Whether you're fresh out of Uni or looking for your next role, the Sports Industry can be an intimidating place to know where to start...Operations, Marketing, Hospitality, Events...where to begin!
Here's my guide to getting started, after you grab a coffee!
1) Decide whats right for you.
It's a broad industry, if you know you want to work in sport you don't need to necessarily go down one path. I studied Events Management at Uni which thankfully was quite broad and didn't pigeon-hole me into one area, but even if you did a more specific degree (e.g. Sports Science) the skills/units you've studied can be translated to a wide range of jobs.
If you're organised and logistically minded - Sports Events could be for you.
If you're creative and think outside the box - Sports Marketing could be up your alley.
Have a look at jobs, read the descriptions and see what's right for you.
2) Where to look?
There's a wide range of job websites out there, my favourites are...
Global Sports Jobs
http://www.globalsportsjobs.com
Sports Recruitment International
http://www.sportsrecruitment.com
UK Sport
http://www.uksport.gov.uk/jobs-in-sport
Sporting Appointments
http://www.sportingappointments.com
But then there's also search engines like Indeed and Reed that can throw up some gems, register your details, sign up for newsletters and keep an eye out - sports agencies tend to recruit when they need someone, job timelines can be short so sometimes you need to jump in quickly.
3) Be ready
As mentioned above, getting in quickly means keeping your CV up to date. Tailor your references to the sport you're applying for, and make sure your CV reflects why you'd suit the role. Never send out a generic CV, taking 5 minutes to make it more specific will really help you to get a head start.
4) NETWORK
I cannot emphasise the importance of building a network - whilst lots of jobs are advertised on the websites above, a lot of jobs aren't! Your network can help you hear of jobs that are coming up. LinkedIn is the best tool, I use to keep in touch with old contacts, see where my network has moved and to see whats out there that could work for me.
H xx
