out?
The answer (you might have guessed it from the title) could well be refereeing.
But why is refereeing seen as such a positive for employers? The team at RUCK and ACME Whistles have reached out to Human Resources experts at People Matters HR to understand how becoming a referee can pave the way to your dream job.
Communication
Having had the pleasure of speaking to some of the world’s best referees over the last year, one of the most important skills required to officiate a game is communication.
With 30 players (as well as coaches and even spectators) the need for a referee to be clear, concise, and understood is a vital skill honed by referees on the pitch. Without quality communication skills the game descends into chaos.
Not only does refereeing teach you how to communicate to a group, and individuals, but it also requires the referee to read a situation and communicate in an appropriate way – a vital workplace skill.
Decision making
As a referee your role is to oversee and manage a fair contest between two teams. This means decisions need to be made quickly and accurately taking into account all of the information available.
A referee must therefore be ready to assess and make decisions in time sensitive and potentially difficult situations.
Whatever job or industry you work in, there will always be decisions to be made.
Showing the ability to make decisions and giving examples of when you were able to make it difficult decision and follow through with your actions is an important skill set to show an employer.
Dealing with pressure
In any job from customer service and hospitality, through to doctors and lawyers, we will all find ourselves under pressure in the workplace.
The ability to keep a clear head and perform under that pressure can set you apart when applying for your dream job.
Yet how do you show your ability to work under pressure situations?
Through refereeing you can learn to deal with difficult and new situations and come to an interview with examples of games where you have thrived under pressure.
Reflection and learning
Everything is not going to go perfectly 100% of the time. After all, we are all human.
The way we improve ourselves and our skills is to reflect on what has happened and learn from that situation. This is an important skill used by referees around the world.
After each game referees will look back over their performance and see how decisions and interactions with players affected the flow and outcome of the game.
Referees will always make the best decision they can at the time. Yet, whatever the outcome, the important skill is to look back, learn and improve as a referee to manage a similar situation better in the future.
Becoming a referee gives you that perfect opportunity to understand reflect and improve – a skill that will serve as a tick-in-the-box for any employer.
Commitment
One of the most important qualities for an employee his dedication and commitment to whatever job or task they have to undertake.
Self-motivation and dedication to a project should never be under estimated.
As a referee, you are showing a potential employer that you have all of the dedication and commitment to start a project and see it through.
These qualities taken into a workplace will make the difference between getting your dream job or not.
RUCK Along with the team at ACME Whistles are supporting referees around the world helping them officiate games from grassroots through to international rugby.
The sport can only continue with the amazing men, women, boys and girls behind the whistle.
Why not combine your love of sport with the way to showcase your skills to future employers, by becoming a referee.
To find out more about refereeing visit England Rugby, and to find out more about how Acme whistles are supporting referees across the country visit www.acmewhistles.co.uk