From Prep to Follow-Up: Mastering Sports Industry Interviews🤝

You've made it! You got the dreamy interview with your dream job, but now it's time to prepare. I would argue the interview is the most important step of the hiring process, not only for the company, but also for you. During the interview is when you're able to showcase your personality, your passion for your craft, and how you can help your dream company grow. However, the time before and after the interview are just as important, and that's what we'll be talking about today.

The post today will be separated into 3 parts: what you should be doing before, during, and after your interview. If you have any tips that you follow, feel free to drop them in the comments below. Thank you for your support and let's get into it!

Before the Interview

Research the Company & the Industry

It's very important for you to prepare yourself before you even arrive at your interview. Make sure that you understand the company's mission, values, and the culture within it. You can use their website as a reference to get this information and LinkedIn is also a powerful tool to aid you in this task.

Other things you can research are any recent news, achievements, and notable events related to the company. By mentioning these during the interview and incorporating these facts into your answers, you can show them that you have done your work and that you're truly interested in helping.

Understand the Job Description & Requirements

Make sure that you review the job description and remind yourself of the requirements. Remember when I talked about using keywords in your resume? The idea is pretty similar when you're talking about the job description. Ensure that you're implementing these facts into your answers. Always ensure that you're matching your skills and experiences to the job requirements and the industry standards.

Prepare Your Resume & Portfolio

Another thing that you can do to prepare is to ensure that your resume is updated and tailored to the job, emphasizing relevant sports experience and keywords. If you're applying for a creative position, organize your portfolio or work samples, including any sports-related projects or achievements.

Tip: If you don't have any sports experience when it comes to your creative projects, you can either do mock-ups or explain how these projects could be implemented into the role you're applying for.

Practice Industry-Specific Interview Questions

There are a ton of resources online that will help you by providing frequently asked questions within whatever industry you're applying for. Make sure that you're practicing your answer to these questions ahead of time. I would even recommend practicing with a friend or in front of the mirror to make sure that you're answering them confidently and professionally.

Plan Your Outfit

Despite the usual casual attires that we may see people wearing in the sports industry, it is vital that you still wear professional attire when it comes to your interview. Ensure that your clothes are clean and appropriate for that environment. It's always better to overdress than to under-dress in these situations.

Know the Logistics

Make sure that you confirm the interview time and location. The night before, set up an alarm early enough for you to be ready, plan your route, and always allow extra time for unforeseen delays. It's always better to arrive earlier than to show up late.

During the Interview

First Impressions Matter

Back to the logistics, make sure that you arrive on time. Greet the interviewer with firm handshake, a smile, and show confidence when talking to them. It's normal to be nervous, and the interviewer knows that, but you need to keep things under control. Maintain good posture during the interview, keep eye contact with them, and display your passion for the industry and your personality.

Listen & Ask Questions

It's a common misconception that interviews are a place for you to only answer questions non-stop. Most of the time you'll be having a casual conversation with the person, showcasing your personality and your interest on the position. As they're speaking, make sure that you listen carefully to what they say and to the questions they ask. Once you're given an opportunity to ask questions, you can do so about the role itself, the company, and any future projects they may be working on. Make sure you prepare these questions ahead of time as well!

Highlight Your Strengths & the Positives

Similarly to your resume, make sure that you're highlighting your strengths. If there are any negatives to your experience or any bad situations that happened, turn them around! Turn these into learning opportunities and relate them to the job requirements and industry trends.

Throughout the interview, avoid any negative comments about your previous employers or colleagues, staying calm and composed the entire time, even if you're faced with challenging questions. Trust me, it's OK to take some time to think about your answers instead of blurting something out of pocket during this important time.

After the Interview

Once the interview is done, remember to follow up. You can handwrite them a thank-you note or send them an email within 24 hours. Make sure that you're expressing your gratitude for the opportunity, for their time, and reiterate your interest in the position, mentioning any of the topics discussed if you think they're relevant.

If you're in the position where you're doing multiple interviews, take the time to reflect on this interview and assess what went well and what could be improved. Use this to prepare you for any future interviews you may have to ensure that you're avoiding any mistakes you might've made.

Conclusion

I remember first learning about interviews and feeling really nervous. I thought that I had to memorize all these answers and questions as if it were a test. Although it is important for you to be prepared, I want to encourage you to stay calm and show who you are. I'm a firm believer that by being ourselves we can attract the right opportunities for us, so if you believe this, you can apply that into this context as well.

If you take anything from this, just remember to be prepared! Take the time to learn the company and write some questions to ask them as well. It's during these interviews that you can learn about the company's culture and environment, which are key to your own life since you'll (hopefully) be working there.

Anyways, thank you for reading this and I hope it was helpful. Let me know if you have any questions or additional tips in the comments below.

Like always, thank you so much for your support!