How Can I Get a Job in the MLB with a Sports Management Degree?

Competition for an entry-level job in the MLB is fierce, but there’s good news for recent graduates of a sports management program: With consistent preparation and professional experience, students can land an opportunity on the first try. Major League Baseball offers several pathways into their executive offices and other sports-related positions, and students should make sure to take advantage of as many of these programs and opportunities as possible to maximize their chances of being hired.

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Pursue a Professional Sports Internship, Preferably in Baseball

Major League Baseball is a massive organization, with both a corporate office and team-specific business offices located all across the country. This means that the organization is a great choice for students who are looking to land a relevant internship during their junior or senior years on-campus. Internships are highly competitive, of course, but students with a solid academic record and great recommendations can usually make a name for themselves and land an opportunity. Further enhancing the likelihood of landing such an internship is the fact that these positions are offered during the spring, summer, and fall semesters, on a year-round basis. Students who don’t make it through one round can always apply again in a few months.

The internship with Major League Baseball, or one of the league’s teams, allows students to do a few things that will maximize their chances of being hired to a full-time position. First and foremost, it grants students access to the inner workings of the organization and immediately gives them some relevant experience that their competition won’t have. Second, this internship opens the student to professional networking with existing Major League Baseball executives, and it gives them a pattern of performance that will coincide with strong professional recommendations when they submit a formal resume for an open position.

Concentrate the Sports Management Degree in a Relevant Area

Most sports management programs allow students to choose a concentration, or at least a few electives, that add a specialty to their degree and make them more marketable to certain types of employers. For a career in professional baseball, students might want to take elective courses that focus on the history of baseball, the role and administration of professional sports, and the management of leagues or teams. These classes teach basic organizational structure in the professional sports system, and they’ll give students a bit of context as they advance through the various interview rounds required to land a job with Major League Baseball. This context also provides a solid foundation for developing new on-the-job skills, which could make students appear to be the efficient, cost-effective, sensible choice for an open, entry-level role.

Academic Achievement is a Key Part of the Process

Recent graduates and entry-level hires are often evaluated on both their professional experiences and their academic achievement. This means that successful applicants to Major League Baseball often have an extremely high GPA, typically accented by induction to a major, national honor society in business administration. A strong commitment to academics tells the selection committee that the applicant took their studies seriously, learned the core concepts relevant to the position, and will be able to learn quickly upon being hired.

Great Opportunities Abound in Major League Baseball

Sports management graduates often gravitate to the world of professional sports, due in large part to its high pay, exciting roles, and proximity to the action of major events like the World Series. In order to successfully land an MLB job, however, students must make sure that they pursue the right academic, internship, and networking strategies, differentiating themselves enough from competing candidates to make it through each round of the hiring process.