Tis the season… to boost your sporting career! Whilst Christmas is often a time to relax and detox from the stresses of work, it can also be a great opportunity to consider your career development. Here we provide our top tips to help you improve your employability and develop your career in sport this season.
The best place to start is by identifying your key skills. Make a list of your strengths and think about which roles compliment them the most. This is also a great way to discover whether there are any gaps in your skills. Do you have a dream role in mind, but don’t meet the qualifications? Use this time over Christmas to find resources that can bridge this gap and enhance your CV and employability. Check out these free online courses to help build the skills you need.
Once you’ve identified your skills and strengths, spend time researching and planning the sports roles you are most suited to and think you will enjoy. This can increase your understanding of the type of roles sports companies recruit for and may identify amazing opportunities you didn’t know existed. There are various platforms that can enable you to do this. For example, LinkedIn or Global Sports provide a quick and convenient way to easily search for roles and start the application process.
Improving your sports industry knowledge can make you more employable and is likely to increase your chance of successful job hunting. By demonstrating to interviewers that you understand the sports industry, you are more likely to stand out and convince them that you are well-suited to the role. It’s also a great way to show that you have a genuine interest in the role you are applying for and is likely to improve their confidence in your ability.
"By demonstrating to interviewers that you understand the sports industry, you are more likely to stand out..."
A good way to do this is through podcasts. From providing insider sports industry advice to guidance on improving your skills, podcasts provide endless benefits and are a valuable tool when looking to develop your career. Schedule some time each week to listen to some you find useful and use what you learn when applying and interviewing for jobs.
If you’re stuck for inspiration, read our top 8 podcast recommendations here.
"From providing insider sports industry advice to guidance on improving your skills, podcasts provide endless benefits..."
Spending five to ten minutes each morning reading sports blogs or newsletters can also be a quick and easy way of gaining industry knowledge and improving your understanding. This also ensures that what you are reading is relevant and can help you uncover any trends and get to know the market. SportsPro Media and Sports Business are two good examples of some you could read each day and signing up to their newsletter is the perfect way to get valuable content delivered straight to your inbox.
A fundamental aspect of successful career development is ensuring your CV and LinkedIn page are up to date. These are great tools to build your personal brand and showcase your best capabilities to employers. Make sure to include your most relevant work experience, qualifications and skills, and tailor them to the roles that you are most interested in applying for. This will emphasis the most appropriate aspects of your skills and experience and is more likely to make you stand out to relevant employers.
"These are great tools to build your personal brand and showcase your best capabilities to employers..."
For help and advice, see our 5 essential tips for creating a winning CV.
Christmas provides endless opportunities to socialise – from extra time off to increased celebrations, make sure to maximise your networking opportunities. LinkedIn is a great tool to do this - reach out to both current and new connections who you feel are relevant to your interests and experience and create a conversation with them. This can remind them of your expertise and professional background, and help you remain top of mind for future opportunities. If you’re meeting offline, don’t forget to follow up afterwards via email.
If you want to improve your rapport building skills in business, follow our tips here.
Check out our unique sports industry video interviews and insights.
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