Choosing a career is an important decision in one’s life unless you have known what you want to do from an early age. One wants to go to a line of business that is appealing to them. They want to do something they will enjoy, but at the same time, they want a job that will allow them to support themselves and their families financially.
If, after meticulous consideration, you are leaning toward a career in sports management, there are numerous things you have to know. In the following text, we will list some of the most important ones that will give you a realistic view of this profession, so you will know what to expect.
A degree is not vital
The first thing you should know and the one that might cheer you up is that it isn’t necessary to hold a degree in sports management. This can be very beneficial if you have decided to switch careers, but if you are about to go to college and aren’t really sure what type of business you want to do, a degree will allow you to explore your options and choose the one you like the best.
On the other note, if you have a business degree, you will be one step closer to the job. Why? Well, many employers favor people with this type of education because it tells them that you possess general knowledge of how sports management operates as a whole.
What do managers do?
Naturally, the success of a team depends on the players and coaches, but not a lot of people understand that managers are also an essential part of the equation. Their job consists of numerous different tasks, such as signing on new players, working the team’s budget, making common arrangements (travel, uniforms, etc.), dealing with the media, and so on.
When it comes to working hours, this mainly depends on the time of the year. However, generally speaking, they spend most of their time in an office since they do not travel with the team during the season.
Which personality traits are required?
Due to the fact that this is a quite specific line of work, if you want to be successful and build a career, you must possess certain personality traits. First of all, it is crucial that you master communication and negotiation skills.
Avoiding conflict isn’t always possible, but you must always find a way to deal with it. Secondly, you have to be able to juggle a few things at the same time. The world of sport is a fast-paced one, meaning that you have to be excellent at multi-tasking. As indicated by Daniel Todorovic, one of the O1NE founders, you have to be able to think on your feet and come up with solutions fairly quickly.
What are the benefits?
Every career has its pros and cons, but we will focus on the good sides of working in sports management. Firstly, it is a great outlet for your passion for the game. If you didn’t succeed as a professional athlete, working as a manager is the second-best thing.
In addition, as already stated, this world is very fast, and it is a great choice for people who aren’t attracted to working traditional hours, from 9 to 5, but instead, want to face new challenges every day. Finally, it is very lucrative. Naturally, you won’t be able to make big bucks as soon as you get your first job, but your income will gradually increase as you move up the corporate ladder.
Internship is required
Since more and more people are interested in this line of work, it has become extremely difficult to get a full-time job immediately. This is true even if you have the appropriate educational background and even a master’s degree. Without a doubt, you will have to apply for the internship. If you are lucky enough, you might get one that actually pays.
Luckily for you, there is a wide variety of internship programs that will train you and equip you with all the skills and information you need to get a real job. Naturally, you should investigate these and focus on the ones that will lead you to the desired position.
You will need guidance
Obviously, you will learn a lot during your internship or a trainee program if you go with that, but the truth is that having a mentor is essential. This person will show you all the ropes. As you know, it is not possible to learn every single thing during courses and programs. Many skills as acquired through experience, and having some who will lead you every step of the way is vital.
Because of this, you should always seek a person who holds a job that you want to get in the future. Let’s be honest. Can you choose someone better than the person who does the work you want to do someday? This is true regardless of the profession, and as you can assume, the same rule applies in sports management.
Getting a job
This is when things can get especially tricky, says Daniel. Getting a job in any industry nowadays is very challenging, and it can be even more so in sports management. Oftentimes, you will have to compete with hundreds of other applicants for a single position.
The first reason you should choose a trainee program with a certain company is that you will increase your chances of getting employed. Generally speaking, these companies are more likely to hire a person they have trained than an outsider.
Moreover, this is when having a mentor also comes in handy. This world is all about networking and connections. If you work with a professional who has been in sports management for many years, they surely have connections everywhere, so they can recommend you, and increase your chances of getting a job.
Making connections
As you assume by now, networking is an essential part of this career. The trick isn’t that you should only make new connections, but you should also maintain the old ones. Obviously, this can be a challenge of its own, but you cannot know when you will need one of these people, or on the other hand, when they will need your assistance.
For instance, Daniel partnered with Marius Schulze and Gregor Haslberger, which proved to be quite fruitful for all three. They were on the same page with that project and even though they differ individually, when it came to establishing their site, the things just flowed.
