Most athletes get paid a premium to play a child’s game for a living. However, the sports world consists of more than just those who play the game. If you don’t have the athletic talent to play a professional sport, you could still land a job as a coach, trainer or announcer. What should you consider before applying for jobs in the sports industry?
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Will You Have to Relocate?
If you want to work as a coach, an announcer or in any capacity in the sporting world, you should be ready to relocate often. This is especially true for those who aspire to work in a top league. In general, most minor league teams play in small cities or states while the major league teams play in the big cities such as Los Angeles or Chicago. Therefore, you should expect to start out in a small town and then work your way up to larger American or European markets.
Will You Get the Experience That You Need?
If you want to be a head coach in the NFL, you will probably start your journey as an intern or low-level assistant in the league. You may also have to start as a college or high school assistant before making it to the NFL in your desired role. However, not all assistant jobs should be considered equal as head coaches may delegate responsibility differently. Therefore, you should make sure that you are getting the skills and experience necessary to move up regardless of where you see your career going.
Will You Get the Exposure That You Need?
In any line of work, you get ahead based as much on who you know as what you know. You also get ahead based on what other people see you doing or what they think that you do. Therefore, make sure that you can network with others in your field and that you can catch the attention of an owner or executive who can take your career to the next level. Thanks to social media and other online tools, you may be able to a more active role in promoting yourself even if you are working in a small town or for a team that doesn’t have a large audience.
Will You Make Enough Money?
Someone who works for ESPN could make millions of dollars a year while the sports director at a local news station may make $50,000 a year or less. Therefore, you have to make sure that you can survive on whatever salary you are given each year as there may be times when you have to take a pay cut to ultimately get ahead in your career.
Will You Have Fun?
Most people choose to work in the sports field because it is fun to spend your whole day watching basketball or baseball and get paid to do it. Therefore, if you don’t think that you will enjoy your job, you shouldn’t take that particular position. Doing so could ruin your career as well as your enjoyment of sports themselves.
When applying for jobs in the sports industry, you need to think about how it will impact your personal and professional life. While you may be stuck working in obscure towns or covering obscure sports at first, it may be worth it if it teaches you the skills or gives you the connections needed to eventually land your dream job.
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