Could you find a better employee? He (or she) is highly educated, loves training, is good as a team player, doesn't mind a long commute to work and wears a bespoke suit.
The astronaut is a rare thing, literally, since there are only a handful around at any given time and there have been only around 500 in history. And just two dozen of those have escaped the Earth's orbit.
Now, usually someone with all these qualities would cost a fortune in mega-salary, bonus deals, shares and all the rest. An astronaut, though, is that beautiful thing — an employee who does the job for the experience, the love of it and a government salary. Plus their method of getting to work beats any sports car or executive jet.
Marketing is also a strong point. Like the archaeologist (see Jones, Indiana), the popular image of the astronaut is of the chisel-jawed, muscular hero-type (well, the male ones anyway), who's a go-getting action man. Whether the reality is the same is of no consequence, and the image wins every time.
This person craves new experiences, is scared of no new challenge and is prepared for any possible outcome.
He/she also has a unique ability to look at things from a higher perspective (anything from 100km and up), is unlikely to have popped out for a coffee when you want to hold a quick meeting and doesn't demand a huge office.
He's not a nine to five worker, however. Since it can take days or weeks to even get to work, there are going to be times when your astronaut is floating about (literally) doing very little. Accounting is not going to be a strong point either, given the astronaut's ingrained habit of counting down rather than up, and there's always the chance that they accidentally mistake the toothpaste tube in the bathroom for lunch.
But these considerations are small when compared to the chance of working with someone who is a genuine hero and adventurer. And unlikely to get claustrophobic when the lift breaks down.
Jimi Hendrix, Gandalf... learn more business tips from our series of unlikely gurus.
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