Lessons from the Court: What "March Madness" Teaches Us About the Job Search/Interview Process

Lessons from the Court: What “March Madness” Teaches Us About the Job Search/Interview Process

Lessons from FDU

I love basketball. Our son Brian played at LSU, went to the Sweet 16 his junior year and played 10 years professionally overseas. I know there is no such thing as reincarnation, but if I were ever to come back with the skills of a basketball player I’d be awed; that’s my appreciation of the sport.

Sports are fun with multiple metaphors for life and success.

Currently, in March Madness, we saw Fairleigh Dickinson University (FDU) that is ranked 16^th seed in the bracket beat Purdue. Purdue is the number one seed in the bracket. It was a real feature, displaying determination and skill.

When FDU got into the game they played with absolute reckless abandonment. They acted like they didn’t really care whether they were going to win or not, they just went out and played like there was no tomorrow. They acted like they can absolutely care less what anyone thought, said or did…they just played as hard as they could. They dominated with their attitude. Purdue had a conference player of the year, 7’4″ guy who appeared to be so intimidated, he didn’t take a shot in the last three or four minutes of the game.

This was only the second time in the history of the NCAA tournament that a number 16 seed beat a number one seed. When it came down to it, FDU simply had a stronger belief then Purdue and then acted on it. Against most odds these kids simply executed on their belief. It was really nice to see their coach, in the locker room after the game, remind them that they need to accept this win with humility.

Winning attitude is everything.

It made me wonder, because I think about people getting interviewed and hired a lot, how many more of my candidates would get hired if they had the same kind of attitude as FDU had. An FDU winning attitude when going for a job interview can set you apart from other candidates. Some main attributes for a “March Madness – FDU” winning candidate attitude would include: preparation, adaptability, humbleness, and follow through. By demonstrating the qualities above, you can show your potential employer that you have what it takes to not only handle the challenges of the job, but also excel and contribute to the success of the organization. So, when preparing for your next job interview, consider channeling your inner March Madness champion and showcase the winning attitude that can make all the difference in landing your next job.

By Tony Beshara|2023-03-20T16:43:26-05:00March 20, 2023|Job Search Blog|

About the Author: Tony Beshara

Tony Beshara is the owner and president of Babich & Associates, established in 1952, and the oldest placement and recruitment service in Texas. It is consistently one of the top contingency placement firms in the DFW area and has been recognized as one of the “Best Places to Work in DFW” by the Dallas Business Journal. He has been a professional recruiter since 1973 and has personally found jobs for more than 12,000 individuals. He sits behind a desk every day, working the phone literally seven hours of the twelve hours a day, making more than 100 calls a day. He is in the trenches on a day-to-day basis. Tony has personally interviewed more than 30,000 people on all professional levels and has worked with more than 75,000 hiring authorities. Babich & Associates has helped more than 100,000 people find jobs using Tony’s process. Tony is one of the most successful placement and recruitment professionals in the United States.