The Work in Sports Podcast - Insider Advice for Sports Careers

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Vincent Pierson: MiLB Director of Diversity and Inclusion – Work In Sports Podcast Dec 18, 2019

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It’s one of the hottest topics in all of sports; Diversity and Inclusion. In this episode of the Work in Sports podcast host Brian Clapp welcomes Vincent Pierson, Minor League Baseball Director of Diversity and Inclusion for an insightful conversation on equality in our industry. Hi everybody, I’m Brian Clapp Director of Content for WorkinSports.com and this is the Work in Sports podcast…People tune into sports as an escape. Their day to day lives hold stress – bills to pay, meetings to attend, promotions to fight for, sickness, relationships – all stressful endeavors.Sports, either playing or watching, in theory, is a release, a chance to tune out the external stressors and enjoy an art form not on canvas with oils and acrylics, but on the turf with muscles and mind power.My career has embodied this to a tee. I thought about working in hard news, but the constant stress of politics and death and fires and traffic and tragedy and peril – was too much for me. Sports was light. A passion play that I could engage my mind into the strategy, but stay loose and separate from the constant constriction of life.But this is a naïve viewpoint because sports isn’t separate from society, quite the opposite. Sports is a microcosm for society, mirroring the way it operates and often dealing with large-scale issues before they become large scale. Call sports a precursor to global events, almost a trial society where issues are played out int real-time, then graduated to the society at large.The sports world is complete with societies conflicts, assets, and defects.Our escape world is not bereft of greed, corruption, inequality or entitlement. Our personal utopia isn’t all upside, it’s flawed and broken just like the rest of the world.In sports, we deal with real-life issues like Ray Rice and Kareem Hunt’s issues with abuse, Tonya Harding conspiring to assault a competitor, Pete Rose gambling. We deal with people ruined by drugs or alcohol like Roy Tarpley, Josh Gordon, Mickey Mantle, and Lance ArmstrongWe talk about social justice issues in the context of Colin Kaepernick, but the use of sports as a platform for social justice started decades ago.Why does sports act as a microcosm of our world? Because it is the ultimate meritocracy.Elite athletes are put into the position to thrive based purely on their skills and ability, not their color or gender. If they stink they get cut, if they thrive and achieve and lead they get signed to massive contracts.When you have a meritocracy it almost forces diversity, because different people in different sports succeed in different ways. There is *some* balance.Alas, not all is rosy. The workplace in sports is just like the workplace in every other business in the world – there are struggles to enforce diversity and inclusion. Teams have had massive problems with these tenets. Google stories on the Dallas Mavericks and Atlanta Hawks and your jaw could drop – they are far from the only two.This issue is hot. It’s important, and it deserves constant conversation and more importantly action. There are leaders in the field of Diversity and Inclusion as it relates to sports, none more impressive than today’s guest – Vincent Pierson, Director of Diversity and Inclusion for all of Minor League Baseball. Let’s get to it – here’s Vincent Pierson.Questions for Vincent Pierson, Minor League Baseball Director of Diversity of Inclusion1: Before we get into the larger and extremely important issue of diversity and inclusion in sports, let’s talk a little about you. For undergrad you attended Virginia State, graduating in 2011 – at this point did you have the intention to work in sports or was that something that developed over your college experience?2: You have a Masters from Central Florida – how much did getting that extra layer of education help open doors for you in your career?3: While getting your Masters you were a graduate assistant in the Institute for Diversity and Ethics at UCF – what was that experi...

Four Tips for Goal Setting in 2020 – Work In Sports Podcast Dec 16, 2019

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Hey everybody, I’m Brian Clapp VP of Content and Engaged Learning at WorkInSports.com and this is the Work in Sports podcast. Last week I was in Phoenix for or business summit. The whole team at Work In Sports gets together -- we talk business, set strategy for the coming year, brainstorm ideas and features, crack a few beers eat some bad food -- it’s a great time. Oh, and I almost forgot -- we set goals. I’ve never been a big goal setter. Guess I never chose to look too far into the future, I always liked to be where I am and stay present in the moment. Which now that it say it out loud sure sounds like I’m a tree-hugging hippie...which in some ways I guess I am. But as I age… and since I have a birthday this week, this whole aging thing is smacking me right in the face… as i age, I do tend to look to the future more, I do tend to set goals and have expectations… and you know what? It feels pretty darn good each year when you hit them, or surpass them.Two years ago, I had a goal to launch a podcast for our brand. Check that box. I also had a goal for 1 million downloads. Haven’t checked that box.Last year I had a goal to create an online curriculum sharing the knowledge no one teaches you in college about getting hired in sports. Check that box. Welcome to the Work In Sports Academy. So I’m a goals guy now. And I kind of like it. I can still be where I am, still, feel present in the moment, but now I try to see where I’m going to be standing and how cool it looks -- just a little bit more.It’s incredibly motivating not just to have a goal, but to visualize what it will look and feel like when you hit it. I don’t know about you, but the visualization I have of what I will look like and feel like when I hit my goals is pretty awesome -- I’m super handsome, have a great tan, the sun is shining but I’m not sweating, my bosses are patting me on the back, my wife is laughing at my jokes… and my kids just look at me with such admiration.And.. daydream complete. Any way this dovetails brilliantly into today’s question from Kevin in Washington state. Kevin Asks… Hey Brian -- I’ve never heard you talk much about goal setting and its importance in advancing in your career and life. Can you provide any tips for setting goals that help drive you forward in your career?”Yes, Kevin. I can. My goal is to answer this question for you. But, with a caveat. There are hundreds of goal setting articles out there that will tell you how to set goals, SMART goals that are specific, measurable, attainable, relevant and time-based. I could sit here and go through that kind of stuff… but someone else has spent decades writing this acronym and all the details of every term… you’d be better off listening to their podcast. What I’d rather do is give you tips that can help you make your goals as logical as possible. 1. Write goals that align with your values.You’ll have bosses in life that want your goals to be all about the business and how you are driving it forward… but that’s uninspiring. And at the same time, if you only set goals that are personal in nature than a huge percentage of your life, which is spent at work, is a rudderless disarray of moments with no true directionYou need to make goals that fit your personal and professional life, that would give you joy and a sense of accomplishment in each...and the best way to do that is staying true to your values and what motivates you. Your goals need to be about you -- but remember a big part of you is your work life, so don’t forget to incorporate what motivates you there as well.2: Set Goals You Can Control.Saying you are going to get a job you love this year is not a goal you can control. You can’t control someone else deciding to hire you. You might as well be setting a goal saying “I’m going to get a girlfriend this year!” to which I would ask… does she have a choice in the matter because you sound a little desperate. Make goals for things like grades, internships, volunteering,

Mailynh Vu: Cleveland Indians Director of Talent Acquisition – Work In Sports Podcast Dec 04, 2019

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Mailynh Vu, Cleveland Indians Director of Talent Acquisition shares incredible insight into getting hired in the sports industry during this episode of the Work In Sports podcastAlright -- let’s start the countdown…Hey everybody, I’m Brian Clapp VP of Content and Engaged Learning for WorkInSports.com and this is the Work In Sports podcast…It’s that time of year.I don’t know about you but there is a rhythm to my work and life year. There are certain things, events or opportunities I try to focus on during different months or seasons. January is, without sounding too cheesy or cliche, it is a month of rebirth. Setting the stage for the new year and starting to accomplish the goals I have set for myself. But you can’t start accomplishing goals if you don’t set them -- so for me, December is for planning and strategizing.Yes, it is also the month for over-indulgence and lots of parties, but primarily it is a month I focus on planning.Planning takes different forms for different people -- I’m building out our content strategy, developing new ideas, resources, and budgets, deciding if I want an intern or two this year and a whole bunch of other things.But for you -- planning for the coming year make take on a completely different format, in fact, I suggest that it should. Most of you should be focused on how to make yourself the best possible candidate for jobs in the sports industry in 2020. Period. And to start off this season of planning, I’m going to do you a real solid. In 2019, we had a bevy of incredible guests, but one rose above the rest when it came to planning for your sports career. Mailynh Vu, Cleveland Indians Director of Talent Acquisition opened up her world to us - sharing insight into phone interviews, resume building, interviewing tips, hiring trends, mistakes people make that drive her crazy and so much more. If you listened to this episode last January when it debuted -- I don’t care - listen again. And if you are new to this episode, get out your pen and pencil… this is Master’s level stuff and you should be taking notes and building out your action plan for 2020. Here’s my good friend Mailynh Vu -- Download this episode of the Work In Sports podcast to learn more about how to get hired in the sports industry from Mailynh Vu, Cleveland Indians Director of Talent AcquisitionToday's Sponsors:If you’ve ever thought about a career in sports, check out the masters in SPORTS ADMINISTRATION program at NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY. You’ll learn essential skills from EXPERIENCED faculty with connections to COLLEGE, PROFESSIONAL, and AMATEUR athletics. You can choose a specialization in sports analytics and get in on a growing field. Earn your NORTHWESTERN master’s degree online or in convenient evening classes.Find out more at SPS.NORTHWESTERN.EDU/SPORTSAnd the Work In Sports podcast is brought to you by the Work In Sports academy -- our suite of four online courses designed to get you hired in sports. Let’s say you are about to enter your job search -- well our online course on interviewing would be great for you. In need of help refining your resume, cover letter, and personal brand - yeah we have a course for that too.Frustrated that you don't know anyone in the industry and your connections are limited -- well we can help you there.Our courses cover all the main tools the sports job seeker needs. Experience, networking, resume cover letters, social media branding, interviewing skills. And you can bundle them all into one super-discounted price -- check out our WorkInSports academy courses at Workinsports.com/academy

How to Compete for Top Sports Internships – Work In Sports Podcast Dec 02, 2019

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How do you gain enough experience so that you can land competitive internships? We have a bunch of great ideas on this episode of the Work In Sports podcast that will help you stand out from the crowd.Hey everybody, I’m Brian Clapp VP of Content and Engaged Learning at WorkInSports.com and this is the Work In Sports podcast…I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving break since as you know I didn’t release a podcast last week you can assume I had a very nice relaxing time of it. In all seriousness, the first year of the podcast I had a theory that Thanksgiving week would be the absolute best week to publish an episode because people are traveling, flying, driving all across the nation… and what better time to have a great podcast episode. Well, that was a fallacy. First-year, we had a super slow week for downloads and I felt like I wasted a great guest. The next year I was like -- you know let’s give this a go again -- I’m going to trust my instincts and try really hard to get a great guest and promote the heck out of this thing… and crickets. Now, I’ve learned that my instincts in this were wrong, so I kind of take the week off from publishing and recharge a bit. Let that be a lesson to you -- don’t be stubborn in your decision making, check the data to back up your instincts and be open to being wrong. I am wrong often, and I am 100% OK with it. While I’m not a motivational “sayings” guy, I do believe it is better to make mistakes by trying new things, than to get stuck in repeating mediocrity. Ok, well..over this break… my kids got way into Avengers movies… so yeah, we watched a ton of Avengers movies. Obviously, they loved Endgame and infinity War… but boy did they fall hard for Black Panther and Captain Marvel. I think my daughter has new goals in life. Forget being a famous author and artist - now she wants to be captain marvel. I, of course, love Thor. It’s more of admiration than a man-crush. Oh who am I kidding, it’s a full-on man-crush. That’s the best part of Thanksgiving if you ask me -- forgetting all the things you need to do in the future and just being present in the moment with family. Some hot chocolate and a comfy couch make it all the better.But enough superhero talk -- let’s get into our Q &A session!Question comes from Anita in Michigan --“Hey Brian -- I LOVE your podcast. (she capitalized the LOVE, so I tried to give it the right emphasis) You are fun to listen to, plus, your information and advice is so easy to digest and put to action. I can’t believe I’ve never been taught anything like this during my first two years of college!I’m writing today because I have a bit of a problem I’m hoping you can help with. I know how much you stress the importance of internships and gaining experience...but as I look at internships I’m amazed how competitive they are, and how much experience they expect. I thought that was the whole point - to gain experience on their internship!What can I do to make myself more marketable to internship opportunities so I can gain the experience I so desperately need!”Anita - this is so great. I know you are frustrated, I can hear it in your writing, but trust me the fact you are asking this question shows your head is in the right place. I would much rather you ask this question in your sophomore year...than others who come to me in their senior year, or during grad school, or even after graduating… saying something like “um, so I have no experience, didn’t do any internships, but I love sports, and have a high GPA - can you get me a job?”You laugh -- but this probably happens twice a week. So Anita -- let’s talk strategies!1: Volunteering is your first move. 2: Start a blog and attempt to interview people who are in the niche you want to pursue. 3: Join industry groups4: Job Shadow 5: Seek out Leadership opportunities in campus - connected to sportsListen in to this great episode of the Work In Sports podcast to learn specifics about gaining experience for internships.

Kevin He: Instructor, Esports Project Management, UC-Irvine – Work In Sports Podcast Nov 20, 2019

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Esports is more the just an opportunity for programmers and gamers, the business is broad and growing as Kevin He explains on today's edition of the Work In Sports podcast.Hey Everybody, I’m Brian Clapp VP of Content and Engaged Learning for WorkInSports.com and this is the Work In Sports Podcast…Back in 2003 when the book Moneyball was published by Michael Lewis, everyone I knew in the industry grabbed a copy and read it. Most of us were a bunch of knuckleheads who couldn’t tell you the Pulitzer Prize-winning books of the era but had all read Friday Night Lights, The Natural, Ball Four and the Boys of Winter. At this time though, Moneyball was all any of us could talk about. This was pre-Brad Pitt movie release - this was just a book that had been whispered about and we were all excited to get a copy of. What we read, changed our knowledge of baseball, but also formulated new methods of decision making. Ever since that day, I knew two things -- 1: analytics was going to be a thing 2: I always wanted to stay ahead of what is next.I hammered it into my head - you have to keep seeking what is next because the world and the industry will not be static. The next big wave that was obvious and plain to see, it didn’t take a soothsayer, was social media. The growth, reach and the opportunity was obvious -- but in some parts, the sports world was still really slow to adapt to this change.I left a really great prestigious job in part because I thought they were way too slow to see social and digital media as a necessity, not a luxury.Well… I bring all this up to say -- I didn’t see Esports coming. Not only that...but I didn’t see the sports world adjusting to the phenomenon so quickly.../ and then not only that but I sure as heck didn’t see institutions of higher learning adjusting to the demand this quickly. Esports is a special case. And what may have seemed like a playground for computer programmers, animators, and gamers - is actually a huge business with multiple levels of employment opportunities far beyond programming. This is why we have on today’s guest Kevin He, Instructor for Esports Project Management t UC-Irvine…Questions for Kevin He, instructor Esports Project Management UC-Irvine1: In my experience – advanced education is often slow to respond to newly emerging trends. They tend to wait and see rather than set the trend in motion.You’ve been in the Esports industry for around 5 years, and we’ll get into the details of all of that soon, but I’m curious how this opportunity came up for you to become an instructor in Esports Project Management at UC-Irvine – that’s a pretty forward-thinking decision by the university to see this need and do something about it – how did it come about for you?2: Let’s go back a bit before we move forward… what is your personal history with Esports, was this something you always had an eye for? Something that developed over time? How did you find your niche on this side of the industry?3: Your first big move into this industry after you graduated was in Community development. Explain this a little – I think this is an area where Esports really stands out in almost a grassroots way, building their audience in a very personal way, can you explain the role and importance of community in Esports?4: Community is common ground amongst people, and I think the Esports world does a better job than most in the sports industry of building this sense of community.As I looked through your bio, I kept seeing the word Tespa come up over and over…so being a good researcher that I am I looked it up on Google. I want you to explain it to all of us… but before that, I want to read the vision statement at Tespa to set the context -- “We believe in a world where gaming is celebrated by people of all ages, recognized as a force for good, and a catalyst for bringing people together.”This should be the tagline for all of us in life!So tell us specifically, what is Tespa, and what is your role in it?

How to Build Industry Relevant Relationships – Work In Sports Podcast Nov 18, 2019

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The bond and connection you form with people you come in contact with is far more important than the number of connections you have. We explain in this edition of the Work In Sports podcast.Hey everybody, I’m Brian Clapp VP of Content and Engaged Learning for WorkInSports.com and this is the Work In Sports podcast…So quick story before we get into today's podcast - it will make sense to you as it all comes together but you have to go along for the ride with me for a bit. When I first started in the industry, yes you have all heard me mention it 10,000 times, I was working in the sports broadcast media at CNN/Sports Illustrated. One of the first things I noticed on the job was that there was a division amongst the staff. There was the editorial staff -- producers, anchors, reporters, editors, production assistants And there was the operations staff - camera operators, graphics, directors, audio ops, master control, sub-control etc. These were like two different operations in the same small area. It’s not to say the two groups didn’t get along, but there was a bit of a ...I’m searching for the right word here… disconnect. I was on the editorial side, and I’ll admit, our group had more ego and a feeling of self-importance. We were creators...and you are just executors. Again, it wasn’t a spoken thing, it was just a feeling in the newsroom. It kind of bothered me, but I was so young I had no idea what to do with that ...disconnect. So I started really subtly, maybe even subconsciously, trying to be a bit over the top with my connection to the operations side. I’d spend my day creating the show ...and then as I'd enter the control room to make it all come to life, every day no matter how stressed I was or if there was breaking news or whatever...I’d enter the control room and boisterously exclaim “hey everybody”And everyone would kind of laugh a bit. It becomes a bit of a joke… where I would be grabbing lunch in the food court and hear someone on the operations staff yell across the room -- “Hey everybody!”I’d hear it everywhere… and we’d all laugh a bit.We are on our 228th episode of this show, and every single one I have started with a simple “Hey everybody” and it’s my subtle reminder to myself, to remember, this whole thing, everything we do in life, is about forging relationships, connections, and bonds with others. Last week I spoke in a class at Arizona State University, and it was a really great session. I have a rough idea of points I want to make in these sessions, but I am so afraid of being and sounding rehearsed, that I always try to let it flow and see where the conversation goes. Well, we got into a subject and discussion on networking and I couldn’t stop thinking about it all weekend. We’ve got this whole thing backward. So many people view networking as a gamified version of their career, where whoever connects with the most amount of people wins the virtual trophy.And, once they make a connection, they view it as a one-way street, or an obligation for that connection to help them. I literally can’t tell you how many people connect with me and immediately ask me to do something for them. And not only do they ask, but they go through chapter and verse about their life, challenges and missteps to I don’t know to provide me context for the advice I’m required to give them?Now, I do it, because that’s my game… I respond and try to give value. BUT, I think this is also a teaching moment to say -- you’re doing it wrong.I want to give you an example, and in fact, I’m going to give my example a name. It’s Gregory Goodman, and I hope I don't embarrass him here by sharing this. January 10th of this year Gregory messaged me on LinkedIn:Thank you so muchYour podcast tonight was so wonderful! I couldn't have asked for any better adviceThank you, Gregory!Absolutely! I'll be there Thursday night and I'm re-energized to go even that much harder now after tonight. Thanks again for all you are doing.

Joan Lynch: The Future of Sports Employment – Work In Sports Podcast Nov 13, 2019

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Joan Lynch, Chief Content and Programming Officer at WorkingNation joins Work In Sports podcast host Brian Clapp in a probing interview into the future of sports employmentHey everybody, I’m Brian Clapp VP of Content and Engaged learning at WorkInSports.com and this is the Work In Sports podcast…Something struck me the other day as I was writing the outline for one of our episodes. When I was in college, I wouldn’t have been my target market. Flashback to 1995, I’m a college junior at the University of Delaware, I’m a solid B+ student, involved in some clubs, done some interviews… knew that I loved sports. But I would not have listened to this podcast if it had existed, which it didn’t, because we barely had cell phones and email then. I wouldn’t have listened because I was always all about the sports events, the sports talk, the sports debate, the highlights, the dunks the grand slams… blah blah blah. I thought the sports business shows on Saturday mornings on ESPN were just the most boring thing in the world.I thought I had it made no matter what. We weren’t being hammered over the head with how hard it was to get a job, or how competitive it was… I was just having a good time cruising through life.Bottom line - I would have sucked in today’s work environment.Times have changed, and while I still feel like a 20-year-old kid, I know what worked when I actually was 20, wouldn’t work now. Which brings up a really interesting question -- what about what works now? How will it change in the future? How will it change even 5 years from now?!Our world is changing exponentially. Allow me to riff for a second -- I went to Europe about 10 years ago. We visited Charlemagne’s castle in Germany, which they began construction on in 792. Beautiful structure.Then we went to Edinburgh - and of course, visited Edinburgh Castle...and bought a kilt. Well, that castle was built in 1130 nearly 350 years later. You know what is remarkable -- the castles weren’t all that different. Sure there were different styles, but really they were both remarkable stone-built structures that stood the test of time. Over 350 years technology in construction hadn’t changed all that much. Now just think of the last 10 years of your life. Think about how many drastically different inventions have come about. Think about how different global existence is today. We’re not talking hundreds of years, we’re talking exponential change over a decade.\I’m not here to tell you that is good or bad, I’m just telling you it is happening, sop we all have to be on top of what is next and what is coming. You have to be flexible and adaptable…and you have to listen. Some people have a knack for knowing what’s on the horizon, like today’s guest Joan Lynch, Chief Content and Programming Officer at WorkIng Nation...and prior to her becoming a top dog at WorkingNation, she was a VP of Content Development at ESPN...so you know I’m going to ask some questions about that too…Here’s Joan Lynch…Questions for Joan Lynch, WorkingNation Chief Content and Programming Officer1: Before we get into the future of employment in the sports industry, which is a massive conversation, lets dig into you a bit – ABC News, Yahoo, ESPN – all on the content side of the news and sports industry – what led you to content and why was that your personal career fit?2: You spent 7 years total at ESPN – first 2 and a half you’re an Executive Producer creating and developing many of the networks non-scripted programming – poker, reality, game shows. As EP You’re overseeing the entire process, both the creative side and the business - things like budgets and staffing – what were some of the biggest challenges in this role?3: How would you describe your approach to managing staff and did your leadership style change at all as you progressed from ABC to ESPN?4: After being an EP you jumped up to VP of Content Development - as one of, if not the highest-ranking women in the sports media,

Experience Matters in the Sports Industry – Work In Sports Podcast Nov 11, 2019

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Fact: Those who don't get real experience while in college, feel ill-prepared to enter the workforce. Let's examine. I’m feeling pretty fired up this morning –ready to dive into today’s show… but before we do… Hey everybody, I’m Brian Clapp, VP of Content and Engaged Learning for WorkInSports.com and this is the Work In Sports podcast…We’re going to veer of course a bit today, but I think you’ll like it. No fan question, rather, I’m going to share some recent data and give a bit of analysis on it, from my own perspective.Now, a major part of this discussion is to validate your moves. Those of you listening to this podcast regularly know my theories on employment, standing out from the crowd and getting yourself IN the consideration set for jobs.To define that, when I say consideration set, that means in the top 5-10% of applicants for any job. Why is this number important? Because, and this is rough data of course s changes from job to job, but the top 10ish % are the ones who get the initial phone screening.So if I post a job for a marketing coordinator, and we get 200 applicants, my first step as the hiring manager is to whittle that list down to those worthy of a callback. So in this instance, I’d be looking at 20-30 people who would get a phone interview.This is the consideration set. You are in consideration for the role.Now, how do you get in this set? Well you’ll have to listen to all of my podcasts and take our online courses in the Work In Sports academy – just $39 each and available 24/7/365 at workinsports.com/academy… but a quick extremely superficial summary would be:Gain the experience the marketplace needsIntern, intern intern and then intern some moreBuild industry-relevant relationshipsCustomize your materials, resume cover letter et all to each job applicationMaster the art of selling yourself during the interview process.Now again, that is way way, way rough and superficial… but that’s the start of the conversation to get into the consideration set for sports jobs.Notice what isn’t in there. High GPA.Now that is not an argument against taking your college courses seriously… of course, you have to and need to. But that is so you have the brainpower to do the job… it is not what gets you hired!So just to spell this out again – taking macroeconomics is great! You will learn concepts and skills that will apply to your sports business life…so take it seriously! That will help you be good at your job… but it isn’t the thing that will get you noticed and hired.So let’s get into this data a bit.I was doing a ton of research for my upcoming interview with Joan Lynch Chief Content Officer for Working Nation. Quick aside on Joan, whose interview comes up on Wednesday. Prior to becoming the big cheese covering the future of employment in America, she was a big-time executive at ESPN, and one of the main creatives behind 30 for 30 amongst other projects.She tells some really cool stories about her ESPN days during our interview.Anyway, that’s Wednesday tune in them for that. But in researching for that interview I came across some data released late last year from McGraw Hill’s Education’s Future Workforce Survey which detailed statistics about recent college graduates. #1 – this is a really big survey, I’m just going to distill it down to a few major pointsCollege graduates don't feel well-equipped to face the real worldOnly 4 in 10 college students feel very or extremely prepared for their future careers.While low, the percentage is a significant increase from 2017, when only 29 percent of students reported feeling as prepared.Many reported feeling like their college experience did not provide the critical skills they need to transition into the workforce, such as solving complex problems (43%), resume writing (37%), interviewing (34%) and job searching (31%)Ok so let’s talk about this first. For one, and this is the superficial gut reaction – holy crap. Could you imagine paying 100’s of thousands of dollars for s...

Kurt Landes: Lehigh Valley IronPigs President and General Manager – Work In Sports Podcast Nov 06, 2019

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What is it really like working in Minor League Baseball? Kurt Landes, Lehigh Valley IronPigs President and General Manager joins the Work In Sports podcast to share his experience in MiLB.Hey, everybody, I’m Brian Clapp VP of Content and Engaged Learning at WorkInSports.com and this is the Work in Sports podcast…ESPN had it right when they named their network in 1979. While most of us hear ESPN and immediately associate it as a sports brand, the actual name stands for Entertainment and Sports Programming Network.Sports is entertainment - the overarching theme of attending a movie or going to a sports event is the same -- you want to be entertained. Nowhere is this concept of sports as entertainment taken more seriously than in Minor League Baseball. 176 teams, often in smaller cities like Eugene, Biloxi and Lake Elsinore, unifying under a perspective that to get people to buy tickets, merchandise and concessions means they need to be entertained by more than the game itself. This is the platform every night in Minor League baseball -- what can we do tonight that will make people see value in the money they spent, a sense of community and just have a good time?!How do we create an environment where fans say, man, I had so much fun at the game last night. It’s the perfect calculus between affordable tickets, food and concessions, creative marketing and entertainment… and sponsorships. In minor league baseball, everything has to be seen as a sales opportunity. And that is where the role of President and General Manager in minor league baseball differs from the majors. In major league baseball GM’s are in charge of player development, the roster, coaches and more -- in minor league baseball it’s all about the business of entertainment, and turning a good time into revenue for the operation. In my mind, there is no better training ground to work in the business of sports than minor league baseball -- the opportunities to learn all angles of the business, how decisions relate to revenue creation and gain experience are without parallel. But even more, to understand the importance of entertainment and keeping the fans happy, because without fans there is no product. No one knows this better than today’s guest Kurt Landes, President and GM of the Lehigh Valley IronPigs, winners of the 2019 Larry MacPhail award given to the top promotional team in minor league baseball…Questions for Kurt Landes, Lehigh Valley IronPigs President and General Manager1: I have so many questions to ask about minor league baseball and your role as president-general manager of the IronPigs – but before we get into all of that, let’s get into your background a little.You’ve been in minor league baseball since 1995, starting out in community relations for the Toledo Mud Hens and never looking back. Of all the sports, all the leagues and all the roles available in the sports industry – why baseball, and why the minors?2: So many people I’ve interviewed for this show have jumped sports, or changed from team to media, or team to an agency – but you’ve been rather consistent. What benefit has it provided you to focus solely on the business of baseball?3: There is no denying the baseball season is a grind. Long seasons, long road trips, games every night – after 25 years in baseball you are an expert on surviving the grind, what advice would you give people starting out in baseball to survive the day-in and day-out?4: The role of a general manager in the minors is much different from that of an MLB general manager – you’ve been GM and Team President of the IronPigs since the team inception -- can you explain a little of your role and expectations as President and GM of the team and how that differs from an MLB GM?5: Let’s talk about branding and overall creativity – minor league baseball as a whole is incredibly gifted at branding. The IronPigs have incredible merchandise, gear, bacon-themed nights, giveaways and so much more.

The Foundation of Networking – Work In Sports Podcast Nov 04, 2019

Show notes

Hey everybody, I’m Brian Clapp V of Content and Engaged Learning at WorkInSports.com and this is the Work in Sports podcast…Just a quick personal vent -- not a big fan of changing the clocks. I think it is purely mental, but I get the worst night's sleep for about a week after the clocks change. My 12-year-old daughter was up at like 5:30 this morning, so clearly I passed this trait down to her as well. Not a fan. What makes it even worse is staying up to watch your team stink on Sunday night Football… but I digress, as fully recognize that no one feels sympathy for Patriots fans like me. I would just like to again state for the record, I am from Boston and therefore my fandom is legit and earned through decades of sucking… Alright now that we’ve cleared up the massive problems with daylight savings and sucking on Sunday night football.. Let’s get to a question, shall we?I get all types of questions -- but this one from Teague in Oregon stuck out to me this week:“Hey Brian, I suck at networking, can you help?”You know I respect the brevity of this request. There is no flattery, no sugar coating, just straight to it. And while I love it when people say “hey brian, you are awesome!” sometimes a good old “I suck can you help, really cuts through the BS.OK, so this is a big subject, this networking things here, and I don’t want to go on for hours and hours, so I’m going to focus this a bit. If you want more I have an entire course on networking as part of the Work In sports Academy… but for now, I’m going to go at this like I approach most things, I flip the conversation on its head. Let’s reverse engineer the heck out of this thing...and ask the question -- what makes someone become your friend?Does that seem to be a weird question to ask in regards to networking? Well, let’s think about this -- as I analyze my network of contacts, the only ones I would rely upon, disclose things about myself too, give deep time and effort to helping when asked… are those people I would consider more than just a connection, I’d call them a friend. So how do you build more industry friends? That is the key to networking - it is the depth of the relationship, not the number. So I’ve moved around a bit in my life, and I’ve figured out that it can be pretty hard to make friends when you get older. You have shared experiences. Shared schedules. We’re all on the same career status entry-level. Less responsibility. You can go out all night and not have to worry about things. It makes it pretty easy to connect with people. But as you get older, it gets harder to break in with people. I left my cushy world in Atlanta to move to Seattle knowing no one. I’m 28, the new boss, and everyone you meet already has a circle of friends they’ve been hanging with for years. We don’t have shared experiences. We all have different job levels, more responsibilities, life is changing...and this tends to make people lean into the group they already have. Networking is the same damn thing as making new friends. Just connecting with someone. Or just engaging them in small talk at a conference. Or just liking their posts. Isn’t going to cut it. The person you do that with, isn’t going to stick their neck out for you next time you need a job, or need advice, or need a hand. Building a network is the creation of multiple mini friendships. Maybe not your tell them everything and complain about your spouse best friend, but it follows the same rhythm. In life, we aren’t trying to make 5,000 friends, we’re trying to make the right 20 friends.Networking is the same thing. I have 6,536 connections on LinkedIn, I know very few of them. These people are opportunities to network, but they are not a network. They are lumps of relationship clay that I have done little to nothing with yet. Many people compare their network to the expectations they have in their heads. I don’t know the VP of the Red Sox so my network stinks! I need more high profile people in my network!

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