The Hiring Process

Over the last 10+ years working in the high-performance world of women’s professional soccer, one area in which I have taken pride is the meticulous hiring process. I have always paid close attention to the merry-go-round that happens in sport hires and how people move around from club to club. In the NWSL, specifically, one could argue that in the early years, financial resources were a major limitation in building a strong staff – which, in turn, contributed to the ongoing revolving door of staff coming and going. However, in today’s new area of the league, financial resources are no longer a limitation, yet we still see the same percentage of staff movement in and out of clubs.

What could be the root cause? In my opinion, the main issue is the lack of a thorough, comprehensive, and meticulous hiring process based on a true club identity.

In every club I join, it is crucial that I take the time to grasp the identity of the club; unfortunately, that is not always clear or well defined. So, we must ask questions to challenge and understand what the club is about: what are the values? What are the non-negotiables? What is the fanbase like? What is the roster like? What are the club’s goals for this year and in five years? The list goes on.

So, the first question I pose myself in every hiring process is who are we? This step always helps me create a matrix that will guide my hiring process.