Score Your Dream Job: Top Resume Tips for the Sports Industry 🌸

Happy Tuesday, besties!

Today we're talking about another career-important topic. Getting into the sports world can be overwhelming, especially when you're not sure about where to start. For people like me, who got into it without any expectation, I felt really lost about what steps to take. Actually, that's a big reason why I wanted to start my page and this blog -- it wasn't just about sharing my work, but instead I wanted an outlet to help others that are in the same path as me.

Although the sports industry is its own industry, it is very similar to any other job in the idea that you need a killer resume to set yourself apart from others. As I've gotten into adulthood, I was surprised to see how many people don't know how to make a resume or how to tailor it for the positions they're applying to. I was very fortunate to have a "life skills" class in my Senior year of High School, which taught me skills like these: how to do a job interview and how to create a resume. That's actually when I built my LinkedIn (you can check it out!).

If you've like to see a shorter version of this blog, you can see my IG carousel post talking about this topic.

What is a Resume?

Photo by Joao Ferrao on Unsplash

Let's say you've fallen into this page and you don't even know what a resume is. A resume is a document that you create that will showcase your professional skills, experiences, achievements, and any education that you may have that can present a snapshot of your professional journey. If you were an athlete, it would be like a highlight reel. A resume is meant to catch the eyes of potential employers, setting you apart from all the other applicants by describing how you're uniquely you.

Tips for Building a Sports-Industry Resume

Highlight your Passions

Showcasing your enthusiasm for sports and your commitment to the industry is a great way to set you apart during this process. Start with a strong summary that highlights this passion, or any other that you may have. Mention relevant experiences, interests, or goals that you have that aligns you and the sports industry.

Tailor Your Resume for the Role

Customize your resume for each job application. Although this process can be very tiresome, it will help. A lot of times people will create a single resume and then post it all over the internet, like throwing spaghetti on a wall and hoping that it will stick. The problem with this approach is that it doesn't show that you're interested in a specific job - it actually shows desperation. A lot of times, although I am not an employer myself, I would argue that this desperation is not attractive to those hiring you. Desperation means you're willing to take whatever opportunity, while dedication shows that you're passionate about that specific position and you're willing to take the time to personalize your appeal to them.

After reading through the job description, go into your resume and adjust the wording to match the things they are looking for. In terms of your experience, ask yourself if everything on that page is relevant to the job you're applying to.

If the job says that they're looking for someone who's reliable, organized, passionate for sports, and highly motivated, you can use these words and find ways to implement them into your resume. In your resume profile you can mention that you're reliable, and even add your experience being organized or passionate about sports.

A lot of jobs will look at keywords before even looking through your resume. If you use the keywords that are in the job description, you may have more success in being found by employers.

Highlight Key Skills & Relevant Experience

Even if you don't have a lot of experience working in the sports world, you can still highlight transferable skills that you have. For example, things like teamwork, leadership, communication, and problem-solving are highly useful in the sports world, not matter what position you may be applying for.

Turn negatives into positives: If you don't have a lot of experience in sports, find ways to showcase that you're passionate about it and looking for opportunities to improve your experience and skills.

Showcase Education & Certifications

It's also very important to mention relevant academic achievements and certifications. Any courses or certificates that you have that could be relevant for that position are worth mentioning, even if they're not sport-centered. List your educational background, especially if you have a degree in sport management, physical education, or a related field.

Let's say you're still in high school and maybe the only experience you have is being a team manager: mention that! Talk about how you helped the team and organized things, how you showed up for games on time, and how you learned new things. If you don't have a specific degree, don't worry! And depending on the position that you're applying for, if it doesn't require a degree, a lot of life situations are better teachers than any college.

Always remember to turn negatives into positives when it comes to resumes. You may not have a degree in communications, but you worked at the front desk for an office and had to communicate and speak to clients all day - that's relevant experience!

Use Action Words & Quantify Achievements

Make sure that any accomplishments you've made are standing out. Remember to use strong action words like...

• Coordinated

• Led

• Managed

• Achieved

Whenever possible, quantify your achievements with numbers, percentages, or measurable outcomes. If you led any important campaigns, organized big projects, or managed a team, these are great things to mention in your resume to help you stand out from your competitors.

Add a Professional Touch

This sounds obvious, but make your resume look polished. I would even encourage you to keep it simple instead of using any fancy templates you may find online. Ensure that your resume is clean, organized, and free of errors. If you're applying for a position that asks for a detailed-oriented person, the last thing you need is to present a resume with spelling errors or mistakes.

You can also use a professional format and consider a subtle design. Remember to read over it a couple of times before sending it and to label the file correctly before uploading it to make sure that you're not sending the wrong documents (speaking from personal experience).

Get Feedback & Keep Updating

Think of your resume as a living document. In life, we're always learning new things and gaining new experience, so keep your resume updated. Continually improve it by adding new experiences and skills you may have learned, while asking mentors, colleagues, or even career services for feedback.

Conclusion

If you take one thing away from this post, let it be this:

Turn the negatives into positives and create a professional and error-free resume.

Your employers are aware that, depending on the position you're applying for, you won't have had a lot of experience. Especially if you're still breaking into the sports world, it is OK to not have much experience. On the other hand, if you are already working, remember to take opportunities to network with others and to grow your skills.

Also, before I let you go, here's some encouragement: Applying for jobs isn't easy. It can easily be one of the most humbling processes ever. However, I want you to remember that rejection isn't a reflection of who you are and the things you're capable. There are many reasons that you may not be accepted into a position, and I would actually encourage you to reach out to them and ask for any advice for future applications if that does happen. Keep going and don't be discouraged by any rejection, because all it takes is one YES and your entire life can be changed (that's literally what happened to me).

I love you and I'm grateful for you!

If you have any questions, connect with me on IG or leave a comment below.

Sincerely,

Sara