Great people who bring a ton of talent.
Very open-minded group of individuals.
A dynamic creative atmosphere.
These are just a few employee testimonials on the NFL’s Glassdoor page. When it comes to finding work in sports, the NFL is one of the most sought-after employers in the industry — and for a good reason.
Here’s why they’re great places to work and how you can land a job there:
Why employees love working for the NFL
As you can see from the testimonials, the NFL is home to a dynamic, awesome culture. These are some aspects that you need to know about before pursuing a career with them:
Workplace and Environment
Many employees mention the fun, fast pace of the work environment on their Glassdoor page. Another employee praised the talent they were surrounded by.
“Great teamwork ethic pervaded the workplace,” wrote the former employee. “Lots of talented individuals working together and supporting each other to be successful.”
Do you fit in with creative go-getters? Are you a team player? If so, this culture is right for you.
Mission and values
Their core values are straightforward. The first one they mention is respect. They value everyone’s contribution and seek out diverse perspectives from their teams.
Another value they exhibit is integrity. They encourage every employee to hold themselves accountable and always strive to make things right.
This is especially important because they also value responsibility to the team. This comes down to support — every individual effort impacts others, and NFL employees need to understand that. This way, they fail and succeed together as one unit.
Their final core value is resiliency. Loss is just in the nature of the game, and the company focuses on turning its losses into lessons. Employees embrace challenges and seek out learning opportunities.
If you exhibit these core values, then you can contribute to their mission — to provide “the highest quality sports and entertainment in the world” while sticking to your values.
Entry-level NFL programs
Finding work in sports is especially challenging for young professionals without experience. Fortunately, the NFL offers a variety of career options and internships for entry-level professionals.
Their Junior Rotational Program is a unique experience. Participants work on project-based assignments over the course of six to 12 months.
The NFL Media Internship allows professionals to explore all aspects of the football business while working behind the scenes in a specific department.
In the NFL FILMS Internship Program, participants get paid while working in departments like Footage Acquisition and Licensing, Player and Talent Relations, Project Management, and Cinematography.
Benefits of working for the NFL
They offer a lot of benefits, including medical, flexible spending accounts, 401(k) and pension, PTO, employee discounts, wellness programs, education reimbursement, and gym reimbursement. As you can see, they are dedicated to their staff’s professional growth and overall well-being.
How to Work for the NFL
Finding work in sports is already difficult, but it is especially tough when you’re trying to work for the NFL. They lead the world in American football entertainment, which draws a lot of high-quality talent to them.
Here are some tips on how to stand out amongst the crowd:
Network like a pro
Join professional organizations and attend networking events. When you are present in the community, industry professionals will start to recognize your passion. This is where you can start building meaningful relationships.
Local training camps are also a great place to network and, more specifically, to meet NFL employees. Shake hands. Ask questions. Take notes. You want to express your interest and show your genuine enthusiasm.
Manage your online presence
Blogs are one of the best ways to share not just your passion for a topic, like NFL trends and news, but also to demonstrate important skills, like communication and writing.
When you develop content, link your blog to your professional website and engage in social media to prove your personality aligns with their culture.
This is a top concern for most recruiters. As Jobvite’s 2016 Recruiter Nation found, 60 percent of recruiters rate cultural fit as having high importance. Show them how you can thrive in their fast-paced, creative, team-centric culture.
Build your skills
Before you start taking online courses or signing up for college, find a specific career path you want with the NFL. Once you understand the direction you want to go, you can gather your list of skills you need.
Then, bridge the skills gap by creating an action plan and breaking down your long-term goals into actionable, daily steps. This way, you’re qualified for future openings, and you increase your chances of landing an interview.
