So you are interested in having a job in sports, but you are not a professional player, nor can you pretend to be a professional athlete. No worries. There are certainly many positions ready to be filled. Entry-level or beginner jobs are awaiting college grads just stepping off the stage or people with advanced degrees. “While a specialized degree in sports management carries a lot of importance–especially for those without connections–teams are more interested in seeing the experience through internships and college athletic department work,” states Tom Van Riper of Forbes.com. If this is the industry in which you desire to thrive, the salaries of these positions may leave little to be desired, but accepting a beginner position could open the door for more possibilities and advancement. The world of sports is a highly desired field. Taking a beginner position shows the leaders in the industry you are serious. Here is a list of ten positions that may be right for you:
- Group Ticket Sales Rep:
You need to have great customer service skills for this position. You need to be savvy enough to coerce groups into purchasing bulk amounts of tickets. If you perform at the top, you can earn $100,000 or more per year, and advancement could happen rather quickly.
- Customer Service Rep:
Another position involving great customer service skills is to be a representative. Most teams and organizations need someone to organize events and manage fun days on-site and off-site.
- Public Relations Assistant:
Who doesn’t want a job in public relations? This is where the connections and chance meetings among the pros can happen. A position as an assistant can lead to doing real Public Relations work. To get a great foot in the door for this job, one would need to be willing to take on volunteer positions in the sports information department at their college.
- Client Service Assistant
There is a trend in entry-level positions with sports: customer service. This position is like the customer service representative position. These people, however, are usually the go-between for corporate clientele and help plan events. Organization is a must for this position.
- Database and eMarketing
This position involves a lot of behind-the-scenes work of tracking and inputting data of information such as sales or gate entry. This may be a menial or tedious task; however, excelling in this position could lead straight to a management position.
- Sports Information Department (Grad Assistant)
All major universities have a sports information department. Most smaller schools and colleges also have information departments. Someone seeking a good foot in the door of the sports industry should begin here. Writing press releases and conducting interviews can help lead a person to be more valuable in this industry. This position gets you involved in networking which can lead to bigger and better positions in the future.
- College Development Rep
So you want to be in the Athletic Director’s chair? Beginning here is a great first step. Fundraising and networking provide visibility and knowledge for someone looking to be at the top.
- Account Associate
Sports marketing needs people to track and monitor information. Logistics and record-keeping are part of the job.
- Marketing Analyst
College grads or people with terrific analytical skills review sponsorships and help determine if they are reaching their customers with their products.
- Researcher
If you want to be involved in the media side of sports, this is a great place to start. Networks and organizations hire researchers to conduct interviews, write bios, and gather statistics to be read and presented on air. Remember, all the people at the top had to start somewhere. These are all jobs that could provide a great foot in the door to be in the world of sports without needing to be a professional athlete. For more information on jobs in the sports industry, contact us.