Career's for Officiating

[doubleringer]

Originally Posted by Welpe

One thing I will say, I'd be hesitant to pick a career soley to fit around officiating. Make no mistake, I enjoy officiating quite a bit and I understand your goal is to move up but there is no guarantee that you will (injury, etc). A career is something you'll have for decades, and is something you will spend a good part of your life doing. It should be something that you enjoy and that can put food on your table.

For me personally, I'm at the point where I'd rather have a career I enjoy but which limits my officiating.

The choice is ultimately yours, but it's something I encourage you to think about.

I couldn't agree more with this statement. Also, I make it a practice to be very upfront with employers about my commitments to officiating every season. I would do the same during an interview. It will help you out with some employers, but may hurt you with others, but to me, you're better off being honest and upfront about it.

[Rich]

Originally Posted by doubleringer

I couldn't agree more with this statement. Also, I make it a practice to be very upfront with employers about my commitments to officiating every season. I would do the same during an interview. It will help you out with some employers, but may hurt you with others, but to me, you're better off being honest and upfront about it.

Officiating doesn't pay the bills for most people. At some point, you'll have to worry about paying rent or a mortgage and I know my officiating income wouldn't come close to covering even this expense and doesn't pay anything near what my day job pays.

I'm not sure that an interview is a place, especially in this economy (I know I'm using a cliche here, but there is truth to it) where you give excuses to why you won't be able to work at certain times for a company. It's a matter of give and take. You'll be able to officiate with a job, but maybe not the same number of days a week you can while you're in school. When I thought about changing jobs 7 years ago, I did bring it up -- mainly because I wasn't sold on the idea of moving to a new job *and* because I already had a good job (albeit with some problems at the time).

The best jobs for officials (at the HS level) are ones where work starts early in the day and finishes early in the day. Teaching is a good example. I worked with a prison guard last week. Many white collar jobs, however, have higher expectations for employees and until you prove you're a valued (and hard-to-replace) employee, you'll probably have to be a lot more flexible than your employer.

[JRutledge]

Originally Posted by RichMSN

Officiating doesn't pay the bills for most people. At some point, you'll have to worry about paying rent or a mortgage and I know my officiating income wouldn't come close to covering even this expense and doesn't pay anything near what my day job pays.

I'm not sure that an interview is a place, especially in this economy (I know I'm using a cliche here, but there is truth to it) where you give excuses to why you won't be able to work at certain times for a company. It's a matter of give and take. You'll be able to officiate with a job, but maybe not the same number of days a week you can while you're in school. When I thought about changing jobs 7 years ago, I did bring it up -- mainly because I wasn't sold on the idea of moving to a new job *and* because I already had a good job (albeit with some problems at the time).

You need to know as much about a job as possible. Maybe you do not bring up the situation directly with officiating, but I would want to know where I have to go everyday and what kind of travel. Around here the commute is a big thing so you may get a job but have to go an hour in traffic. I have even had jobs ask me did that bother me in the interview process. I think you need to know what a typical work week is like and what kind of responsibilities you have to do. This would be important if you had children and this should be the case if you have other responsibilities or commitments.

At the end of the day these things are personal. Someone just getting out of school is going to be in a completely different situation as someone that has been in a career or had a regular job for years. And certainly will have a different set of bills compared to someone that has a family. There are a lot of things to consider when interviewing and taking a job. Officiating is just one part of that. I think you should want a job where you are happy, not working a job where you are miserable. Officiating or not officiating might play a role in that for some people.

Peace

[Adam]

I've always brought it up in interviews, and mentioned the caveat "if my schedule allows." It normally comes up when discussing personal interests or life experiences.

[JRutledge]

Originally Posted by Snaqwells

I've always brought it up in interviews, and mentioned the caveat "if my schedule allows." It normally comes up when discussing personal interests or life experiences.

I treat this as a business so it is on my applications/résumé and it tends to be a huge topic of conversation as the interviewers in my experience brings it up.

Peace

[Tio]

It comes down to your personal choices. The money in officiating isn't that good unless you make it to the top. I've seen a lot of peers put all their eggs in the officiating basket and end up unhappy with no career or quality relationships outside of the game.

[Welpe]

Originally Posted by JRutledge

I treat this as a business so it is on my applications/résumé and it tends to be a huge topic of conversation as the interviewers in my experience brings it up.

Peace

Same here. I usually discuss officiating during interviews asking about dealing with stressful situations or resolving conflict.

[NCHSAA]

With thinking what I want to do with my life, my career choices have always been narrowed down to:

1) Law Enforcement
2) College Professor
3) Pastor

[JRutledge]

Originally Posted by NCHSAA

With thinking what I want to do with my life, my career choices have always been narrowed down to:

1) Law Enforcement
2) College Professor
3) Pastor

I know multiple officials that are very successful that have been all in all those professions.

Peace

[Multiple Sports]

Originally Posted by NCHSAA

With thinking what I want to do with my life, my career choices have always been narrowed down to:

1) Law Enforcement
2) College Professor
3) Pastor

I personally think that this should be your primary goal - to be the best at whichever one of these you pursue. If you pursue officiating over these, then you will have a lot of personal demons in your 40's and 50's that you
will be fighting on a daily basis.


I say this on a personal note. I missed my sisters wedding to work a DI exhibition ???? What the hell was I thinking. Not that you would make the same mistake, but when you make officiating a priority, then this stupid stuff
occurs.

[Raymond]

Originally Posted by Snaqwells

I've always brought it up in interviews, and mentioned the caveat "if my schedule allows." It normally comes up when discussing personal interests or life experiences.

I joined the military at 18 and retired when I was 41. The first and only job I applied for is my current civil service job. The person who hired me was a former HS basketball official.