On Oct. 8, Kogod Marketing Association (KMA) held a Sports Marketing Panel with speakers from the Washington Redskins, Octagon, Active8 Social, and American University Athletics to share information about the sports marketing industry. Each speaker shared with us their own experiences and perspectives in marketing and gave advice to students searching for an internship or job in the field. The advice was extremely relevant and helpful, and can benefit any students in search of an internship or job in any industry.
1. Make Your Resume Standout
All four speakers agreed on a common claim: while there are no perfect resumes, there are some that standout. Make yours one of them! Assistant Athletics Director for Marketing at American University, Robert Sherman, said that he “loves when your resume says ‘to present’.” Even if your summer internship ended in August, it is important to stay in contact with the company and help out in any ways you can while not in the office. This shows that you are a committed intern or employee and makes you reputable to your next employer.
2. Think Twice About What You Post on Social Media
Steve Cobb, co-founder and partner at Active8 Social, works in social media and made a statement, “If you say you are great in social media we will check out all of your social media accounts.” This is a reminder to be mindful of what you post. Posts related to your desired career paths are much more appealing to future employers than posts about partying, television shows and daily complaints.
3. Be The Best Intern They Have Â
An important thing to keep in mind as an intern is that you are just starting out your career, so you are going to be doing very basic and monotonous tasks. Alyssa Romano, Public Relations intern at Octagon, advised, “Grind it out. Stay late, and opportunities will arise.” Being an intern rather than a full-time employee, you have fewer obligations to tend to. Stay late and help out the other employees who have families to get home to and dinners to prepare. The extra two hours will benefit them a lot more than it will benefit you, and it will also make you stand out as hardworking and dedicated.
4. Do Your Research and Come PreparedÂ
Scott Shepherd, VP of Sales, Marketing, and Strategic Alliances for the Washington Redskins agrees with Romano. He said, “Work ethic is one of the best ways to prove yourself at the beginning of your career.” Shepherd also shared helpful advice for good interviewing etiquette. He stressed the importance of conducting research on the people or company you are doing the interview for with prior to the interview. This will make you look knowledgeable and that you care about the company you are interviewing for.
5. Be Personal and Professional
After the interview it is important to follow up with your company. Shepherd said, “Invest in personal stationary. Sends a strong and professional message, it sets you apart.” He reminded us that a hand-written note is still highly valued, despite the newer forms of modern day technology.
Overall, the panel was very informative and gave advice attendees will be sure to use next time they apply or interview for a job or internship. To see more from the live twitter feed from the KMA event, search #KMAMoneyball on twitter. To learn more about sports marketing, or the marketing industry in general, keep an eye out for more of KMA’s upcoming speakers and events.
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(Photo Credit: KMA)Â