“Tennis built my personal confidence in many ways,” Morgan Forshag says. “You’re playing in front of a crowd, which helps you learn to stay focused during games. When I played doubles with a partner, I had to learn to read them and play to their strengths during a match. You have to move instinctively because there’s no time to talk about strategy in the middle of an intense set.”
Morgan picked up a tennis racquet at the age of 10 and hasn’t put it down since. She grew up in New Orleans and took up tennis because her good friend’s father was a pro at a local club. She fell in love with the sport and became good enough to receive several college scholarship offers. She chose Nicholls State University, located in Thibodaux, Louisiana, because it was close to home.
Because Morgan’s father worked in the hospitality industry, her first choice of major was hospitality management, but soon changed to business management with a minor in marketing. Morgan is a member of an entire generation whose college experience was disrupted by COVID-19. As was the case for many collegiate athletes, Morgan gained an extra year of scholarship eligibility because of the pandemic and used it to complete her MBA.
Morgan’s family had moved to Houston when her father accepted a job there, and Morgan followed them after graduation. She loves the city and is excited to start her new career as a recruiter with the local staffing firm Talance. Talance (the name is a mashup of “talent” and “balance”) bills itself as an employee-focused and family-friendly environment unique to the staffing industry.
Morgan wasn’t thinking about recruiting as a career until she connected with XPG Recruit Athlete, but it seemed like a great fit for Morgan’s outgoing personality. She credits her collegiate tennis experience with building a love of meeting new people and building relationships quickly. “Ninety percent of the student athletes I played with and competed against were from other countries,” she says. “I was the only American on our team.” The Nicholls State women’s tennis roster includes athletes from Spain, France, Argentina, Serbia, Australia and Slovakia. Morgan says she loved learning about her teammates’ cultures and building friendships that strengthened the team. Morgan feels it was great preparation for employment in the increasingly diverse workplace she’ll be exposed to.
Sometimes, she says, the connection was quick and natural, but in other cases, it can take time to build trust and get to know each other. “I love doing that kind of work, though, and I feel like my ability to connect with people will be an asset in my work as a recruiter.”
In fact, her connection with Elizabeth of XPG Recruit Athlete opened her up to the idea of a staffing career. “We clicked right away. I felt like she understood me, and I trusted her to make the right match for me in my first job out of college. I hope to become that kind of recruiter, too.”
Morgan says her collegiate athletic experience also helped her develop other skills that will be useful in her business career. “I learned to be super-organized and manage my time well,” she says. “My typical day was scheduled pretty tight. I worked from 8:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. in the university president’s office. I had practice and training from 2:00 p.m. – 5:30 p.m. and then attended classes for my MBA from 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. Plus homework and class assignments.” She’s looking forward to a couple of months of R&R before starting with Talance in August.
Poise, confidence, and the ability to connect quickly with a wide range of people are essential skills for any recruiter. If you’re looking for staff members with these qualities, Podium X is ready to share them. Fill out your contact information for the first step toward hiring athletes in the staffing industry.