Its 8:00 a.m. on a Wednesday in late August 2012. I’m a freshman at The Ohio State University, sitting in my first college class ever - Intro to Sports Industry.
By 8:05 a.m., I was fully introduced and fully intimidated.
“It’s not what you know, it’s who you know.” The first words spoken by my professor that day.
By 8:10 a.m., I’m in full crisis mode, researching new majors and professions that would validate the expense of the next four years.
By 8:20 a.m., I’ve returned to a normal mental state, focusing my panic on how I would separate myself from the thousands of other college freshmen trying to break into the sports industry.
You can’t always control who you know, but you can control how hard you work.
During my college career, I worked five internships (all unpaid), four jobs, wrote for the student paper, volunteered for local sporting events and polished off two degrees in four years – a journalism degree to compliment the original sport management intent.
All this led me to the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) as one of 29 recent graduates from across the nation to take part in the NCAA Postgraduate Internship Program – an elite one-year program that provides on-the-job learning experiences and professional development opportunities to individuals pursuing a career in college sports.
Once in Indianapolis, I quickly fell back to my freshman year, 8:05 a.m. mindset – fully intimidated. In my cohort of 29, I was surrounded by nine law degrees, eight master degrees, 20 former student-athletes and many knew someone who knew someone who knew someone who got them an interview and ultimately the internship.
I had no such degree, athletically peaked in high school and sent my resume into the TeamWorkOnline black hole.
My year at the NCAA was transformative and I know now that the resume of diverse work experience and internships I built during college got me the job.
After traveling to California, Washington D.C., Nashville, Buffalo and Dallas; working NCAA Convention, the 2017 Women’s Final Four and learning from amazing people every day, my internship came to a close and my free agency began. Time for a full-time job.
Out of the NCAA program, I had two serious opportunities that came by way of two very different scenarios.
The first was written by my 8:00 a.m., freshman year professor. Job opened, qualifications lined up, my NCAA relationships had close relationships with the hiring manager of the job, glowing recommendations given and an interview ensued.
The second was written by me. Job posted, resume sent into the TeamWorkOnline black hole and an interview ensued.
One job I eventually was offered and the other position ghosted me after one video interview.
For the last two years, I have served as the communications coordinator for the Fiesta Bowl, where I knew no one and moved across the country to accept. I’ve learned more than I could have ever imagine and met some of the greatest people in my life.
From my internships in college, to my days at the NCAA, to my time at the Fiesta Bowl, I have a vast network, I have mentors, I have sponsors and I have friends but never have any of these relationships directly resulted in a job.
My college professor isn’t wrong, relationships are important and they can lead you to positions within the industry, but you control your work ethic and your work ethic leads you to people and positions. To every young, aspiring sport industry star out there – be a superstar in the role you’re in, seek out opportunity, seize the moment and don’t ever be too big for a job. Find a mentor and work harder than the rest. The job will find you.
Jackie
Jackie Hobson is the Communications Coordinator at the Fiesta Bowl in Arizona. She has a passion to help others succeed in the sports industry and is currently a mentor in theClubhouse, you can set up a time to speak with her here. Prior to working at the Fiesta Bowl she had stints working at the Columbus Blue Jackets, Ohio State University, Indianapolis Colts and the NCAA. She's proof that with hard work and determination you can succeed in #sportsbiz.