“Sports, it’s more than just excitement and fun. There is a business component involved.”

TSR Staff

This is written to assist those at the final step of the hiring process, the interview. During the interview, expect the interviewer to ask questions where the answers are found in your Resume/CV. At the conclusion of the interview comes the popular closing query, “Do you have any questions for us?”

To stand out amongst the other interviewees, your competition, take the interview to a place the interviewer would not expect you to go. Appear to be more than just a thrill-seeker looking to work in the glamorized Sports Industry. Interviewers are aware of the great demand for the employment opportunities their companies promote to the general public. This means that you have to be exceptional and be unique.

Know more about the position than the words posted in the job description. Understand the “health” or “sickness” of the industry the company is grouped in. Be familiar with the competitors, their products, and how they operate. Do you have ideas for a Mobile solution the company can undertake? Use your creative mind to suggest products and services the company should offer in the near future. If you come prepared to discuss that above then you will show your potential employer an awareness of INDUSTRY KNOWLEDGE.

Industry Knowledge is critical. Most employees are now expected to add more to their positions and the company than that contained in the job description. The depth of knowledge of its employees is extremely important to the growth and survival of a company. It allows the company to time trends in the market and successfully adapt. 

Extensive knowledge of the industry will also allow you to control the interview. Your grasp of Industry Knowledge should make your Resume/CV will rise to the top of the competitive pile. However, remember not to come across as arrogant but insightful.

The best source of the business side of the Sports Industry (Industry Knowledge) is the Street & Smith’s Sports Business Journal. This magazine is published weekly. It provides in depth analysis of Labor, Sponsorships, Finance, and other issues related to the business side of the Sports Industry.  Use this publication to add to the Value proposition you will provide during the interview.

-noun.  a word or phrase, often sounding authoritative or technical, that is a vogue term in a particular profession, field of study, popular culture, etc.

Random House Dictionary

Buzzwords are very important for today’s Sports Job seeker. With the proliferation of Sports employment websites, the shortage of opportunities, and the large number of applicants, having the appropriate Buzzwords on the resume will provide a needed advantage.

Online employment databases contain hundreds, if not thousands of resumes. With such large numbers, hiring managers use electronic scanning methods to locate the resume containing the most “relevant” terminology applicable for the particular job opening. The resumes containing the greatest number of relevant words and terms will receive the most attention. Relevant words and terms include but are not limited to the Undergraduate Major/Minor course of study. 

Your duty as a job candidate is to read and analyze the job description and tailor the resume accordingly. Anyone reading this blog story should know what a synonym is. If the job description contains terms not specifically listed on your resume but having similar meanings, then make the necessary adjustments on the resume. 

Look at a few BUZZWORDS one could use for this position:

INSIDE SALES REPRESENTATIVE (Ticket Sales) - Cold Calling, Prospecting, Customer Sales/Service, Communication and Interpersonal skills, Attention to detail, Proactive, Negotiating, Presentation skills, Industry knowledge, Flexibility (work hours), New Business (ability to generate new business), Multi-task, Up-sell, Cross-sell, Sales goals (monthly, weekly).