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Figuring It All Out Advice to Sport Management Graduates

Chrystal Denmark Porter, Ph.D., Ed.S., M.S.A.

What Do I Do Now? Some Cold, Hard Truths

When I made the decision to no longer pursue a career in the sport industry, but rather return to graduate

school to earn my doctorate degree so I could pursue opportunities that would allow me to teach and work

with sport management students, my primary goal was clear: I would be bluntly honest with students

about what it takes to get your foot in the door as an entry-level sport management professional. That was

my goal then, and remains my goal now. What I did not anticipate as a sport management college

professor was the resistance I would receive from my students regarding the realities of who you need to

be and what you need to do to solidify real opportunities within the sport industry.

In a nut shell, many students I encounter are unwilling to take advice, as students, from individuals who

can provide them perspective about the very industry they want to enter. Rather, they choose to listen to

individuals who give generic career advice, that may have lots of truth for other industries, but do not take

into consideration the specifics that are related to the sport industry. Time and time again, I listen to

students dictate to me how rhey think things work, rather than taking the time as a student to learn from

their predecessors.

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Some things I have learned to be true about gaining employment in the sport industry have remained

consistent both in and out of times of recession. I mention this because too many sport management

alumni want to blame their lack of success of gaining entry into the industry on the economy. Rather than

seeing themselves at the beginning of their race, they want to find a reason not to even get in the starting

blocks and then complain that things are not going as they anticipated.

I go into detail about specific strategies that sport management students should use in my book Studying

Sports: How to Maximize Your Status as a Sport Management Student. However, some topics that I did

not mention in the book that new sport management graduates should have considered as students include

the ideas that the sport industry:

• Supports Nepotism- If you discovering you do not have family, friend or network ties that can

help you gain access to information or decision makers in the sport industry, you did not properly

network as a student;

• Equates Entry-Level with Internships: As a new graduate, it would be a huge mistake to see

yourself above taking an internship;

• Expects You to Prove Your Loyalty and Worth: Opportunity to join sport organizations come in

many shapes and sizes, but many new graduates fail to take a risk and see opportunity in accepting

positions with un-sexy titles and responsibilities; and

• Cares Less about Your Degree: I have said it before, and will say it a thousand times...In the sport

industry, you can’t degree yourself into a great job!

Although most new graduates do not want to hear this, the rules to working in the sport industry were in

play well before you even knew sport management was a major. The sport industry job market always has

been, and always will be over-saturated with individuals who would give up everything to work their

dream job in sports. As well, if you do not have any connections or the right connections to land a good

position, then you cannot overlook the necessity of gaining entry via an internship. With the exception to

jobs that are related to sales or community relations, sport organizations are in the position to try-out their

entry-level employees, rather than take risk on unknown outsiders. As a result, if a person does not work

out, they can easily move on to the next person with minimal fallout, because their investment to that

point was low.

So What Can You Do NOW?!?!?!

I am aware that I may have made things sound grim up to this point, and that was intentional. I want to

send home the message that if you truly want to make your plans work, you have got to be committed to

following the rules now that your back may be against the wall. If you are wanting to make this work, you

can no longer afford to pretend to yourself or others that you know what to do to get your career started.

Now is the time to start listening to advice that others who made the transition from student to

professional have to offer.

The advice I have to offer is only one perspective. I stand by what I say, and I believe if you

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follow my advice, you should start to get some traction in your job search. However, I am a firm believer

that you need to be specific with whom you receive your advice, and that you need to invest time in

learning everything you can about the biographies of people who are doing the very jobs that you say you

would like to do. Once you evaluate the steps that others have taken, you will begin to understand the

type of activities you need to be involved to earn similar credits on your resume. However, you may also

learn that your pedigree, background, or degree may exclude you from ever earning the position that until

this point you thought would be ideal.

There are five specific strategies I believe ever sport management graduate needs to employ as a means to

support his/her effort in solidifying a permanent position within the sport industry.

Take Inventory of Your Skills

Most problems I see with new graduate resumes is that they do not tell me anything about the skills you

acquired as a student and what you can actually do. Revisit the assignments you completed as a student

and identify the skills that you used or acquired to complete your assignments. Once you identify the

skills that you used to complete the assignments, really study the job announcements for the positions you

are applying and communicate that you have the skills that are needed to complete the job. Employers

want to know that if they have to bring someone in, an unknown person from the outside, they will have

to do as little training as possible. Most graduates indicate in their cover letters enthusiasm for an

opportunity, but few indicate what comes with that enthusiasm.

Invest in crafting your resume language so that it truly demonstrates what you know and what you know

how to do. And to go further, craft the resume to highlight your skills as they correlate to the position that

you are applying. For example, if you are interested in a position within marketing, it would be mandatory

to discuss how you have conducted a SWOT analysis, studied XYZ demographic in a research paper or

thesis project. Speak the language of your industry, and tell them that you have the foundational skills to

be successful in the position.

Identify What It Is You Are Trying To Do

Another problem that I encounter time and time again with sport management students, but especially

with sport management graduates, is their non-commitment to identifying 2-3 realistic entry-level career

objectives. Rather, I have watched individuals remain committed to working to the goal of working in

sports, but not really communicating to outsiders what that truly means. As a result, all positions are fair

game, and he/she applies blindly to everything under the sun, and either gets burned out by the lack

interviews for a quality position, or becomes frustrated by the job(s) they do accept but clearly they have

no interest.

When you know what you ultimately want to do (at least at this point and time), you can become more

directed in a job search that can include positions both within and outside of sport, that will all result in

meeting your goal. When you get specific, when you know what they end result should look

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like, you will begin to understand some of the steps that you need to take in the present. For example, if

you are interested in working in sport marketing, but you are not locating job announcements to apply,

then open up your search to general marketing positions. Your ultimate goal does not have to change, and

the position(s) you may accept in the interim of earning an actual sport marketing position, will provide

you with skills that will ultimately make you qualified for sport marketing positions you may pursue at a

different point in your future professional life. This makes more sense then taking a job as a receptionist

with a law firm. Although it is a legitimate experience, statistically the odds of you learning more about

the craft you claim you are interested is unlikely. However, please understand that if you need to accept

the job as the receptionist to pay the bills, then do so, and also understand why you are accepting the

position, and that you will ultimately need to determine a point where you will change paths to get

yourself back on track. You will also need to find additional avenues to continue to develop your

expertise and skill development when pursuing non-related positions.

As stated earlier, when you begin solidifying where you are trying to go, you need to make sure your

resume and cover letter communicate specific information, rather than summerizing where you have

been. Highlighting your skills that matter to employers within the field demonstrates your potential. I

cannot stress enough the value to ensuring your cover letter and resume express what you can offer, rather

than highlight the stops you had along the way.

And once again, do an inventory check in regards to the positions that you say you would like to acquire.

If you are interested in sport marketing, but your experience is limited to only completing one class in it,

then you will need to figure out what you need to do to advance your marketing competencies. You need

to realize you may have a degree, but in all reality you have no experience, so what do you need to do to

change that?

Use Your Network

Most articles written on finding a job discuss the concept of networking. Once again, many students fail

to spend their time as students uncovering the networks that exist for potential professional opportunities.

Instead many students choose to view him- or herself as an independent contractor that can figure it all

out later, only to find out or never find out that their former classmates had the exact connection that

could have helped them find opportunities that matter.

More and more graduates are contacting me for both advice and recommendation on what they should be

doing now that they have earned their sport management degree. After my initial reaction of “Didn’t you

read my book? Did you not understand what I was trying to tell you about maximizing your student status

and internships?” I am often left having to ask the graduate specific questions related to their job search,

which is a true indicator to me if they are continuing to try to dictate how the sport industry job game is

played, and whether or not he/she still has not learned to accept how the game is played.

When you choose to reach out to former professors or individuals you may have worked or known in the

past, particularly as a student, you need to be as specific as possible in what you are asking for, so that

people can truly help you out. It is unfair for you to expect for people to spend time in helping you figure

out your career, as well as help you uncover the perfect opportunity, just because you have graduated. If

you are looking for a job in marketing, then say exactly that. Specifics can aid your

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network so they can truly be in your corner and help you out. They can connect you to people they know

in marketing, they can forward positions they hear about in marketing. But if you choose to do the

opposite, and only talk about your desire to work in “sports” and leave it at that, you may get a few leads

about positions that are open, but your network will soon abandon you because of your lack of

preparation to provide guidance on what it is you are trying to do.

It is also vital that you remind members of your network exactly who you are, what you have

accomplished, and what you have to offer. Just as you may have had to brainstorm to identify people to

contact to ask for assistance, the person on the receiving end may have to brainstorm to remember exactly

who you are. It is your responsibility to help members of your network remember you and all the fantastic

things about you so they will want to invest the time and energy to help you.

And once you have placed a great memory of yourself with them, bring them up to speed on all the

wonderful things you have accomplished (that are related to what you are trying to do). You want to show

that you are taking steps, no matter how small, to making your dream career real. Are you a member of a

professional association? Are you writing a blog that relates to the profession? Have you published

articles on the subject? Outside of earning your degree in sport management, what contributions are you

making to the field to gain entry?

Use Digital and Social Media to Extend Your Network

Jumping off of the previous section, I think it is crucial for graduates to consider how he/she could be

using digital and social media to both demonstrate what they know, gain additional skills, and extend

their professional network. First things first, as a new graduate in the field, have you done an internet

search to identify professional organizations to join and participate? Outside of attending the conferences

and reading the journals and newsletters, and having possible access to job boards, membership in

associations communicates to professionals and your network that you are invested in your field and that

you find the value with being connected with others involved in the field. Although your degree should

indicate this, to many it just means you took classes that related to a topical area, however professional

membership shows that you are committed at a different level to your craft, even if only informally.

Finding the right group to participate in that exist for the sport industry may take a little digging, but the

message it sends when you communicate your involvement is huge.

Since 2008 I have tried to help my students understand the value of having a presence as a pre-

professional on the internet. I believed then, as I do now, you can communicate exactly who you are and

what you know, and with persistence (and a little luck), you can make direct contact with someone or an

organization that will find value in what you have to offer. My recommendation would be to create a blog

that relates to your area of interest, with a focused vision. See if you can create content that is not only

valuable, but interesting enough to attract likeminded individuals that want to interact with you live or

virtually. As well, read blogs that relate to you professionally, and offer comments to the authors of those

blogs. You never know if your comments could turn you into someone that others feel they should know.

Additionally use Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Google+ to interact directly with people of influence

within your industry. And remember, all of this is

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searchable on the internet, which will help future employers learn more about you before, during or after

they interview you.

And take advantage of the sport industry job boards. I remember when I was a sport management student,

I blindly sent out letters to organizations to learn about their internship opportunities. Thanks to today’s

technology, you have at your finger tips actual job announcements for sport related jobs. Not only can

you search for jobs to apply for in the present, you can do your research to understand the type of skills

you will need to apply for higher level positions in the future. I fully understand the the sport industry

continues to be an industry where the premier positions are not announced, however for the positions that

are announced, you can get a really good grasp on who is hiring and what skills are necessary to have.

Regain Your Student Status

This is probably the part you are going to have the hardest time reading. However, if your job search is

stalling, and you truly are committed to working in the sport industry, then you need to give serious

consideration to extending your student status and returning to school. As a student you are awarded with

the opportunity to apply for experiences and opportunities that are reserved only for students. As well,

you are also given a second chance to maximize your student status, and do things right the second time

around.

In addition to gaining the internship that matters because it is in your area of interest, you can also utilize

your time in school completing assignments that relate to areas that employers would like to know you

have expertise. Many sport management students write papers that interest them or they think will

impress their professors, but they really should be researching topics that will demonstrate to future

employers they understand specific information related to a subject area within the field, and if possible

demonstrate theoretically how an organization can make money or save money as a result of the

information they are presenting.

And finally, I would advise that you do not officially graduate if you are returning to school to extend

your student status, if you have not solidified an internship or opportunity that has the potential to turn

into a position. The goal the second time around should not be on completing degree requirements (even

though it is part of the process), the goal the second time around is about securing a position. If you

choose to graduate the second time without a position secured, you have lost all the leverage you had as a

student. Outsiders will not understand why you are delaying your graduation, even with explanation, but

it could turn out to be the key decision you make in ensuring your are able to take advantage of a real

opportunity that could turn into something you truly desire.

Conclusion

By no means am I trying to put a damper on anyone’s parade with this essay. I am a firm believer that we

only get one shot at life and you should clearly do everything within your power to put yourself in

position to experience opportunities you believe are valuable. But you must also come to realize, to break

into the sport industry, with little or few connections, it is a very hard feat to accomplish. The sport

industry job market is saturated, most entry positions involve sales or community relations, and the

changing world around us makes a once achievable professional dream, seem like just that a dream, and

unattainable.

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If you truly want to do this, be willing to put in the work. Do your research, both on industry

professionals and yourself in regards to your professional aspirations and skill sets. Craft multiple

resumes and cover letters when you apply for positions, so you can truly show each hiring manager why

you would be the best person to fill the position, leaving little guess work for them in figuring out what

skills you would bring to the organization.

Help your network out by reminding them who you are and explaining to them in detail how they can

help you. Do not leave it to members of your network to do your dirty work. It is up to you to tell people

what you are looking for professionally and how they can be of assistance to you.

Use technology to your benefit. Get your opinions out there and show people what you know. You spent

hours working on projects to impress your professors, now it is time to impress people who can actually

hire you. Contribute your thoughts in a manner that creates and enhances your professional community so

others can be clear on how you could be asset to them.

And be open to starting over. You may have played by your rules the first time, and you may need to take

a step back and play by the real rules to move forward. And remember that if you have to return to school,

the primary goal is about acquiring a position BEFORE graduation, not after, and you will not graduate

until you solidify an internship or position that has potential for future employment so you can protect and

keep intact your students status for as long as possible.

I hope this has been of value to you. Please feel free to forward me any comments via my website:

www.DrChrystal.com.

© Chrystal Denmark Porter, 2011 College Strategies Books