How to get a job in Professional Sport

Getting a job in professional sport is incredibly competitive. I cannot stress that enough. It's really competitive. I mean, really competitive!

At a previous club, we were recruiting for an entry-level position. More of an assistant role. After the advert went up online we had 30 applications the first afternoon. By the deadline, we have over 200 applicants.

Shortlisting was nearly impossible. Once you exclude the people who don't meet the minimum criteria, there is very little that separates candidates.

Eventually, we shortlisted 8 for interview, of which 2 were successful and they turned out to be excellent appointments.

This isn't intended to put you off if your dream is to work in professional sport. It is intended to open your eyes as to what you are up against.

So how do you get a job in professional sport? What separates the successful few, from the disappointed many?

This is part 1 of a series of articles to help people aspiring to work in professional sport. Future articles will cover interviews and then move on to how to thrive in a role when you get the opportunity.

Initially, let's consider the application process. How to actually stand out and get that interview. It's probably more difficult than you think.

Application

For those readers who haven't recruited staff before I want to let you into a secret. Reading all the applications takes a long time!

This info-graphic shows some stats around recruitment.

Using the example above, if I were to spend just 5 minutes reading each of the 200 applications in full, it would take over 16 hours.

With the best will in the world, no Head of Department in professional sport has that kind of time.

So that really excellent paragraph on page 4 of your covering letter has a very low chance of even being read, let alone fully appreciated.

So what can you do to make an immediate impact?

Personal Statement

Its common advice but so true. The first 1/3rd of your CV and covering letter is the most important. By miles!

After all, some recruiters have been shown to spend only 5-7 seconds reading each CV!

Every single cm of that page should be about standing out from the other 199 applicants. Every word should be about selling yourself.

That is why I believe that a personal statement is so important. It gives you the opportunity to show the reader that you can concisely sell yourself. That you have the self-awareness to be able to know what makes you different and the insight into why you would be a good fit for the team.

Think of yourself as a business. A sign of a good business is that they have a clear mission or purpose that they can communicate clearly. For example;

or

I am not saying that you need a catchy phrase and please do not use buzzwords. But you do need to be able to clearly and concisely communicate why you do what you do. Understand why you want the job and this career.

This brings up an important point to understand.

Your clinical skills will not get you a job.

Sounds amazing.

I mean, at Uni we are focused on building up first-rate clinical reasoning. We learn all the latest treatment techniques and all the best exercises.

Remember though, the vast majority of people you are competing against have exactly the same skills. They all went to the same conferences. They all have the same certificates from the same courses that you went on.

True, a lack of skills or qualifications will mean you are cut from the process early. But to actually get an interview and then the job, it is based on much more than knowledge and skill.

Professional sport generally involves working as a performance team. How this performance team operates has a direct and meaningful impact on the success of the club. When recruiting, a huge amount of consideration goes into answering the question;

"will this person make the team stronger?"

This is why your personal statement and application as a whole needs to not just be a list of your achievements. It needs to show what you are about as a person. It needs to allow the reader to see if you could make the team stronger.

Based on this I would advise putting a large amount of effort into your personal statement and your covering letter.

So, when you have a first-rate personal statement that tells the employer what you are about. What else can you do to stand out?

Layout and Design

This is a delicate one. There is a fine line between sublime and ridiculous here. It is also a bug-bear of mine.

I do love it when a CV comes through that is well designed and different from the standard CV. It really can make you stand out from the crowd.

But. The content is always more important than the design. If your minimalist design means that you cannot have a top-quality personal statement near the top of the page, reconsider.

Remember that you are applying for a job in Physiotherapy, not graphic design. The best CV's make good use of space and allow the content to shine.

Also, please do not put a picture of yourself on your CV. Particularly if it's a staged one of you treating a player. Just no.

So now you have your CV and covering letter. A great personal statement. A clear and good looking design. You have deleted the picture. What next?

Persistence and Luck

Apart from making sure that you send the application in on time, there isn't much more you can do now.

You are now hoping that the person reading your application thinks that you are potentially a good fit for the organisation. That you have the potential to make the team stronger.

As long as you have communicated what you are about effectively you should not be disheartened if you don't get an interview for every job you apply for. Sometimes the organisation isn't a good fit and you are better off having not wasted any more time.

This is where persistence comes in. There is no real way of knowing what someone is looking for in a candidate. So cast the net wide. Apply for lots of jobs. Even if they are far away.

To be brutally honest. The chances of getting a job at your local club are slim. The odds are much improved by applying for more jobs. This may mean that you have to move or commute. Unfortunately, if you want a job in professional sport, this is going to be something you have to accept.

You only need to succeed once

Please don't be disheartened if it takes time to get that first position. The first one is always the hardest. Once you have that added experience on your record, future jobs are much easier to get.

If you can implement the advise above you will already be on your way to maximising your chances.

Comment below if you are applying for jobs at the moment. What are your experiences? Do you need some help? Can you help others?

If you found this article useful please share and look out for the next instalments. The next one will look at what to expect in an interview and how to present yourself in the best light.

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