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How Your Athletic Mindset Drives Career Success

shiftgroupstg on March 20, 2025

Careers for Former Athletes: How Your Athletic Mindset Drives Career Success

How Former Athletes Can Thrive in New Career Paths

Leaving sports behind can feel like stepping into the unknown.  But the same qualities that made you successful in competition as an athlete—discipline, resilience, and a drive to win—are exactly what companies look for in top candidates. As a former athlete looking for a new career, the challenge isn’t whether you’re qualified; it’s about translating your skills into a new arena.

Your Athletic Mindset Is Your Superpower

In the business world, the traits you honed as an athlete—discipline, resilience, and teamwork—are exactly what companies are looking for. Here’s what you bring to the table:

  • Elite Work Ethic – Years of training, discipline, and accountability set you apart.
  • Resilience Under Pressure – You’ve performed in high-stakes situations and know how to adapt.
  • Coachability & Teamwork – You take feedback, improve quickly, and thrive in competitive environments.

These qualities give former athletes a competitive edge in any career that values leadership, resilience, and a drive for results

Career Paths Where Athletes Excel

Your experience as an athlete translates to a multitude of exciting careers. Here are just a few areas where you’ll excel:

  • Sales & Business Development – Your competitive drive and strategy help close deals and grow businesses.
  • Operations & Strategy – Quick thinking and execution under pressure make you a strong operational leader.
  • Human Resources & Talent Management – Leadership and team-building skills prepare you to attract and retain top talent.
  • Marketing & Brand Management – Your storytelling and branding experience drive brand awareness and growth.

How Shift Group Helps Athletes Navigate Their Career Path

At Shift Group, we know that career transitions aren’t easy, but they’re possible—and they can be extremely rewarding. That’s why we’ve designed a process that helps athletes transition seamlessly into business careers:

  • Personalized Coaching – We help you translate your athlete mindset into a successful career.
  • Real-World Training – Industry-specific insights show you how to apply your skills in business.
  • Professional Branding – We refine your resume and LinkedIn to make you stand out to employers.

Expansive Network – Gain access to 450+ hiring partners seeking driven, team-oriented talent.

Transitioning from sports to a new career can be challenging, but with the right guidance, your athletic experience becomes a powerful asset. At Shift Group, we provide personalized coaching, industry insights, and a network of employers who value your unique strengths. Let us help you take on your next challenge and succeed in the business world.

Learn more about how we help athletes transition into successful careers here.

FAQs: Shift Group and Career Help for Athletes & Veterans

Your athletic background equips you with qualities like discipline, resilience, teamwork, and the ability to perform under pressure—all valuable traits that employers seek in candidates across industries.

Former athletes excel in a variety of roles, including Sales & Business Development, Operations & Strategy, Human Resources & Talent Management, and Marketing & Brand Management, where leadership, strategic thinking, and teamwork are key.

 

Shift Group offers personalized coaching, real-world training, and professional branding services to help athletes seamlessly transition their skills into business careers. Our expansive network of over 450 hiring partners connects athletes with top employers.

 

Athletes thrive in industries like sales, business development, operations, and human resources, where the ability to lead, adapt quickly, and work under pressure are highly sought after.

To begin your career transition, reach out to Shift Group for a consultation. We’ll help you identify your strengths, refine your professional brand, and connect you with employers who value your athletic mindset.

About Shift Group:

Shift Group bridges the gap between military veterans, former athletes, and the business world through coaching and career upskilling. Our mission is to help these individuals unlock their unique skills and experiences and match them with top-tier companies in need of resilient, coachable, and team-oriented professionals.

The Shift Connect platform accelerates learning and streamlines the hiring process by connecting employers with pre-vetted candidates who are ready to excel. Customers reduce hiring time, lower costs, increase growth rates and improve retention. Shift Group is committed to helping businesses build high-performing teams and supporting veterans and athletes in their career development.

Discover how Shift Group can transform your hiring process and unlock the potential of exceptional talent. Visit us at shiftgroup.io to learn more.

Recent Post

Why Veterans Excel in Business Development

Adam Roberts on March 14, 2025

From Veterans to Top Performers: Transforming Military Skills into Business Development Success

Why Veterans Excel in Business Development

Transitioning from military service to a civilian career can be challenging, but for many veterans, business development offers an ideal fit. The same leadership, resilience, and problem-solving skills honed in the military translate directly into high-performance traits in BD roles.

In a competitive industry where adaptability, persistence, and teamwork define success, veterans bring a proven track record of performing under pressure—making them some of the best hires for business development teams.

Proven Under Pressure: 5 Military Skills That Translate to Business Development

Veterans entering business development often find that many of their core military skills align perfectly with what it takes to succeed in a high-growth environment:

  1. Discipline & Work Ethic – Military training instills a relentless work ethic, a key trait of top-performing BD reps who must manage outreach, nurture relationships, and push through rejection.
  2. Resilience & Mental Toughness – Business development is a game of perseverance, and few people handle setbacks better than those who’ve faced high-pressure situations in the military. Veterans know how to stay focused, bounce back, and keep pushing forward.
  3. Leadership & Teamwork – Whether leading a unit or working within a mission-critical team, veterans understand accountability and collaboration—essential for thriving in BD roles and driving pipeline growth.
  4. Adaptability & Problem-Solving – Military personnel are trained to assess situations quickly and pivot when needed. In business development, where markets shift and buyer needs evolve, this ability to think fast is a major advantage.
  5. Mission-Oriented Mindset – Veterans are trained to set clear objectives and execute with precision. This focus on achieving goals translates seamlessly into building strong sales pipelines and exceeding outreach targets.

The Growing Demand for Veteran Business Development Talent

Companies are increasingly recognizing the immense value that veterans bring to business development roles. Their discipline, adaptability, and resilience make them natural high-performers in fast-paced sales environments. With structured training and the right support, veterans not only ramp up quickly but also drive significant pipeline growth and often surpass their peers in key performance metrics.

At Shift Group, we’ve successfully placed hundreds of veterans in BD roles, and the results speak for themselves—faster ramp times, lower attrition rates, and consistent quota achievement. These professionals don’t just fill roles; they help build high-performing teams that drive long-term success.

Breaking Into Business Development as a Veteran

For veterans looking to break into business development, the transition is easier than ever. Programs like Shift Group provide training, mentorship, and direct connections to top-tier hiring companies looking for BD talent with leadership potential.

If you’re a veteran considering a career in business development—or a company looking to build an elite team—now is the time to make the move.

Ready to get started? Learn more about our veteran hiring program here.

FAQs: Shift Group and Career Help for Athletes & Veterans

Veterans excel in business development because they bring discipline, resilience, and problem-solving skills from their military training. Their ability to handle pressure, work in teams, and stay mission-focused makes them highly effective in sales and BD roles.

Key skills that translate well into business development include leadership, teamwork, adaptability, resilience, and a strong work ethic. These traits help veterans excel in sales outreach, relationship management, and goal execution.

 

Veterans can transition into business development through specialized training programs, networking, and mentorship. Organizations like Shift Group offer structured pathways that help veterans gain the skills and connections needed for success.

 

Veterans are in high demand in industries like technology, SaaS, cybersecurity, finance, and healthcare. Companies value their ability to perform under pressure, build relationships, and drive revenue growth.

Veterans can explore job opportunities through veteran-focused hiring programs, LinkedIn networking, and career placement services like Shift Group. Many companies actively seek veterans for BD roles due to their leadership potential and strong execution skills.

About Shift Group:

Shift Group bridges the gap between military veterans, former athletes, and the business world through coaching and career upskilling. Our mission is to help these individuals unlock their unique skills and experiences and match them with top-tier companies in need of resilient, coachable, and team-oriented professionals.

The Shift Connect platform accelerates learning and streamlines the hiring process by connecting employers with pre-vetted candidates who are ready to excel. Customers reduce hiring time, lower costs, increase growth rates and improve retention. Shift Group is committed to helping businesses build high-performing teams and supporting veterans and athletes in their career development.

Discover how Shift Group can transform your hiring process and unlock the potential of exceptional talent. Visit us at shiftgroup.io to learn more.

Recent Post

Shift Group: The Origin Story

shiftgroupstg on March 6, 2025

Shift Group: The Origin Story

Hockey Was Everything

For the first 24 years of JR’s life, hockey defined his identity like it does for any competitive athlete. The bond with his teammates, the rush of competition, and the drive to always get better—that’s what JR lived for. He thrived on the structure, the accountability, and the feeling of working toward something bigger than himself. It gave him a deep sense of purpose.

But like every athlete, there came a moment when it was time to move on. And that’s when everything changed.

The Harsh Reality of Transition

When JR’s playing days ended, the biggest gap was a lack of clarity on who he was, how he was supposed to show up every day, what his priorities were, and what his goals were. Hockey had given him everything—clarity on who he was, how he needed to show up every day, what his priorities were, and what his goals should be. Without hockey, all of those things were suddenly gone.

JR had to bridge this gap from athlete to to  himself, and it wasn’t easy. It took years of struggles, dealing with his own personal demons, before he gained clarity on his purpose and identity. Once he figured out what mattered—what his priorities and goals truly were—his career took off. He went on to become a C-level executive before turning 35, simply by applying the same principles and intangibles he had developed as an athlete to his new role in business.

As an executive, JR struggled to find key qualities in new hires—resiliency, coachability, a growth mindset, and a team-first attitude. These traits weren’t something you could see on a resume, but they were far more indicative of success than anything on paper.

Building a Bridge for Elite Talent

This realization became the foundation for Shift Group. JR didn’t just want to navigate his own transition—he wanted to create a playbook for others. Shift Group was built to bridge the gap between elite performers in sports and the military and the companies that needed their unique skill sets.

Today, Shift Group provides coaching, career preparation, and direct connections to businesses looking for driven, resilient talent. It’s not just about finding jobs; it’s about equipping athletes and veterans with the tools to dominate in a new arena—business.

Our entire team is made up of former athletes and veterans who understand the challenges of transition firsthand—because we’ve lived them. We know what it’s like to step away from a structured, high-performance environment and face the uncertainty of starting a new career.

This experience allows us to provide genuine guidance to athletes and veterans, helping them navigate the transition with confidence. We translate their skills—discipline, resilience, teamwork—into real business value, connecting them with companies that recognize their potential.

Growing Careers, Changing Lives

For JR and the team at Shift Group, it’s not just about business—it’s a mission. Shift Group has evolved into much more than a staffing platform. It’s a career growth and development program dedicated to proving that the end of one career is simply the beginning of another.

With every athlete and veteran Shift Group helps, the message becomes clearer: the skills that made them successful before will drive their success again. They just need the right opportunity. 

Visit our About Us page to learn more about our mission, and check out our Hall of Fame to see the incredible athletes and veterans we’ve helped make a successful career shift.

Ready to find your next All-Star?
Chat with us today!

FAQs: Shift Group and Career Help for Athletes & Veterans

Shift Group provides career coaching for athletes and veteran career services, helping them transition into high-performing sales and business careers. We also connect companies with elite talent looking for their next challenge.

Athletes and veterans excel in sales and business roles thanks to their resilience, coachability, competitive mindset, and teamwork skills. These qualities drive performance and long-term success.

 

No! The transferable skills athletes and veterans bring (like communication, leadership, and adaptability) make them natural fits for sales. Shift Group also provides training to fill any knowledge gaps.

 

Companies can work directly with Shift Group to access our pre-vetted talent pool of athletes and veterans. We handle sourcing, vetting, and initial training to make hiring faster and easier.

 

Tech sales, SaaS companies, financial services, and any business looking for resilient, high-performance talent can benefit from partnering with Shift Group.

About Shift Group:

Shift Group bridges the gap between military veterans, former athletes, and the business world through coaching and career upskilling. Our mission is to help these individuals unlock their unique skills and experiences and match them with top-tier companies in need of resilient, coachable, and team-oriented professionals.

The Shift Connect platform accelerates learning and streamlines the hiring process by connecting employers with pre-vetted candidates who are ready to excel. Customers reduce hiring time, lower costs, increase growth rates and improve retention. Shift Group is committed to helping businesses build high-performing teams and supporting veterans and athletes in their career development.

Discover how Shift Group can transform your hiring process and unlock the potential of exceptional talent. Visit us at shiftgroup.io to learn more.

Recent Post

The Ultimate Guide to Hiring Top Sales Talent: Why Veterans & Athletes Excel

Adam Roberts on February 27, 2025

The Ultimate Guide to Sourcing Ready-to-Hire Sales Candidates

Finding top sales talent is one of the biggest challenges companies face. In a competitive market,

hiring managers must go beyond conventional recruitment methods to source ready-to-hire candidates with the right mindset, skills, and drive. One of the most effective approaches is targeting candidates with proven discipline and resilience, such as former athletes and military veterans.
This guide explores effective sales recruitment strategies, focusing on how businesses can tap into this unique talent pool to build high-performing sales teams.

The Qualities of a High-Impact Sales Candidate

When sourcing sales candidates, it’s crucial to focus on individuals who bring a mix of soft and hard skills that translate into success in tech sales roles. Some key attributes to look for include:

    • Competitive Drive: Sales is a high-energy field, requiring candidates who are naturally competitive and motivated to win.
    • Resilience and Adaptability: Rejection is part of the job. The best sales professionals learn from setbacks and push forward.
    • Strong Communication Skills: The ability to clearly articulate value propositions and build relationships is non-negotiable.
    • Strategic Thinking: Sales is not just about closing deals—it’s about problem-solving, anticipating client needs, and developing long-term relationships.
    • Teamwork and Leadership: Collaboration with sales teams, marketing departments, and customer success teams is essential for sustained growth.

Why Athletes and Veterans Excel in Sales

If you’re looking for candidates with these qualities, former athletes and military veterans should be at the top of your list. Here’s why:

Athletes Bring a Performance-Driven Mindset

Athletes are trained to set goals, follow structured routines, and continuously improve their performance. These qualities align perfectly with the demands of a sales career, where success is measured in quotas and revenue targets.

Veterans Are Trained for Resilience and Leadership

Military service instills discipline, problem-solving skills, and the ability to stay composed under pressure. Veterans are adept at working in fast-paced environments, making them excellent candidates for sales roles that require persistence and adaptability.

Both Groups Thrive in Competitive Environments

Sales is highly competitive, much like sports and the military. Athletes and veterans understand the importance of preparation, teamwork, and executing a game plan to achieve results.

4 Strategies for Sourcing Ready-to-Hire Sales Talent with Shift Group

To build a high-performing sales team, companies need a strategic approach to sourcing talent. Shift Group connects you with top-tier candidates, particularly athletes and military veterans, who bring the right mindset and drive to succeed in sales. Here’s how we can optimize your recruitment efforts:

1. Partner with Shift Group to Access Pre-Vetted, High-Performance Candidates

Shift Group sources disciplined, resilient candidates, especially athletes and veterans, with the traits that align with success in sales. Our pre-vetting ensures candidates are trained in high-performance sales habits and ready to excel.

2. Evaluate Candidates Based on Transferable Skills, Not Just Experience

We focus on candidates with transferable skills like problem-solving and strategic thinking, not just sales experience. Our selection process ensures they’re equipped to thrive in your sales environment, even if they come from a different background.

3. Benefit from a Streamlined Hiring Process with Shift Group’s Expertise

Shift Group’s efficient recruitment process saves you time. We align with your needs to present candidates who are trained, motivated, and ready to contribute, allowing you to focus on building a successful team.

4. Tailored Training for Smooth Transitions

Shift Group candidates may lack traditional sales backgrounds, but they bring the drive and determination to succeed. We offer tailored training and onboarding to ensure they quickly contribute and are set up for long-term success.

The Business Impact of Hiring Motivated Salespeople

Investing in sales candidates with a strong work ethic and natural drive can have a direct impact on a company’s bottom line. Hiring veterans and athletes for sales roles leads to:

    • Lower Turnover Rates: These individuals are accustomed to commitment and perseverance, reducing hiring and training costs.
      • Shift Group candidate’s attrition rate is less than 5% vs the industry average of 35%-40%
    • Higher Performance Metrics: Their competitive nature and ability to handle challenges contribute to exceeding sales targets.
      • Candidates who exceed KPI’s & Quotas ie Cipher
    • Stronger Company Culture: A team of driven, disciplined individuals fosters a high-energy work environment that benefits the entire organization.

Sourcing ready-to-hire sales candidates requires focusing on qualities like motivation, resilience, and adaptability, rather than just traditional experience. Athletes and veterans offer unique skills that align perfectly with the demands of tech sales, making them valuable assets for growing businesses. By working with Shift Group and investing in these candidates, companies can build strong, high-performing sales teams that drive lasting success.

Add Elite Performers to your Team - Chat with us today!

FAQs About Hiring Athletes for Sales Roles

Athletes and military veterans possess key qualities that align with sales success, such as resilience, discipline, and a competitive mindset. Their ability to set goals, overcome challenges, and work as part of a team makes them ideal candidates for high-performance sales teams.

No, many of the skills that make someone a great salesperson—such as strategic thinking, perseverance, and communication—are highly transferable. Organizations like Shift Group provide tailored training to ensure candidates are equipped to thrive, even if they are new to sales.

Shift Group pre-vets candidates, ensuring they have the right mindset and foundational sales training before being introduced to employers. This saves hiring managers time by providing a pool of high-quality, ready-to-hire candidates with the drive and determination to succeed.

Hiring driven candidates leads to lower turnover rates, higher sales performance, and a stronger company culture. Shift Group’s candidates, for example, have an attrition rate of less than 5%, compared to the industry average of 35%-40%, demonstrating their commitment and long-term impact.

Companies can partner with Shift Group by reaching out for a consultation. Shift Group will assess hiring needs, match organizations with pre-qualified candidates, and support onboarding to ensure a smooth transition into sales roles.

About Shift Group:

Shift Group bridges the gap between military veterans, former athletes, and the business world through coaching and career upskilling. Our mission is to help these individuals unlock their unique skills and experiences and match them with top-tier companies in need of resilient, coachable, and team-oriented professionals.

The Shift Connect platform accelerates learning and streamlines the hiring process by connecting employers with pre-vetted candidates who are ready to excel. Customers reduce hiring time, lower costs, increase growth rates and improve retention. Shift Group is committed to helping businesses build high-performing teams and supporting veterans and athletes in their career development.

Discover how Shift Group can transform your hiring process and unlock the potential of exceptional talent. Visit us at shiftgroup.io to learn more.

Recent Post

Top 5 Reasons Athletes Make Exceptional Sales Professionals

Adam Roberts on February 19, 2025

Top 5 Reasons Athletes Make Exceptional Sales Professionals

Athletes bring discipline, resilience, and a competitive edge

Hiring the right sales talent is a game-changer for any company. But what if the ideal candidates aren’t found in traditional business schools or corporate internships? Many organizations are discovering that athletes in sales bring unique strengths that make them outstanding professionals.

From discipline to resilience, the same qualities that drive athletic success translate directly into sales performance. This article explores five compelling reasons why companies should actively recruit former athletes for sales roles.

1. Unmatched Work Ethic and Discipline

Athletes dedicate years of their lives to perfecting their skills, often training for hours before and after school or work. This rigorous commitment fosters discipline, time management, and a relentless drive to improve—all crucial in sales.

How This Translates to Sales Success:

          • Consistent effort: Just like training for a sport, sales requires constant outreach and relationship-building.
          • Time management: Athletes balance training, competition, and education, making them naturally skilled at prioritization.
          • Self-motivation: Athletes understand the importance of pushing through discomfort to achieve long-term success.

👉 Example: Many former collegiate athletes have excelled in high-performance sales roles because they thrive under structured goals and deadlines.

2. Goal-Oriented Mindset and Resilience

Sales is a profession full of rejection. Athletes, however, are wired to handle setbacks and bounce back stronger.

Key Traits That Give Athletes the Edge:

✔️ Resilience: Losses in sports don’t define athletes; they motivate them to improve. The same applies to sales.
✔️ Persistence: Just as an athlete refines their skills after a tough game, a salesperson adjusts their pitch after objections.
✔️ Adaptability: Athletes learn to pivot strategies mid-game, just as sales reps must adjust their approach in a fast-moving market.

🏆 Example: A former professional baseball player transitioned into tech sales and thrived because he treated every rejection like a strikeout—an opportunity to adjust and try again.

3. Teamwork and Collaboration

Sales isn’t a solo endeavor. Whether working within a team or collaborating with clients, successful sales professionals must communicate, strategize, and execute effectively.

How Athletes Leverage Teamwork in Sales:

          • Cooperation: Just as they worked with teammates to win games, athletes collaborate with sales teams to close deals.
          • Accountability: They understand the importance of individual performance in driving team success.
          • Relationship building: Athletes naturally develop strong interpersonal skills, essential for sales networking and rapport-building.

🚀 Example: A former basketball player used her experience running plays on the court to work seamlessly within a sales team, leading to increased deal closures.

4. Coachability and Continuous Improvement

Sales leaders seek candidates who are coachable and eager to learn—traits ingrained in athletes.

Why Coachability Matters in Sales:

🔹 Athletes thrive on feedback and adjust their performance accordingly.
🔹 They understand that growth comes from consistent effort and skill refinement.
🔹 Their ability to accept constructive criticism leads to rapid career advancement.

đź“Ś Example: A former collegiate soccer player entered software sales and quickly became a top performer by embracing mentorship and implementing feedback.

5. Competitive Drive and Performance Under Pressure

Sales is a high-stakes profession where competition is fierce. Athletes thrive in these environments, leveraging their drive to win and perform under pressure.

Why Athletes Excel in High-Pressure Sales Roles:

🏅 Goal-setting: Athletes set and achieve performance targets, mirroring sales KPIs.
🏅 Thriving under stress: They’ve competed in championship games—handling high-stakes sales negotiations is second nature.
🏅 Drive to win: The competitive nature of sports translates directly into meeting and exceeding sales quotas.

đź’ˇ Example: A former track star transitioned into enterprise sales and consistently ranked as a top performer because of her ability to stay composed under pressure.

How Shift Group Helps Companies Hire Athletes in Sales

Shift Group specializes in helping businesses connect with top-tier athletic talent for sales roles. They understand the unique strengths that athletes bring and match them with performance-driven companies.

What Shift Group Offers:

✔️ A curated pipeline of high-performing athlete candidates
✔️ Training programs to transition athletes into sales roles
✔️ A track record of successful placements in competitive industries

Add Elite Performers to your Team - Chat with us today!

FAQs About Hiring Athletes for Sales Roles

Not necessarily. Many companies prioritize traits of successful sales professionals—coachability, resilience, and a strong work ethic—over prior experience.

Tech, medical sales, finance, real estate, and B2B industries often seek high-performance talent from athletic backgrounds.

Look for competitive drive, adaptability, and strong communication skills. Shift Group can help identify top candidates.

About Shift Group:

Shift Group bridges the gap between military veterans, former athletes, and the business world through coaching and career upskilling. Our mission is to help these individuals unlock their unique skills and experiences and match them with top-tier companies in need of resilient, coachable, and team-oriented professionals.

The Shift Connect platform accelerates learning and streamlines the hiring process by connecting employers with pre-vetted candidates who are ready to excel. Customers reduce hiring time, lower costs, increase growth rates and improve retention. Shift Group is committed to helping businesses build high-performing teams and supporting veterans and athletes in their career development.

Discover how Shift Group can transform your hiring process and unlock the potential of exceptional talent. Visit us at shiftgroup.io to learn more.

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