Article written by Saam Momen, founder of The Sports Executive Path.
In this blog, we will be talking about 5 great networking ideas for sports management undergraduates. Networking is all about building professional relationships and connections with people in your industry. As a professional, having connections in the industry you work is important for finding job openings, business opportunities and learning industry news. It can be also useful for learning tips and tricks of the trade and can help you to build your career.
As an undergraduate you should be looking to prepare yourself for your eventual career in the sports management industry. Networking is a great way to build connections early that could be helpful later on in your career. You need to be able to think ahead and plan what kind of steps you’re going to take once you graduate.
In most industries, it’s not about what you know but who you know. The sports industry is no different and is extremely competitive with lots of new graduates for relatively few open job positions. If you want to have the best chance of finding a job when you graduate, you should look for ways to boost your employability early and get a head start over everyone else. In this guide, we’ll be explaining the best ways to network and meet professionals in the field of sports management.
Volunteer in the Industry
Volunteering is one of the fastest ways to build up experience within the industry. Ideally, you’ll want to choose a volunteer position that you’d like to work in so you can receive relevant experience. However, just about any role within the sports industry can still provide you with valuable knowledge while also providing networking opportunities. You’ll be able to see the daily roles of people within the job and what kind of responsibilities they have.
While you’re volunteering, you’ll meet lots of people who work in the kind of roles you’ll be applying for when you graduate. You’ll be able to ask them for advice, tips and any details which might give you an edge when it comes to applying. These people you might will also provide you with references and connections which could prove invaluable later on.
Attend an Industry Event
Industry events can include meet-ups, conferences and other types of events. Depending on where you live, these could be held frequently or every so often. Big cities are far more likely to hold more events than smaller towns. If you live in an area with a strong local sports industry, there’s a good chance that it holds regular local events of some kind, even if it’s a small town.
Different conferences will have different themes and guest speakers. You can learn a lot just by attending but there is a lot of value to be gained from meeting people and networking. You can talk to people about the industry and find out more about how people started their careers and whether they have any advice for you as an undergraduate.
Create and Build Your LinkedIn Profile
In the modern world, a lot of what used to be done through traditional means can now be achieved online. Networking is one of these areas and today you can network faster and more effectively through the use of professional networking sites like LinkedIn. This site allows you to create a profile, similar to social media, and you can add your employment and education history. LinkedIn accounts have become an excellent way for recruiters and companies to hire talent by looking for people based on their connections and profiles.
Set up your profile and add key people in the industry and roles you’re interested in. You can often learn a lot just by reading people’s profiles, but some people are also open to be messaged. Send out a few messages to learn more about how people started their careers. Remember that potential employers will be able to see your profile so keep it as professional as possible.
Sign Up to Additional Courses or Workshops
Taking additional courses and workshops is a great way to increase your knowledge and skills in a subject. You can take additional subjects alongside your degree provided they’re not too intensive and some people choose to take summer workshops when their university semester is over. Aside from boosting your understanding of a subject, these courses are also a great way to network with other students and industry professionals.
Use the time on your course wisely to build your skills while also meeting with new people and building your professional connections. Some course will even include networking days where you have a chance to meet local industry professionals who can give extra information and advice about the topic.
Take an Internship or Work Placement if it is Offered by Your Course
A lot of courses will include the chance for you to complete a work placement or internship in your final year. This will be a great chance for you to put what you’ve learned into practice and discover if you have what it takes to succeed in a fast-paced role. A work placement is also an excellent chance for you to build your professional connections.
Provided you give a good account of yourself during the placement, you can gain a great reference on your CV and will have potentially made lasting connections with people in the industry. Many work placements can even lead to full time employment for recent graduates. Depending on the role you’re looking for, a work placement can be an excellent way to go straight from your course directly into the world of work.
This article was originally posted at The Sports Executive Path's blog. To know more about The Sports Executive Path, and to become a member with a special rate, click here.