What Fantasy Football Can Teach You about Recruiting Strategy

After watching a marathon of The League this past weekend and working on my own Fantasy Football team I couldn’t help but notice the parallels between recruiting candidates for technology companies and drafting players for the NFL.

Recruiting will never be a precise science. No matter how many data points, statistics, or how much experience a recruiter may have, you can never guarantee a “perfect” hire – a hire who will live up to set expectations, exceed goals, and stay loyal for years to come. Sometimes the best hires are those with the highest potential – candidates who might not have every requirement but who will work hard and diligently on improving themselves. Over the years they progress, change, and work to be the best. It’s possible that such a candidate may not jump out at you as a super star player at first, but in the end they turn out to be one.

Take Tom Brady – Patriots quarterback, winner of three Super Bowls and two Super Bowl MVP awards. Brady was picked in round six of the seven round NFL Draft – the 199^th player selected. Why was he so overlooked? Maybe it was because he was a backup at Michigan and teams were focused only on drafting starters. But he has clearly proven himself.

Drafting the right players ultimately comes down to assessing much more than just technical abilities. Otherwise, every first round pick would be a total stud. I think hiring managers can learn a lesson from this mentality. The right recruiting strategy will help companies focus on not just the candidates who look great on paper, but the ones they sense have potential and the ability to become starters given the right environment.

Without the proper offensive line, Brady may not have been such a success. So, think about your employees, overall – are you developing a cohesive strategic team? Can your workers can play off each other’s strengths and help each other’s weak areas? Make sure to look beyond the hard stats to gauge a candidate’s fit into your company. After all, you’re not just hiring one individual — you’re hiring an additional person onto an existing team where they will be working with other unique players.

So, is your company headed to the Super Bowl or what? Unfortunately (maybe fortunately, for some), it’s a bit more difficult for a company to change its lineup than it is in Fantasy Football. Take that into consideration next time you’re interviewing or extending an offer. Will comparing hiring to drafting your fantasy team give you insight into your recruiting strategy?

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corporate recruiting hiring recruiting talent acquisition