These are 10 characteristics that define the "athlete" skill set. They are also conversely 10 characteristics that companies look for in their hiring decisions. Familiarize yourself with this list and come up with Specific Examples where you have shown these attributes in your life. Remember to combine personal life experiences including academic, athletic, social and work experiences to show that you have a balance in your life.

1. Ability to organize time well. As a well rounded student, you participated in extracurricular activities, greek or other student organizations, social functions and a full academic load.  The candidate with the "athlete" skill set must balance a full-time academic workload, commitment to athletics which would include travel to other schools for games and other campus activities, social activities and more. Appreciate the time management skills you have developed. 

2. Ability to work well with others. As a student, your "teaming" experiences in group projects goes along way.  Through athletic team membership, most student-athletes or intramural athletes become very familiar with the experience of working toward group goals. Teaming experiences teach that sometimes it is necessary to submerge one's ego and personal goals into the goals of the organization and that leadership is the ability to get people to work as a team.

3. Goal Directedness. As a student, one must maintain focus despite distractions to succeed academically.  Student with the "athlete skill set" and student-athletes develop the ability to concentrate their energies and attention over an extended period of time to block out distractions while they proceed toward their goals.

4. Competitiveness. Competitive spirit is the lifeblood of the collegiate athletics experience. Student-athletes gain experience in the rigors of winning and losing and they look forward to the opportunity to fight more battles, test their abilities, and risk their self-esteem against tough opposition. This is a strong asset in most jobs.

5. Confidence. The candidate with the "athlete skill set" has continually been in situations where they must pump up and believe in their own power to produce effectively under pressure. The ability to approach tough performance situations with the belief that you'll do well is crucial. Practice in maintaining self-confidence, especially under tense circumstances, can carry over to on-the-job challenges.

6. Persistence and endurance. These characteristics are often characterized by long and hard work toward distant rewards and the ability to wring a maximum effort from yourself whenever necessary. As a student, this may be overcoming a difficult personal experience.  As an athlete, it may may include playing while in pain, or in general, performing under adverse circumstances. The candidate with the "athlete skill set" belives intensity of effort and the belief that sufficient preparation and determination will eventually pay off.

7. Loyalty. Loyalty emerges from the bond that an individual builds with an organizaiton, a team or to an individual and is expressed in the willingness to support team efforts under any circumstances. Loyalty that contributes to the morale of a team or work group, because it enables each team member to trust that others will work toward the same ends.

8. Discipline. Organizing one's time, adhering to guidelines, giving maximum effort on a regular basis, concentrating one's energies and screening out competing priorities are all necessary in being a successful student or successful college athlete. The systematic application of one's energies toward a desired goal is highly valued in any work setting.

9. Ability to take criticism. Because their performance on the field is watched closely, student-athletes are accustomed to taking criticism. Coaches recommend changes and develop student-athletes to cope with the feeling that they could have done better. Student-athletes typically develop into good listeners when constructive criticism is offered because they recognize its value in helping them advance toward overall goals.

10. Resilience. Certain life experiences as well as college sports can offer continued opportunities to test yourself, succeed or fail, and then come back for more. No one who competes in a sport can avoid the experience of failure. Student-athletes learn to face failure and bury any negative feelings because tomorrow's contest demands their full attention. Among the most valuable lessons of collegiate athletics are how to win, how to lose and how to rebound from both.