The 2023 Major League Baseball All-Star Game marks the 93rd playing of the Midsummer Classic, and after all these years it remains a celebration of excellence that resonates far beyond the diamond. The very concept of “All Star” is one we embrace every day at Eclaro—and you can probably say the same about yourself, no matter where you work or which level of an organization you find yourself, whether you are looking to hire staff or are a job candidate searching for that ideal opportunity.
Take a look at those players who made it to the All-Star Game this year. They’re in Seattle for any variety of reasons: hitting mammoth home runs or making highlight-reel defensive plays, stealing bases with blink-and-you-missed-it speed or striking out batters with a how-can-anybody-hit-that arsenal. It just goes to show you that in order to be great, you don’t need to be like everyone else. You just need to be outstanding at what you do.
Legends like Mike Trout and Clayton Kershaw are making their 11th and 10th appearances, respectively, at the 2023 game in Seattle, standing as a testament to the ongoing dedication it takes to improve your skills and craft in order to remain at the highest level. There are also 33 first-timers on the rosters, proving that even if you haven’t always been an all-star, you can become one right now.
And everyone wants to be an all-star. Trust us. Or, if not us, then trust Derek Jeter. (Even the bevy of Mets fans on the Eclaro roster trust Jeter.)
“Any player that says they don't want to go to an All-Star Game is lying to you,” said none other than Jeter, a Hall of Famer and 14-time All-Star. “It's something everyone wants to be a part of.”
The all-time N.Y. Yankees great was talking about baseball, of course, but his sentiment rings true in any profession, in any company, at any position, at any time. Or it should.
Yes, everybody wants to be part of what it means to be an All-Star—or at least everybody who strives to excel, who wants the opportunity to shine, to be part of a winning team and be among that team’s most valuable players. In order to find out what it takes to be an all-star, and how you can recognize one on your team (or who you’d like on your team), let’s go around to horn with some of Eclaro’s own all-stars.
“An all-star shows up early and is prepared,” says Senior Recruiter Eileen McCabe Sares. “Whether it is to a meeting or an interview, she has taken the time to ensure that she has reviewed what is necessary and is ready to ask and answer questions and back-up responses with facts and details. She has energy and agency. She is inquisitive and curious. The all-star is a team player that is able to take the lead and is quick to share credit with her teammates.”
The concept of team play is an essential, and one that should never be lost on those who think being an all-star means only focusing on oneself.
“An all-star co-worker is someone who works towards everyone’s success and strives to make everyone shine,” notes Pam Johnson Sweder, VP-Business Transformation. “This is the person you want on your team! They don’t just work in their own lane, but they understand how the work they do fits into the larger picture of success.
“Instead of focusing on themselves, an all-star co-worker supports the success of their team, their department and their company. They practice empathy and compassion, speak up to support other co-workers’ good ideas, and always help if someone needs their expertise.”
“All-stars are people who will not only meet your expectations, but exceed them and then some,” says HR Manager Luke Ruzek. “During the job search we come to see many resumes and candidates, but there will always be ones that jump out. The resume might not always tell the whole story. I find that it takes talking to and meeting a person to see their all-star potential.
“A recent example of this comes to mind when our U.S. HR team was looking for a new employee to work in our office.” Ruzek continues. “We were seeking someone with some experience in order to perform at a higher level. However, one resume stuck out us even though it was a candidate with little to no professional experience.
“During her interview, it became quite clear that she was an all-star. The level of understanding she displayed and the way she carried herself through the interview showed us that she had extraordinary potential. And even though she didn’t have the professional experience and may take more time to train, we knew she would be a very valuable asset to our team and our company.”
Every company needs all-stars, to be sure. And every company can approach staffing and recruiting with an all-star style n order to make sure their own rosters are filled with top talent.
“My all-star client is one that doesn’t only focus on dealing with a current hiring need—although that’s how the relationship starts—but one that will tell me what the long-term recruitment strategy and vision is for the company or department they are supporting,” says Charly Viemeister, Business and Technology Professional Hiring. “They communicate what the culture of the company is to us so that we can partner with them to achieve their hiring strategy. An all-star client gives us access to hiring managers so we can get the information we need to vet and source the right talent for them to save them valuable time.
“I will go above and beyond for that all-star client because I will be able to communicate what that vision is to our candidates,” Viemeister adds. “I love to tell a good story. Because we are the first point of contact, being able to speak to our client’s exciting initiatives will bring in the top talent.”
So sit back and enjoy the game (live, on replay, in short highlight-driven spurts, whatever suits you), and take a few moments, even if it’s during a commercial or a pitching change, to ponder your own concept of an all-star—as well as your plans for how to bring more of hem onto your own team. We can all improve by working with a few more all-stars, after all.
