How many times have you heard someone say, "Our hope for the future lies in our young people"? If that is true, then it should put great confidence in our future but also strike a chord of fear and trembling. If you have ever tried to recruit or train a millennial to be a tennis official--hang on! The ride is going to be rough and rocky but if you live through it, they turn out pretty good. Here are some thoughts and guidelines to hopefully help you through the process:
HOW TO RECRUIT A MILLENNIAL
* Always keep in mind that they are young and they think that way. They are extremely creative so check that out when you first get to know them.
* Remember they like to text. They are not geared to returning emails or talking in person on their cell phones.
* Remember they like to text. They are not geared to returning emails or talking in person on their cell phones.
* They love to drink beer and hang out (which is not a bad thing), so schedule your meetings in a social atmosphere.
* Get ready to watch them texting throughout the meal if you are brave enough to take them out to eat.
* Whatever you do, don't judge them on their initial appearance. They are not masters of the "first impression."
* Offer them something free to begin the training process. I suggest a gift card to Starbuck's or maybe Best Buy.
* Don't be offended if they don't know how to talk in person and face to face. This is not their skill set.
HOW TO TRAIN A MILLENNIAL
* Be sure you are patient and long-suffering. Its going to be quite the test...
* They seem to be adverse to repetition so remember that in your training schedule.
* They love to be creative and launch out on their own--recognize that and work with it.
* Most are quite outgoing so teach them how to channel that when officiating.
* They tend to question the status quo so get ready for the questions.
* They seem to be adverse to repetition so remember that in your training schedule.
* They love to be creative and launch out on their own--recognize that and work with it.
* Most are quite outgoing so teach them how to channel that when officiating.
* They tend to question the status quo so get ready for the questions.
* They are going to ask to use their cell phones while in the chair so be prepared.
* Set out your pay schedule in advance and be very specific. They are going to want to get paid for the first time they see you.
* Don't be offended when they show up with a white belt and all kinds of other stuff. They have no concept of a dress code for officiating and don't like to be told what to wear.
* Don't expect them to be on time. That is not their greatest attribute.
* Give them very short term goals. They don't think in "three months down the road."
* Whatever you do--always be politically correct. They are easily offended about most anything and wear their feelings on their sleeves.
* For a treat--ask them about their goals for the future. That will bless you beyond words...
* Hang in there! You are going to want to run after your first training session but it will get better in time.
* Don't expect them to fill out an availability for something next spring. They hate making commitments that far in advance and will probably never show up for most of their commitments.
* Know that some of them are a "diamond in the rough" but it is going to be really rough on you to get them to the diamond stage...
HINTS TO THE MILLENNIALS
* Remember you are in training for a job. This is not a game or some lark that you have decided to embark upon.
* Show up on time. That makes a huge difference to your job future.
* Be appropriately dressed, have good hygiene, and look nice. It makes a difference to someone who will be hiring you.
* Leave your cell phone in your Jeep.
* Make eye contact and don't be continually looking out the window.
* Don't tell them how bad the "old way" of doing things is and that the "new way" is the right approach.
* Don't tell them how bad the "old way" of doing things is and that the "new way" is the right approach.
* If you go out to eat, behave. Surely you know how to do that...
* Don't use your cell phone to look up information about everything that everyone even thinks about talking about. Maybe use some of the vast knowledge you gained in college, if you went there...
* Take an interest in the person training or interviewing you. Not everything is about you...
* Don't make your first question, "When do I get paid?"
* Don't tell your boss that you "know all the rules" and that you are ready to work and get paid after your first training session. Noone is that good.
* Don't tell your boss that you "know all the rules" and that you are ready to work and get paid after your first training session. Noone is that good.
* Learn your verbiage and learn it the right way. Noone cares about nor wants you to make up your own stuff.
* Try to come across at least as "vaguely humble." Arrogance and pride will cost you a job quicker than anything you can do.
* Listen to the experienced officials. They are there to help you...
10 comments:
You are stereotyping millennials and this is offensive. If you want to hire younger people to replace your aging officiating base maybe you shouldn't start off with stereotypes.
It may be offensive but its true of every millennial we have tried to recruit and train. Send me one that is unique and we'll train them.
Sounds like truth to me and not stereotyping anyone.
I'm a former college player and a millennial so I know what I'm talking about. I tried officiating in the northeast and found it to be real frustrating. I don't like to wear that stupid looking ITA shirt and khaki shorts and then when they told me what kind of belt I had to wear, I just quit. I do kind of fit the description though and maybe will make it if I move to another part of the country.
As a millennial myself, I take exception to much of your criticism. However, I’d like to focus on one point in particular. Keep in mind the current age of millennials (born 1977 to 1995, 22-40 years old). What kind of certainty did you have about anything at that point in your life? Assuming you had a full time job with a family, how easy was it to make commitments not 3 months out, as an example from the blog, but 8 months out? I am already being asked for my availability in April. In April I will be selling one house and attempting to buy another. This kind of event is commonplace in the life of a millennial right now, their lives constantly in flux. I think it is easy to characterize this as being flighty (and this is the case for some for sure), but painting this generation with a broad brush without considering how immensely different their world is from the one boomers grew up in is a bit sanctimonious. Most tennis officials today are in their 40’s, 50’s and 60’s, with well established careers and plenty of schedule flexibility, are retired, or do not really need to work but chose to. It’s easy and convenient for you to attribute their availability to a superior work ethic and dedication to tennis officiating, but there is also an element of self-selection. The people who have the ability to do this kind of work regularly 7 days a week and make commitments that far out are in a privileged position and shouldn’t act like those that aren’t are being lazy or shirking their obligations. Millennials who do this work have to love the game, love being in the thick of things, and be willing to forego other activities and conflicting obligations.
If the powers that be don’t address the scheduling arms race that is escalating year to year it will become increasingly difficult to recruit and train younger officials to fill the ranks. Oddly enough, as the lead time for scheduling moves further out I end up committing to fewer matches than I did in my first few seasons, and dropping big conference work all together. If we’re only supposed to make promises we know we can keep, I’m just going to make far fewer promises. I’m not well connected enough to start a revolution, but some of you reading this sure are, and it’s time for some kind of scheduling détente when fighting for qualified officials. A hard date for publishing match schedules? Maybe we can treat it like opening day of hunting season. I guess the big questions is who would be the game warden?
Josh
My descriptions don't fit everyone obviously but the majority of them fit the majority of the millennials I have met and heard about. As far as scheduling in the future--we all have to go through the same dilema. You might have to think about buying and selling a house but we have to worry about how we are going to exist on Social Security and find our next meal. Maybe I should do a post about how to get along with old people--or better yet, let you write one and submit it to me for publishing.
A special note: Myron Krueger, Vickie Wright and I have all tried (in vain) to get the other coordinators to hold off on their availabilities until at least the end of October or the first of November but to no avail. Seems that some think that "the earlier the better" is the best approach but I agree--its killing us all...
Sounds like there is one millennial out there who thinks he's the only one who has obligations or a busy schedule. He's not the only one that has responsibilities so don't complain about it.
u nailed it
Nowhere in my comments did I say that I was the only one with obligations or a tight schedule. It was a personal example of the type of thing that would keep someone my age from being able to commit to large chunks of time more than half a year out. That kind of stuff comes up every year and I don't think it makes me lazy or unreliable. I think it's just life and we're shooting ourselves in the foot by making it harder every year for young people to make tennis a priority. If you want to train and keep decent younger officials you have to understand what makes them stop working.
Also, 2:07 PM, I didn't start this discussion. You don't get to insult someone and then call it complaining when they defend themselves (while having the balls to use their actual name).
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