The Work in Sports Podcast - Insider Advice for Sports Careers

If you are getting job interviews but not getting the job, it's time to do an analysis of your interview technique. Listen in, we'll show you how it's done.Hi everybody, I’m Brian Clapp, Director of content for WorkinSports.com and this is the work in sports podcast… It’s a Monday QA session!Here's this week question from Delaney in Missouri:Hi Brian, I love the podcast and have learned so much from listening to you and the other experts you bring on. You make road trips better and walking my dog much more entertaining. [Delaney, you rock] On to my question – I’m a recent college graduate, like within the last few weeks, but I’ve been looking for jobs for the last 3 months to be ready for this point. I’ve had two interviews, both for jobs I was really excited about, but I think I bombed. I felt caught off guard and unprepared and basically blew it. I’m worried that if I don’t turn this around I’m going to miss out on opportunities I am a good match for. Panic is setting in. Can you help?!Delaney – congrats on finishing college! That is a huge step in itself, and deserves to be celebrated.My first instinctual response isn’t related to the interview process itself, it’s related to you. You are losing the battle of nerves, and this effect is steamrolling you.* The worst thing you can do is have the pressure multiply on you.* Think of each event as an individual event, rather than the end of the line or the “one”* Stop fortune telling, you don't know what is going to happen A few ways to boost your confidence:* Get comfortable with rejection.* Meditate/breathe* Visualization – (including humanize them)Now let’s get into some interview techniques to help you out.* First impressions and charisma matter more than you think. If you got the interview, they know you have the skills.* Smile, make eye contact, get comfortable, don’t fidget.* Practice – if it’s video this is especially important. Find a friend.* Know your resume. Most interviewers will ask questions right off your resume. So tell me about a time you struggled with a decision while at company X? Get comfortable with you, that’s what this whole thing is about.* In advance think of real world experiences and examples you can weave into the discussion. You’ve looked at the job description, if it’s a marketing job you know they are going to ask about your experience on a campaign or something, so have examples ready. If it’s a sales job you’re going to be asked about a time when you dealt with an unruly or upset customer – so have an example ready.* Change your thinking – so many people go into an interview expecting to be grilled and hated and loathed and embarrassed. Get that out of your head – the person on the other side wants you to be a match! They want you to be the one!If I told you to call me tomorrow and practice an interview, you wouldn’t feel the pressure of the result, so you’d probably put a very comfortable “you” out there. You need to think during each interview this person is on my side, they aren’t out to get me.It’s funny I had a job interview a few years back, it was for a great job, high level, but I had already determined beforehand I wasn’t going to take it if it was offered. I took the interview anyway, and because there was no rreal pressure, I was loose, relaxed, confident, speaking comfortably…and probably did the best I had ever done in an interview. They not only made me an offer, it was 10% above the range they had previously given me.The point is, being nervous and tight doesn’t represent you well – being the king or queen of calm, confidence will. MUST HAVE: follow up questions.Leave with the right impression, have follow up questions ready in advance so you don’t have to think about them on the spot.

Karl Keating, Brand lead for Nike's House of Hoops joins the show to discuss international sports marketing, the challenges of leading teams and the various corporate cultures in sports apparel and lifestyle. Hi everybody I’m Brian Clapp Director of Content for WorkinSports.com and this is the Work in Sports podcast…The Silicon Valley is a pretty well-known technology hub in California, maybe you’ve heard of it. Google, Adobe, Apple, Facebook, Cisco, Oracle, Netflix, PayPal, Yahoo and hundreds more tech companies all residing in the southern San Francisco bay area.The region has become identified for their tech personality. And their expensive real estate. The average sale price of a home sold is about $1.440 million – that is nuts.That right there is enough to tell me, no thanks, I don’t want to start a career in tech and be forced to live in an area that’ll put me in debt for the next two generations.Now let’s put that same lens on the sports industry – is there a region that you think of when you think of sports?With teams spread out across the nation, it’s hard to pinpoint an area that is synonymous to the sports industry. Say New York and LA is gonna get pissed. Claim Dallas and Chicago is going to revolt.Most leagues and major organizations have corporate headquarters in New York so they may have the best argument, but I’m going to go in a different direction with the discussion. Just up the coastline from the Silicon Valley is what could be called the Sporting Goods Forest.Portland, Oregon.Home to Nike, Adidas, Under Armour, Columbia Sportswear, Keen footwear and many other sports lifestyle brands.The northwest has become the hub for a very large segment of the sports industry.  Walk down the street on a weekend, or go to a high school or college campus --  look around how often do you see Nike, Under Armour or Adidas gear…pretty often right?Nike made 32 billion in sales revenue in 2016Adidas 14 billionUnder Armour 4.3 billionNike is the supreme leader…but the other two are in the billions so don’t shed a tear.The point is, if you want to work in sports product marketing, branding, design, digital marketing, public relations, media relations and a host of other big business sports jobs – the Portland area may be worth migrating towards.Oh and the extra good news – the average price of a home in Portland is 430k…much more affordable.All this brings us to today’s guest – Karl Keating, Brand Lead for the House of Hoops Nike joint retail venture with Foot Locker.Karl has worked in Portland for both adidas and Nike… two of the big boys…but his experience isn’t limited to just Portland…or even just the US…Karl has ventured abroad to work in Germany and the Netherlands, adding international marketing experience to his portfolio – he’s a wealth of information, so let’s get to it already – here’s Karl Keating:Inspirational Videos Shares by Karl Keating:The Art of Innovation: Guy Kawasaki: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mtjatz9r-VcCreativity: Sir Ken Robinson: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iG9CE55wbtY&t=410s Warsaw Sports Marketing Center, University of Oregon

Creativity is the essence of sports jobs, learn how to stimulate your creativity and productivness while separating yourself from the stimuli that deplete it.Hi everybody, I’m Brian Clapp Director of Content for WorkinSports.com and this is the Work in Sports podcast.Everybody wants to talk about eSports. And that makes sense, it’s the current rage.As I like to do here is some perspective:In 2016 Worldwide revenue for esports was 493 million dollars – nothing to sneeze at.By 2018, worldwide revenue is projected to reach 906 millionBy 2020 – projections have it as an over 1 billion dollar a year industry. That is crazy growth but to put some numbers rather than just adjectives behind that… that’s a compound annual growth rate of 32%.Here’s the deal, I don’t get it, but I don’t have to, the fact is it’s growing incredibly in popularity and is a huige growth sector in the sports world.To be honest, esports kind of reminds me of going to Atlantic City casinos while I was in college. I’d spend hours there, playing blackjack with my friends, often losing money… but we’d get there at 11pm, and leave at 7am the next morning.You’d be in this dark enclave, pumped with oxygen to help you keep awake, bright lights and neon everywhere, sencory overload in many ways… then all of a sudden you’d walk outside and be like “what just happened to the last 8 hours?!”Of NFL Sundays at a sports bar… it could be a beautiful day outside, but you’d enter some dark sports bar at noon, spend hours and hours there, watching eating and drinking and then when you finally left it was like you were entering a foreign world…like, where the heck am I?That’s what I see when I see eSports events. But again, I don’t have to get it, to respect it and see it as a growth sector of the industry, and I know many of you are passionate and interested in it.But there are concerns.The World Health Organization just classified “Gaming Disorder” as a mental health condition. I’ve heard parents call it “digital heroin”.In a statement Dr. Vladimir Poznyak, a member of WHO's Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse said there are three major diagnostic features or characteristics of gaming disorder."One is that the gaming behavior takes precedence over other activities to the extent that other activities are taken to the periphery," he said.The second feature is "impaired control of these behaviors," Poznyak said. "Even when the negative consequences occur, this behavior continues or escalates." A diagnosis of gaming disorder, then, means that a "persistent or recurrent" behavior pattern of "sufficient severity" has emerged.A third feature is that the condition leads to significant distress and impairment in personal, family, social, educational or occupational functioning, Poznyak said. The impact is real, he said, and may include "disturbed sleep patterns, like diet problems, like a deficiency in the physical activity."Overall, the main characteristics are "very similar" to the diagnostic features of substance use disorders and gambling disorder, he said. For a diagnosis to be made, the negative pattern of behavior must last at least 12 months: "It cannot be just an episode of few hours or few days.So now let’s flip this into a conversation about the issue at hand.You are all people who want to work in the sports industry, and it is imperative for you to be creative, free-thinking, communicators.I’m not here to tell you video games are bad!I am here to tell you, you need to manage yourself and your creativity, because those are the elements that will lead to dutiful employment.Creativity shows itself in all sports jobs, not just marketing. In sales, you need to be a creative communicator, fast on your feet and comfortable in public environments. In operations,

Listen in We're Digging Deep into Your Approach for Your Summer Sports InternshipHi everybody, I’m Brian Clapp Director of Content for WorkinSports.com and this is the Work in Sports podcast –Quick update, this past Wednesday after releasing our latest podcast with Dr. Samuel Todd a researcher on the subject of sports job seekers, (i.e. all of you) we had our best day for podcast downloads ever.This podcast is growing, and it is because of you. So thank you. I can’t tell you enough how humbled I am to have you all listening and engaging with our content.For those of you who like what we are doing, and are new to the podcast, a couple more ways you can engage with our community.We have a private facebook group – there are about 500 members in the group and they are sports passionate people around the country of all ages and experience. College students looking for the answers to their questions, career changers looking to start fresh in sports …and many of our talented experts guests like Andrew Howard Communication Manager for the NFL.It’s a great group, and if you haven’t joined yet, you should, just search for the Work in Sports podcast on facebook, answer three easy questions and you are in!Another way you can be involved is through our site WorkinSports.com – since 1999 we’ve been the number one job board for the sports industry. Sports employers tell us constantly how much they like , value and respect our members, because they are serious, talented, ambitious people willing to do what it takes to work in the sports industry. If you are here listening to this podcast, you are more than just a sports fan, you are sports ambitious, and that is why employers love our members. You are legit.Looking right now there are over 7500 available jobs – here’s one for a performance marketing manager for a major sports lifestyle brand… another for a marketing coordinator with a major pro sports league… and another for an associate director, social media for the athletic department of a major west coast university. And that was just the first three listings of 7,500!And if you like me personally, I respond to everyone in the facebook group, I accept linkedin invitations from people who aren’t creepy and I’m pretty darn responsive to questions…which gets us to today’s question:This is from Bobby in Springfield, Massachusetts – home of the Basketball Hall of Fame.Hi Brian, big fan of the podcast, thanks so much for all that you do. I just finished my sophomore year of college, I’m a sports management major and I have an internship with a local minor league baseball team this summer. I’m very excited, this is my first big internship and I want to make sure I nail it. Do you have any advice for the way I should approach my summer sports internship?Bobby – this is awesome, what a great question. Before I jump into it, for all of you newbies to the podcast, you can send in a question to me at podcast@workinsports.com – if you have your question answered on the show, I’ll give you a free month of access to our site! So bobby – you are getting this hook up.Now on to your question –There are three major things you should get out of every internship, and I’m going to break them down in great detail. Summer internships are special, you can usually dedicate more time to them, you are less distracted and can really give your entire focus… so I’m glad we are talking about how to take them really seriously.1: This is your time to be proactive –Here’s the honest truth about internships – many organizations view them as a way to get cheap labor to do the jobs no one else wants to do. They call it an internship which sounds really beneficial to you the student,

Dr. Samuel Todd researches the human resources side of the sports industry and shares his vast experience crunching the data regarding sports careers. Lots to learn in this episode!Hi everybody, I’m Brian Clapp Director of Content for WorkinSports.com and this is the Work in Sports podcast.Data, Data, Data!For those of you born in the 1970’s or fans of old reruns you probably recognized that was an awful rendition of a classic moment in Brady Bunch history.I hated the Brady Bunch so I’m not sure why I did that, other than to focus in on the truth of today’s sports world.We are finally a data driven industry.For decades the business world has relied on data to inform their decision making, vast spreadsheets with forecasts and projections and ROI, AOV and EBITDA …but in the world of sports we so often rely on instincts, gut reactions and experience to forge our path.Sometimes this works magic.As the clock wound down on Super Bowl 49 between the Seahawks and Patriots – with the Seahawks driving for what would be a game-clinching touchdown, data said “Coach Belichick, call a timeout to preserve as much time as you can, allowing tom brady a chance to return serve.”But he didn’t.He says he saw panic, indecisiveness on the Seahawks sideline, so he forced them into action rather than giving them time to relax. His gut told him their frantic condition may result in a bad decision.It did. You probably remember the rest. Russell Wilson to Malcolm Butler… game over, it what I still think to this day was the best super bowl I’ve ever watched. We can debate that later if you dare.Then again, look at the data world. Teams like the Astros, Spurs, Red Sox and Falcons have used it masterfully to help put their teams in position to win more often than not.Actual results used to project future occurrences.Every team in sports employs analytics staff to help them find that hidden formula of success. Marketing teams pour through data to find out why a campaign worked or didn’t. Sales teams use dynamic ticket pricing to maximize revenue…again by manipulating and understanding data.The quest to collect and manipulate data is all around us.But you know where it isn’t used enough? In human resources. What if there was data to understand where you fit in the sports industry. Or how an employer could quickly and efficiently find the right match for their job opening. Or find out exactly why one person succeeds in a role and another fails.This, in a roundabout way is the plight of our guest this week. Dr. Samuel Todd studies the HR side of the sport industry; in particular, exploring the way in which the job searches of sport industry hopefuls are different than those for non-sport industry jobs. His findings thus far are fascinating, and will help you form your perspective and expectations and you dive deep into your sports industry career. You’ll notice I geek out a little in this interview because his concepts and analysis are exciting and I know will help you understand yourself a little better. It put many things in focus for me.So let’s get to it – here is Dr. Samuel Todd Associate Dean at the University of South Carolina!Questions for Dr. Samuel Todd About Your Fit in the Sports Industry1: We live in a much more data driven world than ever before, or at least it appears that way ever since Moneyball, analytics and Brad Pitt made it cool – as a researcher you focus on the way in which job searches of sports industry hopefuls differ from those in non-sports industry jobs.We’ll get into the weeds, but just as an overview in an over-arching sense, what has the data told you about this difference between sports jobs seekers and non—sports industry job seekers?2: About 10 times a week I get emails from people saying “I am passionate about working in sports” Have you e...

If North America secures the bid for the 2026 World Cup - what does that mean for sports jobs seekers? A lot. Hi everybody I’m Brian Clapp Director of Content for WorkinSports.com and this is the Work in Sports podcast.Happy Monday everyone, we’ve got a pretty big week ahead – later this afternoon I am interviewing Dr. Samuel Todd from the University of South Carolina. The reason Dr. Todd and I are talking is because his research is focused on the differences between sports job seekers and other industry job seekers.In fact, he helps sports employers streamline their hiring process, has studied how happy people are in sports careers and how people find their right fit in the sports industry.I’m very excited about this, and I think you should be too. That’ll publish this Wednesday so keep an eye out for that.In the meantime, today’s QA question comes from an expert in their own right. For the last 10 years Karl Keating has worked for adidas in their Brand Marketing department…then shifted over to Nike moving to the Netherlands to be their global brand manager.He wrote to me on Linkedin asking me a question… which I’ll be honest, took me back a bit for obvious reasons.  Karl is going to be an expert guest on the show, but first I owe him an answer to his question.Karl asks -- if North America gets the 2026 WC on Thursday, what do think the immediate impact will be on sports jobs in the US?Karl I love the immediacy of this question.For those of you who are not soccer buffs a bit of background. The World Cup is the largest sports event in the world. Period.Let’s add some perspective: the 2014 World Cup final was watched by 1.01 billion people.The 2014 super bowl was watched by 114 million.That was just the World Cup final – there were 64 games total in 12 venues throughout Brazil.This is a huge event.For more on Brian's perspective on the sports jobs related to the 2026 World Cup listen to the podcast!

Scott Rego, Head Equipment Manager for the Philadelphia 76ers explains his role, major responsibilities and the grind of traveling with the team on this edition of the Work in Sports podcast!Hi everybody, I’m Brian Clapp Director of Content for Workinsports.com and this is the Work in Sports podcast.If I worked in real estate, I think I would spend a great majority of my day admiring other people’s homes on the market. I could see myself coming home wanting to buy a new different house weekly.Honey I’m home – guess what I saw today, this awesome 4 bedroom house in the perfect neighborhood with a pool, you’re going to love it!And fo course my wife would laugh tell me I’m nuts and then I’d go on with my day.Well, now, in my role with WorkinSports you know what I see all day long – sports jobs. You know who I talk to all day long – cool people in sports with fun jobs.Now, my bosses are listening so I’m here to convince them that I am not constantly admiring other people’s job openings, but I do envision certain roles and think to myself… man that would have been cool.Take today’s guest for example – Scott Rego, Head Equipment Manager for the Philadelphia 76ers – for the last 32 years Scott has worked with the Sixers, he’s built relationships with players, become a trusted advocate of the coaching staff, and been instrumental in orchestrating travel, practices, game prep, team needs and more.Scott goes untra deep explaning his role and what he loves about it in this interview…and I have to say, there is a lot to love and admire about what he has accomplished.So let’s get to it – here’s Scott Rego, Head Equipment Manager for the Philadelphia 76ers!Questions for Scott Rego, Head Equipment Manager for the Philadelphia 76ers1: For nearly 32 years you’ve been with the 76ers as a part of the equipment staff, I noticed from your bio that you started with the team while in high school – how did you get your first opportunity?2: I remember going to Celtics games as a kid – sorry, Boston native here – and being so jealous of the kids on the court, even if they were just rebounding and passing the ball to Larry Bird or Kevin McHale – you were that kid! Looking back did you fully appreciate how cool that was?2a: What was it like being around the players back then?2b: Is that where you got the bug and knew – this is what I have to do for a living? 3: So you are in high school and college, working the Sixers home games as a team attendant, at what point did you figure out the next logical step was to progress into equipment management?4: It’s not like there is a major in college for equipment management – how did you learn the skills necessary to thrive in this role?4a: did you have any mentors, and what kind of advice did they give you?5:  When you were the Assistant Equipment manager, what were the key day-to-day priorities of your role?6: What’s it like travelling with the team – it’s an 82 game season, you are all over the place all the time… do you enjoy that part of the job, or is that a grind?7: For the last 19 years you’ve been the Head Equipment Manager for the 76ers – I imagine your challenges are much different now than they were when you were the Assistant Equipment Manager – what are the hardest parts of your role, and what are the parts that you really enjoy?8: We have a private facebook group full of fans of this show and before each interview I ask them what questions they’d like me to ask…so this one comes to you from Vincent Wong who is in college at Florida State and really wants to be an equipment manager someday – Vincent asks “What advice would you give to someone who wants to start building their career in equipment management?9: Vincent had another – I got to meet the head EQ guy at FSU, I asked him what time of the year is busiest for him and he said summer. Is that the same for the NBA and getting new inventory?

WorkInSports.com Director of Customer Service, Randy Just, gets ambushed by Brian and answers the questions he hears most often from our premium membersI had this idea, which was completely unfair. Our Director of Customer Service Randy Just is a fascinating guy, giving, lovable, and still attends EDM concerts in his mid-40's. At WorkinSports.com we have a small intimate, family oriented crew, and in many ways he's the heart of our operation. Everyday he handles questions from our members, talks to professors in sports management programs and leads our sales team. When you call our help line, he answers.Not some call center overseas, my man Randy picks up the phone. When people call, he spends time with them. He doesn't just hurry them off the phone and try to get on to the next thing on his to-do list.He informs, because he cares.On this call we talk about:* The fundamentals of Breaking into Sports* How he goes about helping people on their search for sports jobs* How he got his sports career launched with the Phoenix Coyotes* How sales are the main entry point into the sports industry* The way to network, and build your personal brandSo much fun on this call, Randy didn't know I was calling...but he figured out i was recording about 8 minutes in. Give it a listen!

What type of person are you? The kind who solves problems, or who blames others? Hi everybody, I’m Brian Clapp Director of Content for WorkinSports.com and this is the WorkInSports podcastJust a quick update before we get into today’s topic on being the type of employee that your bosses respect, your professors admire and your co-workers rely on.We’ve had a ton of new people joining our private facebook group this week, which is awesome, we’re up to about 500 people now who are seriously interested in networking, sharing advice, asking questions and leaning on our expert guests – yeah you heard that right, many of our expert guests who you have listened to, like Chris Valente Director of Sales for the Boston Red Sox, Carl Manteau, Sr, Director of group Sales with the Milwaukee Bucks, Gina Miller, VP of Content and Communication for FC Dallas, Loretta Kerner Community relations manager with the San Antonio Spurs, Mike Judge Recruiter and Inside Sales Manager with the Cleveland Browns…. They are in the group, sharing and answering questions. It’s really cool.Here’s the deal --- I ask three very simple questions in order for you to enter the group. What is you favorite episode, who would you like to see as a guest in the future, and have you given us a positive review yet.Now, I do that just to make sure you are a real person. You could literally say, I haven’t listened to an episode yet, I think you should get Kobe Bryant as a guest and I haven’t given you a review yet… and this would prove to me you are a real person and I would let you in.The reason I bring this up, is because there is a queue of 83 people right now, who asked to get into the group, but didn’t answer my simple questions. So I don’t know you are legit.Answer the questions, that’s how you get in.I also wanted to quickly promote next weeks guest --- I have Scott Rego Head Equipment Manager for the Philadelphia 76ers coming on the show, and I’m very excited because Scott has been doing this for over 20 years…and has a ton to share about the industry.So tune into that episode on Wednesday – if you haven’t listened to this weeks interview with jack mills, agent to baker Mayfield, you are nuts. Even if you don’t want to be an agent, Jack has been in the sports industry for 50 years and shares so much advice, you really don’t want to miss it.Ok, on to today’s question.“Hi Brian, this is Cherie from Boston, I love the podcast and am so happy to submit a question to you.   I’ve heard so many people on your show talk about the soft skill they look for in employees, that “it” factor. You’ve mentioned many times that you managed a large staff, what do you personally look for when hiring?”Cherie – great to have your question, because I love talking about my views. No, that didn’t come out right sounded a little narcissistic, let me rephrase, I love sharing and helping.I’m going to take this to a very macro discussion to start.For the first 8 years of my career I was what you would call an individual contributor.Then I was applying for a job with Fox Sports Northwest as a Coordinating producer where I would manage a staff of 8, eventually I would become news director and have a staff of 35. I believe in a “Solve the Problem” mindset. Most of the people you meet in life are blamers, something goes wrong for them and they look for someone to pin the blame on.This happened because “they’ did something.I didn’t get an A on the test because my coach had practice go too late.I didn’t get the star in the play because the teacher likes them better.I didn’t get the job because the applicant tracking system is biased.I didn’t get a promotion because they are better at kissing ass.I hate that stuff. I really, really, really despise blamers.You will face problems throughout your life, you can blame someone else for their existence, or you can go to work figuring out solutions.

Jack Mills, agent for Baker Mayfield, joins the podcast to share the secrets he has learned over his 50 years representing NFL players. I’ve long held this belief that if you are a sports fan you should work in sports. I know, revolutionary, but hear me out.All the people out there who are accountants, administrators, human resources reps, sales account executives, marketing coordinators – all of these jobs exist in the sports industry, so rather than selling tires, why not sell tickets. Rather than marketing the worlds largest concrete museum, why not market sports events.Analyze spreadsheets for some ecommerce site, or analyze game film?Community relations for JP Morgan Chase, or Community Relations for the Toronto Blue Jays   Just about every job in the business world can be done in the sports world. They are simpatico!But then there are the glamour jobs in sports too.Sports anchor.Coach.Scout.General Manager.Agent.These are the jobs that are very unique to the sports industry, and require special focus and talent. Let’s hone in on that last one. Agent. Since Jerry Maguire the idea of becoming an agent has grown massively in popularityThere are about 830 agents certified by the NFL Players Association — more than one for every three players in or around the league. Roughly 75 percent of NFL players are represented by just 17 percent of all certified agents, according to NFLPA statistics.The Super Agents rep about 75% of the NFL, then the rest battle it out for who is left.Guys like Tom Condon – who represents Drew Brees, Eli Manning, JJ Watt and Matthew Stafford amongst others – accounts for 1.4 billion in contracts alone.That is insane.But, that doesn’t mean the business is closed out for people trying to break in. These super agents don’t work alone, they have huge agencies. There are Undrafted free agents, like Patriots Super Bowl hero Malcolm Butler who is represented by little known Derek Simpson. There are ways to make a name for yourself in this side of the sports industry if you truly want it.But how? What is the answer? What should you learn? What should you focus on? How do you land clients?Well, I have just the person to answer that for you. Jack Mills from Capital Sports Advisors – don’t know Jack? Well, you should. He’s the agent for #1 overall pick in the 2018 NFL draft Baker Mayfield. When Tom Condon and Drew Rosenhaus and Jimmy Sexton came knocking on Bakers door, it was Jack who stole the show.Jack’s been around the block more than a few times. He represented 4 1st round picks in the 1970 draft. He’s represented Eric Dickerson, Tony Boselli, Rod Smith and a bevy of other top line, pro bowl, hall of fame type players.And he’s here, to share it all with you. So let’s get to it.Questions for NFL Agent Jack Mills1: Over the years it appears that agency has consolidated into a few major big players – all the biggest and brightest get represented by a handful of names, or agencies. As someone with decades of experience, but maybe not as much of a household name as let’s say Drew Rosenhaus -- how do you cut through huge competition to still land players like Baker Mayfield and 3rd round pick Michael Gallup? 2: I found it very interesting that Tom Brady and Jimmy Garapollo are represented by the same agent Don Yee – how does that work? How can you possibly do your fiduciary best by your client if another client is in competition for the same position on the same team?3: How would you describe the art of being an agent – is it a relationship job?

Chris Valente Director of Sales for Fenway Sports Management joins the podcast to discuss what it's really like to work in sports sales and what people should expect, honestly, when they start their career in the sports industryHi everybody I’m Brian Clapp Director of Content for WorkinSports.com and this is the Work in Sports podcast…So what should I do?This is a question I get a lot. People email in or message me on linked in with a broad question of … I want to work in sports what should I do? I love sports I know everything about sports – what should I do?I hate to burst your bubble – but I can’t answer that. No one can answer that question but you. And do you know why? Because you aren’t a formula with a mathematical equation and a black and white answer.You have hopes and fears and dreams and ideas that enthuse you…and I don’t know any of them. No one does.I get frustrated, when people try to tell the world you need to have a morning routine exactly like the top 50 CEO’s and that will turn you into a person on the rise. That if you follow my formula you’ll become one of the greats.Greatness awaits if you just follow this outline in my book – just 14.99 on amazon, and attend my conference just $299!Well, if the top 50 CEO’s all get up at 5am and read a book, or go for a walk or meditate… but you aren’t a morning person at all…trying to cram their concept of what works into your sensibilities doesn’t make any sense.In fact it’ll probably make your grouchy and less productive. But alas, the concept of not having all the answers doesn’t sell any books, or increase download numbers.Honesty doesn’t sell as well as an informercial.  But that’s what you are going to get here anyway.Honesty.I find the older I get the less apt I am to follow anyone’s lead blindly. Now, don’t read that as being a stodgy old man, who thinks he knows it all… quite the opposite, I may be stodgy but I’m not that old, and I definitely don’t think I know it all.I read and observe and ingest information more than ever – but I think I have a stronger sense of me, and what works for me than ever before. I read more than ever, and listen to podcasts, but I probably also question more than ever.I am attuned to what works and what inspires, and I take nuggets from everything I read and learn – rather than saying “well, this thought leader said I should do this, so that is my new world order”F-that.But like I said, I read all the time, because I want to take in perspectives different than mine. Or sometimes it’s something that validates my own wonders.The point is, you have to be you. Do you the best you can, strive for what works for you, be open to learning and questioning and being curious and thoughtful…and you’ll find your purpose.To bring this back around, just last week I read an article on LinkedIn titled “Working in Sports – 5 things to be successful in year one” …my first thought was, here’s someone playing on my side of the street let’s see what they have to say!And as I read, I found myself saying – yep, that’s right, oh yeah I totally agree with that, and Ok I can see that being potentially true. Bottom line, I was impressed, this person nailed what it’s like working in the sports industry, while adding some flair for storytelling.It wasn’t until I finished, that I looked up to see who wrote it.It was today’s guest – Director of Sales for Fenway Sports Management – yes, that Fenway, as in the Boston Red Sox, Chris Valente.Neither one of us can tell you who you should be or where you should go, but we can give you perspective, a blueprint that may work for you, concepts that have worked for others and environments you should consider for your possible growth – the rest well, that’s up to you to take the reigns of your own journey.Guys like Chris and I can be sherpas on the trail,

A fan of the show asks: "Who is that guy working with Lisa Salters on her ESPN live shot?" We explain what a field producer is, their role, responsibilities and the way to become one, on this podcast episode.   Hi everybody, I’m Brian Clapp Director of Content for WorkinSports.com and this is the workinsports podcast.I’ve been checking out our download stats lately and there are a lot of new people listening! Welcome, this gets me excited!* On Mondays and Friday’s I answer fan questions – you can email me your questions at podcast@workinsports.com, or you can connect with me on linkedin etc.* If you have your questions answered – free month at workinsports.com!* We also have this really cool private facebook group so consider signing up there.So let’s get into this weeks question – it comes from Jill Foster Koch to our private facebook groupThis might sound odd, but if anyone would know it'd be this group. I'm trying to find out what a certain job position is called. Lisa Salters, with ESPN, has a man named Greg that assists her on the field. Not makeup, not one that holds the lights on her for when she goes live, but directs her where to be. Does anyone know what his position is called?Before I get into the nuts and bolts of her answer, I just want to say I like the idea of this question. So often I’m giving advice on interviewing or interning or building your brand…stuff like that, but this is more of the “hey who is that guy, that looks like a fun job”So if more of you have question like – hey, so who is the person who does that thing that looks interesting – send them along, I think it can make for some fun and informative conversations.Now on to Jill’s question.Without personally knowing Greg – not sure how you know his first name by the way – I’m assuming he is the field producer assigned to Lisa.Listen to the podcast to understand more about what a field producer does in sports! 

Andrew Howard, Communications Manager for the NFL joins the podcast to discuss his role in the league, building relationships, networking and what it looks like behind the scenes of the NFL draftHi everybody I’m Brian Clapp Director of Content for WorkinSports.com and this is the Work in Sports podcast – I’ve always been impressed by calm people.People who can be in the midst of an urgent situation but appear outwardly as if they are patiently awaiting a train to take them downtown for a casual lunch date. Their voice stays even, their facial expression exudes confidence and their palms are not allowed to sweat.I am not this person. I’m overly excitable, especially in urgent situations.That’s why I was in the TV industry, I love the urgency and the quick processing and mental gymnastics you have to go through during the day. But in these situations my voice changes, probably goes up an octave, my face looks intense, I’ve had people take pictures of me and laugh as I enter intense mode.My speech increases in speed. I have to consciously meditate and think about my breathing in order to regain some sense of calm every day. I think to myself, release your muscles and it’s amazing my shoulders will drop like 2 inches.I’m always tense and in ready to pounce mode. And then I get around someone really calm…and I’m in awe.That’s how I felt in this interview with Andrew Howard Communication Manager for the NFL – here’s a guy with a huge laundry list of responsibilities.Not just a lot of responsibilities….big responsibilities, and yet his demeanor is so in control and matter of fact. After this show go look at his linkedin profile and see all the things he is in charge of on a day to day basis – I just read his bio and start to have the excited shortness of breath. He’s go go go, but you’d never know it.He’s measured, articulate, well-thought out and so incredibly impressive. I can’t wait for you all to listen in to this interview because there is so much to learn from Andrew Howard, Communication Manager for the NFL – so I’ll stop talking so fast… and get to AndrewQuestions for Andrew Howard, Communications Manager, NFL1: I’m always really curious about origination stories, you’re the communications manager for the NFL, a massive job with huge responsibilities and cool experiences many would dream of… but just a few years ago you were a student at UCLA studying History. When and why did you decide – I think I want to pursue a career in sports?  2: What was the draw of being on the publicity/communication side of the industry?3: While in college you conducted internships with the San Jose Earthquakes and with the Golden State Warriors – how much did those experiences influence your career choices and direction moving forward?4: You started with the NFL in 2010 as a Public Relations Coordinator…I’m guessing hundreds of people applied for that job, why do you think you got it? What was it that you did to   stand out for the right reasons?  5: I had a general manager once who had a background in sales, so he always leaned into the sales side of our business and let me have my way on the journalism/content side…. for you, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell has a background in PR, was it any more daunting to know the big boss may very well be keeping an eye on all of your work?6: Take us through your current role as Communication Manager for the league – what are the main roles and responsibilities of your day to day?7: It sounds like a great deal of your role relies not just on sharing valuable league information,

The standard job interview questions may seem old and tired, but you need to nail them to get the job. We give you a strategy to nail two of the most common, and tricky, job interview questions. Hi everybody, I’m Brian Clapp Director of Content for WorkinSports.com and this is the Work in Sports podcast… A few weeks back I had a QA session where I handled how you should answer the interview question “What is your biggest weakness” It’s one of the cliché questions that comes up in just about every job interview ever… and it’s a tough one to answer. I gave you a strategy to attack that question and many of you really liked that discussion. How do I know? Because that episode had a lot of downloads…and many of you have asked follow up questions about that subject. So let’s do this again shall we? This time the question comes in from Mike in Connecticut: Hi Brian, Love the podcast I’ve learned so much from listening to you. You guys should really make t-shirts, I would definitely wear one around town. Anyway, my question, there are two questions I’ve really been struggling with during the interview process, and they seem to be common so I want to strengthen my approach. 1: Where do you want to be in five years? 2: Why should we hire you? Can you help me with a strategy on these questions? Mike this is good stuff – and yes we are working on some t-shirt designs. The hope is to give them out to people who ask questions, but also to the expert guests we have on the podcast. And me. I get one too. In the meantime – I will give you a free month to workinsports.com, where as of right now we have 7378 sports jobs, and nearly 500 internships. Looking real quick – here is a marketing coordinator for a major sports network, game operations intern for an NBA team still in the playoffs that may or may not be my hometown team, and director of event services for one of those crazy course challenges through the mud and over fire pits to test your strength type deals. These guys are growing like crazy. Anyway, back to your question – The “where do you want to be in 5 years” question is the equivalent of asking someone at a bar what their sign is. It’s lacking any originality or creativity, but, no offense to the HR people in the audience, so are most of the people that conduct interviews. Alas, it gets asked all the time – so let’s discuss. What does the hiring manager want to know with this question? Three things really – do you have ambition? Is it realistic? Does this job match up with your long term goals and planning? Ambition is so important in hiring, but it’s also a bit of a double-edged sword. Ambition means you’ll take on challenges,  you are determined, you’re not adverse to hard work and chance are you are pretty dependable because you understand that all of your efforts now will lead to your big dreams. On the flip side – ambition can also be a red flag if you have a company without much growth opportunity or something that isn’t aligned with your big goals. So hiring managers are trying to get someone who is ambitious and has plans, but at the same time isn’t going to leave them in the lurch ina few months so they have to start this over again. Also, they want to know if you are realistic about your goals. Sure it’s great to dream big, but to be starting an entry level sales job and saying in 5 years you want to own the team is a little ridiculous don’t you think? A hiring manager hears this and they think – this person is a little daft, or we’ll never be able to satisfy their wants. Finally,

No matter what industry you are in, you can build a network of great contacts if you put in the work. Here is the work you need to do. Hi everybody I’m Brian Clapp Director of Content for WorkinSports.com and this is the Work in Sports podcast --- As many of you know I was out earlier this week, no podcast on Monday or Wednesday because I was in Phoenix at our corporate offices for our quarterly summit. We get together from all corners of the country and work up strategies and tactics for our business moving forward. I can’t really tell you what we are up to, because we aren’t there yet, but it was an exciting week. I will tell you this, much of the feedback I have received through this podcast, through our private facebook group and the podcast@workinsports.com email inbox was discussed and embraced. You folks gave us some good ideas that we are putting into action and I can’t wait to tell you about. Some very cool features, tools and well some other stuff, that’ll add so much value to you in your job search. I’m excited. This is my excited voice. My first day back the northeast office, which is just me and my podcast studio north of philly, I interviewed Andrew Howard Communications Manager for the NFL and it is going to be an awesome episode come Wednesday. If you are into the behind the scenes inner workings of NFL events – think combine, draft, super bowl, playoffs – you are going to be really into this discussion. My conversation with Andrew lined up very very well with a question we received this week from Ellen, a junior in college who is struggling with building her network. Now, as you know Ellen will get a free month at Work in Sports.com for having her question read on the air – which means she will gain immediate access to our over 7,000 active sports jobs, our matching technology, our resume database that is available to our over 8,000 employment partners – it’s a gift that will help Ellen! You can send your questions to podcast@workinsports.com – or join our private facebook group by searching for the WorkinSports podcast on facebook. Being a part of that group will get you an incredible network of contacts – many people I’ve interviewed on the show are in that group…and there are hundreds of sports areer minded people, helping each other out in the battle to get hired – so join in. Also, I probably don’t mention this enough but – subscribe to this podcast, and tell your friends and fellow students… we love growing our audience and sharing all this great information with all of you! So subscribe already…don’t miss an episode! Alright on to Ellen’s question: HI Brian, love the podcast I’ve listened to all of your expert interviews, often more than once and I love you QA sessions which is why I am writing in. In the expert interviews you consistently ask how someone got started in their career, and I listen anxiously hoping to hear someone who didn’t have an “in” in the industry. Alas, it seems so many of your experts say – we’ll I knew such and such which led to a chance. Just being honest here, I don’t really know anyone. I’m worried my lack of connections will really hurt me getting a job in my near future – what do you suggest? Ellen great question and one that many people struggle with so let’s dig into it. First I want you to know there is hope, I got my first job without knowing anyone. Truly, I knew no one. But my skill profile helped me get noticed and then it was up to me to nail the interview and sell them on me.