Mark Tudi’s Sports Blog

Making Solid Connections

I have been to more networking events than I can count, during which I have made thousands of connections with influencial decision makers.  These experiences have taught me an array of lessons on how to make a good first impression, make solid connections, and extend my personal sphere of influence.

Before you enter the doors of the networking event, you need to be prepared.  Do you homework by having 3-5 topics in your head that relate to your audience, and be ready to deliver in a manner that makes a meaningful connection (I am not kidding!).  Also, do your research in advance.  Know who is going to be there and identify the 3-5 people who you definitely would want to meet.  Identify 1-3 things that would be common ground for both of you (i.e. Mutual Friends; Job Experiences; Current Events; Personal Background, etc.). 

While at the event, be prepared to socialize.  Get out of your comfort zone if necessary, and make sure that you meet the peopel you have set out to meet.  Also, don’t be hesitant to talk to someone just because you don’t know who they are.  Be charming…remember…”you don’t get a second chance to make a first impression”.

Do Not Rule Out Governing Bodies

Governing Bodies makes up a large part of the Sports Industry and many significant (and high paying) opportunities are often overlooked.  Take note of many of the sub-segments that make up this Marketplace:

1. Bowls
2. Sports Commissions / CVB’s
3. High Schools
4. Intercollegiate Institutions
5. Olympic Organizing Committees and NGB’s
6. Youth Sports
7. Non-Profit Organizations
8. Trade Associations
9. Conferences
10. League Offices

The Executive levels of these Governing Bodies have ultimate authority, the appropriate responsibilities and compensation to go with it.  Compensation packages are typically $100K+ and can go as high as $450K+…and then we get into what AD’s, Commissioners, and CEO’s make and now we are talking millions.

Visit www.sportscareers.com for comprehensive breakdowns of each segment of Governing Bodies, including sample jobs and job profiles.

Resume Distribution Do’s & Don’ts

I’ve seen countless methodologies that people have tried when handing out their resume to Hiring Authorities.  Some are clever, some are senseless…here are some tips for you to consider:

• Positive Tips:
   
  • Submit your resume in a timely fashion, according to the Organization’s directions
  • Have someone else who has influence in the Organization submit your resume on your behalf
  • Use a business card that acts like a miniature resume that leaves a very positive impression when handed out
     
• Some of the Don’t’s:
   
  • Don’t hand out your resume at a Reception/Gathering/Cocktail Party
  • Don’t deliver your resume under a hotel door at a conference
  • Don’t fold your resume into a paper airplane and send it over to the next table in a restaurant
  • Don’t send a mass form email to your 500 favorite employers
     

* Think about how you would respond positively to receiving a resume and follow those steps

The Importance of a Mentor

One of the main keys to beginning or managing a Career in Sports is to have a solid mentor who can help you find your way through the maze that is the Sports Industry.  Throughout my own career I have both benefited from the guidance of mentors and had the rewarding opportunity to mentor dozens of individuals into successful careers.  

Here are some basic tips to help you find the right mentor:

1. Identify and Visualize your Objectives and Goals
   What do you want out of this relationship?  Visualize how your Mentor can help you get there.
    
2. Choose someone who has already been there and done that
   You must focus on the greats who are consistent with the end you have in mind.
    
3. Make sure they are related to your Functional Skill Set and Marketplace Segment
    
4. Start Today
   No mentor is perfect…The great ones are more than likely not the first ones you obtain…so get started…you will eventually meet the perfect one when they become accessible/available.
    
5. Make it Worth Their While
   Pay them back in some ways…tickets to events they like…pay for lunch…send gifts…it is the thought that counts and they will appreciate your appreciation.

Building a Solid Network

Your network is the key to finding opportunities in the Sports Industry that would otherwise go unnoticed.  So many jobs are filled by someone the hiring manager knows or was introduced to through an existing associate.  In order to be a major player in the sports industry, you need to start making connections. 

The first step to growing a solid, effective network is to identify what segment of Sports you want to work in (click here to explore the different career paths in sports).  Once you’ve done that, you can begin to effectively target the people you want to add to your network.  Without this specific focus, you are likely to network with people who cannot help you get where you want to go.  Networking with an employee of a football franchise will most likely not help you make contact with a hiring manager at Callaway Golf. 

Once you know where you want to work, identify the top 50-100 individuals who are leaders in your skill set (if it is Finance or Sales, research and find them).  Next, identify the top 50-100 individuals who are leaders in your Marketplace Segment.  Next, subscribe to Magazines, Directories and Newsletters that cover your Job Cateogry and Marketplace Segment.  Go to Trade Shows, Conferences and Special Events that cover your interests.  Join associations and groups that will help you find people with common interests…Your school’s alumni association is a great way to strike up a conversation with people who went to your alma mater. 

By targeting key individuals for your network in an organized manner, you will be better educated as to who the key decision makers are in the industry segment you want to work in.  Learn about the individuals, their careers, their organizations, and what you can do to make inroads into a mutually beneficial association. 

Meet the people you need to meet…be yourself…bring value to the relationship…the old saying “in order to get what you want, you need to give them what they want” is true.  Find a need and fill it for people you want in your network.  Treat your network as your most valued treasure…because it really is in the Sports Industry.

Writing an Effective Cover Letter

A good cover letter gets to the point quickly, effectively and needs to be remembered in a positive light so your resume is looked at with an open mind, searching for reasons to put in in the “Good” pile.

The challenge is that people get way too cute with their introductions andtend to “sensationalize” to the point of turning off the Hiring Authority and getting the “delete” button pushed without even being thoroughly reviewed.

Here are some pointers:

• Have a professional Intro
• Identify the position you are seeking and announce why you are pursuing it
• List your qualifications in bullet point form, relating to your personal Unique Marginal Differences that set you apart from all the other candidates (see the Opportunity Development Plan in your My Sports Career Profile)
• The next paragraph should relate to exact experiences that match up with the most important responsibilities
• Finish it with a call to action, relating to an exact time you will be meeting, or when/how you will be following up

Major Players in the Sports Industry

So many people who want to work in sports take a narrow view of the industry and feel overwhelmed by the limited opportunities.  They fail to recognize the vast depth and width of the sports marketplace, and as such fail to recognize opportunities to break in or move up.  

Many entities in Sports are owned by large, Fortune 500 companies and are operated as wholly owned subsidiaries and/or business segments, but are used to attract shareholders and put a little “sizzle” in their corporate culture.   Media companies and Corporate Empires own Professional Sports Teams, TV networks, Sports Facilities, Consumer Products and Services, that are all household names to sports enthusiasts, but the impact they have on the normal sports consumer may be invisible.  A few examples are:

• Comcast Spectacor (over $30.8 Billion & over 100,000 employees)
• Cablevision (over $6.4 Billion & over 22,000 employees)
• AEG (over $11.3 Billion)
• Disney (over $35.5 Billion & over 137,000 employees)

A few other major corporations that help describe the vast size of the industry are:

• Nike (over $18.5 Billion & over 30,000 employees)
• Adidas (over $13 Billion & over 25,000 employees)
• Brunswick (over $5.6 Billion & over 29,000 employees)
• Delaware North Companies (over $2 Billion & over 50,000 employees)
• Aramark (over $12.3 Billion & over 250,000 employees)

There are hundreds of jobs that exist under rocks you have never heard of before.  There are opportunities to work in sports beyond selling tickets for your local professional franchise.  Be diligent and research hard…the diamond you are looking for may be right in your own backyard.

How to stand out when applying online for a Sports Job

It is true that so many employers today require you to submit a resume and cover letter online.  This makes it difficult to stand out against the other applications they have received - which can reach into the hundreds and thousands for certain jobs. 

The challenge is that the online submission process is designed to KNOCK-OUT 95% of all the Resumes/Candidates who are NOT qualified (in the eyes of the employer).  This does not allow for the personal/intangible side to play a part in the process until you get a chance to meet with the Hiring Authority:

1. Make sure your experience and résumé speaks to the Position Spec EXACTLY.  There are key words and fields that the Hiring Manager is looking for in the submission….IF you don’t have these, you will get knocked-out. 
2. Have a personal contact to the Employer/Hiring Authority.  If you don’t have one…get one.
3. Make sure you are delivering what they need in the form of experience, ability to generate revenue and a personality that fits their culture.

Your Opportunity Development Plan

I get asked all the time by people everywhere what they should do to establish or grow a Career in Sports.  You may be asking yourself the same questions, “How do I get started?”

The key is to start at the beginning…establish a direction, find out what you’re good at, focus on what you love, and develop a plan.  You need to ask yourself the following questions:

1. Have you established a Direction?
2. What is your very specific working objective?
3.  What titles are you qualified to hold?
4. What is your Functional Job Category and Scope of Responsibilities?
5. What are your Compensation requirements?
6. What are your Target Marketplace Segments (what are you most passionate about?)
   • Amateur Athetics & Governing Bodies
   • Corporate / Sports Marketing Suppliers
   • Facilities / Live Event / Leisure
   • Health & Fitness
   • Professional Teams & Leagues
   • Sporting Goods Brands / Consumer Products
   • Sports Media
7. How is your Presentation Package? Do you have a Winning Resume? Bio? Cover Letter? 3 Unique Marginal Difference? Powerful References?
8. How are your Job Search Skills? Self-Assessment Skills? Research the Marketplace? Uncovered hidden opportunities? Communication skills? Interviewing Skills?
9. Have you set-up any Marketing Strategies & Action Plan? Positioning? Promotion? Selling?
10. Do you have a Search Schedule and Timeline? Weekly Goals (Contacts, Meetings, Interviews, etc.)? Target Period for Search Completion (About 12 weeks)?

Asking yourself these questions will form the basis of your Opportunity Development Plan.  As a registered member of SPORTS CAREERS, you will be able to dynamically grow and track the progress of your individualized plan.  Once you have your plan in place, you can set goals to make contacts, set up meetings and interviews, and start applying for the nearly 2,000 sports jobs posted on the SPORTS CAREERS Website.

Welcome to the Mark Tudi Sports Blog

Over 30 years ago I was studying at Bowling Green University and dreamed of the day I would be working for a professional baseball team.  Little did I know that the many years of focusing on my passion of sports would be the driving force of my livelihood today.

Without proper preparation, all of that dreaming was worthless to me in my attempt to break into baseball.  I had absolutely no personal or professional contacts in the entire sports industry and did not have a clue to any resources or direction.  After college, I took a very good job with a large company.  In one year I knew the only place for me was in the sports industry, but I had no idea how to build a career path.

Building a career in sports is sometimes one of the most difficult tasks to accomplish.  Many times the conditions have to be just perfect for you to get an opportunity.  No matter how many calls you make, resumes you send or resources you develop, your job search comes up empty.

Desire and preparation will help you find the satisfaction you’re searching for in sports.  You just need a fortunate break…Remember, people get very lucky when an opportunity appears and they are properly prepared.

I experienced many frustrations while building a career in sports over the past 30+ years.  These big time mistakes and learning experiences will serve as the basic foundation of insights and observations that will fill these pages in the future.  I welcome your feedback and active participation.   

When you give up your dream…you die.  Keep chasing your dream and I’ll see you around the ball park.

Mark Tudi
President
SPORTS CAREERS | www.sportscareers.com