Do Former College Athletes Make the Best New Hires?

Student GPA's are strong indicators for a graduate's ability to synthesize information, and follow prescribed guidelines for academic assignments, but GPA's don't always speak to their ability to integrate and contribute to their workplace.

With today's hiring trends focusing on soft skills, this paper proposal will look at the attributes of an average college athlete and attempt to identify if their athletic experience empowers them to become better employees. Soft skills such as communication, problem solving, teamwork, and creativity are believed to be transferable across various disciplines. These are also key skills that are honed across a variety of athletic experiences. Identifying specific soft skills that are learned through athletic participation will allow us to compare the reported skill sets sought by HR departments, ultimately answering the question: Do college athletes make the best new hires?