There’s a lot I wish I knew earlier on in my career & lessons I’ve taken away from each step along my journey so far.
When I started working in the sports industry as a junior in college, interning with the Michigan Athletic Department I had no idea what I was going to do after graduation but I knew I had a passion for sports.
Fast forward one year later and graduation is fast approaching. By this time I’d made my mind up that the only career I could see myself pursuing was one that involved working sports. I learned really quickly that if I wanted to work in this industry I needed to be completely open. Completely open to living anywhere in the country, completely open to working at a school in a different conference or level and completely open to doing things I had little to no previous experience in. I applied to who knows how many positions but in the end, ended up at McNeese State, which turned out to be the right position for me at that time.
My time at McNeese was a temporary one-year position so I knew I had to learn as much as I could in the one year I’d be there. I learned and grew both professionally and personally during my time at McNeese and I couldn’t be more thankful for that. I learned about almost every department to a certain extent. I gained experience in ticketing, social media, graphic design, game operations and marketing. The perks and benefits of working at a smaller school with a smaller staff, you do a lot of things and get experience in a variety of areas.
I also grew professionally outside of my job by participating in Twitter chats and starting #YPSportsChat. I had known networking and having a network was important but until I got involved with Twitter chats, I had no idea just how much networking played a role in this industry and how beneficial having a strong, genuine network could be. When my time at McNeese was coming to an end I knew exactly what I needed in my next position.
Utah State and the opportunity it offered me to continue growing professionally and personally was something I immediately said yes to and knew it was the right next step for me. It provided me with new responsibilities and experiences, but also let me continue growing and deepening my experiences with previous responsibilities I’d had.
The job process and search whether it’s following a temp position or when you’re ready to make a move and experience something new is stressful, frustrating and the whole roller coaster of emotions. I know it’s easier to say be patient and keep your head up when you’re getting rejections. I know after filling out what seems like hundreds of applications you start to question yourself. Don’t give up. Take a deep breath and enjoy where you’re currently at the right position and opportunity will come.
If I can help in anyway or just be someone who listens and talks through things with you, please don’t hesitate to reach out.