It pays to be a pest when searching for a job.
That was the underlying message during a pep rally at Springdale Har-Ber last week to introduce boys basketball coach Scott Bowlin. Bowlin was hired the week before to replace Adam Simmons, who resigned after three years as the Wildcats head coach.
Springdale Schools Athletic Director Wayne Stehlik drew a few laughs when he playfully thanked the students for taking time out from their academic pursuits to help welcome the new coach. But there is a life lesson in Stehlik’s remarks for the young people who were paying attention.
Bowlin wanted the job and he wasn’t shy in letting Her-Ber officials know it.
“He kept calling and telling me ‘I want to be your coach,’” Stehlik said. “That went on everyday. Every time I checked my phone for messages, he was on there saying he wants to wear (Har-Ber) blue.”
Bowlin didn’t get the job on enthusiasm and persistence alone. He is a veteran coach with an impressive resume that includes two state championships at Greene County Tech, where he spent the last 10 years. Before Bowlin, Greene County Tech wasn’t much of a factor in basketball. But under his direction, the Golden Eagles won state championships in 2007 and 2009 and finished as state runners-up in 2008.
With that much success, a coach with a similar background might have sat back and waited for an offer. Instead, Bowlin actively pursued the job.
“I love a challenge and I see Har-Ber as a great opportunity,” Bowlin said of the Wildcats, who finished 9-19 last season. I’m a builder. I enjoy every aspect of trying to turn something into a success. The work here at Har-Ber is going to begin soon. I told our players we’re going in a new direction and I’m going to be the guy to lead that direction.”
It’s likely that many of the students who attended the pep rally last week will soon be searching for jobs for the summer. So, the lesson for you in the interviewing process is clear:
Sit up, pay attention, and put away your gadgets, at least for a few minutes. Sell yourself and don’t be shy in letting your prospective employer know how much you really want the job.
If a 52-year-old coach with an impressive resume like Bowlin can do it, so can you.
Now go out and pursue, pursue, pursue with the same energy you’ve used while searching for a prom date.