How do I get a job in the sport industry?
This is a question that lands in my DMs quite frequently – how do I get a job in the sport industry?
With students up and down the country recently returning to college and university in September, I thought it might be useful to share my experience after a decade of working in the football industry.
Here is three things to get you started:
1. Get involved with your local club
One of the best ways to break into the sport industry is to start at the grassroots level. Your local football or sports club offers a wealth of opportunities to gain experience and build valuable connections.
When I was studying at the University of Salford, I wanted to get my foot in the door. I reached out to a certain non-league football club called Salford City FC.
At the time, the Club was plying its trade in eight tier of English football playing in orange and black with average crowds of around 150 people.
The Club Secretary, a brilliant bloke called Andy Giblin, invited me and a few student colleagues down to film Salford City vs New Mills, a game that ended in defeat for the Ammies and consequently a 12th place finish during the 2013/14 season.
Fast forward a couple of months and the Club were taken over by none other than the Class of 92 – Gary Neville, Phil Neville, Ryan Giggs, Nicky Butt and Paul Scholes.
The University of Salford were striking up a partnership with the Class of 92 at the time and I was asked to film the meeting between the two parties.
It just so happens I was asked to talk about my experience of filming the matches and I still recall Gary Neville saying, “Would you be able to do this for all of our matches?” – I promptly replied yes, and the rest was history.
I ended up working for the Club for over seven years, seeing four promotions in five years and gaining invaluable experience of working in five different leagues.
2. Network with Key Figures
Try to network with key individuals within the industry you want to work. Build relationships with the people behind the scenes – you’ll be surprised at how helpful people are. These connections can be invaluable in helping you advance your career.
To make this super practical, I’ll share another experience. For my Master’s dissertation, I interviewed five industry professionals around the idea of developing a loyalty scheme for a football club based on the popular model implemented by many supermarkets.
One of those individuals was Will Watt, the Head of First Team Operations and Communications at Fleetwood Town. Will was kind enough to give up his time for a student to drive from Salford to Fleetwood and quiz him around what loyalty meant at a football club.
Little did I know at the time, but a connection was made that prove valuable in my career trajectory in the future.
After leaving football for just shy of 18 months, I was ready to move back into the industry. I went through a difficult spell in life (as I’m sure we all do) and decided to share this on LinkedIn. I didn’t share it for any other reason than I was at a point where I wanted to own how I was feeling and move forward. I was ready for a change of direction.
Why am I telling you this? Well, the connection I made on the Fylde Coast reached out to me six years after our initial meeting after seeing my LinkedIn post. There was a role available at Fleetwood Town as Head of Media & Marketing and Will wanted to know if I was interested in having a conversation to discuss.
Our conversation went very well and after going through the application process, I was offered the position. I worked as Head of Media & Marketing across the Fleetwood Football Group and had the pleasure of working with Fleetwood Town, Waterford, Hout Bay United and Fleetwood United.
My time was short but sweet on the Fylde Coast, although I can’t speak highly enough of the people I worked with, and the memories made.
3. Don’t be a d*ck
This should go without saying although I think it’s important to cover as the sport industry is much smaller than you think.
You’ll bump into people you met years ago plying their trade at another club, randomly see them at an event or even come across players you’ve worked with who‘s now retired and become an agent or moved into the world of media, for example.
I often think about a concept called Invisible PR – I first came across it in a video by entrepreneur Steven Bartlett. The concept refers to the subtle, often unnoticed actions and behaviours that can significantly impact the reputation and career of an individual. In essence, don’t be d*ck. Be nice and be authentic in every interaction you have.
Ultimately, there is immense value in being a good person – showing up when you need to show up, working hard and treating everyone with respect.
@steven Explaining what ‘invisible pr’ is and how it can work for or against you 👀💭 #pr #invisiblepr #advice #business #company #ceo #owner #businessowner #biz #businesstok #entrepreneur #work #talk #speaking #speaker #motivation #inspiration Steven Bartlett Business Advice Tips Opinion
Remember:
- Be proactive: Don’t wait for opportunities to come to you. Take the initiative to get involved and make yourself memorable with the right people.
- Be passionate: Your enthusiasm for sport will shine through and make you a valuable asset to a club or organisation.
- Be patient: Building a career in the sports industry may take time. Be patient, persistent, and willing to learn.
By getting involved with your local football or sports club, you can gain valuable experience, build your network, and take the first steps toward a fulfilling career in the sports industry. I hope this helps with the question – How do I get a job in the sport industry?
Ryan Deane is the Co-Founder of Behind Sport and Head of Marketing at Stockport County. Previously working at Salford City FC, Everton, Fleetwood Town and Waterford FC.
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