Posted on 04 December 2011. Tags: applicant tracking system, Cover Letter, CV, INTERVIEW, Keywords, Resume, Resunate, Semantic Intelligence, TSR
CANDIDATES,
Our current focus is in preparing you [And your application materials] for effective application within the Applicant Tracking Systems now used by Sports Industry employers to screen candidate submissions. These systems scan and look for matching KEYWORDS within your Résumé/CV and the job description.
It is critical that you tailor and design your application materials for “each” position (Including the Cover Letter) you intend to apply for. Never create or forward a “standard” Résumé/CV or Cover Letter. Applicant Tracking Systems are designed to help hiring managers analyze a candidates credentials with the criteria listed within the job description. Unqualified applicant submissions are usually discarded.
TSR has partnered with Resunate, a software platform that uses Semantic Intelligence to match the contents of a candidates Résumé/CV to a job description. This helps increase the likelihood that a candidate will receive an interview.
Posted in Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS), Résumé/CV/Cover Letter(s), Students
Posted on 12 September 2011. Tags: applicant, attention, candidacy, candidates, Cover Letter, development, introduce, job description, minimum requirements, pattern, Resume, San Francisco 49ers, Sports Industry, Top Priorities, unqualified
There has been a pattern among Sports Industry candidates noticed over the past months in the development of the Cover Letter (Research comes from the analysis of FREE review services).
Most candidates are using their Cover Letter to repeat information located on the Résumé. This is the wrong approach. Remember what the purpose the Cover Letter serves: to introduce your candidacy to Hiring Managers, forwarding their attention to your Résumé/CV (The 30-second time table). Noticeable repetitive information can be a hindrance to securing the Hiring Manager’s attention, which heavily depends on your content (This is especially true if the information is not related to the employer’s needs).
Always remember that employers are flooded with Résumé/CV submissions (Which is why most are using electronic Applicant Tracking Systems [ATS]).
The Correct Approach in writing a Cover Letter: Address HOW you meet the minimum requirements listed within the job description. Why? This removes your candidacy from the “Unqualified Applicant” submissions.
Steps to help guide your approach:
1st – Study the job description
2nd – Compare the Minimum Requirements to your unique Areas of Expertise
3rd – List employer’s Top Priorities for posting this position (Comes from Step #1)
4th – Address HOW you meet, or are qualified to meet the Top Priorities
5th – Provide examples of related Achievements
Look at this job posting from the San Francisco 49ers organization. Can you tell top priorities or the purpose for listing this position?
Sales & Marketing: Ticket Sales Management
Manager, Ticket Sales & Service – San Francisco 49ers (Santa Clara, CA)
The Manager, Ticket Sales & Service is responsible for managing ticket sales for Candlestick Park, which includes, but is not limited to, the following:
• Supervision over sales staff call campaigns to sell season and group ticket plans
• Strategic development of electronic sales campaigns (e-mail) to support new season ticket and group sales
• Management oversight for customer service matters
• Sales & service records management via Archtics
• Lead generation and data collection
• Personnel management and development, including ongoing training and skills assessment
• Monthly sales contest and commission reporting
• Weekly sales reporting to VP
• Management oversight for weekly ticket sales & service meeting
Primary Responsibilities:
• Supervise daily sales efforts through aggressive outbound phone activity; existing customer referrals; networking events and outside appointments; and, stadium visits
• Monitor daily call activity ensuring volume requirements are being met
• Provide daily reports and activity summaries as outlined by VP
• Provide daily supervisory management of the team’s ticketing database, Archtics, to monitor and organize sales and service activity
• Implement ongoing sales and service training throughout the year, including the use of outside professional services combined with weekly best –practices sessions handled internally
• Play lead-role toward mitigating service-related issues involving season ticket and group accounts
• Establish strong, personal relationships with existing account holders to develop new sales referrals
• Meet all pre-determined activity and sales goals for ticket sales and service
• Identify new lead sources and manage data collection, lead assignment process
• Supervise staffing of sales & service tables during game day and outside events
• Assist VP in the planning and implementation of sales and service business plans and initiatives
• Assist with creative concepts for production of sales and service material/collateral
• Collaborate effectively with all revenue generating departments to achieve organizational sales goals
• Assist with all other sales and service duties, as assigned
Qualifications and Skills:
• 3-5 years of managerial experience involving sales and service with professional sports and entertainment strongly preferred
• The ability to handle multiple projects at one time and provide reports and activity summaries as directed
• Leading by example is a must, including setting the tone for daily activity and accountability toward new ticket sales and customer service
• Experience providing service to season ticket accounts in a management role
• Proven written and presentation skills.
• Extensive experience with the team ticketing database, Archtics.
• Passion for sales, service, and most importantly, leadership
• Strong work ethic and desire to build career in professional sports
• Bilingual a plus
Note: This position was originally posted on the San Francisco 49ers employment site. To ensure that your application is considered for this position, please click here to apply for this job on the San Francisco 49ers employment site.
Posted in Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS), Coaches, Résumé/CV/Cover Letter(s), Students
Posted on 05 September 2011. Tags: applicant tracking system, application, ATS, Cover Letter, CV, database, electronic, Employment, ESPN, FoxSports, human resource management, New Media, recruiter, Resume, Sales, SKY, tailor, TV Production
Applicant Tracking System – a software application that enables the electronic handling of recruitment needs.
Sports Industry candidates are up against a large number of competitors when applying for employment positions. As mentioned on multiple occasions, it is not unusual for an employer to receive over 100 applicants per position, which includes entry-level ticket sales positions.
There is now a new competitor facing today’s job seekers, a competitor which is invisible to the eye and does not attend Sports Industry Career Fairs.
The invisible competitor is called an Applicant Tracking System (ATS): see definition above. Any candidate applying for a position with a large sports organization (Pro-Sports Franchises, ESPN, FoxSports, SKY, etc…NOTE: An ESPN recruiter personally told me they use ATS software for their department) will have their Résumé/CV and Cover Letter immediately forwarded to an electronic database [NOTE: Small Companies are taking advantage of ATS Software as well].
Once in the database, HR managers and hiring personnel use various methods (Depends on the features of their unique ATS system) to “screen” potential candidates. Features for tracking candidates include location, experience, level of education, academic achievements, and years of employment within an individual sector. The ATS systems main purpose is to provide an easier method of finding “qualified” employees. Long gone are the days of sorting through hundreds of Résumés and CV’s of unqualified candidates.
As a candidate, your job is to figure out the best method in having your application materials appear visible. Going forward, it is probably best to have your Résumé and CV designed for a specific position. Each employer will have certain criteria they look for when selecting candidates for an interview. Most of the criteria will be contained within the job description. Therefore, tailor your Résumé/CV for each individual position you apply for. If the ATS system allows the submission of one Résumé/CV, then design for a “specific department” (Ex. Sales, TV Production, New Media, etc….).
Be prepared for the new era in Human Resource Recruitment! -TSR Staff
Employment Position: Account Executive
Employer: National Football League (NFL)
Posted in Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS), Résumé/CV/Cover Letter(s), Students
Posted on 05 July 2011. Tags: candidate, career planning, Cincinnati Reds, Cover Letter, CV, difficult, invest, multiple, position, resources, Resume, The Student Package, ticket sales
For those on the bubble as to whether an investment in Career Planning is worth the money.
-TSR staff
This message is for those Sports-Industry candidates that are hesitant to invest resources necessary to help realize their goals (Disclaimer: This is part sales pitch as well).
Securing employment in the Sports Industry is very difficult. The difficulty is in competing with the number of available candidates per position (In some cases, 500/position).
Pro-Sports Franchise(s)
Those seeking an opportunity with professional sports franchises will “probably” start in the ticket sales department. These positions usually have a starting salary of between $20,000 – $25,000 annually.
1% of $20,000, the lowest starting salary, is $200 (Which does not include bonuses. Do the Math). Our lowest Résumé/CV development price is $100, which is part of The Student Package and includes a Cover Letter. The average development price is $145.
Be smart in your approach. Your initial investment will be recouped within the first two months on the job. Don’t waste time and money applying to multiple positions over and over again. This is similar to “rolling the dice,” hoping you hit a lucky number (In this case, being granted an interview by applying to as many positions as possible). Using this method will eventually land your candidacy in the “Unqualified Candidate” submission pile.
EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY: Cincinnati Reds, Inside Sales Representative
Posted in Coaches, Résumé/CV/Cover Letter(s), Students
