An important step in preparing for a sports career and getting a foot in the door is an internship.
The important thing is to find an internship that will give you some experience, preferably in a sports career field that closely resembles your interest. The good news is sports teams and leagues have typically offered a large number of internship positions.
Internships allow students, typically college students, to work in their career field for a semester or sometimes longer.
Depending on the employer, interns can be given a surprising amount of responsibility or very little. It varies.
Ask your advisor, professor, or other coordinator about the internship. They may have some idea of what will be involved. Try to find students who may have worked in similar internships or at the same company. They may be able to offer you some idea of what to expect. That said, consider their views may be shaped by their own individual experiences.
Read about the company that you are considering. The employer or the school may already have published a description of their internship positions. This research work also will come in handy during your interview process.
When you interview for the internship position, be sure to ask specific questions about what tasks you’ll be expected to perform. The answers to these questions should give you some idea about the position and if it will be a good fit for you. Offer some ideas about what skills and ideas you could bring to the position and see if that fits with the employer’s expectations.
Let people know about the internship you’re interested in. You never know who might have a contact. These could be students, friends, parents of friends, teammates, teachers, and other faculty. This list is as long as your social contacts.
Typically colleges assign an advisor and high schools have counselors. Be sure to put your advisor to good use. Ask them questions about steps you should be taking in your job search. Typically, starting early is the way to go. Let them know about the field that most interests you.
Find an internship that will provide the best experience for the career that interests you most.
For instance, some internships may offer varying levels of pay. Others may offer no pay at all. All of this should be of minimal importance. I know it may be difficult to pass on some extra money in the short term, but keep in mind that an internship should help prepare you for your career.
The better the internship matches your career goals, the better successful completion will look on a resume. The company offering the internship may offer you a position. If you do a good job, you could put yourself in line for a recommendation when you begin your job search. A recommendation from someone in a similar field will carry more weight than a recommendation from someone in a different field.
That said, if you don’t get your ideal internship, be willing to find the internship that comes closest to your goals. Keep working down your list, but virtually any internship is better than no internship. You will gain insight into the work environment.
If you’re not sure about you’re career, perhaps you can complete multiple internships to help make a decision.
Starting an internship is similar to starting a new job. Be sure to find out exactly what is expected from the people in charge.
Take a conservative approach to start. Put in your best effort for the work assigned but don’t suggest a whole lot of new ideas. As you get comfortable with the internship and the people you work with, you’ll get a better feel of any new ideas you can bring to your work.
Perhaps your assignments will take all of your time. Focus on them and do your best. Perhaps you may complete your assignments and have time left over. If that’s the case, you could approach your boss about additional work.
Remember that you are now in a work environment. Internships are a great place to develop contacts for a future job search.
About.com guide Penny Loretto offers advice on internships on her site.
The important thing is to find an internship that will give you some experience, preferably in a sports career field that closely resembles your interest. The good news is sports teams and leagues have typically offered a large number of internship positions.
Research the Internship
Internships allow students, typically college students, to work in their career field for a semester or sometimes longer.
Depending on the employer, interns can be given a surprising amount of responsibility or very little. It varies.
Ask your advisor, professor, or other coordinator about the internship. They may have some idea of what will be involved. Try to find students who may have worked in similar internships or at the same company. They may be able to offer you some idea of what to expect. That said, consider their views may be shaped by their own individual experiences.
Read about the company that you are considering. The employer or the school may already have published a description of their internship positions. This research work also will come in handy during your interview process.
When you interview for the internship position, be sure to ask specific questions about what tasks you’ll be expected to perform. The answers to these questions should give you some idea about the position and if it will be a good fit for you. Offer some ideas about what skills and ideas you could bring to the position and see if that fits with the employer’s expectations.
Let people know about the internship you’re interested in. You never know who might have a contact. These could be students, friends, parents of friends, teammates, teachers, and other faculty. This list is as long as your social contacts.
Typically colleges assign an advisor and high schools have counselors. Be sure to put your advisor to good use. Ask them questions about steps you should be taking in your job search. Typically, starting early is the way to go. Let them know about the field that most interests you.
The Right Internship
Find an internship that will provide the best experience for the career that interests you most.
For instance, some internships may offer varying levels of pay. Others may offer no pay at all. All of this should be of minimal importance. I know it may be difficult to pass on some extra money in the short term, but keep in mind that an internship should help prepare you for your career.
The better the internship matches your career goals, the better successful completion will look on a resume. The company offering the internship may offer you a position. If you do a good job, you could put yourself in line for a recommendation when you begin your job search. A recommendation from someone in a similar field will carry more weight than a recommendation from someone in a different field.
That said, if you don’t get your ideal internship, be willing to find the internship that comes closest to your goals. Keep working down your list, but virtually any internship is better than no internship. You will gain insight into the work environment.
If you’re not sure about you’re career, perhaps you can complete multiple internships to help make a decision.
Settling In
Starting an internship is similar to starting a new job. Be sure to find out exactly what is expected from the people in charge.
Take a conservative approach to start. Put in your best effort for the work assigned but don’t suggest a whole lot of new ideas. As you get comfortable with the internship and the people you work with, you’ll get a better feel of any new ideas you can bring to your work.
Perhaps your assignments will take all of your time. Focus on them and do your best. Perhaps you may complete your assignments and have time left over. If that’s the case, you could approach your boss about additional work.
Remember that you are now in a work environment. Internships are a great place to develop contacts for a future job search.
About.com guide Penny Loretto offers advice on internships on her site.
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