The Work in Sports Podcast - Insider Advice for Sports Careers

For those of you who are new to the show, I’d like to introduce myself, I am Brian and I am what you’d call a Masshole.   Loosely defined, this is a sports fan that originated from the top right corner of our country and is known to celebrate championships at a seemingly impossible rate across a multitude of high-level sports.  We are incredibly loyal. I have lived and worked in 4 d...

As our show title suggests, the WorkInSports Podcast’s mission is to teach you how to find a job in sports. Most of our sports career advice – such as tailoring your resume for each job you apply for, writing a compelling cover letter, and standing out during an interview – centers on getting your foot in the door. Once you get an offer, what do you do? That’s what Jennifer in Los Angeles wants to...

Today’s guest on the WorkInSports Podcast is James Price, who serves as Director of Marketing and Digital for the Wisconsin Herd of the NBA’s G-League. After graduating from Marquette as an advertising major, he worked as a marketing and promotions lead for the AHL’s Milwaukee Admirals and a public relations associate for Mueller Communications while pursuing his master’s degree from Northwestern....

Monday is Fan Question Day! Rafael in Miami considers himself and early adopter of technology and thinks of his sports career journey in the same way. He wants to know which career paths in sports feature the most innovation, and WorkInSports podcast host Brian Clapp happily obliges with four career paths that stand out for their cutting edge nature. Listen in NOW!

Businesses are ignoring the saying “curiosity killed the cat” when hiring employees. A 2021 study showed curiosity and a desire to learn were among the hottest new skills, with 72% of leaders surveyed believing it’s a valuable trait and 59% stating they believe it drives business impact. While it is a valued trait among hiring managers, how can job seekers convey it? That’s what Stefen asked the W...

Over the past decade, social media’s growth has been great for sports franchises looking for more ways to connect to their fanbases. As a result, leagues like the NBA have leveraged social media to amass the most followers of any pro sports league on Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, and TikTok. Today’s guest on the WorkInSports Podcast is Nicole Williams, Snapchat Lead Sports Producer. Williams leaned...

Job interviews are all about making a good first impression on hiring managers, and that process usually starts with a phone interview. Camilla from New Jersey is looking for some phone interview tips from the WorkInSports Podcast: “Hey Brian – I know you have talked about this before, but I seem to be getting a lot of phone interviews lately, and I don’t think they are going all that well. Any ch...

College sports have a push-pull dynamic as the teams compete in intense, high-level athletics representing institutions of higher learning. The demands on student-athletes are rigorous as they maintain a difficult conditioning regimen for peak fitness, practice multiple times a week, and finally compete against teams doing the same thing while also working through a fullload of classes to earn the...

Regardless of your role with an organization, working in the sports industry is exhilarating because of the exciting events you get to put together. For example, the NBA Playoffs feature packed arenas with screaming fans, creating an electric atmosphere that carries over to the living rooms of those watching it on television. That atmosphere is what draws so many to pursue sports careers and work...

While ‘Deflategate’ put the Patriots’ equipment staff under a microscope the profession tends to avoid, this overlooked aspect of football is of utmost importance to teams. An NFL team’s equipment staff has numerous responsibilities, such as inflating footballs (properly), repairing and ordering equipment for the full roster, storing and cleaning jerseys, and packing/setting up gear on road trips....

WorkInsports Podcast host/VP of Content and Engaged Learning Brian Clapp is a staunch advocate of the value of internship experience to give you a leg up when looking for a job in the sports industry. But, once you have an internship, what comes next? That's what Chanel in Mississippi wants to know: "Hey Brian, I am in the final two months of a spring internship at my dream organization. I have LO...

We check back on our October chat with PointsBet CEO Johnny Aitken as we discuss the growth of the sports betting industry. Americans have wagered more than $65 billion on sports in the three years since the Supreme Court’s 2018 ruling in Murphy vs. NCAA. The additional demand for sports betting websites brings us to our guest, PointsBet CEO Johnny Aitken. On this episode, Johnny and WorkInSports...

The Great Resignation created a favorable market for candidates, but that doesn't mean job searches aren't competitive. John from Georgia explains to the WorkInSports Podcast that getting a sports job today is as competitive as ever: "Hey Brian – sorry for being blunt, but I'm getting kind of sick of the ‘job seeker’s market’ talk everywhere. It is harder out there than people think. Yes, there ar...

As the NFL Draft approaches, we look back at our chat with CBS Sports' NFL Insider Jason La Canfora covering topics such as: Why he decided to pursue a sports journalism career. How he landed a position with the Detroit Free Press right out of college. How important having a versatile skillset is in a multimedia environment. What role social media plays in sports reporting. How to secure a bevy of...

Social media has become an important part of the job search process as employers use it to weed out potential candidates in the hiring process. LinkedIn is particularly relevant for job seekers because it exists specifically for building your networking and marketing? yourself for prospective career opportunities. Janelle is looking for LinkedIn tips with her question for the WorkInSports Podcast:...

Molly Wurdack-Folt, Ilitch Sports and Entertainment VP of Partnership Activation (ownership group of the Detroit Tigers and Red Wings), works with corporate sponsors looking to further their brands. When working in partnership activation, you need to have a sense of each potential sponsor’s goals and develop a plan to showcase them to fans in a way that resonates with them within a sporting event....

Finding a job is a laborious and lengthy process that some career coaches say can take 6-7 months to complete. Unfortunately, you are likely to be rejected several times during that period. However, some companies that decided you were not a fit for one position may have another job opening that suits you better. That's where today's question for the WorkInSports Podcast comes in: "Can you apply t...

The sports betting market is providing a similar impact in the way fans consume sports as fantasy leagues. Over half of the country has legalized the practice since 2019. Before the 2021 NFL season, Americans had wagered more than $65 billion on sports since the Supreme Court’s Murphy vs. NCAA ruling opened the floodgates for sports betting. With that much money moving around, teams and leagues wa...

We center much of our sports career advice around polishing your application materials and acing job interviews on the WorkInSports Podcast, and for good reason. Your resume and cover letter show what you bring to the table, and an interview is your chance to make a lasting impression with the hiring manager. However, another aspect? of the job search that can give your candidacy a boost is an eff...

70% of employers screen a candidate’s social media before deciding to hire them, and 54% of employers have chosen not to hire someone based on what they found. Some of the top reasons hiring managers eliminated candidates due to what they saw on social media were: inappropriate photos or information (39%), discriminatory comments (32%), and content that bad-mouthed employers (30%). While the effec...

Today’s guest on the WorkInSports Podcast, the Atlanta Braves’ Laura Estefenn, is at the center of this effort to reach the team’s Hispanic fanbase. Estefenn joined the Braves in 2018 as Content Coordinator for their newly launched Los Bravos platform. She helped grow Los Bravos’ brand exponentially over the next two seasons and is now a Diversity Marketer for the franchise. Fresh off witnessing t...

Nathan from Chicago is looking for some job interview tips from the WorkInSports Podcast to get further along the interview process: "Hey Brian, I've been trying really hard to leverage the Great Resignation and find myself a sports career I love. Per your recommendations, I've been applying for jobs I am qualified for, I've leaned into my network, I've tailored my resume for the specific job and...

Today's guest on the WorkInSports Podcast is the Tennessee Titans' Sam Fischer, who joined the team as Stadium Experience Manager in 2021. Fischer spent her entire sports career working in baseball, even rising to Assistant General Manager of the Asheville Tourists before joining the Titans. Between her internships and full-time positions, she’s seen what goes into putting on a successful event in...

Some of the top reasons why employees would consider leaving a company include poor management/relationship with the supervisor, unhealthy work/life balance, and lack of employee recognition/appreciation. All of these issues point to problems with company culture. That's the concern that Jessie in Chicago brings to the WorkInSports Podcast: "Hey Brian, time for some straight talk. I've been workin...

Sports social media is a popular area of interest for people looking to work in the sports industry. Some of the most viewed content on any platform are sports highlights and digestible sound bites from star athletes. Major professional and college leagues and teams, along with the media outlets that cover them, have massive followings, which creates a feedback loop of content flooding newsfeeds....