Softball Is a Job - Tips For Your Interview

There are many articles online that offer advice and tips for interviews. Essentially, through your recruiting you are interviewing for a job. Your spot on the team is the job and a scholarship or admittance into the college is your pay. You must show up each day and perform to earn your pay. The better the interview prior to the "job offer", the more perks (scholarship) you may receive.

I have highlighted a few tips for good interviews. These should be taken into account any time you talk to a coach since it is in a sense a simple interview. Just as in a true job setting. These can be scheduled phone calls or in person unofficial/official visits.

Research Prior to Speaking
Content is king. You should know what the college has to offer (degrees, special programs, extracurricular activities, etc) as well as the credentials of the coaches. All of this information can be readily found on the web and offer a base for different talking points and questions. 

Try to Schedule Phone Calls for Tuesdays at 10:30am
According to Glassdoor, the best time to interview is 10:30AM on Tuesday. This can be directly correlated with talking to college coaches. The coach has many responsibilities outside of recruiting. They are responding to other emails, scheduling practices and games, talking to other recruits so it is crucial to consider when they will be in the best mental state to speak with you.

Glassdoor expands on saying 10:30am Tuesday is the sweet spot because you avoid the bookends and avoid lunch time. Mondays and Fridays, people are getting ready for the week or weekend ahead and near lunchtime your interviewer may be too hungry or too full to concentrate. 

Tuesdays at 10:30am is not something you should go crazy over. It is a simple reflection that when scheduling a phone call with a coach you should always make sure that you pick a time they are readily available for you. 

Practice Good Nonverbal Communication
Stand up straight, make eye contact, and connect with a firm handshake. That first nonverbal impression can be a great beginning or quick ending in any setting.

Dress for the Job
You would not show up to a formal Investment Bank interview wearing sweats would you? The same thing goes for unofficial/official visits. Dress appropriately. Look like an athlete. Do not wear 6inch heels and a short skirt. Remember that your job you are interviewing for is to play softball and that job requires wearing cleats and running shoes.

Ask Questions
Many time people will respond with "No" when they are asked if they have any questions. ALWAYS have some lined up. One or two solid questions are all you need so think of some prior to speaking with the coach if you have a hard time thinking of some on the spot. 

Keep these tips in mind regardless of what you are interviewing for. If you have any further questions or comments please comment below! Thank you