#12 National Collegiate Scouting Association (NCSA)
It's been said that if you love what you do, you'll never work a day in your life. For the Gen Y sports fans and athletes who hold positions at the National Collegiate Scouting Association (NCSA), the adage is right on. Opportunities for advancement, a flexible schedule, and--of course--plenty of time to workout are just some of the perks that keep the company's young employees in the game.
NCSA helps college coaches locate recruits and offers education to high school athletes and their families about the college recruiting process. CFO Luke Adrian says that Generation Y talent is crucial in keeping this process moving. "It is constantly changing here," he says. "Being tech-savvy, Generation Y employees are great for the culture of the workplace. The impact that technology has had on recruiting has completely changed the game. Their expertise and knowledge is vital to our business being successful."
And success is what the employees want, too, for the company and for themselves. Luckily, the two aren't mutually exclusive. "I had the opportunity to create my own role here at NCSA and re-shape a portion of the business," says Brian Davidson, Director of Social Media. "I basically created my day-to-day activities. I'm currently writing a video script for a TV show that Gatorade is sponsoring. It is predicated to have 1.5 million viewers this year. I have no experience writing scripts, but I'm taking on this project."
Other projects regularly cooking at NCSA provide benefits not just to the college students and colleges they assist. Employees reap the rewards, too. For Recruiting Coach Ryan Newman, the job is satisfying on a deep level. "To help these kids find the perfect school and right fit for their skills and to see the process go full circle is really something special," he says. "I see myself in the kids' shoes. It's great being able to help these people live their dreams."
NCSA regularly hires people with experience in sports, so they take physical fitness seriously. Employees who want to workout during lunch get an extra 30 minutes to do so, and receive a gym reimbursement, too. Cubs and Bears tickets are offered as performance-based awards, and the nature of the job puts sports-centric people in their element. "I'm in my third year into my job and I'm getting to interact with millionaires in the NFL," says Davidson. "To have that opportunity says a lot about this company."
