I recently had a conversation with a Director of Golf about an assistant position he would be hiring for at the end of the season. He indicated that since he had some time, he had already begun to have a dialogue with PGA of America Golf Professionals who he thought would be a good fit.
He mentioned that he had been paired with a PGA Professional in a Section event who was high on his list. But after observing the Professional’s behavior at the tournament, he wouldn’t consider hiring that particular PGA Professional.
That reminded me of the time I was walking outside the golf shop at Southern Hills Country Club in Tulsa, Oklahoma, with national 2016 PGA of America Golf Professional of the Year Cary Cozby. We hadn’t gone 20 steps when he suddenly bent down and picked up a candy wrapper that had blown out of a golf car. Cary casually remarked, “You are always interviewing.” There were outside service personnel standing around who may or may not have picked the wrapper up, but Cary didn’t hesitate.
My takeaway: People watch, people see and people remember, so live each moment as if you were interviewing for your dream job. That sounds simple, but it’s quite difficult. Your speech matters. Your attire matters. Your attitude matters. So, what are a few things you can do to make a good impression?
Avoid extremes in communication, attire and attitude. How you communicate and the words you say matter, and the timing matters, as well. A tirade after being issued a warning for slow play might help you blow off steam, but it may hurt your reputation, and that matters.
Avoid non-professional attire
I was at a Section event and a Professional walked down to the golf car staging area barefoot and looking so disheveled that, if you didn’t know better, you would think that person was lost. Sending the right message means being professional in what you say and how you look at all times.
Attitude matters
Are you seen as a problem solver, a contributor of solutions or creator of problems? For most, being a PGA Professional means being in a position to be an encourager, and a positive attitude will go a long way to helping you maximize your career. I realize some people are op timistic by nature and some pessimistic but, in either case, identify what gives you the most positive attitude and nurture that. Do more of it. Do less of what might cause your attitude to suffer. That will take some self awareness. You can ask those who know you best to help you focus on how you can be your best self.
Be intentional
The demands of family and work are so great that it’s often hard to be involved at the Section and national level. However, there are ways to get involved that might not require as much time. Mentor another Professional through phone calls and an occasional round of golf. Send a handwritten note to a sponsor or host Professional. Call your Section leadership and thank them for a good event. Identify Professionals who you think do a great job, or have a job that you eventually want one day, and make a point to develop a relationship with them. Buy them lunch and just pick their brain about their habits, the routines they like to follow and what they are currently learning. One PGA Professional told me that after playing a Section event with a new associate, he called the young Professional’s boss just to tell him how impressed he was with the new associate. That matters.
I was talking with a Professional about this idea of always interviewing and he talked about how he got his start on the grounds crew and that caught the attention of the facility owner, who hired him and became his mentor. A seemingly little thing can open up a whole career. So, look for opportunities that others might miss and take ownership. It might make a huge difference in your career.
Also consider social media
I have had so many PGA Professionals tell me they looked up a potential employee on social media and it turned them away. Seems like a small thing, but social media postings can really hurt you. Always be professional.
Many Professionals would walk right past that candy wrapper and say that’s not my job, but risk missing a chance to land that next great opportunity or build their reputation.
Doug Turner, PGA, is a PGA Career Services Consultant serving the South Central, Southern Texas and Sun Country Sections. He can be reached at (972) 977-2746 or dturner@pgahq.com.
