A Step-by-Step 4-Year Plan From College to the Sports Industry

College is full of opportunities to form lasting memories and build the foundation of a fruitful career in the sports industry. Students have endless chances to create social bonds in all sorts of settings, but keeping your eye on why you are pursuing a degree in the first place is also important. Today's question for the WorkInSports Podcast comes from Jasmine, who is looking for strategies for launching her career after she graduates:

"Hey Brian – I'm headed into my junior year of college, what should be my biggest focus this year to set myself up for my sports career?"

Getting the right experience early on in college sets the tone for creating a dynamic sports resume upon graduating. If you wait until you are a junior to build that experience, you are already behind your peers for high-level sports internships and entry-level jobs. Your goal each college year is to build upon your credentials from the year before. Here are three things you should be doing each year to ensure you are a can't-miss candidate when you hit the job market:

Freshman

1. Focus on finding your specific fit in the sports industry.
2. Plan out your academic schedule with intention.
3. Volunteer and network within your school's athletic department.

Sophomore

1. Build an internship strategy by learning what is available, the requirements, and the application deadline.
2. Continue networking by contacting alums in areas you are interested in and building your LinkedIn profile.
3. Narrow your gaze to a specific area of the sports industry that appeals to you.

Junior

1. Refine what you want to do in sports and pivot as necessary.
   1. Ensure your courses and sports internships are helping you gain the experience you need.
2. Create a top-10 list of organizations you want to work for and start networking with people in those organizations.
3. Practice interviewing to prepare for the real deal. Informational interviews are great for this.

Senior

1. Continue interning and volunteering to push your resume over the top when applying.
2. Keep networking and forming connections in the industry.
3. Begin applying to jobs three months before graduating.

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Listen to the full episode to hear details from VP of Marketing Brian Clapp on successfully executing each step of your college journey. Also, subscribe to the WorkInSports Podcast to catch more sports career advice, and catch additional content on our YouTube channel!