At times, people fall into ruts at their jobs, negatively affecting them, their staffs and their businesses. With many jobs, people do the same thing over and over, time and time again, and the passion for the job fizzles out. This situation highlights the importance of people willing to learn new aspects of their jobs as well as letting their bosses know when they aren’t being challenged enough and feel like they’re falling into a rut.
In this industry, many people talk about something very similar: burn-out. It can sneak up on superintendents before they reach 50 or even younger. Jim McLoughlin, one of GCN’s columnists, wrote about sabbatical leaves in the July issue (page 24). Sabbaticals are a good avenue superintendents can take to refresh themselves and develop a new outlook on their jobs when they feel they’re burned-out.
Another option for superintendents is taking a different job within the golf industry. This option isn’t for everyone and is controversial for some. While interviewing several people for an upcoming story about career development, I found examples of superintendents who moved on to other jobs within the golf industry. Those jobs include: a sales representative for a chemical company, director of golf for a club, general manager of a club, executive director of an association, a golf course owner and an area manager for a golf course management company.
Some of these jobs are closer to the golf course than others, and some are more desirable than others, but one thing is common among all of them: They affect and are linked to golf course superintendents. I wonder how many times superintendents have dealt with someone in any one of those positions and complained because that person didn’t quite understand superintendents or what they go through. Wouldn’t it be better for the industry if there were more superintendents in those types of positions? People in those positions could say, “Yes, I’ve been there and know what it’s like.” They might make decisions that would be more beneficial to superintendents because they once were superintendents.
Another aspect that would affect a decision to make a move like that is the tight job market. Superintendents have said it’s not as easy to get another superintendent job as it was five years ago. Those who are unhappy with their jobs and who are looking but have found nothing, might consider these other avenues.
This isn’t to encourage all superintendents to leave the profession, just those who already are thinking about exploring other opportunities. For those who are good communicators and people persons, these job options might give them the opportunity to grow even more, professionally.
Some superintendents who have left the profession and have taken other jobs within golf have come back as superintendents, and the experience has made them better. Clearly, one doesn’t have to leave the profession to be a better superintendent, but for those who are bored or need a different challenge – and where going to another course wouldn’t fulfill that challenge – this is something that can be valuable.
Superintendents should challenge themselves in various ways and work on characteristics that need improvement. Asking the boss for additional responsibilities and becoming well rounded might or might not lead to another job within golf. Leaving the superintendent profession might be risky and carry a stigma, but it’s been done before and will continue to be done.
With more and more turfgrass graduates entering the golf course maintenance field, combined with a slowdown of new golf course openings, the job market will remain tight. Additionally, even though the GCSAA isn’t encouraging superintendents to leave their jobs, it’s promoting the theme “the success of the facility.” Combine those two aspects, along with a restless superintendent and a desire for progression, and the industry might experience more superintendents adding to their resumes by taking the chance to do something else in golf. This bodes well for the superintendent profession because other areas of golf will see where these successful people came from and might consider it a valuable job pool.
It’s time every superintendent thinks about the future of his career and how the decision he makes could impact generations to follow. GCN
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Another option for superintendents is taking a different job within the golf industry. This option isn’t for everyone and is controversial for some. While interviewing several people for an upcoming story about career development, I found examples of superintendents who moved on to other jobs within the golf industry. Those jobs include: a sales representative for a chemical company, director of golf for a club, general manager of a club, executive director of an association, a golf course owner and an area manager for a golf course management company.
Some of these jobs are closer to the golf course than others, and some are more desirable than others, but one thing is common among all of them: They affect and are linked to golf course superintendents. I wonder how many times superintendents have dealt with someone in any one of those positions and complained because that person didn’t quite understand superintendents or what they go through. Wouldn’t it be better for the industry if there were more superintendents in those types of positions? People in those positions could say, “Yes, I’ve been there and know what it’s like.” They might make decisions that would be more beneficial to superintendents because they once were superintendents.
Another aspect that would affect a decision to make a move like that is the tight job market. Superintendents have said it’s not as easy to get another superintendent job as it was five years ago. Those who are unhappy with their jobs and who are looking but have found nothing, might consider these other avenues.
This isn’t to encourage all superintendents to leave the profession, just those who already are thinking about exploring other opportunities. For those who are good communicators and people persons, these job options might give them the opportunity to grow even more, professionally.
Some superintendents who have left the profession and have taken other jobs within golf have come back as superintendents, and the experience has made them better. Clearly, one doesn’t have to leave the profession to be a better superintendent, but for those who are bored or need a different challenge – and where going to another course wouldn’t fulfill that challenge – this is something that can be valuable.
Superintendents should challenge themselves in various ways and work on characteristics that need improvement. Asking the boss for additional responsibilities and becoming well rounded might or might not lead to another job within golf. Leaving the superintendent profession might be risky and carry a stigma, but it’s been done before and will continue to be done.
With more and more turfgrass graduates entering the golf course maintenance field, combined with a slowdown of new golf course openings, the job market will remain tight. Additionally, even though the GCSAA isn’t encouraging superintendents to leave their jobs, it’s promoting the theme “the success of the facility.” Combine those two aspects, along with a restless superintendent and a desire for progression, and the industry might experience more superintendents adding to their resumes by taking the chance to do something else in golf. This bodes well for the superintendent profession because other areas of golf will see where these successful people came from and might consider it a valuable job pool.
It’s time every superintendent thinks about the future of his career and how the decision he makes could impact generations to follow. GCN
Explore the August 2005 Issue
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