Odd title, right? Hang with me for a few seconds and I promise we’ll get there.
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Let’s face it. The job and internship search has plenty of stressors. But, that doesn’t mean that it always has to be stressful or that you can’t have some fun along the way. In fact, I’d encourage you to embrace the fun side of it. Enjoy the process of self discovery. Celebrate getting an interview or writing an awesome cover letter. Have some fun with it.
Fun is how I arrived at this particular blog.
If you’re anything like me, then the final part of your fantasy football season is coming up quickly. Like every season there have been injuries to navigate, decisions that backfired or paid off in spectacular fashion, and a lot of the league trash talking the commissioner (unfortunately, I’m my league’s commissioner…). In a recent conversation with a league member, I jokingly said that our accomplishments for the season should be the type of stuff we get to put in a resume. And well… that joke got me thinking.
Bullet point writing, much like everything in the career exploration process, is an acquired skill. You want to practice and get feedback so you can keep improving. A good resume bullet point will have a power verb, an action or task you completed, and the impact of what that action or task was. You’re trying to articulate the skill set you bring to the table while also showing the positive impact those skills have made or why you took on that task.
So what might that look like for the fantasy football obsessed?
Commissioner, Legends Fantasy Association Fall 2021
- Provided leadership and oversight for a 12-member organization by effectively managing technical platforms, addressing membership issues, and facilitating positive communication flow for rules, regulations, and daily business
- Created monthly content using Adobe InDesign to engage league membership on current events and important upcoming dates to foster more activity
- Orchestrated and chaired annual off-site meeting of league membership by successfully tracking multiple schedules and meeting appropriate deadlines
- Operated a yearly $300 budget by collecting dues and tracking winnings in Google Sheets
Member, Legends Fantasy Association Fall 2021
- Successfully achieved annual team goal despite the loss of multiple key contributors over the course of a 17-week period
- Analyzed relevant data to make optimal weekly team configuration resulting in a 20% increase in wins over the previous season
- Developed a tier-based ranking system for the annual team selection process by critically evaluating multiple sources of expert information
Did I just dress up running a league with my friends, having a group chat, organizing the draft, and making weekly decisions on which player to put in my line up? I did. But when it comes to resume writing, you want to critically assess what you’re doing, what you’re learning, and how that translates into the role you are applying for. Even something that may have just felt like a routine part of the job could be the skill that helps get you to the next step of the process and knowing how even the small things contribute to the larger scheme shows perspective and understanding.
You won’t actually put your fantasy football exploits in a resume, but I do think it creates a thought exercise that can help you think about how to articulate your skills and experiences in a written format. Sometimes viewing a problem through a different lens can be just the bit of inspiration that you need and provide practice that will give you confidence in doing the real thing.
Need a spark to get you started? Think of your favorite hobby, write down the skills you’ve developed, and why those skills are impactful. Practice in a format that doesn’t quite feel like work and get used to the resume writing style. Before you know it you’ll be able to knock out your real resume in no time at all. Be sure to come to the Knowlton Center for additional support by making an appointment or signing up for a Winter Program. You might even get a little fantasy football advice while you’re at it.
