Sports Then and Now

ESPN is the “sports leader”, but there are many job opportunities in the sports world.

For many, a career in the sports world is the next best thing to being a professional athlete. The competition for jobs is intense because of this. If you are interested in working in the sports industry, you’ll need to go the extra mile to stand out in an industry with fierce competition. Take a look at the following tips for pursing a job in the sports industry and beating out your competitors for a spot at the top.

Resume
Start building your resume early. One way to do this is by volunteering with sports organizations in your community including high school and college sports teams, local sports leagues, and sports venues. Most of these organizations welcome volunteer support in areas like marketing, sales, public relations, and event organization. A college education is also critical in a competitive market, so don’t rely merely on your love for sports. Having a degree in mass communication, journalism, business, or a sports management degree will put you above other candidates who merely know a lot about sports. Allow your experience and education to stand out on a resume by participating in a wide variety of jobs, and earning a college degree.

Internships
Internships are an opportunity to demonstrate your knowledge, skills, and work ethic to a prospective employer. Along with a solid education, start researching internship opportunities. Research includes identifying desired internships and learning about those organizations. The more you know about the organization and how they operate, the better chance you have to impress the interview team. Keep in mind that companies often hire interns on full time at the end of an internship, so these opportunities are extremely important if you want a job in the sports industry.

Networking
The best chance of getting an interview and job offer is to know someone in or close to the organization than can speak positively about you. As you build your resume through volunteer activities and internships, take care to make a good impression. The relationship you have with these contacts gives you access to their network of contacts as well.

Entry Level Jobs
Even with a college degree, several internships and a solid resume; you will likely still need to take an entry level position after college. Former NFL Commissioner, Pete Rozelle, started his career in an entry level public relations position with the Los Angeles Rams. There are several internet sites dedicated to sports careers including Working in Sports, Jobs in Sports, Sports Career Finder, and more. These websites also offer career advice for job seekers.

There are thousands of jobs available in the sports world today, and the opportunities are increasing. Competition, however, is very intense. A career in the sports industry requires candidates to pro-actively build their resume, earn a college degree, complete internships, develop a personal network, and be willing to take an entry level position after graduation. If you are passionate about sports, allow your skills and passion to motivate you to rise above the competition and score a job in the sports industry.