CAREER TRACKS
Sports
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Whether you are just starting to explore, or have committed to a career in Sports this Career Track offers tips, tools, and action steps to move your career search forward.
The first step in beginning your career journey is to assess your interests, skills, strengths, goals, values, and self to better understand your story and give you career direction. Then, we can help you reflect on your story and create career exploration goals.
Interests: Know your interests, as they may help to align you with organizations and possible job titles representing a match based on your likes/dislikes. Use these tools below to clarify your interests and possible career ideas based on interests.
- MyNextMove - Explore career options and interests by keyword or industry, or take their short assessment to find potential career matches based on interests.
- Strong Interest Inventory (SII) - The SII is a widely respected career interest inventory designed to help people find a fit between their personalities and work. It compares your interests and preferences to people in general and to people who have been happy and satisfied in their careers. The results from the SII identify careers that best fit a person’s interests.
Values: Know your values, as they may help to align you with potential work environments and organizations that match your passion(s) and core belief(s). Use these tools below to clarify your values and identify possible career ideas based on your values.
Skills/Strengths: Know your skills and strengths, as they may help to align you with well-suited job titles, work tasks and work environments. Use these tools below to clarify your skills/strengths and possible career ideas based on your talents and skills.
- Career Onestop - Take this short skills assessment to learn more about your skills and how they match up to potential career ideas.
- Myers Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) - The MBTI is a self-report questionnaire designed to make Jung’s theory of psychological types understandable and useful in everyday life. It is one of the most widely used instruments for understanding personality differences and is widely used to understand people in terms of their decision-making styles, preferences for communication and work environments, and for career development and exploration.
- CliftonStrengths - The CS helps you to discover your top talent themes. By becoming aware of these talents, you can grow them into strengths. Strengths can be utilized in all aspects of your life, including career planning and during the career search process. The assessment is all about focusing on your natural talents to maximize your potential.
Want some coaching on where to begin? Not sure which Career Track is right for you? Make an appointment on Handshake for “Exploring Options”. We’ll be happy to talk more about your Career Track options and explore your interests and skills together, in a coaching relationship.
- Before Your Appointment: Explore the tools on our Assess Your Skills and Interests page; Create a LinkedIn account; Create a profile on Handshake.
Explore Your Track
Sport Industry is a market in which people, activities, businesses, and organizations involved in producing, facilitating, promoting, or organizing any activity, experience, or business enterprise focused on sports.
Professions include coaches, referees, managers, administrators, recreation workers and therapists, athletes, and athletic trainers. Just like traditional business settings, sports organizations, recreational centers, and park authorities also require a host of administrative and support roles. These can include human resources workers, accountants, advertising and public relations representatives, marketers, and professional scouts to name a few.
Check out this informative panel about careers in sports: https://youtu.be/48tZGURQsOM
Here is some information to get you started:
Below are key skills needed to work in the Sports industry
- Active listening
- Activity-specific knowledge and skills for various sports
- Calm and personable under pressure
- Collaboration and team skills
- Communications (written and verbal)
- Critical thinking
- Customer service orientation
- Decision-making skills
- General and Operations Management
- Instructing/teaching
- Interpersonal skills with all levels of management
- Judgment and decision making
- Organizational skills
- Physical dexterity (practitioners)
- Program and event planning
- Public relations
- Strong value system
- Teamwork
- Time management
- Dreaming of a Sports Career? Better Master These Skills
- Sports Management-Entry Level Role:
- Advertising
- Athletic Event Coordinator
- Broadcast Production Services
- Consultant, Sports and Entertainment
- Coordinator, Sports Marketing
- Corporate Sales
- Fitness Center Director
- Fitness Center/Health Club Manager
- Manager, Sports Promotion
- Network Administrator
- Project Coordinator
- Public Relations Consultant
- Sponsorship Coordinator
- Sport Camp Manager
- Sport Marketing Companies
- Sport Researcher
- Sport Telemarketing
- Sports Broadcaster
- Sports Editor/Staff Writer
- Ticket Operations
- Health Fitness-Entry Level Role
- Coach
- Recreational Sports (graduate degree required for advancement)
- Movement Science-Entry Level Role
- Corporate fitness (requires certification)
- Health and fitness consulting
- Health and fitness media relations/reports
- Health and fitness professional
- Laboratory technician/study coordinator
- Personal Trainer (requires certification)
- Pharmaceutical and health product sales
- Athletic Training-Entry Level Role
- Athletic Trainer in Clinic/High School
- Athletic Trainer in Sports Medicine Clinic
- Athletic Trainer/Teacher (dual degree required)
- Sales/Marketing
For more career information, see O*Net at http://online.onetcenter.org/ (note Adapted from http://www.kines.umich.edu/student-life/careers-internships)
Choose the area of sports you would like to pursue to conduct research. Possible areas include sports marketing, sales, events, public relations, sponsorships, or sports and recreation. The resources below will help you explore current industry trends.
- The Future of Sports Management- most sports enterprises are advancing toward a data driven business model, where analytics and advanced statistics play a major role in decision making.
- This is especially true with fans/consumers. Consumer-driven data is guiding decision making of large, for-profit sports organizations.
- Websites that can help you explore the industry
Armed with some background information and ideas, connecting with professionals can offer next level insights and answer more specific questions.
- Networking Resources on the University Career Center website
- UCAN (University Career Alumni Network)- Find U-M alumni who have volunteered to connect with current students about their jobs!
- How to network on LinkedIn
- Campus Resources
- Get involved with student organizations on campus such as the:
- Sports Business Associations (SBA)- Group is based on a membership application process and helping members succeed in the business of sport. By bringing industry leaders to campus, meeting with prominent companies and organizations in Chicago, IL and New York, NY, and visiting local teams and companies.
- Phi Epsilon Kappa (PEK)- Phi Epsilon Kappa is a professional co-ed fraternity for students pursuing careers in PE, health, dance, athletic training, exercise science, sports medicine and sports management.
- Kinesiology Student Government (KSG)- Strives to better every student’s experience with the School of Kinesiology. In the past they have brought in speakers from the community for MLK Day, organized book exchanges, and sponsored social events.
- Michigan Health Aid- Student-driven coalition of the University and Ann Arbor community committed to the principle of “Help Ever, Serve All”. They are committed to improving the health and wellness of our community via medical care and education.
- Michigan Sport Business Conference (MSBC)- An innovative weekend sports business conference that will hold multiple panels, tours, and keynote speakers.
- Michigan Sports Analytics Society (MSAS)- Exists to develop a platform for students to collaborate, gain experience, and publish high-level work in the field of Sports Analytics.
- Nutrition Club- Increasing student participation and awareness of nutrition and personal wellness, as well as advocating a healthy lifestyle.
- Organization for Athletic Training Students (OATS)- The purpose of the OATS is to enhance the learning experience of athletic training. They strive to provide their members with the opportunity to connect with peers pursuing the same interests.
- Pre-Physical Therapy Club- Pre-professional organization that promotes and enables collaboration of members interested in pursuing Physical Therapy as a career.
- Sports Medicine Club- Offers guest speakers, shadowing opportunities, and philanthropy involvement for all University of Michigan students focusing on pre-health/pre-medical concentrations related to sports medicine.
- Michigan Intramural-Recreational Sports Association- Association promotes and enhance the quality of recreational sports programs in various settings throughout Michigan. This may be accomplished through professional meetings, publications, dissemination of ideas, and the maintenance of policies consistent with the philosophy of NIRSA.
- Events
- (University) Michigan Sports Business Conference- The Michigan Sports Business Conference was developed by a group of undergraduate students affiliated with both the Stephen M. Ross School of Business and School of Kinesiology. Their vision for the event is to attract top sports executives to educate and develop the future business leaders of the world.
- Get involved with student organizations on campus such as the:
- Linkedin: Sports Industry Network, ConnectKines, University of Michigan Alumni, and Michigan Sport Business Conference, Parks and Recreation, MParks, Special Olympics, Sport and Exercise Professionals, NIRSA (NIRSA: Leaders in Collegiate Recreation), Disabled Sports USA, Professional Recreation
- Networking Resources on The Career Center website
- How to network on LinkedIn
- LinkedIn Groups - Beyond just joining Linked-In, groups are a great way to expand ones network, contribute to a community, and get questions answered. Checkout these groups geared toward Sports.
- See what the members are doing, participate in discussions, uncover resources, and even ask your questions.
- Sport Video from WorkIN Sports Network
- Professional Associations
- Athletic Training:
- American College of Sports Medicine
- Great Lakes Athletic Trainers Association
- Michigan Athletic Trainers Association
- National Athletic Trainers Association
- Professional baseball Athletic Trainers’ Society
- Health and Fitness
- Michigan Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance
- National Alliance for Sport and Physical Education (NASPE)
- SHAPE America (formerly American Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance)
- Movement Science
- American College of Sports Medicine (see also ACSM credentialing and certification)
- American Physical Therapy Association
- American Physiological Society
- American Society of Biomechanics
- National Society for the Psychology of Sport and Physical Activity
- National Strength and Conditioning Association
- Sports Management
- Association for Women in Sports Media
- International Association of Venue Managers
- North American Society for Sport Management
- Sport Marketing Association
Want some coaching around navigating your Career Track? Interested in talking with a Career Coach about your exploration of a Career Track?
- Attend a Career Center Program/Workshop to learn more about your Career Track in group formats.
- Make an appointment on Handshake for “Exploring Options”.
Before Your Appointment: Explore and engage with the tools and links in Explore Your Career Track; Complete the 3,2,1 reflection exercise; Attend a Workshop related to your Career Track.
You have been exploring your Career Track, and may be wondering “What Next?” This short exercise will help you clarify your question(s) and identify strategies to answer your career exploration questions.
3 - What are three take-aways from your exploration of this Career Track?
2 - What are two questions that you have/ what are you questioning now?
1 - What is 1 specific action step you plan to take, to answer your 2 questions?
Launch Your Job or Internship Search
Explore Handshake for a summer internship or jobs that help you to work part time or full time in the sports arena. Be sure to attend Expo events and information sessions in the Fall and Winter terms for jobs and internships. Past employers that have posted opportunities to Handshake include: Miami Dolphins, Cleveland Browns, New York Mets, and Atlanta Hawks.
- Many jobs prefer that you have some experience supporting a sports team through selling.
- Sports Search Engines:
- American College of Sports Medicine
- National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA)
- Fitness Jobs
- Online Sports Career Center
- Sports Career Development and Industry Insight
- Various Sports Roles
- Parks and Recreation- Illinois
- Parks and Recreation- Michigan
- Campus Recreation Nationwide
- Specific to Tennis Roles
- Careers for Women in Sports
- Teamwork Online
A referral from a contact goes a long way when looking for a job. Utilize the groups you have been contributing to on LinkedIn as one valuable referral source.
- Using LinkedIn to Find a Job or Internship
- Linkedin: Sports Industry Network, ConnectKines, University of Michigan Alumni, and Michigan Sport Business Conference, Parks and Recreation, MParks, Special Olympics, Sport and Exercise Professionals, NIRSA (NIRSA: Leaders in Collegiate Recreation), Disabled Sports USA, Professional Recreation
- UCAN (University Career Alumni Network)- Find U-M alumni who have volunteered to connect with current students about their jobs!
- Facebook: Work In Sports - Sports Jobs
Job/Internship posting sites are not a primary recruiting tool for organizations and should be a small part of your job search efforts
- Develop your resume by using The Career Center tools
- Career related articles
- Learn how to prepare for an interview by using The Career Center tools
- Articles (sample questions, timelines, tips all specific to industry)
Visit The Career Center website for more information on resumes, interviewing, and networking.
Want some coaching around launching your Career Track? Interested in gaining experience including securing Internships or looking for Jobs?
- Attend a University Career Center Program/Workshop to connect with employers and organizations that represent opportunities in your Career Track.
- Make an appointment on Handshake for “Internship Search”, or “Job Search”
Before Your Appointment: Explore and engage with the tools and links in Launch Your Career Track; Complete the 3,2,1 reflection exercise; Attend a Workshop related to your Career Track.
You have been launching your job/internship search, and may be wondering “What Next?” This short exercise will help you clarify your question(s) and identify strategies to answer your job/internship search questions.
3 - What are three take-aways from exploring the resources in "Launching Your Job/Internship Search"?
2 - What are two questions that you still have/what are you questioning now?
1 - What is 1 specific action step to help answer your 2 questions?