The Work in Sports Podcast - Insider Advice for Sports Careers

 We're exploring new media in college athletics with Betsy Lauritzen, Assistant Director of New Media for Fresno State Athletics!Hi everybody, I’m Brian Clapp Director of Content for WorkinSports.com and this is the Work in Sports podcast.One of my favorite stories to date happened on the podcast interview you are about to hear with Betsy Lauritzen, Assistant Director of New Media for Fresno State Athletics.But before I get into that first a little backstory on how the sausage is made.I reach out to people all the time about being on the podcast, some are just starting their career and have a great story to tell on breaking in, some are in management and more established, some are executives and can really share about the hiring and firing process… and then I go for the big swingers too.Most of the time… hello Theo Epstein… they don’t respond. But sometimes they do. Jack Mills, agent for Baker Mayfield, that was a pretty big one. And coming up in a few weeks Leigh Steinberg, agent for a record 8 1st overall picks.With guys like Leigh, I can come up with hundreds of questions because there is so much information out there about them and their career. I try to come up with unique angles, but again, the big swingers make for easy question development.But with some of the newer, younger, high rising people in the industry like todays guest… I have to go on gut instinct a lot. I write up questions in advance, and I have a framework for what I want to ask… but I have no idea what will work and what will lead us to an interesting conversation.So you can imagine my excitement when I asked Betsy a question from my rough outline and she responded “this is one of my absolute favorite stories that I have about the sports industry.”For me, excited guests who are anxious to share an impactful story from their career is like being handed a heaping dessert prepared by some fancy chef and then being told, magically, that this will not add any inches to my gut.It’s pure satisfaction.So betsy went on to explain how she got her first internship with the Dallas Mavericks – an internship and opportunity that she should have had to fight tooth and nail to get. But, as you’ll hear shortly, what she really had to do was care, have a moment of sacrifice and take advantage of an opportunity.That’s a big lesson in this interview – caring about your career, pushing towards your goals…all of it really matters.But before we talk to Betsy I want to remind everyone that registration is now open for our Sports Career Accelerator event September 13-14th in Atlanta.You know by now that by registering you will get to learn the business of sports hands on from executives and staff of the Hawks, Falcons, Braves, College Football Hall fo Fame, United and more.But here’s the big thing – everyone you talk to in the sports industry will tell you getting into this industry is about who you know. Well, this is your chance to get to know these high-level people within these huge organizations.We will have a special networking event on the first night, and all these team execs and more from other agencies, smaller teams, local businesses…will be there networking and sharing with all of you. This is the opportunity you’ve been waiting for…and even if you don’t live in Atlanta, we picked that location because it is a very easy direct flight from many locations.And if you want to work in sports, as I’ve said about 100 times on this podcast, you need to be ready to relocate. I started my career in Atlanta, and I’m a Boston guy… it’s a great city and the teams and opportunities are awesome… so register already!Visit Work in Sports.com / Tremont / atlantaTremont Sports are our partner in this so again,

People are clumsy and awkward at networking, myself included. These honest, raw tips will help you form a networking game plan that will work.Hi everybody I’m Brian Clapp Director of Content for WorkinSports.com and this is the Work in Sports podcast…For those of you new to the podcast, every Monday I answer a fan question regarding their sports career… if you have a question you want answered on the show, email me at podcast@workinsports.com – or you can connect with me on Linkedin and ask there…or better yet, join our private facebook group by searching for the Work in Sports podcast on facebook.Now here’s the deal about that – real quick note – when you ask to join there are three questions you need to answer. This is how I know you are legit, and not a Kenyan overload who just needs my social security number to send me 5 million in Kenyan Schillings.It’s pretty simple – what is your favorite episode of the show, who would you like me to get as a guest, and have you given the show a review.Just say something to prove to me you are actually interested in being part of a group that is talking about sports careers. If you don’t answer the questions, I assume you don’t have a real interest in networking with like minded individuals pursuing their sports career. So answer the questions!Also, if you submit a good question and I answer it here on Mondays… you get a free month at Work in Sports.com the leading job board for the sports industry. Seriously, we’ve been doing this for 20 years, we are the number one job board for the sports industry, with over 7,000 available jobs right now, and last I checked you only need one…sounds like pretty good odds!So that covers Mondays… on Wednesday’s I interview sports industry experts about their career, how they got started, what they look for when hiring, challenges they face… all the good stuff.We’ve had on people from every major sports league in just about every possible role you can imagine. The good news is, all of the past episodes are just as relevant today as they were the day they published…so go back and listen, lots of great guests and information!Alright, let’s get to today’s question --Great question this week from Wes in Indiana,“Hi Brian, this is Wes in Indiana (thanks Wes but I think we already established that) I’ve been reading about your sports career accelerator event coming up in September and I’m strongly considering going. You mentioned there will be an big networking event the first night with executives from the major sports teams, local minor league teams, agencies, and other sports organizations. That in and of itself sounds like an incredible opportunity.But here’s my question. I’m never sure how to behave or engage with people at these kinds of events. Do you have any tips to maximize the experience?”Wes, great question.I am not a natural born networker. I admire the people who can just step out there and are so comfortable in their own skin. Listen in to the podcast episode for more details on how to network with sports executives1: Change your frame of mind. – they’ve been asked to attend, they are there, they knew when they agreed to coming what it would be like. Embrace that fact.2: Have a game plan – no life stories, quick intro, get into a specific question. Duringt he conversation try to slip in things you have done.Let’s role play shall we:You introduce yourself – eye contact and handshake. Hi I’m Brian, I’m a senior at the University of Delaware, studying sports management – how are you?Great/wonderful/excellentYou: "One thing I’m really trying to get a better understanding of is what employers are looking for when hiring,

The more you can prepare for an eventual role in management, the better off you will be. In this episode Colorado Rapids Manager of Inside Sales James Bryant talks about the management skills you need to develop starting now!Hi everybody, I’m Brian Clapp Director of Content for WorkinSports.com and this is the Work in Sports podcast…Of the 107 episodes so far on the Work in Sports podcast I’d say about 80% of the content is steered towards advice to achieve that first entry level job in the sports industry.Of course, we talk with experts in the field about their careers, but even then I tend to ask question like, what are you looking for when you hire new staff…or how did you get your first job in sports.I’m always leaning into the concept of “getting started”.Makes sense, so many of you are in school, recently graduated, or changing careers into sports.But this episode we’re taking a completely different approach. We’re talking about management skills.Now, before you turn this off, thinking management?! I need an entry level job before I can start thinking management!Well, you’re thinking too short term.Management skills like leadership, mentoring, training, setting strategy, building culture – these are all things that the earlier you become familiar with and start building your own personal approach to these subjects, the faster you will grow.Imagine this for a second – you’re an entry level employee, and you show yourself as a leader, you ask questions about strategy, you help out other team members with their training… these will show your bosses you are management material. That you aren’t just clocking in a clocking out, finishing your daily to do list and then hiding in the corner somewhere not to be noticed.When I was at CNN Sports Illustrated, there were probably about 20-30 production assistants hired all at once, we were all on a level playing field. But in a short time we started to differentiate ourselves for various reasons. Some of us took on bigger roles by being ambitious and always saying yes, some of us displayed natural leadership skills, some were better than others at time management.All of these people stood out.Then there were others…they would get their daily assignments, goof off for hours, and then hustle to get their lists done right before we went to air. Or they would do all of their assignments, then hide out away from seeking eyes, preferring to remain anonymous than take on a new challenge.These people didn’t grow.The point is, even if you are in a situation where your only focus is getting an internship or a first job… it is still the time to learn more about management, because that is where you are headed, and the more you can prepare for that eventual day, the faster that day will come.So let’s talk about today’s guest a little, James Bryant - who from this moment forward will be referred to as JB because that’s what he prefers – is the Manager of Inside Sales for the Colorado Rapids. He broke into the industry with Sporting KC as a Sales Associate and after two years moved to the New York Yankees for four years in premium sales and season ticket retention.And then the opportunity came… the Colorado Rapids came calling, recruiting JB to become a Manager of the Inside Sales staff. JB jumped at the chance and now two years later is sharing with all of us some of the incredible things he has learned in his management role.But before we get to JB  -- a reminder! Registration is open for our Sports Career Accelerator event September 13-14th in Atlanta! Executive staff with the Hawks, Falcons, Braves, United, College football hall of fame and more will walk you through their jobs, answer questions, network and engage… plus if that isn’t enough… I’ll be there too!I’ll be hanging out with all of you, and conducting some live podcasts… interviewing some of our guest sp...

Why do some entry level jobs want 2 years experience? What do they mean by experience and should I bother applying? Good Question! Let's get into it:Hi everybody, I’m Brian Clapp Director of Content for WorkinSports.com and this is the Work in Sports podcast…Let’s talk about the Sports Career Accelerator event September 13-14th in Atlanta --  we are super excited about this event, and I have to admit so much of our excitement is based on your enthusiasm. It’s infectious! As so many of you have asked for more information, or told us you are really excited, that has helped push us forward, and motivated us to make this the best event you have ever been a part of.For fans of this podcast we are opening registration tomorrow! Tuesday August 7th. I will be sharing a registration link on our Private Facebook Group page – and I will be emailing personally all the people who have entered their name on our early interest list.You will get the first crack at registration for this one of a kind event.Then we will open registration to the public on Wednesday…my hope is all of you fill it up first, so we don’t even have to bother with the non-listeners. How cool would it be for this event to be filled up with all for you ambitious fans?!I will be at the event personally, so this will be a meetup of sorts too. And I’m telling you, the guests speakers and networking opportunities wil blow your socks off.Now, many of you are probably wondering… Hey Brian, didn’t you say last week that registration would open for us on Monday?Yes I did. But we had some tech glitches this weekend, so we are spending today testing everything to make sure it works correctly before we open to up registration to you. We want registration to be smooth and seamless, and I’d rather wait a day, than have tech mistakes we can avoid.That’s life…sometimes you need to adjust!Anyway look for the registration info tomorrow and let’s get this done!On to today’s QA session question, this one comes from Ethan in Minnesota –Ethan writes in –“Hi Brian, love the podcast thank you so much for the content you share. I’m graduating from college in the spring and as you suggest I’m reading job descriptions now so that I can figure out the gaps I should fill in during my senior year. (SO SMART!).One thing I am noticing is that many jobs that claim to be entry level are asking for two years experience – which seems to contradict the words entry level! Are these jobs I should ignore? Or apply to anyway…what’s the deal here?!” Ethan what a great question – frustrating isn’t it? Entry level jobs want so much experience… how does that work?Let’s separate the fact from fiction and dig into the reality of the job market.1: What do job requirements really mean?2: What does experience really mean?3: Customize your resume and cover letter  4:  Shot gun vs. targeted5: Gap AnalysisListen to the episode to find out more details on this entry level jobs discussion!

Arena Marketing Manager Megan Ebeck is the queen of multi-tasking, marketing over 150 events each year including San Jose Sharks home games, US Figure Skating Championships, Nitro Circus and a bevy of concerts. How does she do it? Listen in and learn.  Hi everybody, I’m Brian Clapp Director of Content for WorkinSports.com and this is the Work in Sports podcast…I have this incredible fear of details.  Sound weird right, so many people fear sharks and heights and I fear details.But let me explain – I have this recurring nightmare that I tell people to show up somewhere important, somewhere I need them to be…but I give them the wrong date and time to be there. This also happens to me in the day, I have panic moments of getting and sharing information wrong.Sick right?Someone in our audience will probably interpret that dream and tell me I’m crazy, or I have daddy issues…we’ll see.But I think a lot of that comes from my journalism background where you are always so concerned with inadvertently providing false information and losing credibility.So that is one of my many issues – fear of details. One thing I’ve realized lately is that it isn’t just media roles who are obsessed with the details, it’s marketing. There is no room for error!Imagine for a second you are promoting an event and give a wrong date…or spell the name wrong of someone you are helping brand, or mischaracterize a products use and function.Sports marketing jobs take extreme attention to detail. Just think of the daily challenges this weeks guest Megan Ebeck, Arena Marketing Manager for the SAP Center, Home of the San Jose Sharks takes on…Megan conducts marketing efforts for 41 Sharks home games, 34 San jose barracuda games (their minor league affiliate) and then US figure skating championships, Nitro Circus and other sports events like the  Harlem Globetrotters  …and then the entertainment focus of her job… Nicki Minaj? Fleetwood Mac? Panic! At the disco – yep she’’s marketing that too.Details matter for Megan every single day. Keeping straight multiple clients needs, event details and marketing tone and voice through a blur of events… it’s a crazy pile of details she needs to keep straight.Enough me talking… let’s hear more about Megan’s job as Arena Marketing Manager for the SAP center, Home of the San Jose Sharks… from herBut first… the Work in Sports podcast is brought to you by WorkinSports.com not only are we the #1 job board for the sports industry, we are also hosting our first Sports Career Accelerator 2-day event September 13th-14th in Atlanta. We’re constantly looking for ways to serve our fan base better, and after much research and focus groups we determined what you wanted was more hands-on career focused events. But we didn’t want some basic career fair, we wanted to turn the volume up.This two day event will put you behind the scenes and networking with executives and staff form the Atlanta Hawks, Braves, Falcons, United, College Football Hall of Fame, Mercedes Benz Stadium Phillips arena and more.Learn, network and engage with experts in the sports industry!We are limiting this event to the first 40 people because we want to keep this intimate and give you one on one exclusive time with our incredible guests.For more information and to be added to our interest list – visit workinsports.com/atlantaThis event will crush any career event you’ve ever participated in before. Trust me.And now… it’s time for Megan Ebeck, Arena Marketing Manager for the SAP Center, Home of the San Jose Sharks!Questions for Megan Ebeck, Arena Marketing Manager SAP Center, Home of the San Jose Sharks1: You manage the marketing f...

Three great questions came in this week on job interviewing, so why not handle all three?!Hi everybody, I’m Brian Clapp Director of Content for WorkinSports.com and this is the Work in Sports podcast –Before we get into this week’s qa session I want to remind you all about our upcoming Sports Career Accelerator event coming up September 13-14th in Atlanta.Before you say – darn! I don’t live it Atlanta – I’d like to point out that right around 2,600 direct flights come into Atlanta per day. So this event is in reach.But why should you care? I’ll tell you why –* This 2-day event will feature learning and networking opportunities with leaders inside the Atlanta Hawks, Braves, Falcons, the darlings of the MLS the United, the College Football Hall of fame and more.* You will get exclusive facility tours and see behind the scenes of the operations of all these major franchises* You will have one on one personal time with all the executive hosts, where you can ask questions and network* We will submit a professional portfolio on your behalf to all of the teams.* We are limiting the event to 40 people so that we can keep this small, intimate and impactful!We will be opening registration early for podcast fans and people who submit their email via our early interest page …which is at workinsports.com/atlanta.Questions – you can ask me via our private facebook group – search the work in sports podcast on facebook, join the group, or via LinkedIn, or via our podcast@workinsports.com email account.So go ahead, ask me anything.Now onto today’s question:I’m actually combining 3 similar questions into one theme – This week I received three good questions about job interviewing, so let’s handle them all.1: This question comes in from Alanna in Wheaton, Illinois –Hi Brian, love the podcast thank you so much for your time and effort, Can’t wait til the Career Accelerator event, a flight from Chicago to Atlanta is only 1 hour 32 minutes and $110 round trip. Ok I added that part. Alanna didn’t say that, but it does give me a chance to show how cheap it is to fly to atlanta!OK Ok her question – How much research into the company should I do before hand…I mean they want to know more about me, so isn’t it more important to really nail my story, rather than theirs?Alanna – it’s a good question but you are coming at it the complete wrong way.I like to start at the end goal and work my way back in every situation.In an interview the goal is to get hired, right? To win them over, impress them with your talents and make them feel like you are the right fit for the job.Ok so that’s the end goal. How do we get there?Think of a venn diagram, where you are one circle and the company is another circle. You are thinking of this as if the two circles don’t overlap. This is about you, and they are them.But in reality, the overlap between you and the company is the sweet spot, it is about you together as one, and the only way to show how you two meld is by doing research into the company – tons of it.You need to be able to tell your story through the lens of the hiring company, -- how your skills align, how their projects line up with your ambitions, how their areas of growth are the direction you want to head.And the only way you know these things is through research.You want to know their culture – their brand tone and voice – their clients – their projects – what staff says about working there – the background of the person who would be your boss.I could keep going but those were just off the top of my head… you can see how each of these things relates to how you may handle a question during the interview.If their brand voice is dry and technical,

Do you want to work in sports marketing? Joe Legaz Director of marketing for the LA Clippers joins the show to discuss openly and honestly what you need to make it in sports marketing.Hi everybody I’m Brian Clapp Director of Content for WorkinSports.com and this is the Work in Sports Podcast…In pro sports we’ve entered a world of exacting specialization.Take the NBA for example – three and D players. I want you to hit open threes and play tough defense. That’s it, that is your exact role. Don’t worry about the other stuff, just focus on being the best at this piece in the game. a guy like Trevor Ariza, you won’t see his name on any top 20 lists, or even top 75, but he’s carved out a specific role that is in high demand…and he’s turned it into about 84 million in lifetime earnings.Not too shabby.Same thing in baseball – guys who can get on base are still all the rage. Or how often have you heard about guys with the right launch angle?Football --- guys who can set the edge in the run, or clog up the middle, or receiving backs. Coaches and general managers have figured out they need to lower their expectations and focus intently on the things they do well. Putting players in a position to thrive, now that is the art of leadership.BUT, the true superstars… the Kawhi Leonards, the Kevin Durants, the Mike Trouts, the JJ Watt’s – they do it all. Put them in any role and they will destroy the competition.Harder to find, but pure gold when you do.The same holds true for the sports industry.Say someone wants to work in marketing, well there are a whole list of skills they could lean in to --Digital. Branding. Social Media. Promotions. Sponsorship. Design. SEO.Most people nowadays are specializing – and there is nothing wrong with that – but someone who works in promotions may have no idea what it means to work in branding. And someone who wants to work in content strategy may not know anything about design or working with media buyers.But, the true superstars are dangerous everywhere. Versatility rules. Being the person your boss knows can do just about anything has power and puts you in line for growth and promotion.So while there is nothing wrong with being specialized, oftentimes the quality you want to aim for is resourceful.Today’s guest knows this better than most – Joe Legaz is the Director of Marketing for the LA Clippers, and has also worked in sports marketing for the San Francisco Giants, adidas, the San Francisco 49ers and the Seattle Mariners.  He knows what it takes to make it in this business, and how to stand out from the crowd – listen in and learn from this leader of the sports industry…But first… the Work in Sports podcast is brought to you by.. well, workinsports.com – I’m promoting our own event! We have a Sports Career Accelerator 2-day event coming up September 13th-14th in Atlanta. This two day event will put you behind the scenes and networking with executives and staff form the Atlanta Hawks, Braves, Falcons, United, College Football Hall of Fame, Mercedes Benz Stadium Phillips arena and more.We are limiting this event to the first 40 people because we want to keep this intimate and give you one on one exclusive time with the leaders of the sports industry.For more information and to be added to our interest list – visit workinsports.com/atlantaThis event will crush any career event you’ve ever participated in before. Trust me.Now here’s LA Clippers Director of Marketing Joe Legaz…Questions for LA Clippers Director of Marketing, Joe Legaz1: Sports Marketing is one of the more popular fields in the industry – over 25% of the available sports jobs we have on our website are related to marketing -- but it’s an extremely broad term, marketing covers a lot – we’ll get into your high-level exper...

Hi everybody I’m Brian Clapp, Director of Content for WorkinSports.com and this is the Work in Sports podcast…Before we get into today’s question – I am so fired up about our Sports Career Accelerator event coming up in September.If you are an avid listener to the podcast or a member of our private facebook group, you know that the team at WorkinSports.com along with our friends at Tremont Global Education are working together to create Sports Career Accelerator events …and our first one is in Atlanta, September 13th and 14th!So what is this event?First a little background – we’ve all been to career fairs, whether sports related or not, and the event doesn’t usually live up to the hype and excitement. You go into it and think – this could be my moment! Then you get there and realize there aren’t any real opportunities, the teams represented aren’t engaged,  or there are so many people you just don’t get any time to talk with anyone in a meaningful way.Well, we set out to do something different – very different.Our 2-day event will be intense and immersive – you will go inside the operations of the Atlanta Hawks, Falcons, Braves, United, Mercedes Benz stadium, Phillips arena, the college football hall of fame and more.You will meet and speak with high ranking officials within the teams, hiring staff, mid-level managers, and the important decision makers.We will submit a professional portfolio book, including your resume and detailed information to all executive speakers and guest hosts…Many of the team leaders will conduct micro interviews on the spotAnd here’s the big one – we are capping the event to the first 40 people who register. We want this to be the most impactful 2-days of your sports life and we can’t do that with hundreds of people – we want you to get one on one meaning impact with pro team executives, while learning and networking with them.Alright you probably have questions – here’s what I would ask:* How much is it – I don’t have a final price yet, but I can tell you it’s much cheaper than I would have guessed originally. I should know later this week an exact number – and I will post it on our private facebook group.* How do I register? – We are opening registration to the public on August 1st. BUT, listeners of this podcast who go to workinsports.com/atlanta and submit their email address will get advance access to pre-register before the public on July 31st.* What about hotels? – The cost of a hotel or airfare will not be included in your registration, but we will have suggestions for you on where to book – once you submit your email to the page I just mentioned, we will start sharing more and more info with you.* What about food? – Yes, you will be fed. Specifics on that to come… but trust me you will eat.* What about transportation between all of the facilities? That is all included! I’ll tell you this too – we will be running some contests during the event for some really cool prizes so again, this is something you are not going to want to miss* I live on the West Coast – will you have any other events? Yes, we will. We’re mapping out our event calendar, and it will be exciting for all of you. BUT, if you can make this one… make it. I think every event will have similar structures, but with different teams and execs a totally different vibe. You may want to go to multiple events, but you have to start with your first!So final reminder – go to WorkinSports.com/atlanta for more details and to put your name on our interest list for advance knowledge and early registration!Alright now on to the meat of today’s program –The question –Hi Brian, I am John from North Carolina.

Getting into the sports industry by learning the revenue creation side of the business - that's our topic today with Kelsey Smith, Tampa Bay Lightning Account Executive.Hi everybody I’m Brian Clapp, Director of Content for WorkinSports.com and this is the Work in Sports podcast…When do you get started? How do you figure out what you want to do?These are some of the most common questions I get each and every week from fans – what is surprising to most is that they are intertwined.You figure out what you want in your sports career by getting started doing something.So ask yourself what is available? Is there an athletic department at your college or university? Likely there is, so get involved – try media relations, communication, sales, sports information, ticket sales, operations, recruiting, fundraising.What about a minor league baseball team, or basketball team – is there a golf event nearby? Road race?By getting involved as early and often as you can, you figure out what you like and what you don’t like.Say you worked in sports information at your college and figured out…nope not for me! That doesn’t mean it was a waste of time, quite the opposite, it means it was time well spent.. because what if you spent your entire college career planning for  ajob in sports information, then got a job and hated it.Now what? You’re out of school not like you can change course with ease!The earlier you get started the better suited you are to figure out your logical path. Don’t get crazy about exactly what, where or how --- just get in there and start doing!I’ve known too many people that waited and waited and waited…and then the moment passed them by.To further clarify this point – this week I’m bringing on friend of the podcast Kelsey Smith – Kelsey is in her second year as a Master’s student at University of South Florida and already has 10 legitmate experiences on her resume, including the New York Yankees and the Tampa Bay Lightning.And you know what… she’s changed career objectives over that time, because by doing the job she learned what she didn’t like which is just as valuable as what she did.Listen in and learn from this high riser in the sports industry – here’s Kelsey Smith!Questions for Aspiring MiLB General Manager Kelsey Smith1: The first thing I notice about you Kelsey, is that you have a clear vision for who you want to be – the very first words on your LinkedIn profile say “Future Minor League Baseball General Manager” – how important has it been for you to have clarity in your goals?A: When and how did you figure out who you wanted to be?B: Since you know where you want to end up, has it made your decisions on subjects like  – where to intern, what courses to take – has it made those choices easier?2: You completed your undergrad at Miami Ohio from 2013-2017 – and right away in 2013 you began interning in the Athletic Department – what was that experience like as a freshman new to college but thrusting yourself into your career.3: After that you worked for the Hamilton Joes collegiate summer league baseball team in their communication department, then as a sports information director for the Miami of Ohio swimming and diving team, then for Penn FC in media relations – all during your undergrad – you were hella focused.These are varied roles, how important was it for you to get exposure to many different things in the industry in order to figure out what you really wanted?4: All this on your resume by the time you finished your undergrad – but instead of joining the workforce, you went for your Master’s – why?5: You and I have spoken before about Master’s programs and I feel many programs don’t do a good job preparing people for the real world – they don’t provide real experience, or hands on application of the classroom experience ...

Fan of the show Jordan asks "If you could go back and give your 22 year old self some advice, or things you would do differently in your career, what would they be?" I like this question, so I'm diving in. Come along and listen. Hi everybody I’m Brian Clapp, Director of Content for Work in Sports.com and this is the WorkinSports podcast.Before I get into today’s question I want to answer a sub-question I get a lot – why does WorkinSports charge a subscription to access your sports jobs? This is a great question and here’s the straight truth – you know me, I’m painfully honest and I’m going to do that here.As a business we have two basic options:* Charge employers to post their jobs* Have a subscription membershipOn a surface level you probably think – yeah charge the employers! But think a little deeper. Many small to medium employers will say – no thanks, we don’t want to pay, or we can’t pay to post our jobs. Many big employers will say nah, we don’t have an interest in that.So what does that mean for you?A job board that only posts jobs from employers willing to pay them, is only presenting you a fraction of the total market. There are thousands of opportunities you’ll never see on their job board because they haven’t struck a deal with that particular employer.We’ve gone about it differently.Yes we charge our members, but it allows us to get all of the available jobs and bring them to you. Small medium and large size companies are all represented with us. You don’t miss a thing.Plus, sports employers love our members, because you aren’t just blindly applying to a free sports job that sounds cool….but you aren’t qualified. Our members are willing to pay for access which is a method of pre-screening and makes our employment friends very happy.So that’s it in a nutshell – we charge, but for good reason, and it benefits you in the long run and the short run.   Alright enough of that – here’s this weeks question from Jordan in North Carolina, just a friendly reminder to our new listeners – email your question in to podcast@workinsports.com and ifyou have your question answered on the show – BOOM – you get a free month of access.Here’s Jordan’s question:Hey Brian, I’m a 22 year old grad student - over the last few months I’ve been following your advice on the podcast and it’s made a huge difference for me. I’ve been more confident in interviews, both on video and in person, my cover letters are better, my goals are clearer, I know where my weak spots are an I’m working to fix them…I can’t thank you enough, I’ve learned more from your podcast that I have in 6 years of college and grad school. I heard you mention on a show once that you have been in the industry for 20 years, so I guess you are around 40 year old. Which makes me wonder… if you could go back and talk to your 22 year old version, what would you tell them or what would you do differently?I love how forward Jordan is, YES Jordan I am 43 years old, which means I’ve been in the sports industry for 22 years. Yikes.I like this question.As a parent I think this way a great deal – what do I want them to know that I didn’t? or what can I teach them to do better than I did? or how can I inspire them to achieve more than I have?Same thing here – what can I look back and share with all of you that could change your career trajectory. Wow, that’s a big challenge…but here goes, here are 5 things I would have done differently.1:  I would have asked more questions.2: I would have been more aggressive in college3: I would have worked for a team4: I would have taken more continuing ed courses5: I would have looked to the future moreListen in for more detail and explanation

Hey everybody, I’m Brian Clapp Director of Content for WorkinSports.com and this is the Work in Sports podcast.I’ll admit, over the 9 months and 99 episodes of this podcast I’ve been a hound for titles. I’ve wanted all of my guests to be people from the big leagues, the big brands and holders of big titles  – VP of an MLB team, Director of an NFL team, Agent to Baker Mayfield --- I wanted to grab the movers and shakers in the industry to share big knowledge and big experience.I have loved it. I’m a sucker for these conversations and peeling back the layers of each individual journey. There is so much you can learn from someone once you start talking, stuff that isn’t on their resume or social media profile. The truth about them and their experience.What I haven’t done enough of, is talk to the people on the beginning of their industry curve. A view of the climb up the ladder, rather than from the perch atop it.So this week we are having a very different conversation, sharing a very different perspective.Dasmine Evans is a recent graduate of Florida State University where she earned her degree in sports management. She conducted internships with major sports leagues and brands, volunteered, built her personal brand…but getting hired in sports hasn’t been easy.As she put it in her recent article on LinkedIn titled 10 things to know about working in sports before you graduate, “Let me tell you, grab a bottle of wine because the stress is real.”The line made me laugh, but the article as a whole was a raw, honest, interpretation of the struggle to find work in the sports industry. It’s not as easy as “get degree, get dream job” it’s a journey of peaks and valleys, and to be honest at the start it’s often more valleys than peaks. The thing I have always promised to you on this show is that I will speak honestly about the industry I love and have worked in for over 20 years. I will not sugar coat the story. I will not say every day is a dream with kettle corn and rainbows.We will talk about the industry in a real, unfiltered manner, and that’s what we’re doing today with Dasmine Evans, so let’s get to it:Questions for Dasmine Evans:1: You wrote a very timely article this week that you published on LinkedIn – it’s graduation season and thousands of young adults are entering the workforce, or at least trying. Your article, titled 10 things to know about working in sports before you graduate is a raw honest informative piece about your journey after graduating with a sports management degree from Florida State.So let’s start at the beginning – when you were in your senior year of school, approaching graduation and the impending doom of real life – what did you think it was going to be like?2: Ok, so what was the reality of your experience?3: It sounds like you had a pretty great resume too – lots of internships, volunteer work, a great degree from a great school. Looking back what do you think was going wrong?4: Let’s work through some of the points you make in your article – the first one is “you don’t have to major in sports management to work in sports” – if you had to go back and do it again would you have gone a different direction with you major, and if so why?–spoiler alert, I didn’t not major in sports management. Now, that could be because I’m old and they didn’t have sports management programs back in the 90’s… 5: Your next point is a big one, and one I try to drill into people’s heads all the time – Professional Teams aren’t the only place to work in sports! – I actually got into an argument with Mark Cuban a few years ago,

People are struggling to build their network of contacts and relationships in the sports industry, but you know what I see? Missed opportunities. Learn the easy tricks to network the right way.  This weeks QA session comes from  Jones in Milwaukee –“Hey Brian, I’m a pretty new listener so forgive me if you’ve covered this subject before, but I’m not a natural at networking and every time someone tells me breaking into this industry is about “who you know” I feel like I’m going to break out in hives. Can you give me some rookie level advice on building a network?”Good question Jones, for more details listen in to the podcast where we cover these concepts:* Networking is all about having a reason to connect* LinkedIn is your best friend* Quality over quantity* Follow up is paramount* Implement a gradual build up of the relationship and the questions you ask plus things you provideListen in to the episode to learn more about networking in the sports industry!

From traumatic brain injury to Forbes 30 under 30, NFLPA Player Manager Dior Ginyard shares his story of finding his true sports passion: serving others Hi everybody, I’m Brian Clapp Director of Content for WorkinSports.com and this is the Work in Sports podcast.Imagine for a second you had complete clarity in your life at let’s say 12 years old.You knew what you wanted, you wanted to be a veterinarian. You studied, took classes, interned – worked and worked and worked to refine your craft.It became a big part of you, it defined you.While in high school your friends knew you wanted to be a veterinarian, your teachers knew and helped push you further into your goals.Guidance counselors helped steer you toward the best veterinary schools and you were accepted – because you were focused, dedicated, knew what you wanted and were driven to succeed.You could see how your future was going to play out.But then in a blink things changed. You were in a car accident and lost the use of your right hand, your dominant hand.You wouldn’t be able to perform surgical procedures, examine animals, diagnose issues. It was gone. Your dream of being a veterinarian – poof - all gone.What would you do? Everything you had pushed for, the dominant focus of your life was now physically unachievable.Would you wallow? Get depressed? Question your future?Probably all of those things – I know I would. Recalibrating would be hard. You’d be forced to change in an instant, after spending nearly a decade working toward something that felt like your purpose.How unfair – right? Easy to blame, get angry, lose focus and fall into a trap. Very easy.This week’s guest Dior Ginyard didn’t want to be a veterinarian, he had a very different dream and it was taken from him tragically.He had to change his focus, figure out a new purpose and drive forward with the same intensity he had reserved for his now unattainable dream.Now years later, Dior Ginyard is a Player Manager for the NFLPA and a 2018 Forbes Magazine 30 under 30 award recipient. He took tragedy and turned it into a new, unexpected chapter… but let’s hear the rest from the man himself – here’s Dior Ginyard Player Manager for the NFLPA –Connect with Dior Ginyard, Player Manager for the NFLPA* Twitter: @DiorNFLPA* LinkedIn: Dior Ginyard* Instagram: @diornflpaQuestions for Dior Ginyard, Player Manager for the NFLPA1: Before we get into the nuts and bolts of your role with the NFLPA – I think it’s vitally important to give our audience some background into the man behind the job. Before you got into player development with the NFL, you were a high-level football player yourself at Frostburg State in Maryland – but your story took a turn, can you take us through what happened after your freshman season?2: I’ve worked with many athletes over the years and one of the things I believe that makes the greats SO great, is their singular focus on their craft. For you, that craft that took so much of your attention and future plans was gone in a blink – how did you recapture and recalibrate your goals and dreams? 3: How much did your personal experience/tragedy help form your desire to get into player development?  4: Ok, so you have a traumatic brain injury, fractured skull, playing career over – and in a few years you’re featured in Forbes Magazine’s 30 under 30. That’s a big story – let’s start at graduation, you get your degree from Bowie State, how and why did you end up at the NFLPA?5: A job opens in player development at the NFLPA and I imagine a lot of people apply – be honest, don’t be humble, why do you think the NFLPA chose you to be part of their team?

I know you want to work in sports, but are you willing to do everything it takes? Listen in to this podcast episode and learn how to separate from the pack. Hi everybody I'm Brian Clapp, Director of Content for WorkinSports.com and this is the Work in Sports podcast!Let's jump into today's question from Wyatt Phillips:I hope this message finds you well and ready to start your day after completing your morning meditation and listening to your hype-up playlist (proof I'm staying up-to-date on the show).I've been passionate about pursuing a career in sports for about a year now. When I first started out, my professors and other mentors told me I needed to conduct informational interviews with accomplished professionals, volunteer where I could, and obtain a full-time internship for the summer. I'm thrilled to share I've accomplished all of those things. However, it seems that many other people in my position have as well.What can I do in addition to all of this to make myself appealing to an employer in the future? Although I'm very proud of what I've achieved thus far, I feel all of that has been expected of me. Is there something I can do that would go above and beyond what employers are looking for to separate myself from the competition?Wyatt great question, and since my youngest son is also named Wyatt, I feel it is my moral imperative to answer your question. My Wyatt is 6 years old and entering 1st grade so other than your names you have nothing in common.He’s also currently running around my house talking about how his dinosaur is misbehaving and needs to go to time out…but hey it’s summer vacation and he’s 6 so he can’t get a job or an internship yet. So instead if you listen closely you may hear him in the background.  Anyway, I digress.What else? Isn’t that the big question?First things first, I don’t want you to discount the fact you have conducted informational interviews, volunteered and interned.  That’s big, and it puts you ahead of about 50 percent of the people out there.I know your instinct is saying I feel like that is what everyone is already doing and in a way you are right, the best are.The top notch people you will be competing with for the best jobs are doing these things. There are also thousands of people who want to work in sports who are doing next to nothing except watching Sportscenter and expecting magic to happen.You are way ahead of them.Before we get into new ideas, let’s go a little deeper on the old ones.Resist the temptation to view suggestions as things on your to do list.Professor told me to do informational interviews – checkInternships – check!Volunteer – check!All done, what’s next.I don’t want to assume you aren’t, but just as a reminder to everyone, you want to do all these things thoroughly and completely.Here’s what I mean. When you do an informational interview, this is step one of building a relationship with someone in the industry. Step 1.You need to build off of this interaction. Send a hand written thank you card, if you find an article related to their industry send it to them within an email saying hey I was just reading this and it reminded me of some of the subject we spoke about in our conversation – hope all is well.Set up a google alert for their name or their business, and be aware of what is happening with them – be ready with congrats, or just saw this news that is so awesome! Stuff like that. Start a dialogue, not by asking for things but by providing them.If they are the right people, they will be firmly entrenched in your network, and that is much better than spending just 30 minutes with them one time over coffee.Same with internships – while you are on the internship are you taking the time to get to know the people at all levels of the organization, are you following up with them, are you taking on extra tasks, are you building your professional reputation?Are you still talking to the people you have met at your internship? If not,

I went back and listened to our last 10 expert podcasts and picked out the best pieces of sports career advice. This is all the great actionable advice you can put to work for your sports career, right now!Hi everybody, I’m Brian Clapp Director of Content for WorkinSports.com and this is the Work in Sports podcast…I wonder all the time… is it working?Is the advice I share really getting in there with you and making a difference, am I helping flatten your learning curve so that you are more efficient and successful in finding opportunities in your sports career, or nailing an interview, or hustling for a networking opportunity, or building a relationship with someone in the industry.Obviously, it’s worked for me, and it’s worked for the people I’ve hired… because that’s where I get my concepts from…my real life over 20 years in the sports industry.But does it work for you? That’s the real rubber meets the road question.Many of you have posted on our private facebook group to say thanks, I’ve received cards in the mail to say you liked something I had to say, and others have told me I’ve made their road trip better.That’s all great. But I wanted to hear someone say – your advice, it helped me get a job.I know, maybe I’m needy, which would be true…I am a bit needy, but in reality we are all inspired by something and for me, the opportunity to make a difference for all of you out there listening…is really motivating.And then it happened. I received an email yesterday from Jackson Amos a student at the University of Florida…and he shared a story:“The main reason for reaching out is that I want to thank you and let you know that your advice really does work! See, I have a huge creative side that most people that know me have no knowledge of. I have been using programs like Photoshop for a few years now but have never published my work (which seems very silly to me now.) After to listening to your show I created a professional Twitter (@Jax_Graphics) and started posting my creative content for the world to see and the craziest things have happened. I have reached over 8,000 views on some of my videos and it actually landed me a job. The Gator Basketball team reached out to me through Direct Messages asking if I wanted to join their team as their Graphics Coordinator. It has been about 3 weeks with them and I have completely run away with it. I want to seize this opportunity and never look back. My hobby has now turned into a job and I couldn’t be more excited to walk into work everyday. Just wanted to share this with you and let you know how much you are appreciated and how your podcast really does help students! Looking forward to hearing more of your content and putting your advice to work." The idea here isn’t to say ‘hey look at me, my advice works!’ ---  everyone will pull something different from our content, every one of you will find something that speaks to you and makes you take action…so find that thing, and act on it.I was at a conference once, and I was feverishly taking notes… and a friend leaned over to me and said 20%. Since that didn’t feel like a complete thought I asked – what the hell do you mean? And he explained, you’re never going to act on 100% of what this dude says, so just pick out 20% that really resonates with you, a few topics, and really lean into them.That meant a lot and put a laser focus on actionable items. Now I present to you 100% of my ideas and you guys get to figure out your 20%...and it’ll be different from person to person.Let’s get to the rest of this episode – I went back over my last 10 interviews, listed to them all again – cringed at some of the points I babbled – and picked out my 20%...the actionable items from our guest expects that r...