Hire A Golfer
With the Masters in full swing, pun kind of intended, I got to thinking about a meme I saw a while ago about why you should never hire a golfer.
As all good jokes go, this one is rooted in some truth. Golfers are obsessed and tend to spend every spare minute on the course. But while the meme plays on the negatives, I want to offer a contrary take.
There are actually great reasons to hire a golfer, specifically the high-handicap player in that 10 to 20 range. These are the people who bring a unique edge to a professional team.
They obsess over details and will study a problem from every angle. They may not be the best yet, but they are committed to the process. If something isn’t working, they don’t get discouraged. They’ll spend hours watching coaching videos, reading documentation, and doing whatever it takes to find the fix.
They are forever optimists. A bad round isn’t enough to stop them from coming back to fix, tweak, and try again. They know they can figure it out, and they’ll collaborate with anyone who can help them get there.
They also check their ego at the door. High-handicappers have had their pride run through the wringer chasing the glory of a pure strike. They appreciate what they don’t know and recognize there is always someone better. If you have more experience than they do, they want to learn everything you know.
Even their ability to plan is a thing of beauty. The logistics required to coordinate a round for a busy group is an underrated skill. On top of that, they have a natural drive to mentor. It’s rare to meet a golfer who isn’t ready to share a tip or help a teammate through a struggle.
If you’re looking for someone who isn’t easily discouraged, is constantly working towards perfection, and can organize a team while refining their own craft—hire a golfer.
To that end, if you’re looking for a Sr. Developer / Systems Architect who is also a golfer, feel free to send me a message as I’m currently #opentowork.
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