Where do the athletes come in at? Where’s that entrance? What… I’m drooling?
Yes, you want to work in sports. Yes, you are going to be excited at your job interview. But there are some red flags that will pop depending on how you choose to wave your passion flag about the sports company or team during the interview!
Today let’s do a simple quick rundown on some red flags that I know interviewers look for in the sports industry that will make you landing that dream job in sports a tad bit harder.
Three Important Red Flags to Avoid for Your Next Interview:
1.) Don’t be a Jock Sniffer
Walking into the interview and behaving like a jock sniffer the entire time is a big no no. When it comes down to it interviewers and the sports company are looking for people who can keep their emotions in check and not get so super excited they can’t concentrate every time the sports company has an athlete in or around the marketing, sales, finance, production, and management team.
They need guys and gals who can temper their excitement and focus on the task at hand. You should hold back a tad on that story from high school or college of when you followed around your favorite athlete’s Mom for a week trying to find out where he lived. Or when you sent homemade cupcakes to your favorite team on every home game last year.
They don’t want jock sniffers.
2.) Avoid Bashing Other Teams/Organizations
Sometimes emotions begin to get in the way. I work for the flagship radio station of the Ohio State Buckeyes. I am given ample opportunity to bash that team up North, the Michigan Wolverines, on a day in and day out basis with my clients or fellow employees. But I pass. WHY? (Well first of all it’s not really a rivalry when one team wins every year right haha just kidding!)
Because I am in sports marketing. I’m not in trying to increase ratings by causing suspense and drama on the air by making fun of our rival.
It also displays an emotional trait of yours. And that’s how you tend to view a glass. Is it half full or half empty? How you choose to talk about your sports teams displays how you are as a person. If you are chosen to speak about how great the rivalry is and the competition it brings as opposed to how much the other team sucks and hope you kill them every year it speaks a great deal about your personality and how you will react when stressful situations arise in the workplace.
3.) Don’t Talk About Your GPA or Your Resume
No one cares about your GPA. No one cares about your experience or resume anymore. It got you the interview. What they want to hear is stories, ideas, and examples of how you can help be a great teammate, eventual leader, and what value you believe you can bring to the table.
They don’t need another order taker or another person to just show up to work and collect a paycheck. Those jobs are gone and they are NEVER coming back.
Move forward and think what you can do to provide a lasting WOW impression. Not just regurgitating that resume or your 3.41 GPA from a college you graduated from 18 months ago.
Bonus: Stop Talking About the Athletes and Start Talking About YOU can Provide!!!
To work in sports you need to be a fan in somewhat shape or form. I believe the more passionate you are and you believe in what you represent the more you will be able to achieve in your life, both professionally and personally. But there’s a fine line in walking into that job interview looking for autographs and looking to land a job.
- Be excited
- Be knowledgeable
- Be passionate
- But don’t be a jock sniffer, super fan, or hater on other teams.
It will put you to the top of the pile as opposed to the bottom! Now best wishes and go land that gig!
Thanks for reading everyone! Additional thoughts or questions?? Hit us up at @SportsNetworker or you can email me directly at mike@marketingfunwithmike.com for additional help or feedback. We’d love to hear from you. Enjoy the day!
