Last week, I shared advice f\to new graduates from six sports business professionals about how to get a sports business career off on the right foot (see "Getting Your Sports Business Career off to a Great Start: Tips for Standing Out"). Their advice was spot on as the industry pros encouraged new graduates to connect with other professionals to build a network, do the extra tasks that often no one else wants to do, and be passionate about your work.
In this post, I share their reponses to the following question about career preparation:
What is one thing that you know now that you wished you would have known when you began your sports business career?
Their viewpoints shared three themes: selling, connecting (a recurring theme from the last post), and preparing. New graduates and students still in school preparing for their professional careers would be well served to take the following advice.
Sell
When I started working in
sports I avoided the sales aspect of the business as much as I could. Over the
years I have come to learn that the best opportunities and the most
opportunities are in sales.
Brandon Vonderharr, Partner, Alliance Sports Marketing
I wish I would have known how important it is to be able to
“sell” yourself, whether it is a job interview or not and no matter what
profession you are in. A big part of success is building relationships with the
right people, so if you are able to properly express who you are or why you are
the best person to get a job, it will go a LONG way. This continues to be
important for me even beyond landing my job and I feel that if I had a better
grasp on this pre-graduation I would have been better set up.
Eric Yost, Corporate Account Manager, Sacramento Kings
Connect
I wish I connected with more
people at the beginning, because in sports a lot of people move on to another
job or other careers and you can build on that. I have worked with many people
in my 5 year career period and I probably connect with 15% of them still
through social media and other sources. If I started again, I would start an
Excel file and put in Name, Phone, Email address and make a point to touch base
with them once a year to stay in touch.....being in sports it is always nice to
go visit a friend and see a game for FREE since that person works there.
Mickey Hock, Supervisor of Ticket Sales, Nashville Predators
I wish that I would have volunteered more at local sporting
events, for example local golf tournaments, NASCAR, tennis, conference
tournaments, and attend more conferences that the sporting world hosts (this
one is tough as they are sometimes very expensive to attend). It is all
about meeting people and staying in touch with those people.
Jason Capel, Regional Manager, Learfield Sports
Prepare
What is the key for a
successful job interview? I really believe it is all about CONNECTION! Just
like finding a date. It’s the ability to connect. It’s in your look. Your eyes
and how you smile. Resumes, sometimes, are not the most important. It’s that
MOMENT of contact. Even your handshake can be a difference maker! How you
answer questions – be truthful. Come PREPARED – YOU HAVE TO SHOW THAT YOU WANT
THE JOB! I, for one, want charismatic people who can SMILE, shows a
professional and maturity. I love people with a CAN DO attitude. Most companies
are looking at the make-up of the person and how they see this individual
fitting in with others. If they sense a spark, more than not, the employer is
going to teach you their way of doing things.
WHAT CAN KILL YOUR JOB CHANCES? According to a recent CareerBuilder survey, they said that your body language is what can mostly hurt your chances of landing a job, especially a lack of eye contact. This survey involved more than 2,500 hiring managers and 67% said that failure to make eye contact would make them less likely to hire a job candidate.
Other non-verbals cited as negative included the following:
* Lack of smile – 38%
* Fidgeting too much – 33%
* Bad posture – 33%
* Handshake that is too weak – 26%
* Crossing arms over their chest – 21%
* Playing with their hair or touching their face – 21%
* Using too many hand gestures – 9%
WHAT CAN KILL YOUR JOB CHANCES? According to a recent CareerBuilder survey, they said that your body language is what can mostly hurt your chances of landing a job, especially a lack of eye contact. This survey involved more than 2,500 hiring managers and 67% said that failure to make eye contact would make them less likely to hire a job candidate.
Other non-verbals cited as negative included the following:
* Lack of smile – 38%
* Fidgeting too much – 33%
* Bad posture – 33%
* Handshake that is too weak – 26%
* Crossing arms over their chest – 21%
* Playing with their hair or touching their face – 21%
* Using too many hand gestures – 9%
Jim Loria, Director of Corporate Sales, Sioux Falls Storm Football
I would tell a new graduate
looking to work in sports to be flexible. I have heard it been said that
opportunities are rarely perfect, but they often do not present themselves a
second time. Do not hold out for a job with your favorite team. First, get the
best job you can at the time, do your best at it, and continue to learn and get
better at what you do every day. That way, when your dream job comes open, you
will be ready to take it.
Mac Maddox, Manager of Group
& Season Ticket Sales, Oklahoma City Thunder
It's Time
Class of 2015- It's now your time to make your mark in the industry you have chosen by selling connecting, and preparing. The advice shared by Brandon, Eric, Mickey, Jason, Jim, and Mac in the two-part series on starting your career is a useful guide for any early career professional. Thank you again to these six pros for giving back to the newest sports marketers by giving their perspective on career launch and management.
