Besides the fact that they like to dress up in a rubbery suit and wait hours on end to surf like ten waves, there are some factors you might need to know before considering a surfer as your next employee.
Mainstream surfer stereotype. Surfers are known for their relaxed and alternative lifestyles. For many, they are useless posers to society, but what are they really like? Does their constant need for freedom benefit the workforce, or should you be concerned when choosing the happy-go-lucky surfer among other candidates?
What are the best jobs for surfers?
- Weatherperson – Surfers know their way around weather forecasts, therefore they’d make great weatherpersons. Add a vibrant persona and you’ve got the whole package.
- Personal trainer – To be good at surfing you need to be fit, constantly! Persistency is one of the most difficult things to hold onto, and since surfers love to have fun as well – they’d make great personal trainers in any athletic field.
- Analyst – They know how to predict, plan, prepare, and avoid some of the most extreme situations.
- Product developer – Surfers know how to use a simple thing like the surfboard in extremely demanding environments. It is difficult to find an easy solution for the problem, and they might be the ones to come up with some genius ideas.
- Motivational speaker – Not sure if surfers would be great team leaders, but they are the masters of hyping anyone up to perform at their best.
- Boutique / Antique furniture mover – Have you noticed how carefully surfers handle their fragile surfboards? Yes, you can count on them to maneuver oversized and sentimentally valuable items. They know the drill.
- Salesperson – Have you seen the hype of a surfer before a surf session? If they could convert that into sales – they could basically sell anything. Selling is much about the emotion it offers.
- Real estate agent – Look no further from a die-hard surfer when you need to sell an expensive property right by the sea. They know their way around the benefits of beach-side properties more than anyone else.
- Self-employed – Surfing is a lifestyle without any boundaries, therefore they’d sacrifice anything to achieve their freedom.
Have a look why you should & shouldn’t hire a surfer
They want the AC a little cooler
Surfers are basically amphibians and this might lead to an AC-remote-war in the office. Since the water is mostly way colder than air, they have built up their temperature tolerance that’s slightly different from the norm. While the rest are freezing, surfers are breezing.
They are the masters of surfing (the web)
“I surf the real world”
Surfing the Web / Surfing the Internet / Surfing the Net – What are the origins of these iconic terms?
It all started in 1992 when Jean Armour Polly, the Net Mom, released an article about “Surfing the Internet” in the University of Minnesota Wilson Library Bulletin. It was catchy – and let’s embrace it, it fits like a glove. In conclusion, there were terms like “Mining the web” and “Cruising the web” used before, but Polly solved the puzzle by using a mousepad which had a surfer surfing a wave, that said “Information Surfer – Apple Library Users Group” on it.
What does surfing the web and surfing the wave have in common?
World Wide Web back in the ’90s was something new, unexpected, and limitless – much like surfing the wave feels like every single time.
They love nature maybe a little too much
In today’s digital world, surfers can become outcasts for their excessive love for the ocean. Yes, most surfers probably use an iPhone and have all the latest gadgets, but you can tell them apart that might not fit in most stress-fueled work environments.
Surfers often have sufficient D-vitamin levels by being out in the sun all the time. That makes them shine and smile a little more than the rest – which can seem fake or even make others jealous. As much as they admit it or not – they play by the rules of nature and have learned to appreciate the more important things in life.
This not only makes surfers more down to earth but also more environmentally concerned about some delicate topics.
Too much seafood
If you are going to order some food into the office, you’ll also have to get some seafood. No, not all surfers eat seafood, but if they do – they are all about the stuff others are not so used to. Clams, herring, mussels – they love it all! Although most folks are used to the occasional salmon in their salad, surfers tend to go for everything else besides the mainstream.
Is that a good or a bad thing? Depends whether you’d like to try something new, or you don’t like the smell of low tide.
They are going to need their freedom
Surfing is a sport where there are no time limits, no reps, no distances to cover, nor is it a sport to lose weight. Surfing takes place in the ocean with several weather factors aligned, and that being said, one would need plenty of freedom to enjoy surfing to the fullest.
If you see them unhappy for no reason – there’s probably a good swell around while they’re working.
Surfers are not taking any sick days
It’s not about surfers being too proud to admit they can be weak, but it’s the reality of being in great shape which maintains their health for them. They rarely get sick or injured since they’ll always have to be ready for the next big swell.
They know exactly how and when to approach a difficult situation
Surfing is considered an extreme sport – a recreation that takes places where an average human shouldn’t be in. Although surfing has many dangers to the sport, wave riders know their way around difficult situations.
Also as surfing session consists of waiting for waves for the majority of the time, and the suitable weather for surfing can disappear for months – they know how to preserve their energy well.
Everything should happen at the right time, right place
Surfers often rely on the good ol’ saying that “eventually everything will settle into its own place automatically”. In most cases that’s true, but not in the world of deadlines and appointments. They might even stress out some co-workers due to their laid-back situation in a difficult situation. Especially when the surfer has everything under control, but there’s no need to worry since they’ll finish the task effortlessly.
They do more with less
Since they basically need only a blank of foam to surf difficult waves, they don’t need all the modern comforts to function properly. When your team is going to spend the budget on a new set of fancy equipment, they are most likely going to sit back and scroll @KookOfTheDay – or simply check the upcoming swells.
Surfers are down to earth and try to avoid overconsuming. Although they are not against upgrades, they’d much rather focus on the work with the equipment they’ve got. By the end of the day – that’s all it matters for the company.
They just don’t get stressed out
Stress is inevitable and unfortunately a “growing trend”, but surfers have worked their way around to cope with it. They do feel the stress, but there’s not too much of it left (unless they haven’t surfed for months).
Surfing has just way too many benefits which help to relieve any kind of stress – They have to be fit to surf, spend most of the time in the cleansing water, and under the sun.
Don’t get me wrong – they are not naive in a sense of being overly happy, but they just know how to deal with it.
The Sum
Whether it is the excessive sun or the accomplishment from conquering some large waves, surfers kind of stand out due to their alternative approach. First impressions often matter the most – especially during a job interview so hopefully, this guide gave you some reasonable pointers.
Did we miss anything important? Feel free to let us & others know in the comments.
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I created Nulltuul to share my experience, research and analysis with other surf enthusiasts out there. If I'm not surfing on my travels - I like to photograph waves, surfers, and the surf lifestyle in general.
