So you want to work in the sports industry...and you’re trying to break in with an internship.
Well get in line my friend!
This is the number one topic I get emailed about.
And the sports industry is super competitive.
However, I successfully landed 4 different internships in sports while I was in college
so I happen to know a thing or two about getting your foot in the door.
If I did it, you can do it too.
In this video I am sharing some of my top strategies on how I landed internships with
the Chicago Bulls, the prominent sports agency Priority Sports and Ohio State athletics.
Hey there!
I'm Jenna Rein, from theinternhustle.com, and this is Initiative Muscle Monday.
Helping you to start each week with an intentional step toward a successful future.
Let's do this!
I get emails from students all the time asking how they can work their way into various sports
internships.
Obviously, you need to apply to positions, apply on time, and apply a lot.
But sometimes just sending in an application doesn’t cut it...Actually, most of the time
it doesn't cut it.
You get lost in a sea of applications.
You need a better strategy.
Out of the strategies that I’m sharing with you today, some have worked for me personally
in the past, and others I’ve observed working well for others over the years.
If you apply just a few of these strategies, represent yourself in a polished way, and
are persistent, you’re bound to land an internship in sports sooner or later.
It only takes one yes, one open door to get you going.
Strategy #1: Attend sports industry conferences and networking events.
You would be surprised how many events are going on in cities everywhere, and all it
takes is a little bit of time with your Google search bar to find out about them.
Google things like Sports Conferences + the Year that you're looking up, or Sports Networking
Events Near Me.
You will get results for a number of different opportunities.
And if you have a track within the sports industry that you are interested in (so sports
marketing, or the NBA, or maybe even a specific team), you can include those details in your
search as well and see what events are going on that are more tailored to your specific
career goals.
Some events are free, and some are paid.
But just remember, that a little investment up front doesn’t hurt.
Spending a little money to to attend an event shows people that you are taking it seriously.
It sets you apart from all the other people that are also trying to throw their hat in
the ring for an internship.
And when you invest in your own future, you're going to take it a little bit more seriously
as well.
I’m not saying you always have to do paid events, but every once in awhile, it can’t
hurt.
Training and certification events apply here as well.
The introductory connection that I had into the Chicago Bulls was someone that I met at
a weekend certification course with USA Weightlifting.
Not only did I build up my resume with a new certification in my field of interest, but
I made an extremely valuable connection.
Always be networking and asking questions of the person that you meet.
Had I not shown a genuine interest in other people while I was at this certification course,
I never would have made that connection into the Chicago Bulls.
Strategy #2: Look for opportunities on your campus.
This is especially relevant if you are a student at a school with a large and active athletic
department.
Like me, I went to Ohio State -- there are tons of opportunities to gain incredible sports
industry experience at a school like Ohio State.
Being an exercise science major, I spent an entire quarter as an intern with Ohio State’s
Strength & Conditioning Department.
I got to work directly with the coaches and athletes for one of the largest athletic departments
in the world.
Talk about exposure and building a network!
You can start by looking up opportunities within your school’s athletic department.
And if your school has a sports management degree, or something along those lines, you
can reach out to professors within that department and get their recommendations on potential
opportunities.
You never know who they may know or who they may be connected to, or what former student
of theirs might be working in your dream sports job right now.
Schools like to help out their own students, especially when it comes to helping them maximize
their education with some professional experience.
I encourage you to look into it if your school has a strong sports culture.
Strategy #3: Work or volunteer at big sporting events in your area.
This is seasonal by sport, but there are typically big sporting events all over, all the time.
Think NCAA March Madness and how many cities that impacts each year for both men’s and
women’s basketball.
Or how much the Superbowl takes over a city for weeks leading up to the big event.
There are so many opportunities to get involved.
Some are paid, but for sure a lot of volunteer.
And unpaid, volunteer positions are OK in my book.
Remember, you are trying to get experience to add to your resume, you're trying to get
insider insights into the industry, and you're trying to expand your network and open up
future doors.
Plus, who cares if it is unpaid -- how cool would it be to volunteer for March Madness
or the Superbowl?!?
Keep a pulse on events coming to your area by doing your google searches and checking
league websites.
Many of the big events post their future locations 3-5 years in advance.
For example, in 2016 the NFL announced the Superbowl cities all the way through the year
2021.
As soon as you know about an event, jump on it.
Look up what kind of positions they are posting and start applying as soon as possible.
Strategy #4: Get involved on social media.
You’ve probably heard stories of people tweeting companies about an internship or
a job and getting hired.
It’s true, this does happen every once in awhile.
But it doesn’t just happen.
These people have strategically spent their time interacting with organizations and thought
leaders online.
They comment on their posts, they share articles and their own perspectives on things that
are happening in the industry, and generally they have the social proof to back up just
how passionate they are about getting into this career field.
That is why people land an internship or job through social media.
They’ve spent time building up their credibility.
So, if you’re really passionate about a certain aspect of the sports industry, I encourage
you to start getting involved online.
Join the conversation.
Make sure that you have a professional profile and presence on the internet, and then share
relevant information with your network, connect with others within the industry and start
building those connections.
You never know who you could run into at a future in-person event down the line.
And they will be much more open to talking to you (someone that they recognize from the
online world), than one of your peers who they’ve never heard of or interacted with
before.
And of course LinkedIn is a great place to connect with others within the industry.
At the very least it is a great place to research people within the industry.
You can join sports groups, you can look up people and learn about their career path and
how they got to the position you hope to be in some day.
LinkedIn is also a great place for you to follow up with people after submitting an
application.
If you can find the internship director, the Human Resources team member, or just the general
person who's in charge of the internship program, you can send them a connection request on
LinkedIn with a personalized note that lets them know you just submitted an application
to intern with their company.
If you’re looking for connection request templates and best practices on LinkedIn,
you can sign up for my free training at theinternhustle.com/linkedin.
I’ll share the link in the description below this video as well.
It’s a free training and it’s specifically designed to help college students, just like
you, optimize LinkedIn.
I highly encourage you to check it out.
Strategy #5: Make cold calls and emails.
Yep, the exact thing that you’re probably avoiding because it is uncomfortable.
You’re not wrong, it is super uncomfortable.
And that’s exactly why most people don’t do it.
Which is also why most people never work their way into the sports industry.
They follow the general application process and just hope for the best.
One of my favorite entrepreneurs, Rachel Hollis, says it best.
Hope is not a strategy.
You need to take action if you want something.
I am living proof that cold calls (and multiple cold calls, at that) can get you in the door.
It worked for two of my sports internships.
But the doors didn’t open that easy, I had to put my fear aside and be persistent.
So consider me your coach, right this second, pumping you up in your corner -- you need
to get over yourself and make the call.
Or send the email.
Better yet, do both!
Let’s go!
Put on your big boy or big girl pants and take control of your future.
Finally, I want to leave you with a few reminders to help in your pursuit of a sports internship.
Don’t be too good to start small.
Everyone starts somewhere.
So if that means you start with a minor league team, or a department that you’re not super
interested in, or you’re making those daily coffee runs -- deal with it.
Do your job well, treat everyone with kindness and respect and people will notice.
Think outside of the box.
A sports internship doesn’t always have to be with a team, or a sports agency.
The league offices and the players associations also offer amazing opportunities.
So do sports networks like ESPN, or organizations like the US Olympic Committee, and apparel
companies like Nike.
And many professional athletes have formed their own non-profits.
There are so many options out there, and just because you start down one path doesn’t
mean you have to stay there.
Remember, it is your way into the industry, and what you do with it from there is up to
you and how well you build your network.
Exhaust your online resources.
Going straight to the source is always best, but there are a number of job sites out there
that will aggregate opportunities you can apply for.
They will help cut down your search, just a little bit.
Industry specific sites like workinsports.com, jobsinsports.com, and teamworkonline.com,
they all exist to make your life a little easier.
Understand industry timelines.
This is a lesson that I learned the hard way.
I was so excited to apply for opportunities and get an internship in sports that I didn’t
do enough research up front.
Put yourself in the best position to get a yes, by knowing what times of year are best
to apply, cold call, and send your follow-up emails.
This varies by sport and industry segment, but I can tell you from experience -- don’t
call a NBA sports agent in the middle of NBA Free Agency.
Get your story straight.
A lot of people want to work in sports.
It’s a sexy industry.
But why do you want to work in sports?
What part of the industry excites you the most.
How have you been taking steps to prepare yourself for a future in this industry?
Know your why and be authentic, this will help you stand out amongst all of the others.
So was all of that helpful?
Do you feel a little more educated heading into your internship search now?
I hope so.
Let's keep the conversation going in the comments below.
What’s working and what’s not working for you as you pursue a career in sports?
Let me know.
And if you’re looking for even more help with your internship journey, I have an online
program called The Course that walks you through it all.
I teach you how to 1) Polish your personal brand (so think resume, LinkedIn profile,
cover letters, references), 2) Secure the internship (how to find the right opportunities
and interview well), 3) Operate like a pro (learn the professional skills that you need
to succeed at your internship), and 4) Close the loop (converting your internship experience
into a stronger network, and future opportunities).
This entire training program is online, and it's complete with video lessons, action guides
and group coaching from me.
You can sign up for the waitlist to be notified of the next time I open The Course doors for
enrollment, by heading over to theinternhustle.com/course or click the link in the description below
in order to sign up.
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In support of your hustle...see you next Monday!