Need job-search motivation? Watch the Super Bowl

Originally featured in The Southern Illinoisan, this work happiness column is syndicated throughout Illinois.

I talked with a senior manager this week about a job she wanted to target. She lacked some of the educational requirements listed in the announcement, which made her question whether she should apply for the open role.

Another client – an executive who has been with the same company for 20 years – learned of an impending buyout as his leadership team announced they are going a different direction with his department. The news shook his confidence and has left him doubting his skillset.

My advice to both clients?

Watch the Super Bowl.

The Cincinnati Bengals will walk into SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles on Sunday due in large part to the play of their second-year quarterback Joe Burrow. By all accounts, the brash young signal-caller is way ahead of schedule considering the recent Bengals’ struggles and his speedy recovery from a serious injury last year.

As a Pittsburgh Steelers fan, I dread the next decade of Burrow owning our division, but that’s for another column.

The Los Angeles Rams earned their Sunday ticket thanks to the resurgence of veteran quarterback Matthew Stafford, who previously toiled away on bad Detroit Lions teams since joining the National Football League in 2009.

His first year in Los Angeles has been exactly what the Rams were hoping for – it just took a change of scenery for Stafford to prove his mettle.

In short, the underdog is king in sports.

The same goes for the job market.

The pandemic has intensified job-search competition, with the average open announcement fetching more than 200 applications, according to Forbes.

And as usual, sports give us plenty of real-world scenarios to consider and apply to our own situation.

Use the Burrow Confidence Factor

Cincinnati’s young quarterback has been nicknamed Joe Brrr because of the apparent ice in his veins in clutch moments. The dude has won nine consecutive “must-win” games dating back to his time as a college quarterback for Louisiana State University.

When the pressure is on, Burrow is at his best.

Will he remain undefeated for the rest of his career? Highly unlikely. But you can take lessons from Burrow as you consider applying for seemingly out-of-reach positions.

So, you lack the master’s degree a job requires? Apply anyway. An announcement calls for 10 years of experience, and you only have seven? Apply anyway.

The big doubt cast over Burrow coming out of college was his relatively small hand size compared with other quarterbacks in the league.

And maybe he should have called it quits or tried to hide his tiny hands in his miniature baby-sized gloves – sorry, I’m still bitter.

Burrow didn’t meet the prototypical requirements of the job description, but he didn’t let it stop him. If anything, he used the shortcoming as motivation to prove his doubters wrong.

You can do the same.

Copy the Stafford Turnaround Approach

Just like the executive I supported earlier this week, Stafford was forced into a new situation after being traded from his longtime team. He embraced the Lions’ decision, even though it’s never fun to be at the mercy of an employer.

In a recent Detroit News article, Stafford said: “If we sit here and say we’re not a product of our experiences, or we haven’t learned from some of the things that we’ve had go on in the past, picked up things from great teammates or coaches along the way, we’d be lying to ourselves.”

Today’s professionals – from the NFL quarterback to the hourly worker – can’t afford to rest on their laurels and ride into the sunset with one company, team, or even position. That’s because others are taking night classes, spending time with mentors, or working on their craft when no one is looking.

Companies of the past could be relied upon to provide 30 years of consistent work, health insurance for the family, and a substantial retirement account.

Fast-forward to 2022 and the era of the great resignation. Employees are staying at jobs for shorter periods of time, engaging in work from the comfort of their own homes, and holding out for companies that offer flexibility versus long-term stability.

This means more professionals are on the market. And you can’t afford to spend too much time doubting your abilities.?

So, as you enjoy the Super Bowl on Sunday, appreciate the paths of Burrow and Stafford.

Then start replicating their approach on Monday.

Joe Szynkowski is the happy founder and owner of The UpWrite Group, a small local firm that has offered corporate communications, personal branding, public relations, and ghostwriting services since 2008. Email [email protected] for more information.