Sport genuinely is an industry where you can build a career you love, a job that gets you up in the morning without dread for the day ahead, but instead with a spring in your step (if sport is what floats your boat of course). Don’t feel you have to settle for any career in an industry that bores you senseless. GO FOR IT. With some hard-work and dedication – and a little helping hand here and there – you can make your ambitions a reality.
There’s never been a better time to break into the business of sport. More than six million people – working in and across a variety of sectors – currently help the sports industry generate circa $500 billion a year, a figure that grows annually. So if you want to turn your passion into a career, rest assured there’s plenty of opportunities out there.
As you can probably imagine, working in the sports industry can be exciting and rewarding. For one thing, just being able to say ‘I work in sport’ definitely gives you kudos among your friends and peer group. And once you are in…..well, let’s just say of all the people I have ever known to have worked in sport – and that’s a lot of people - I can’t think of anyone who’s left to pursue something else.
Competition is fierce and it’s not enough to say you love sport and that’s why you want to work in it. To gain a competitive advantage over your peers you need to stand out and showcase your potential.
In the years I’ve worked in sport I’ve achieved some things I’m extremely proud of. During my years at the English Football Association, sourcing and securing the EE sponsorship deal for Wembley Stadium, going to the World Cup with the England team and then starting my own sport business agency with a colleague are just a few that spring to mind.
Many I know have been to Super Bowls, interviewed cricketers at Lord’s, flown to the other side of the world with Rugby World Cup teams and stood in the pit lane at the Monaco grand prix…and not as guests – they were being paid to do it and were a crucial part of making those events happen.
However – and this is the key point here – just wanting a piece of that isn’t enough. Don’t think the size and growth of the sports industry means you can simply identify your dream job and waltz into it – sport isn’t like Hollywood where wannabe actors can apply for about 200 roles and getting chosen is down to 90% luck and 10% talent.
Competition is fierce and it’s not enough to say you love sport and that’s why you want to work in it. To gain a competitive advantage over your peers you need to stand out and showcase your potential. And those talented, dedicated and hard-working sports executives who have grafted for years to get where they want to be will tell you exactly that.
You will make it happen so long as you believe in yourself and you’re focused and dedicated.
If you’re excited by some of the experiences I have shared then start planning your journey today. Many will tell you it isn’t possible, but I am here to tell you that it is - you will make it happen so long as you believe in yourself and you’re focused and dedicated.
The fact you’re reading this blog almost certainly means you’re researching what it takes to forge a successful career in sport, and though you may not realise it, it means you’re showing that all-important passion and potential.
Build your knowledge, your network and make a plan. Start today. This article from Global Sports can support you take your first steps to building a plan towards your career ambitions.
Daire, P. (2019, December 17). BELIEVE IN YOURSELF TO KICK START YOUR SPORTING CAREER. Retrieved from https://intelligence.globalsportsjobs.com/believe-in-yourself-to-kick-start-your-sporting-career
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