Experience is Critical

Wondering how to get noticed by potential employers and beat out your competition? Experience! Relevant sports experience is critical for future success. I've always been encouraged to get involved with as much as I can...learn what there is around you and try to get involved. You can volunteer at a local sporting event, help out in your university's athletic department, talk to your advisors, peers, and mentors about upcoming events or other opportunities. Not only will it set you apart from your competition, but it will also expose you to various pieces of the sporting industry - applying what you learn in the classroom to real live events.

When applying for jobs and internships, the goal is to ultimately get your resume from the middle of the stack to the very top. Experience will get it there. Over the past 7 years since I entered the "sports business world" I've had the fortunate opportunities to be involved in some major events and organizations such as Disney's Wide World of Sports, the New York Road Runners and the ING New York City Marathon, the Grand Opening of the Basketball Hall of Fame, Event Marketing and Management International (Orlando, FL), Springfield College and Ohio University Athletics, Crocs AVP Beach Volleyball Tour, among many others. I served various roles in each of these events, from handing out water cups, to picking up trash, to distributing promotional items, but each was just as important as the next in order to get me where I am today. You've got to understand every piece before you can expect to know it all.

There are countless opportunities to get involved in your local community or school. Sometimes all you have to do is ask. Ask your coaches, professors, friends, mentors, or even check out opportunities online - Craigslist.com and even Google. It's a great way to earn extra cash or help out a good cause while gaining the experience that will put you a step ahead of the rest!