For the most part, the winter sport season is now in the rearview mirror and we can focus on finishing the athletic year strong. This too means that hiring season is coming!
The hiring season can be a stressful time for young professionals, especially those that are Grad Assistants or Interns looking for that full-time gig. Based on some personal experience, I will provide you with a few tips to navigate this season and help set yourself up for success.
Step 1: Stay Involved
If your GA or intern appointment time is coming to a close, it can be easy to start looking ahead toward that next opportunity. There is nothing wrong with that, however, you must stay involved in your current role. One of the worst things you can do is mentally check-out and leave your current team in a bind. After all, you will probably be asking your supervisor to be a reference and advocate for you on future opportunities. The last thing you want them to remember you by is you giving less than your best efforts.
Step 2: Be Open and Honest
I recommend that once you start looking for a full-time position that you have open and honest dialog with your supervisor. Hopefully with all the time you have spent together throughout the year, you have built a strong enough relationship for this to feel comfortable to do. These conversations can pay dividends and even help find that correct path for your job search.
Step 3: Network
If you have built relationships during your time as a GA or intern, try your absolute best to keep those alive. We all have our own lives and can get bogged down in them, but these relationships can be essential to development going forward. When I was starting out, I received this nugget of advice the most. It wasn’t until I started my own full-time job hunt that I saw this on full display. The sport marketing industry is so connected, that there is a good chance your current supervisor will either know someone at the school you are applying, or know someone who knows someone there.
Step 4: Be Selective
Once hiring season gets here and people are making their career moves, job postings can be fast and furious. Take the time to read the job description, learn about the athletic department and the school itself. Research the area to make sure it is a place you can see yourself living for some time. Don’t just apply to anything and everything in the event your only call back is somewhere that would make you miserable. My biggest piece of advice is to not discount the experiences you can gain working at a smaller school. I have been fortunate to work with athletic departments in P5, G5, and mid-major levels. Sometimes the smaller schools and athletic departments can provide you with the greatest opportunities in career and personal growth.
Step 5: Keep at it
There was a time that I felt I was never going to get that first full-time position. I would see people I followed on Twitter moving up the ranks or getting their dream job, and here I was still with nothing. My process just took a little longer is all. In the end, I had three internship opportunities before I finally received a “Yes” for full-time. Looking back, I am so thankful for those internships because I was able to experience multiple athletic departments, meet so many more people in our industry, and wear many hats to expand my skill set. If you don’t get that first full-time job immediately after your first internship opportunity, just keep at it. Find a way to keep learning and gain experience as it will eventually pay off.