My name is John and I am currently interning at Diamond Sports as part of my pursuit of a Masters in sports business management. One of the greatest benefits I have had since joining the program has been to attend the various seminars and workshops provided by Diamond Sports. Whether it is a panel of executives from top companies in the industry or a program led by Bobby Valentine like the one coming up on February 10th, I have been able to learn valuable information that has helped me with my internship as well as my classes.
The sports business industry is as difficult an industry to find an occupation as you will find in today’s day and age because of the popularity of sports and the increase in colleges which offer the education required to excel in this field. This is why I can’t stress the importance of attending these seminars and workshops while in high school as well as college. Really any students at that level who are interested in sports would both enjoy and benefit from attending. Below is a list of specific reasons high school and college students interested in the sports business world should attend such events.
- Its all about networking – At the end of these events the attendees are given the opportunity to stay after, exchange business cards with, or pick the brains of the presenters. These are the people that down the road could be interviewing you or be an integral part in finding you employment in the industry. Meet these people, stay in touch with them. This will be a great way to separate you from the other thousands of applicants companies such as ESPN or the New York Yankees receive.
- Learn the industry – Listen and ask questions. You can bet whomever the speaker is has a wealth of knowledge based on their years of experience doing what they do. Learn from their mistakes, and jot down what worked for them on their path to success. Who knows these could be lessons that could prove important to you in any type of industry.
- Future Trends - Even if you do not plan on entering the work force for five or more years you can still get a leg up on the competition. These speakers have a way of seeing industry trends and having an idea of what is going to be important next. For instance, if you learned about social networking three years ago and mastered it on your own then you would have had an easier time finding a job this past year than those who were trying to catch up.
- Strength in Numbers – Come with your friends, your teammates or just your family. A lot of the speakers in one way or another reference team work and speak about how important it is to success. Use these events as a building block for your own team or your own family to work better as a unit with the same common goal.
- Bolster your Interview – I can speak from experience on this one that certain quotes I hear from these events I memorize and bring them up when I go on interviews. This shows the person who is interviewing you that you really did your research and you are interested enough in this industry to take time out of your busy day and sit and listen to a legend like Bobby Valentine speak. It also shows that you are eager to learn new things, which may seem like a small trait but not to a person looking to hire.
These are only a few of the many benefits high school and college students can get out of attending Diamond Sports events. Stay tuned for updates on upcoming seminars, reviews of past seminars and more information useful to those looking for an occupation in the sports business industry.
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