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Take Orlando by storm at NACDA/ NACMA 2017

By Michael Murtagh posted 03-22-2017 00:04

  

It’s that time of year again! March Madness reigns supreme as brackets get busted and Cinderella teams look to advance in the Big Dance. If you work in college athletics, this is also the time of year the competition heats up off the court. Schools begin to post GA positions, internships and jobs begin to open. If you haven’t landed your next opportunity by June, the NACDA/ NACMA Convention is a great place to go in search of your next opportunity. With thousands of people converging at the NACDA Convention every year, hundreds of those same people go looking to get their first opportunity in the world of college athletics. Here are a few tips on how you can stand out from the crowd.

Start Now

I chose to write this article now to give you 3 months to start contacting people in the profession. If you want to know what it takes to get a job you desire, talk to people that are already in that position. I have always been very courteous of other people’s time so I would suggest first reaching out through email. Ask them if you could have 15 minutes of their time to talk about their journey and if they have any tips for you. This will usually result in you having some time to talk about your background and where you are looking to take your career. Be prepared to answer, “so tell me a little bit about yourself?”

Follow Up

Follow up your conversation with a handwritten thank you letter letting them know you appreciate their time. This business is full of people looking to pay it forward with advice but time is a valuable commodity that should not be taken lightly. Also, be sure to keep an eye out for what their school is doing regarding the department you are trying to get into. If you want to work in marketing and fan engagement, pay attention to some of the promotions they are running. Want to work in social or development, check out their social media accounts and see the type of content they are posting during their annual fundraising campaigns. Once something catches your eye, shoot them an email asking them what was the thought process behind that promotion or campaign.

Building Relationships

Life is all about relationships. For my Walking Dead fans out there, “What happens to the random loners in the show?” (Spoiler Alert: It doesn’t end well for them and they usually end up on the wrong side of living). My point is, if you want to prosper in life, you are going to need help along the way. That help is going to come in the form of another human being. By emailing people that share a common interest with you and following up with them after your initial conversation, you are building relationships with people that could potentially be your next coworker or boss.

Be Authentic

We live in a word where every post/picture on social media is cropped or filtered. Authenticity has been diminished in a quest for perfection. Fortunately, we still live in a world were human interaction still has value (that is until the robots take over). When reaching out to people, it is imperative to be yourself.  Know your strengths and what makes you unique and highlight those qualities throughout this process. Also, as a bonus tip, really care about the person on the other end of the phone. It’s amazing how far you will get in life when you care about other people. The world is full of awesome human beings so make it your quest to go out and find them. I promise you will not be disappointed with the results.

Crush It

You made it to Orlando for the 2017 NACDA/ NACMA Convention! Over the last 3 months, you have made connections with people at schools around the country. Not only have you spoken to them on the phone, you have been following their work and showed genuine interest by following up with them. Take the next step by introducing yourself at the convention so now they have a name with a face. Treat NACDA like a job interview. Get out that suit, shine your shoes and print some business cards. If you are passionate about your career, it will show.

 

Connect with me on Snapchat: TheSnapsGuy and Twitter: Michael_A_Jr

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