Leaving your Mark: Be Thankful in Your Sports Career Pursuits

One of my esteemed blog colleagues, Kevin Rossi, wrote a piece in 2012 titled “Under Further Review: Saying Thank You”.  While I don’t want to reinvent the wheel, I can’t help but revisit the topic of being grateful in your career (and during college) with Thanksgiving less than a week away.  While you should absolutely thank your family and friends, do not forget about that person that you interviewed with or met with at a networking event or career fair.  Don’t forget to thank your clients/customers or prospective clients/customers.  Be sure to express your appreciation to the professor or advisor that as provided advice and mentorship.  These minor gestures of appreciation go a long way in building and maintaining professional, and sometimes personal, relationships.  In the “Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon” sports industry that we are all in, this aspect is especially crucial.

Leaving Your Mark: For Reid, Sports Professionals, a Change of Scenery is a Good Thing

Andy Reid and the Kansas City Chiefs remain undefeated halfway through the NFL season after going 2-14 in 2012. To say that this is a shocking development would be putting it mildly…especially if you are a fan of the Philadelphia Eagles. While we certainly didn’t run Reid out of town, most of us, including Reid, knew it was time to move on. And boy has the change of scenery worked out well! (Arguably for both Reid and the Eagles.)

Leaving your Mark: Work with others to achieve your goals

By: Mark Gress

As part of the Sport Management 601 graduate class that I teach at Drexel, I recently invited a guest speaker named Matt Crevin to “visit” class via Skype. Matt has spent the last 20+ years working in the Public Relations Department for the San Francisco 49ers. For most of that time, he has served as the Public Address Announcer. In addition, he has also held positions at FedEx and Microsoft. His most recent ventures include authoring a book titled, “Get in the Game”, as well as running a sports consulting company called Voice of the Box.

Leaving Your Mark: Post Co-op tips

All too often, faculty, staff, academic advisors, co-op coordinators, and I emphasize what you should do as you start your six-month "ultimate internship." We talk about asking questions, introducing yourself to your bosses and co-workers, being punctual, dressing professionally, etc. However, we may not spend enough time evaluating what you have learned from your recently completed co-op (an applying this to the classroom), reflecting on the experience, and transitioning back to the classroom. Here are some reminders:

Leaving Your Mark: NFL Roster Cuts and Your Sports Career

The final NFL roster cuts are right around the corner as teams must get down to their 53 man rosters by Saturday, August 31 at 9pm EST.  Players learn of their fate throughout the day today and tomorrow after all of the off-season work that they put into it including OTAs, camps, and pre-season games.  Some will get the axe (pun intended) and continue to pursue their dream while others will give up and move on with their lives.  As it pertains to you, the reader, and your career in the sports industry, let’s look at this from the perspective of those players who want to keep the dream alive.

Leaving Your Mark: Drexel Sport Management Residency Week

Earlier this week, I was asked to speak at Drexel’s Sport Management Residency Week and provide advice and guidance to graduate students.  While this impressive group of students did not need much from me in terms of tips and pointers, my hope is that there was at least one takeaway from the presentation.

Leaving Your Mark: Search Firms Filling Head Coaching Vacancies

In a few different posts on this blog over the years, I have referenced recruiters and search firms in the sports and entertainment industry.  As some of you know, I worked at Turnkey Sports and Entertainment as a Senior Execuitive Recruiter for three years.  I completed searches from the Director-level up to C-level in the four major sports, MLS, motorsports, and collegiate marketing properties.  All of these positions were on the "business" side with no direct tie-in to the field or court.  

 

Leaving Your Mark: The British Open and Your Career

The British Open (a.k.a. The Open Championship) is one of my favorite major golf tournaments.  There it is.  I said it.  Sure, I love The Master’s and The U.S. Open as much as the next red-blooded American, but The British Open is unique.  Not only because of the types of courses the tournament is played on (links) but because of the conditions (rain, wind) and the trophy that is awarded to the winner (Claret Jug).  My only complaint is the time difference and how/when it is broadcasted- do you know how hard it is to watch The British Open and work at the same time?  But I digress…

Leaving Your Mark: Careers in Golf

In honor of the U.S. Open coming to Merion, I wanted to present both the types of golf organizations and the roles that exist as you consider non-big 4 team sports career opportunities.  The following list of “golf” organizations is a fairly loose interpretation in a sense that I also include equipment and apparel companies, retail organizations, and a TV network.  Additionally, the “roles” might not apply to every organization and might be unique to one or two of those listed.  Neither list is entirely complete or inclusive.

Leaving Your Mark: Finding a Mentor in the Sports Industry

Over the years, I have periodically suggested that college students should seek out mentors or industry professionals for advice, guidance, and more or less an objective point of view from a third party (read: not your mom, dad, brother, sister, etc.).  This can be done in the form of informational interviews or simply developing a relationship through meetings, emails, phone calls and the like.  While I hope that I have been able to do this for some students and alumni of Drexel’s Sport Management program over the years, I am modest enough to know my limitations and when to bring in other “experts” to provide support.

Co-Op Confidential: Tips As You Near The Halfway Point

Congratulations!  You have landed a Co-op.  All of the hard work of writing your resume, searching job boards, sending in applications, and going through the interview process has paid off and you have at least landed a job in your field if not a dream position for your favorite team or sport.  Done and done…right?  As Lee Corso would say, “Not so fast, my friend!”

Leaving Your Mark: Your Career in NFL Draft Terminology

For the last few days, weeks, and months, the so-called experts (Mel Kiper, Todd McShay), coaches, general managers, and scouts were evaluating talent for the NFL Draft.   You would hear words and phrases like “solid measurables/intangibles”, “has good tape/film”, “value”, “huge upside”, “sleeper/stock is rising”, “bust”, and “Mr. Irrelevant”.

The Masters: What Augusta Can Teach Job Seekers

As an avid fan of the game of golf and an average player myself, I love Masters weekend.  The Masters is the first major of the PGA golf season where the best players in the world come together to play for the green jacket.  Winning this tournament puts you into a class of players that includes the likes of Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson, Jack Nicklaus, Gary Player, and Arnold Palmer, among many greats.  Part of the allure of the Masters is the course it is played on - Augusta National.  The course is as beautiful as it is challenging.  Unlike the other three major tournaments with different locations each year, Augusta National is the only course to hold the Masters.  

Leaving Your Mark: Career Development Bracket

With Selection Sunday capping off the upcoming weekend and the NCAA tournament right around the corner, here is a career development bracket to get you thinking.  What's most important to you?  Do you need to do more?

Valentine's Day Teaches Us To Love Our Job

“Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life.” –Confucius

Though Valentine’s Day is now in our rearview mirror, I thought it would be appropriate to connect the notion of “love” and your career.  For the purpose of this message, Confucius’s idea of a job and mine as a career will be one in the same (though, in reality, there are differences).

Leaving Your Mark: Harbaughs Are Not The Only Brothers Competing Sunday

Mark Gress is the Associate Director of Employer Relations at Arcadia University and is formerly with the Steinbright Career Development Center at Drexel University.

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With the Super Bowl upon us, one of the primary storylines focuses on Jim and John Harbaugh, the head coaches of the Baltimore Ravens and the San Francisco 49ers.  Did I mention that they are brothers?  It is extremely rare to see two brothers experience as much success simultaneously in the sports world.  However, on the sports business side, it happens more often and with equally interesting and captivating narratives.

Leaving Your Mark: Current Events and the Job Market

In an effort to keep up with current events and in an attempt to tie them into the theme of my column (careers, jobs, resumes, etc.), let’s look at the Lance Armstrong saga and the numerous Major League Baseball players who were denied entry into the Hall of Fame.  This won’t be a stretch and frankly can be used in an “apples to apples” comparison.

Leaving Your Mark: Random Job Search Facts

I’ll admit it- I am somewhat of a nerd when it comes to the job search process.  It is sort of like a game…a puzzle, if you will.  In today’s economy (whether you are you searching in sports or not), you have to be a smart, proactive, and aggressive job seeker.  The “smart” aspect is what I am going to focus on for the purposes of this “random facts” blog.  I want you to be a savvier job-seeker.

·         Using the Sports Business Journal, review the Executive Transactions and Classifieds sections every day.   Try to wrap your head around why a person might be leaving one place for another.  Put yourself in their shoes.  Aside from personal reasons or more money, why leave team x to go to team y?

·         When reading articles, be on the lookout for teams, franchises, or leagues that are experiencing growth/success and decline/failure.  If you notice that a team had record profits, they may be hiring.  If they are opening up new offices or expanding their headquarters, they may be hiring.  If you see that a league is folding (WPS) or is hemorrhaging money, you may not want to apply for a job there.

·         Look for those teams that might be going through an ownership change or relocation.  Take a look at the 76ers; when their new owners took over in late 2011, they made it clear that they were re-thinking the way that they did things in the past from a business perspective.  Since they weren’t under the Comcast Spectacor umbrella, CEO and Co-Owner Adam Aron wanted to implement his own vision.  (Read: bring in his own people.)

·         Look for a connection or a relationship that might get your foot in the door.  Did the Manager of Ticket Sales at the Philadelphia Eagles go to your high school (for me, yes!)?  Is there a Drexel alum working at the Philadelphia Phillies (also yes!)?  Did your best friend or roommate work for a team that you want to do your Co-op at or work for after graduation?

·         When applying for jobs in Teamworkonline.com or any other job board, review the job posting with a fine-tooth comb; try to match up what the description calls for with your resume.  Pay attention to keywords and phrases.  If there is an HR software in place, it will pick up on them.

·         Pay attention to other non-SBJ resources like the ESPN Playbook and MSNBC Sports Biz.  Also, non-sports resources like The Wall Street Journal may provide clues that can help in your job search; they periodically will provide intel on a sports franchise from the financial perspective.

Be an educated job seeker and you will be rewarded!

By: Mark Gress

Leaving your Mark: don’t let pay dictate your effort

For purposes of understanding this piece better, it might make sense to explain my role at Drexel first.  Primarily, I am responsible for developing jobs for Co-op students and graduating seniors in Business, Engineering, IT, and Sport Management.  However, the other major part of my position entails working with Drexel Sport Management undergraduate students to prepare them for their Co-op opportunities and their career in the sports industry.

 

What we have experienced as I’m sure most of you can attest to is that Co-ops and internships in sports are rarely paid and when they are, they are paid minimum wage (or with a stipend).  For the most part, it is a supply and demand situation.  If you don’t want the unpaid or low-paying job, there is a line out the door of people who will take the job.  It isn’t fair and for lack of a better reaction, it does stink, however, it is what it is.

 

Much like careers in movies, TV, and music, the sports industry is one that is hard to break into because of the obscene amount of interest that people have in working in these industries.  In case you were wondering, those that look for Co-ops and internships in those industries get paid the same, less, or not at all as compaired to the sports industry.  So while it would be somewhat wrong of me to say be happy with that minimum wage-paying Co-op or internship in sports…be happy.

 

The reason for that background has to do with conversations I have had with students over the last three and a half years at Drexel.  When students take on unpaid or low-paying positions in sports, some of them feel like they don’t need to give 100% (I’m not even asking for 110%!).  I’ll meet with a student who gets a poor evaluation or was even on the verge of being fired during their experience and their rationale to me is, “Well, I was unpaid so it isn’t a big deal.  If I was getting paid, I would’ve done better.”  My response- that is the wrong attitude to have and you have to understand the big picture. That reaction is very short-sighted an very immature.

 

Whether paid or unpaid, this is trial employment for the employer and essentially a long-term interview.  You aren’t just free (or cheap) labor to them.  Frankly, anyone can perform well when incentivized by money but it is a true test of your character to impress when you are intrinsically motivated. 

 

Think of the potential non-monetary payoffs as:

 

·         Skills that you acquired (hard and soft skills)

·         Relationships that you developed and the network of contacts that you established

·         A reference for future jobs at this or another potential future company

·         A resume-builder which shows non-academic projects and responsibilities (real world, practical experience)

·         Potentially higher starting salary than those who have not completed a Co-op or internship

Leaving Your Mark: "References available upon request"

I must admit that when I see “References available upon request” on someone’s resume, I cringe.  Of course they are available upon request.  What kind of job seeker/applicant will not supply references when asked to do so by a potential employer?  The answer is one that doesn’t want a job.  It is assumed and expected so let’s get this out of the way right now- take “References available upon request” off of your resume.  And don’t ever put it back on there.

But the notion of references in general is an important one.  I’ve claimed and will continue to claim that nearly all of the jobs that I have had in my life, including my current one, were obtained because of the references that were provided on my behalf.  My resume is fairly strong and my interviewing skills are slightly above average but ultimately what others had to say about me pushed my candidacy for jobs over the top.  As a Senior Recruiter at Turnkey Sports and Entertainment, we placed a great deal of emphasis on references, both those supplied by the candidate and those not supplied by the candidate.  If it was neck and neck race on all other factors, we went with the candidate who had stronger references.  Anyone can have a perfect resume and nail an interview, but references are a complicated, yet very critical factor.

I mentioned above that at Turnkey we contacted references that were “available upon request” from the candidate and those that we knew through our own personal and professional connections.  Let’s start with the former.  Your reference list should include a mix of bosses, co-workers, staff that you manage, and clients or customers.  You want to provide a potential employer with people who have interacted with you on different levels and might be aware of unique skills that you bring to the table.  Oftentimes, people only supply co-workers and to me, that is a yellow or red flag.  Additionally, the details that you should include are the person’s name, title, phone number, email, physical address, and their relationship to you. 

As for the latter…references not supplied by the candidate, this is a little bit more tricky.  However, the rule of thumb is this- keep in mind that in your professional life, anyone you interact with could be a reference for you…and you don’t even know about it.  With the job market the way it is and has been for the last few years, there are more candidates than ever for any one opening.  Recruiters and HR/Talent Acquisition people have to discern between the top candidates and the best evaluators will go beyond the references you supplied.  The rationale being that the people you provided will give rave reviews 9 times out of 10.  I’m not insinuating that you have to be on your “A game” all day every day; I’m simply recommending that you not burn any bridges, you maintain healthy relationships, and you leave a good impression whenever possible.