We surveyed 4,378 athletes to better understand the work environment and required skills of a typical athlete. Here are the results.
How much intelligence is required as an athlete?
Low
High
Working as an athlete typically doesn’t require the use of high levels of intelligence in daily tasks.
Can I learn to become an athlete?
Intrinsic Talent
Acquired Talent
A career as an athlete typically depends predominantly on qualities you can gain through experience, with a small aspect of skills you are born with.
Is it easy to get a job as an athlete?
Easy
Hard
It’s typically quite difficult to find a job as an athlete. If you’re curious about the numbers, check out the job market for athletes.
Do athletes work full-time or part-time?
65% of athletes work in full-time roles while 35% work part-time.
Is being an athlete stressful?
Low
High
Stress is very commonplace for athletes, contributing negatively towards career satisfaction.
Is being organized important as an athlete?
Low
High
Organization is not considered a particuarly important part of being an athlete.
How competitive is the workplace for athletes?
Low
High
Athletes tend to see lots of competition in the workplace, with desire to get ahead of co-workers being common.
Does being an athlete require frequent time pressure to complete tasks?
Low
High
Athletes will have to sometimes face time pressure on the job.
Are athletes allowed to express themselves creatively?
Low
High
Creativity is intrinsic to being an athlete, and a highly valuable part of the career.
Do athletes have control over the direction of their work?
Low
High
Athletes have high flexibility in the direction of their work, allowing them a lot of freedom in how they accomplish their goals.
Is being an athlete physically demanding?
Low
High
Being an athlete requires significant physical work, and is not a career for those unable to perform continuous and/or strenuous physical activity.
Are athletes exposed to a wide variety of work?
Low
High
While sometimes repetitive, athletes tend to have opportunities for variety in their work.
Does being an athlete require attention to detail?
Low
High
As in many careers, attention to detail is quite helpful for athletes.
Does being a good athlete require compassion and empathy?
Low
High
Being compassionate and empathetic is considered helpful to those looking to pursue careers as athletes.