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Sports Careers & First Impressions

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JobMonkey.com
Volume VIII, Issue #41
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Are you a sports fan? Do you spend most Sundays glued in front of the TV, rooting on your favorite teams? Have you ever thought that turning your hobby into a profession would be a dream come true? This week's JobMonkey newsletter is dedicated to all you sports fans out there. Our spotlight article features an interview with a rising sports professional who has turned his passion for basketball into a thriving career with the Euroleague. Learn how he did and read his tips for all you pursuing sportswriting jobs or journalism careers.

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IN THIS NEWSLETTER:

1) Career Advisor: Get a Haircut!
2) Spotlight: Fulfilling a Sports Dream in Europe
3) Around the Monkey: Women in Sports
4) JobMonkey Job Center: Two Job Boards for Sports Professionals

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CAREER ADVISOR: Make a Great First Impression
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by Amy Lindgren

When money is tight, it's tempting to forgo some of the little luxuries - like haircuts and toilet paper. Well, okay, let's hope the budget isn't that tight. But let's also hope you're not skipping haircuts. Time for a little job search advice from JobMonkey.

Of course, there are many ways to save money on personal grooming. You can replace salon coloring with a home kit. The special manicure can go out the window too. You can do that yourself and look almost as good for so much less money. And don't even consider buying a shoeshine. That's a lot easier to do yourself than you think.

But cutting and styling your own hair? Nope, don't go there. Having your cousin do it? Think again. Here's why: What are you going to do if your hair looks bad after one of these home remedies? Well, you're either going to sit at home not looking for work until it grows out or, more likely, you're going to make a much more expensive emergency visit to the salon to repair the damage.

Let's jump to Plan B instead. Following are some options for getting your hair cut professionally so you can look and feel your best for the job hunt.

1. You can bargain with your current stylist for a lower rate so s/he doesn't lose you altogether.

2. You can sign up for a cut at a salon school, where the amateurs are at least well-supervised.

3. You can go to a discount salon where the cuts are always inexpensive.

One option, to go longer between cuts, is not so smart. Remember: You need to look your best all the time while you're in job search.

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SPOTLIGHT: Dream Sports Job in Europe
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Sure, you have heard of the NBA Championship and the Sweet Sixteen, but do you know about the Euroleague Final Four? The Euroleague is Europe's premier basketball competition, with 24 teams from 13 different countries across the continent. Each Spring, the Euroleague crowns its champion at the Final Four, which in 2010 will be held in Paris. With the growing number of U.S. basketball stars being recruited by top teams in Greece, Spain, Italy and Israel, the Euroleague is quickly becoming a household name among American sports fans.

JobMonkey recently chatted with one of the Euroleague's American employees. Frankie Sachs, an American born sports writer, who has lived in Israel, worked in Barcelona and is now stationed in the U.S., is the Euroleague's web editor. Learn more about his job and his advice for aspiring sports writers below:

Tell us about your career in sports?
I work in the media department of the Euroleague, which is based in Madrid. But I am stationed in the United States at the moment, where I work from home, overseeing the reporting of our correspondents from different teams around the continent. I also interview players and coaches and write other news pieces.

What is it like working from home? Is that common among sports writers and broadcasters?
Working from home certainly has its pros and cons. You can't beat the commute and you get to spend more time with family. Of course, unless you also travel to events, you miss out on the action. While it's not very common for sports writers to work from home, the growth of blogs plus other technological advances has made it possible for people to report on the games from home, rather than the press box. Given that, more and more columnists are now working at home.

How did you land your current sports job? What was your biggest asset: education, experience, connections?
My background is in journalism - my first reporting job was to cover Israel's Euroleague team, Maccabi Tel Aviv, for The Jerusalem Post (Israel's only English language daily newspaper.) Through that job, I got to know and work closely with the professionals in the Euroleague media department; when there was an opening in the department, I was offered the position.

As far as assets, connections do help to open doors -- there is no doubt that my familiarity with my would-be colleagues helped me land the job -- but you also need to get the job done right to continue climbing the ladder.

What is your educational background? Do you think a degree in journalism is a "must" for aspiring sports journalists?
I studied sociology and actually began working as a freelance reporter while still in school. That said, I absolutely do not think that a degree is a must for an aspiring sports journalist. There is no substitute for experience.

How difficult is the sports journalism world to break in to?
Finding an entry-level position in sports journalism is not terribly difficult, but often, tremendous patience is needed to progress forward. My best advice to aspiring sports writers is to read and write as often as possible - starting your own blog is always a good idea. Be patient, and remember that you never know which story could turn out to be your big break, so always give it 100%.

Does Frankie Sachs' job sound like a dream come true? Learn more about how you can pursue a career in sports journalism from the JobMonkey's section on sports careers.

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AROUND THE MONKEY: Women in Sports
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Are you a woman interested in breaking into the field of sports? Then be sure to check out the JobMonkey Blog's post on Sports Jobs for Women. The post is chock-full of ideas on how to get started in the field and offers up tons of resources for the rising female sports writer.

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JOB CENTER REPORT: Two Job Boards for Sports Professionals
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In the market for a job in the sports world? Then visit the JobMonkey Job Center. The Job Center features thousands of different jobs from every imaginable field, including countless opportunities for aspiring sports professionals. For an even more focused search engine, be sure to check out JobMonkey's newest job board dedicated exclusively to sports careers. Updated weekly, the sports career board is the best place to learn about a wide variety of opportunities in the sports industry, from coaching to reporting and beyond.

 

 

 

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