Preparing for a first job can be challenging when most of your experience comes from training and competition. Young female athletes may have limited formal work experience, yet they have often spent years practicing skills that are also relevant in professional settings.
The challenge is recognising those skills and explaining them through concrete examples. Through its focus on dual careers, GENDERWISE highlights how sporting experience can contribute to young women’s development beyond competition.
Recognising Skills Developed Through Sport
Sport creates opportunities to practise teamwork, communication, planning, and decision-making. These skills do not develop in exactly the same way for every athlete. Their relevance depends on the responsibilities a person has taken on and what they have learned from those experiences.
An athlete who coordinates training with teammates may have useful examples of organization and communication. Someone who balances competitions with school deadlines may be able to demonstrate planning and prioritization. A team captain may have experience listening to different perspectives and helping a group work towards a shared goal.
Recognising these examples helps young women describe their abilities more clearly when exploring education or employment opportunities.
Turning Experience into Evidence
Listing “teamwork” or “discipline” on a CV tells an employer little on its own. A specific example makes the skill easier to understand.
Rather than simply describing herself as organized, an athlete could explain how she planned school assignments around training and competition travel. If she helped welcome new team members or organise a club activity, she could describe her responsibilities and contribution.
Useful CV examples might include:
- Coordinated communication between teammates and coaching staff as team captain.
- Helped organise a club event, supporting participant registration and scheduling.
- Planned academic deadlines alongside a regular training and competition schedule.
These statements should always reflect the applicant’s actual experience. Numbers, responsibilities, and outcomes should be included only when they can be accurately explained.
Matching Skills to the Opportunity
Different roles require different strengths. A position involving event coordination may place particular value on organisation and communication. A customer-facing role may require listening, cooperation, and responding calmly to problems.
Before applying, young athletes can review the role description and identify sporting experiences that demonstrate the relevant abilities. This makes an application more focused and helps explain why their background matters.
Sporting experience provides useful evidence, while qualifications, technical knowledge, or additional training may also be required. Understanding those requirements helps applicants identify both their strengths and the areas they need to develop.
Talking About Sport in a Job Interview
An interview offers space to explain an experience in more detail. A clear answer can describe the situation, the athlete’s responsibility, the action she took, and what happened or what she learned.
For example, a question about teamwork could be answered through an experience of supporting a new teammate. A question about handling setbacks could draw on adjusting plans after a disappointing performance.
The focus should be on the applicant’s own actions. Explaining how she listened, adapted, or contributed gives the interviewer a clearer picture than discussing a team result alone.
Examples do not need to involve winning a medal. Everyday responsibilities can demonstrate valuable skills when described honestly and clearly.
Building on Existing Experience
Recognizing transferable skills is a starting point for further development. Volunteering, short placements, club responsibilities, and educational activities can help athletes apply their abilities in new settings.
These opportunities also allow young women to explore their interests. Someone who enjoys supporting teammates may discover an interest in coaching or education. An athlete who enjoys organizing activities may want to explore project coordination or sports administration.
Feedback from coaches, teachers, mentors, and colleagues can help participants understand what they do well and where further learning would be useful.
How GENDERWISE Contributes
GENDERWISE supports the dual careers of young female athletes aged 14 to 26 through educational resources, digital learning opportunities, and mentoring. Its focus on communication, teamwork, management, and coaching connects sporting experience with future professional development.
For BRAVO, helping young women recognise and communicate their skills is an important part of supporting their next steps. By reflecting on their experiences and building on them through learning, athletes can approach future opportunities with a clearer understanding of what they can contribute.
MORE ABOUT THE PROJECT
GENDERWISE is a 30-month initiative funded under the Erasmus+ Sport programme, bringing together seven partners from six European countries. The project promotes gender equality in sport and supports dual careers for young female athletes through educational resources, online learning, and mentoring.
Stay tuned as BRAVO continues sharing GENDERWISE activities and perspectives on connecting sporting experience with future opportunities.
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