Jobs, NFL

Gettin A Job…

With the college semester about to start, we thought we would take a second, triggered by a piece in today’s Wall Street Journal on new NFL CFO Anthony Notto and how his diverse financial background landed him a high level job at the league, to touch upon the job market, especially at the entry level, and offer up some ideas from what people are asking for and seeing out there.   Right now the entry level space in the sport, especially for those with a wide variety of talents, is very vast.  Here are just some tips…   

1- Diversify your background and interests:  Yesterday I attended the University of Oregon’s  Warsaw Sports Marketing Center  lunch in New York, and sitting with a group of industry veterans, was blown away by the diversity of backgrounds that the students had.  Classes in finance, web design, market research, advanced mathematics, customer service etc.  are all important pieces to have “on call” when looking to get involved in the field these days, as you never know which element will help get you in the door.  The more hats you can wear, the better.

2- Write and Take Good Notes:  The digital age, as I sit here doing this blog, has given everyone an entree to learn and improve writing skills, a tool which is helpful in any field, but in sports PR and marketing, was a lost art and is one that is rising again.  Take the time to read and to write, and to feature those skills.

3- Pick Up A  Language:  The amount of positions, especially in an Olympic or World Cup year, for people who are bilingual, or who at least have a strong understanding of a second language, is growing faster than the job market.  Using free time or extra classes to learn the basis of a language, especially on a conversational level, will be a huge payoff. 

4- It’s Who You Know:   Networking remains the key, and access to tools like LinkedIn and Facebook as networking tools are very important.  Now we are not saying to spam every person you can find on either site, but taking the time to write notes, ask questions and followup an initial contact is very valuable and will help put you ahead. 

5- Interning and Volunteering:  One page of the site has lists of volunteer opportunities, and the combination of interning and volunteering in a wide variety of departments and areas of the business will not only make you more well rounded, but will also show you what you might NOT want to do.  Taking the time to treat an internship or a volunteer experience as a job and not just a requirement will make the experience that much more rewarding.  Never forget all above you have been there, and putting in that extra time usually pays off.  Also, for those in a college or high school setting, take advantage of the tools at the school.  Write for the paper, volunteer in the athletic department or SID office, ask questions about the school marketing or fundrasing programs, and work at the radio station.  That type of “free” experience comes at a premium once you become an alumnus.

We hope that helps.  Feel free to email any additional quetions or thoughts to us and we will get them answered.  Back to best practices tomorrow.