I recently worked with a Certified Golf Course Superintendent I met many years ago. He reached out to let me know about an upcoming interview and wanted to refresh his skills. He said he was contacted by a high-end golf club about a role that wasn’t being advertised. Rather, the club had already identified three candidates to interview to replace a retiring golf course superintendent. He told me about knowing various members at the prospective club who are also members at his current club. He also recounted interacting several times over the years with the other club’s leadership team through community activities and golf industry events. At the end of our discussion, he had a lightbulb moment and proclaimed, “I’ve been interviewing for this job all along — I just didn’t know it.”
Have you experienced this? His story is one of many instructive reminders that we are constantly being evaluated for future career opportunities through our everyday interactions and behaviors. I have included this general concept in my presentations for many years but found a quote that I used recently in presenting to a group of assistant superintendents, which is perfectly blunt and memorable: “Every day is an interview. Someone is always watching.” This quote is often attributed to Matt McMahon, LSU’s head men’s basketball coach. Just as NCAA student athletes are always being watched on and off the field, so are we. In this month’s Career column, we will highlight everyday key relationships and interactions and how you can use them to generate career advancement in the golf industry.
Golfers. The first group is your customer — the golfers and members who play golf at your property. Just like the story described above, be intentional to build relationships with your golfers. Approach every interaction as a chance to demonstrate your professionalism and competence. Sometimes the smallest details can derail or help your cause. Always take your hat off in the clubhouse, have an extra polo and pants or other professional clean clothing to change into for a last-minute event. Make winning first impressions by practicing your response to typical questions from golfers you encounter on the property, such as asking who you are and what you do at the golf facility. Key tip: Keep your responses elevated and focused on golf — not grass. You are part of the leadership team accountable for creating an outstanding experience for your golfers, not someone who grows and maintains the grass.
Vendors. Consider the partners who keep you informed and provide products that help you do your job well. I have been on golf course superintendent hiring committees where a committee member asked one of the vendors who had been in the region for several years if he knew any assistant superintendents who he thought were ready to be a superintendent. Seriously. I would bet this vendor had never seen a résumé or detailed information about the experience level of any of the assistant superintendents in the region. However, this vendor had already formed an impression of each person solely based on their appearance and behaviors during ordinary meetings and communications.
Golf facility leadership team. How well do you know your banquet director? Membership director? PGA professional? Assistant PGA professional? Make it a priority to get to know them and understand their role and perspectives in achieving your shared mission of leading a successful golf facility. I have countless stories of working with GCSAA members who learned about job opportunities and got consideration by a hiring committee through relationships with former or current team members. Key tip: Also build upon relationships with colleagues in the golf industry. Challenge yourself to become a leader in the golf industry, volunteer with your local GCSAA chapter and connect with the leaders in your region. Learn from them and gain professional skills to turn every interaction into an opportunity to grow your career.
The next time you think you are just going to another day of work, instead act, speak and dress like every day matters — because someone is watching.
Carol D. Rau, PHR, has been a career consultant and speaker with GCSAA since 2005 and specializes in golf and turf industry careers. Rau is a frequent speaker at national, regional and local GCSAA conferences and teaches GCSAA webinars.