This week we decided to switch things up! One of my great friends, Sumedha Shrestha, is going to talk about her perspective working in sports and the advice she has for people trying to get into the industry. Meanwhile, I'll be writing a post on her amazing blog about my own experience and advice. Make sure you take a look at my post after your finished here so you can get all the tea on all things sports world!
Hey Buff Nation!
My name is Sumedha, and I am so excited to be guest blogging this week for my close friend Cassidy Davis. I have my own blog called Learn To Sports where I provide beginner friendly information on “how to sports.” Cassidy will be guest blogging for me there this week. Make sure to check it out after reading this blog!
Now let's get into the important stuff. I have known Cassidy for 3 years, and we have gone through a lot together. This includes where we have worked and what we have done career wise. I have learned so much from Cassidy, and she has helped me through my career too. So, I thought it would be fun to provide you all with some fun and helpful information and tips when wanting to work in professional sports. I have experience working in careers outside of sports and within sports too. I have worked for professional teams like the Colorado Eagles, Colorado Avalanche, Denver Nuggets, and Colorado Mammoth.
The Ultimate Guide
Tip #1: Gain Experience!!
I can not say this enough but any experience is good experience. For example, before I worked for my first professional team (Colorado Eagles) I did an internship with a construction company. While working there, I definitely realized I did not want to work for a construction company, but I also gained important experience and skills that I still carry with me.
The sports industry has a lot of different career paths that you can choose from. So if you are given the opportunity to work for a department that you may not like, still give it a try. Even if you do not enjoy it or maybe you will but either way you will meet so many people, gain important experience, and maybe learn what you do want to do in sports instead.
Tip #2: Apply! Apply! Apply!
Fair warning: A majority of the places you apply to will not get back to you, but do not give up. If just one job responds back that could lead you to opportunities you may not even know yet. I applied to so many sports positions before the Eagles reached out to me. Even though that was an unpaid internship, and I had to commute 1 hour to the stadium it was the best decision I ever made. Working for the Eagles allowed me to connect with other departments easily and taught me how to work in a fast paced environment. It also ultimately led me to my internship with Kroenke Sports & Entertainment (KSE). I got the opportunity to work for the Colorado Avalanche, Denver Nuggets, and Colorado Mammoth. So it is a lot of hard work and dedication to work in sports, but I promise it is worth it.
Some sites that post about open positions in sports that I use are Teamworkonline, LinkedIn, and Indeed!
Tip #3: Networking is key.
Meeting and talking with new people is always scary, but that person you are speaking to could lead you to your next job. Working in sports is very competitive and just knowing people is an advantage. So, I recommend using LinkedIn to connect and network with others. If you see someone who is working a cool job in sports that you want to learn more about, connect with them and shoot them a quick message about who you are and ask them what exactly they do. I bet 90% of the time you will receive a message back, and that 10% that you do not is okay because you still put yourself out there and showed interest.
I would also recommend that you attend career fairs or events that will have people that you can network with. It is always better to connect with people in person, and I know a lot of sports teams hold career fairs and events open to the public. I attended one that was for the Avalanche, Nuggets, Rapids, Broncos, etc. and I was able to meet so many people with experience. So, if I were to apply for a job there I could quickly reach out to them, and ask if they have any advice for me.
Tip #4: Standout!
A good resume is vital in determining if you are a good fit for a job or not. It is basically the first impression the company is getting of you. So make sure it is organized, professional, and highlights who you are.
Portfolios are an amazing tool that can help you stand out from the other candidates. For example, when I was interviewing for my internship with KSE, the interviewers mentioned how they loved my portfolio and that stood out to them. A portfolio is where you can really brag about your relevant experiences, projects, skills, and accomplishments. There are so many different sites that can guide you on how to build a standout portfolio. I personally love and would recommend using Wix to start building your portfolio.
Tip #5: You do not have to know how a sport works to work in sports.
A lot of people think that in order to work in sports you need to have knowledge about the rules of the sports, however this is false. Now this depends a lot on what type of career you want in sports, but there are positions that do not require you to have knowledge about the game play. Obviously, if you want to be a coach you may want to read the Learn To Sports blog before interviewing for that position.
Conclusion
Remember working in sports is competitive, and a lot of people seek to work in this industry. So do not get discouraged and give up because if you gain experience, apply, network, and build a resume and portfolio it will happen for you. If you have any more questions or just want to network with me please feel free to! This is my LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/sumedhashrestha/
Also here is the link to my blog, Learn To Sports, X, and TikTok!
Remember to check out what Cassidy wrote about on my blog because I can assure you that it is amazing!
Works Cited
All images were taken by Sumedha
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