So, you want to work in professional sports?

by Angela Copeland | Oct 6, 2014 | Advice, Newsletter

I help each of my clients to construct their ideal dream job. It refines the target of what kind of job they’re searching for.

Often, their dream job can be very different from their current job. This is especially true for those who either want to ramp their career into high gear, or those who are searching for more meaning at work.

As sports seasons ramp up, an industry that comes up often is: PROFESSIONAL SPORTS.

Don’t get me wrong — my clients aren’t aspiring to be the next Zach Randolph or Serena Williams. They want to work in professional sports. They aspire to join the sales, marketing, logistics, or management team.

This week, I had the opportunity to interview David E. Cooley, Director of Alumni Career Resources at UCLA in Los Angeles, CA. I also had the chance to speak with someone who started their career in sales and marketing with the Memphis Grizzlies.

One theme came through in both conversations. If you’re interested in professional sports, chances are good you’ll have to work your way up.

In professional sports, the staff is often promoted internally. In other words, many of the members of senior leadership started out as interns or in other entry level positions.

This can be good for those just starting out, like recent college graduates. Unfortunately though, if you’re further along in your career, this could create challenges – especially if you have commits like a mortgage, a family, or a comfortable lifestyle.

The second theme that came through both conversations was this. Positions in professional sports often pay less than their equivalent positions in other industries.

Why would this be? Well, first, if the sports organization is built on the ‘work your way up’ sort of model, they may want you to put in your time before rolling out the big bucks. Second, the interest level in professional sports is very high. For an organization that has more job candidates than they could ever want, why would they need to pay a competitive salary? They don’t.

My message today is not to discourage you from working in professional sports. It’s to highlight some of the challenges that you will most likely face if you pursue this highly desired industry.

If you aren’t in the beginning of your career, but you still want to go after a career in sports, here are a few tips:

1. Get an Education: If you can take sports management classes, or other coursework related to professional sports, consider it. The fact that you’re a sports fan and watch many games is not enough.
2. Network in Sports: Network yourself into the organization. Look for opportunities to get to know existing staff. It will give you a chance to discuss your transferable skills, and show how your current job applies to a future in sports.
3. Be flexible on location: Professional sports are a little like the military. If you want to join, you may have to move (and travel) – quite a lot. Don’t expect to end up at the local franchise in your city.
4. Reduce Expenses: Explore ways to reduce your cost of living. Can you live on less for a while to enable you try a new job in sports? You may have to.
5. Work Your Way Up: Consider taking a lower level job than your current position. (Note: I would rarely recommend this tactic in any other industry.) Is there an internship or part time job available? I recently met a NBA salesperson who relocated to a new city for a part-time job just to get his foot in the door. He was eventually promoted to full time and is loving it. Now, that’s commitment!

Whatever you decide to do, walk in with your eyes open to the pros and cons. Any new industry will have them. You need to evaluate whether not the drawbacks fit into your overall plan.

And, for even more tips on getting your foot in the door with professional sports, watch for my upcoming podcast with David E. Cooley.

I hope these tips have helped you. Visit CopelandCoaching.com to find more tips to improve your job search. If I can be of assistance to you, don’t hesitate to reach out to me here.

Also, be sure to subscribe to my Copeland Coaching Podcast on Apple Podcasts where I discuss career advice every Tuesday! If you’ve already heard the podcast and enjoy it, please consider leaving a review in Apple Podcasts. Thanks.

Happy hunting!

Angela Copeland

@CopelandCoach

Where to find the best jobs

by Angela Copeland | Sep 29, 2014 | Advice, Newsletter

One of the first questions I often get is where to find the best jobs. Job seekers want to know where to look. With so many sites available, it’s hard to know where to begin.

You can spend hours and days bouncing around between various sites. To make things a bit faster, I’ve compiled my list of recommendations.

Here are a few of my favorite sites to find job postings:

• CopelandCoaching.com – Of course, I’m a little biased. But, each day, I feature two jobs I’ve found through various sources (the hiring manager, a recruiter, a job website, etc.). I select interesting jobs that are newly posted and are at reputable companies. If you want to save a little time, be sure to keep an eye on these postings each day.
• Indeed.com – Indeed is the #1 job site worldwide. It works like a job search engine, pulling in results from many different websites. They have over 140 million visitors per month from over 50 countries and 28 languages. Their site covers 94% of global GDP. That means there are very few jobs that don’t end up on Indeed. You can even setup job alerts, and Indeed will e-mail you when jobs come up that match your requirements. Be sure to check it out, and to learn more, listen to last week’s podcast when I interview Mike Steinerd from Indeed.com.
• LinkedIn.com – LinkedIn provides job suggestions for positions that are similar to previous positions you’ve held. Although I find the total number of options to be less, they are more targeted. Even better, you can often find the hiring manager or recruiter on LinkedIn. And, many of the jobs have a one-click apply option that makes applying faster and easier than usual. Just be sure your LinkedIn profile is up to date!
• Glassdoor.com – As I’ve written before, my favorite feature of LinkedIn is the ability to research salaries. Employees anonymously report their salaries and you have access to the data. You can also research what employees think about a company — and questions you may be asked during your interview. But, in addition to these great features, you can also search job postings. To learn more, visit the website and listen to another podcast where I interview Scott Dobroski from Glassdoor.com.
• Newsletters – Occasionally, you may find an industry specific e-newsletter that shares job postings. These can be useful if you find a good one (or a waste of time otherwise). A Memphis newsletter that I enjoy is the Lipscomb & Pitts Breakfast Club e-mail newsletter. Subscribe to the e-newsletter here. In addition to job postings, you’ll find networking and volunteer opportunities. These are all helpful in jump starting your search.

Whichever route you go, the most important thing is to check postings often, and to apply immediately. My recommendation is to check every job search site daily. Look for jobs that were posted recently. If you find one you like, apply immediately.

But, in order to do this, you need to be prepared. Keep your LinkedIn and resume up to date. Also, have a template for your cover letter setup and ready to send. This way, there will be no delay in your application making it to your future employer.

I hope these tips have helped you. Visit CopelandCoaching.com to find more tips to improve your job search. If I can be of assistance to you, don’t hesitate to reach out to me here.

Also, be sure to  subscribe to my Copeland Coaching Podcast on Apple Podcasts where I discuss career advice every Tuesday! If you’ve already heard the podcast and enjoy it, please consider leaving a review in Apple Podcasts. Thanks.

Happy hunting!

Angela Copeland

@CopelandCoach