An internship should be used for more than a “marketing” tool on your Résumé. -TSR Staff

The services and products of TSR are designed to help all Sports Industry candidates secure an INTERVIEW with an employer (Students, Mid-level, Executive candidates). Many job openings require some type of experience. Such experience is gained through either former employment positions or internships.

Working as an intern can be a very rewarding experience. You receive a first-hand look at the various operations of an organization.

COLLEGE STUDENTS:

When seeking an internship with a Sports-Industry employer, use the opportunity as the 1st step in developing your “career” and not just as a Marketing tool, showing some type of temporary connection with an employer.

When interviewing, ask the employer whether the position has the potential for a permanent position (Upon Graduation). Has this internship led to permanent placement in the past?

POST-INTERVIEW:

Learn what types of Benchmarks and Achievements would represent a “successful” employee at the position. Try to establish some types of Benchmarks during the Internship term. Ask for additional responsibilities, and more important, management feedback.

Many employers attempt to use interns for the lower-level responsibilities (Ex. Administrative duties, etc….). You want to do more than greet people and deliver documents. Keep a journal of your daily tasks. Display any format of “growth” leading from day-to-day. At the end of the term, create a graph with the information. The graph (or chart) would display forward-moving progress within a certain time period. You would then transfer this information to your Résumé.

Get everything you can out of your internship opportunity. -George, TSR writer

INTERNSHIP: BigTen Network (Marketing)

The TSR staff has been questioning the value of Sports Management programs, especially those at the Graduate level. The required course curriculum for these programs mirror that of other disciplines including Marketing, Management, Finance, Mass Communications, and Economics. The issue is whether this degree is useful outside of the sports and/or necessary to secure employment within the Sports Industry.

A  Juris Doctor (Law Degree) is valuable within and outside of sports. The same holds true for a degree in Marketing, Finance, etc… These disciplines have diverse curriculums where they are not “focused and concentrated” on one specific industry, which is the opposite of for example a MS in Sports Management.

Analyzing the jobs located on ESPN.com and TeamWorkOnline.com result in a small percentage of employers requiring candidates to possess either an undergraduate or graduate degree in Sports Business/Management. This leads to our conclusion that Sports Job-seekers without a degree in this field is not at a disadvantage to their counterparts.

Sports is part of the Entertainment industry. This means that there will be an unlimited need for selling and marketing in order to be successful (outside of winning games). Selling or the “Art of Selling” is not something that can be taught in the classroom. A good salesman learns from experience and by studying/focusing on the traits of potential customers.

Another point is that many schools offering this degree promote the fact their students and graduates have retained internship placements with relevant sports industry employers. However, this can also be done at the undergraduate level where many universities have student societies and clubs with a focus in Sports Management and Marketing. The student-operated organizations provide Career and Networking Fairs for its members on campus and encourage its members to attend off-campus Sports Industry functions as well (The purpose is to Network with industry executives with the hope of landing either a job or internship). If this can be done at the undergraduate level, what would be the purpose of pursuing such a unique degree at the graduate level?

If you one possess a Sports Business/Management graduate level diploma, we do not write this to question your decision. We only question whether this program adds VALUE to the marketability of your career prospects either within or outside of the Sports Industry.  The purpose of enrolling in school and selecting a particular major is to get employment in a certain field upon graduation. Where is the benefit in a situation when the goal and the experience required to reach this goal are not parallel?

NOTE: The TSR staff does not attempt to discredit the overall relevance of a Sports Business/Management degree. We only intend to show that this discipline “may” not be a necessary tool when seeking employment opportunities in the Sports Industry.

Obviously both terms have some significance to be listed here.

We illustrate the terms Sales and Marketing  specifically for those seeking opportunities with a Professional Sports Franchise. An analysis of job descriptions show a teams need for those with Sales and Marketing experience (either or both). This is because the majority of a pro-sports teams revenues are generated from ticket and suite sales, suite rentals, and sponsorships.

If you have no experience in the sale of these products, no worry. The question is whether there is any sales experience in your background. This includes the sale of any product or service.

EXAMPLES:

Telemarketing: Phone Service, Credit Insurance, Postage Meters, etc…

Insurance: Life, Health, Annuities 

Investment Products: Mutual Funds, Stocks, Bank Accounts

Retail: Sale of Men’s/Women’s clothing, Electronics

Experience with Sales in any of these products qualifies you for a job with a sports franchise.

MARKETING: Your experience in Marketing lies in the sales pitch and approach to potential customers. Now, usually every organization has some standard sales pitch new hires are to use and abide by. This includes statements coaching you as to how to introduce the product. After the initial customer contact, good salesman usually adjust and tailor each sales pitch based on customer comments and responses. These adjustments illustrate a salesman’s ability to market the product.

If you were able to “close the deal” then you are great at marketing (Sales also).

Be sure to list any experiences involving the sale of a product or service on your Resume/CV, regardless of the nature of the product.

Coming Soon, Results v. Achievements………………