The Work in Sports Podcast - Insider Advice for Sports Careers

Latest Episodes:

Dr. Amy Giddings: The Evolution of Coaching – Work in Sports podcast Apr 17, 2019

Show notes

Being a coach means you are always in the public eye, but rarely understood. Dr. Amy Giddings from Temple University joins the Work in Sports podcast this week to discuss the unknown world of being a coach.Hi everybody, I’m Brian Clapp Director of Content for WorkinSports.com and this is the Work in Sports podcast…There is something magical about coaching. From dad’s coaching their daughter’s soccer team (ahem that may be me) to Bill Belichick leading the charge to multiple super bowls… we can all watch, judge, admire or hate the coaches we are surrounded by in our daily sports life.It makes this career unique. No one watches and judges an accountant on their work. The public at large doesn't question the decision making of a mid-level manager at the local insurance company. Coaching at every level is an inherently vulnerable position where you will be umpired by parents, fans and media members on the daily. The first couple of years I started working in the sports industry, in a way, I hated to talk to regular people, in regular industries about sports. It was frustrating. Everyone has an opinion on sports, everyone thinks they are an expert, everyone who watches SportsCenter or listens to some overdramatized debate show has an attitude about their sports knowledge.When people found out I worked in the sports industry, they’d always try to quiz me or throw out some random fact that they knew and I didn’t. It was frustrating as hell.It exasperated me because early in my career I definitely looked down on people, just being honest here. I looked at them and thought…you think you know stuff? I have access to the greatest reporters in the land, I speak with coaches, I hang out with players, NFL MVP Shaun Alexander is on my speed dial! How dare you!But that’s the thing about sports in general, the information is so public, that everyone can be an expert on some level. As I got older, I cared less and less about who is the smartest in the land, but you get my vibe here.Always being tested, questioned, and prodded by armchair experts can be irritating.Coaching is even worse.There are more subtleties and dynamics to coaching than just X’s and O’s and substitution patterns, game plans and rotations – but everyone thinks they are an expert. When I used to sit and chat with coaches who were analysts with our network, you’d be amazed at the depth of knowledge they have and how they seem like savants in their sport.And yet - we all sit in a bar stools judging every move as is we have a vision into the future that they don’t.This isn't to say fans and parents and media can't have opinions or judge the coaches they watch perform - that's part of the gig and every coach knows it - but it does mean sometimes we should all listen more than we judge. Coaching is an art form, a fascinating one at that, which is why I wanted to have Dr. Amy Giddings from Temple University on the show. Her research into the dynamics of coaching is fascinating and represents a chance for us all to listen and learn...Questions for Dr. Amy Giddings, Temple University1: I’m really excited for this conversation because your research and background goes deep into aspects of coaching, not only as a career but as it relates to gender and the needs of today’s athletes… but before we get into that, let’s dive into your background a bit.You went from undergrad at the University of Dayton, right into your Masters at Temple and then your Ph.D. at Temple and now you teach at Temple – did you always know your future was in higher education and why this path?2: I’ve always believed student-athletes make great employees – they are disciplined, competitive, have strong time management – you competed as a student-athlete at the Div 1 level, do you think it helped prepare you for the real world ahead?3: You also had a lot of firsthand experience with coaches, you became a coach yourself, and much of your research in academia is in this direction as well – why the fascinating with...

Zachary Galia: Pittsburgh Steelers Social Media Manager – Work in Sports Podcast Apr 10, 2019

Show notes

An insiders viewpoint on sports social media with Zachary Galia Pittsburgh Steelers social media managerHi, everybody, I’m Brian Clapp Director of Content for WorkinSports.com and this is the Work in Sports podcast…More and more in today’s sports world, teams have become their own media outlets.For years those of us in the traditional broadcast media feared a couple of things… the immediacy of information and teams taking things in house.The immediacy of information was a big one. At the sports networks I worked for we could rely on people tuning in at noon, 6 pm and 11 pm to get their in-depth sports information.But that changed so dramatically at the turn of the century. Everyone could get information immediately – news, videos, stats, data – it was all available. Many traditional broadcast networks are still struggling to figure out how they are relevant in this new world order…that has been around for a decade plus, but some of us are slower to adapt than others.The other big fear was teams utilizing their access and turning into their own media provider. Think about it, as a former news director I’d be working angles with the teams to allow us access to players. Everything ran through PR, and half the time they’d say no.We couldn’t get in the locker room, we couldn’t get into the workouts behind the scenes, we couldn’t see players in their natural environment.When we’d do a yearly threat assessment, this was always a big one for me… what if the teams decide to do what we can’t? What if they become their own media source?This is our reality now, and it is incredible for the audience. Information in the moment. Connectivity to the athletes. Behind the scenes looks at the world of the elite athlete. Visuals and moments shared instantaneously.But this doesn’t happen on its own – this new reality is backed by creative people knowing and deciphering what is interesting about what is happening.They are the new agenda setters for our world. They tell us what is important with their team – they inspire us to share, life and engage with their content.They are the gatekeeper to our knowledge - letting us in on a story or holding back on it, deciding this isn’t the right time to explore this angle.The new power operators in the sports information game are the team social media members – like today’s guest Zachary social media manager for the Pittsburgh Steelers…Questions for Zachary Galia Pittsburgh Steelers Social Media Manager1: Before we dig into your role in social media with the Steelers, let’s go back a bit to your beginning.So many people assume you must go to a big, well-known school to make it in major professional sports. You went to Adrian College in Michigan, a small school with just over 1600 students, which is probably smaller than some high schools in the Pittsburgh area – fast forward a few years and you’re the Social Media Manager with one of the biggest brands in sports.Broad question but… how did this happen?2: Before the Steelers you were the Digital Content Coordinator for Michigan International Speedway, managing their social media presence…but you also wrote, produced, shot and edited all videos for YouTube and other social channels.How important is it to have the technical skills to create, not just the creative skills…and how did you learn these techniques?3: In your first race weekend your social media channels reached over 10million users and 121.8 million impressions. That’s some crazy exposure – and a heck of an impression made on your bosses. I can picture the person who hired you giving themselves a high five. Those numbers were second only to the Daytona 500 that NASCAR season.Explain that to me – what was different about your approach than every other race that season…what was it that cut through the noise and reached so many people?4: How much time do you spend, either with the Steelers or when you were with Michigan International Speedway, studying the fans and understanding how to communicate w...

How To Exude Confidence in Your Next Job Interview – Work in Sports Podcast Apr 08, 2019

Show notes

When you exude confidence in your job interviews, it gives the employer confidence in hiring you. Here's how to do it!Hi everybody, I’m Brian Clapp, Director of Content for WorkinSports.com and this is the Work in Sports podcast…The last few weeks we’ve had some incredible guests on the show, if you haven’t listened yet I suggest you go back and give the episodes with Lauren Sisler, SEC Network reporter, and Gloria Nevarez, West Coast Conference commissioner a listen.Great information, and inspirational stories. Coming up this week – Zachary Galia Pittsburgh Steelers Social Media Manager – Zach and I have a very cool conversation on what goes into his day to day experience with the Steelers!For those of you new to this show – welcome! – I love new listeners! On Mondays, I publish an episode going deep on a fan question about their sports career. If you want to submit a question, you can hit me up on LinkedIn, message me on our private facebook group which you can join by searching for the Work in Sports podcast on Facebook and answering a few questions – or you can email me bclapp at Work in Sports dot com.Plenty of options! If your question is read on the show, I’ll give you a free month to our site which is way worth it.ON Wednesdays are our expert interviews – and the cool thing about those, especially if you are a new listener, all of them are just a relevant today as they were the day I published them. I don’t ask questions that are in the moment or directly connected to that day's sports news.We focus on career advice, their journey, how they go their first job, the challenges of their role, what they look for when hiring. So again, if you want to go back and listen to my interview with Leigh Steinberg, or Mailynh Vu talent acquisition manager for the Cleveland Indians, or Mike Judge Inside Sales Manager with the Cleveland Browns, or Shaun Richard Associate Athletic Director for Ohio State – go for it, the information is still on point I promise.One last pitch before the question – we also have a Facebook LIVE session every Thursday at 7:30 pm est from the Work in Sports Facebook page where I answer all of your sports career focused questions LIVE – super fun, I love the interaction, so come join me on Thursdays.Ok, let’s get to today’s question – it comes in from Jack in Nebraska.Hi Brian – love the show, I have learned so much from your programming! I find the Monday editions to be so incredibly informative and I hope this question is good enough to make the cut. Congratulations Jack it is!I feel like my confidence is low going into interviews, I have so many things running through my head that I don’t think I project the best version of myself. In the past, you’ve talked about being self-reflective after an interview and trying to figure out what went wrong – well, for me, I’ve concluded it’s my confidence. Any chance you can help? Jack – first off I am so impressed that you are being self-reflective after an interview, this is so important. Every interview should be a learning experience, but only if you put the work in.After an interview, I’ll ask someone how it went and they’ll say “fine”. I probe, and they have very little to give back. Then they don’t get the job and wonder,” What went wrong?” to which I respond…I don’t know, I wasn’t there.It is on you, the individual, to write things down after an interview… was there a certain question I didn’t handle well, did I mess up the handshake, did I forget to make eye contact, was my energy level low, did I forget to smile and show some enthusiasm?These are all questions you need to ask yourself after an interview – this is self-reflection and no one else can do it for you…that’s why it’s call SELF-reflection.Nice job Jack – just getting to this point where you can self0-reflect and narrow down what’s going wrong for you is awesome – I’m impressed.So now let’s talk confidence.As regular old human beings walking the planet we are drawn to confident people.

Lauren Sisler: SEC Network Sports Reporter – Work in Sports Podcast Apr 03, 2019

Show notes

Lauren Sisler, sports reporter for the SEC Network, hasn't had an easy road to her award-winning career on camera. She's battled, persevered and thrived through tragedy. This is a story you won't forget. Hi everyone, I’m Brian Clapp Director of Content for WorkinSports.com and this is the Work in Sports podcast…We all have a public persona, the one we let the world see.Our work personality, our behavior at parties, our disposition in challenging moments, our temperament when dealing with others.These are all part of how we are seen by others.But we are all much more than that. Every one of us is comprised of formative experiences that build our character…but aren’t as apparent or evident to the people around us.While you may think your friends are an open book - sharing with you their dreams, loves and fears – chances are there is more to their story that they are unable or unwilling to share. They may not even realize how formative certain experiences have been.We are all much more than our public persona.We are all forged through our unique experiences and even deeper, our individual interpretation of those experiences I read this quote this morning and was moved by it… it’s from John Milton in Paradise Lost:“The mind is its own place, and in itself can make a heaven of hell, a hell of heaven.”Perspective matters.To one person an experience makes them stronger and more resolute, to another going through the same thing…it may break them.Today’s guest Lauren Sisler is an award-winning sports reporter for the SEC Network. 2-time Alabama Sportscaster of the Year. Emmy award winner. 2-time Alabama Associated press Best sports anchor.She is a Rockstar in the sports media.But she, like you, is much more than that. She is an amalgamation of events and experience and interpretation.Remember earlier when I said the same experience can break one person, and make another stronger? Lauren Sisler is the embodiment of that. She dealt with unspeakable tragedy early in life that could have, and maybe should have, broken her. But it didn’t.She found a way through it all…and not just through it, beyond it, to a heralded life on the other side.This story is about much more than just being a high-profile sports reporter… yes, we will talk about that, and yes, Lauren will share incredible career advice…but it’s also about the person inside all of us. The unification of events that creates us… and then, what we do choose to do with the experience. We aren’t just the standardized results of our experiences, we have a choice in all of it.At some moment, maybe she can pinpoint it or maybe not, Lauren Sisler decided that she wasn’t going to be defeated by her experiences. She would persevere, and she would thrive. Let’s let her tell it… here’s Lauren Sisler…Questions for Lauren Sisler, SEC Network Reporter1: Before we get into your role now with SEC Network and what that’s like covering such major college events – let’s go back to your beginning and your reasoning for getting into this side of the sports industry – you were a highly recruited gymnastics athlete in High School, with a plethora of options for your college experience. To make it in division 1 sports takes a great deal of discipline, looking back, what did you learn about yourself as you pushed toward college?2: You chose Rutgers and eventually earned a role team captain of the gymnastics team – when during your school experience did you figure out you wanted to make sports a career choice?3: It’s hard being a student-athlete, heck it’s hard being a college student and being far away from home for the first time, but you dealt with something unimaginable your freshman year, the death of both of your parents to prescription drug overdoses within hours of each other.Two years ago you wrote a gut-wrenching first-person view of that day and all that transpired. It’s a hard, but beautiful, read. I know this is a difficult question, but how did you conjure up the strength as a 17-year ...

The Importance of a “Walk On” Attitude For Sports Careers – Work in Sports Podcast Apr 01, 2019

Show notes

Attitude matters! In this episode, we're explaining the attributes of a "Walk On" attitude - listen in!Hi, everybody, I’m Brian Clapp, Director of Content for WorkinSports.com and this is the Work in Sports podcast…Quick March Madness bracket update ---- I still stink at brackets.Now back to the show.I’ve been thinking a lot about attitude lately and its role in our collective definition of success.My daughter just had this 6th-grade field trip to the Pocono’s for a stayover at the Poconos Environmental Education Center… the entire 6th grade and I was one of the chaperones. For those of you without kids, 11-12 years old is a really interesting age. They are starting to develop independence, feeling out their own confidence levels, how they fit in the bigger picture, where their true interests and passions lie, and they aren’t as complacent as they once were – they will challenge you.At this age, you can observe so much, especially when they are all together away from home and under outnumbered supervision. It’s like a petri dish of Group Dynamics. You see the factions, the separation of types, the mean kids, the attitudes, the kids who are lost and still finding their people.You see the formation and foundation of attitude.Attitude matters a ton in life. It forms your perspective and approach to all things in your life. Even at a young age, you can see the kids who have developed with an attitude of entitlement. They should get things because they want things.You can see kids who are gracious, community-focused, natural teambuilders.You can see others who believe they are leaders because they yell the loudest or tell someone else their idea is stupid and take over the dialogue.There are others who work really hard and are curious, embrace others and are welcoming.These are all attitudes. They aren’t cast in stone, these aren’t permanent features of their personality…but they are forming a solid foundation and start to define who this person will be.We all carry that attitude with us every day and in every interaction we have. What do we emit? What is the vibe we give people when we meet them, what is the energy we radiate as we walk through life?Negative, entitled, grumpy attitudes are easy to identify in people and do not speak well to their future.But there are other more subtle attitudes that can be just a negative to someone career arch: those who make assumptions, are self-defeating, always compare themselves to others, who linger in the past, feel like a victim, blame others, and are paralyzed by a fear of failure – these aren’t the mean kids, but they will struggle with attitude through life, just in a different way.This all fits into our question this week from Amanda in Brooklyn:“Hi Brian, love the podcast, you have some incredible guests but I really feel myself draw to the Monday episodes where you get real and raw. Thank you so much for what you do!My question is pretty simple, I’ve had two internships and it’s been an incredible experience for me, in my next internship I want to make sure that I make it an incredible experience for them, and they hopefully want to hire me. Anything you advise to help me stand out for the right reasons?”Amanda, I love the way you put this. It sounds like your first two internships helped you gain experience and likely find some direction for your sports career – that is incredible. And for you to have the perspective that your next one, you need to earn the respect of the employers and focus on impressing them and providing value… is really great.I’ve talked in the past about building your skills and relationships and following up and who to connect with on an internship… so let’s go a different direction. I want to go deeper into the idea of attitude.College athletes really impress me.A vast majority of them have no prospects of playing professional sports for money. They don’t play for that reason, they play because they love the game, the team, the competition,

Gloria Nevarez: Going Beyond Labels – Work in Sports podcast Mar 27, 2019

Show notes

West Coast Conference commissioner Gloria Nevarez is the first Latina commissioner of a Division 1 conference - but she's much more than that. In this episode of the Work in Sports podcast, we go beyond the labels.Today's Sponsors:To learn more about the Georgetown Master's program, you’re invited to attend an upcoming webinar on Wednesday, April 3, at noon Eastern Time. Visit scs.georgetown.edu/sportswebinar to RSVP.WorkinSports.com! Check out our latest promo connected to March Madness, we call it #JOBMADNESSHi, everybody, I’m Brian Clapp, Director of Content for WorkinSports.com and this is the Work in Sports podcast…I’ve never really had a big goal. I know it sounds weird for a guy that shares career advice all the time to share that…but it’s real.I went through college day by day. I had an inkling of what I wanted to do in the sports industry, but I never had some lofty aspiration.I started working at CNN/Sports Illustrated and all my goals were short term. Get this game edited on time, I have a press conference coming up, the show starts in 20 minutes.Maybe every once in a while I’d start to think about being a producer someday…but more often than not, I was living exactly where my feet were on the ground.Looking back, I don’t have a perspective on whether this was good or bad… it just was. I eventually became a producer, and then a news director. But I still never had these high aspirations to own a network, or become a CEO… I always felt I had so much to learn right where I was.Most people will tell you to set goals, write them down, read them, aim high – all the clichés – and they are right. You should. I’m not telling you, you shouldn’t.But you’d be amazed at how many people, how many successful people, don’t really think that way. Most people I speak with in the industry speak of flexibility, being liquid and following opportunity, being versatile and fitting into the roles that need fitting.Most of the people I talk to share their stories of doing whatever needs doing, of emptying trashcans that needed emptying, of changing lightbulbs, of picking up the slack around the office.Most people don’t say – I knew when I was in college that I wanted to be the Chief Marketing Officer of an NHL team.I don’t think people process information that way…no matter how many books, and other podcasts, tell them they should. I believe most people think at most 6 months ahead, not 6-10 years.And you know what, I think that is smart.Getting locked into a career concept can be limiting. Convincing yourself there is only one way to achieve, can make you look the other way when opportunities arise.Today’s guest Gloria Nevarez, Commissioner of the West Coast Conference didn’t set out saying, someday I’ll run this league you’ll see!She took her steps. Undergrad in sports management. Law degree. Compliance officer. Assistant Athletic Director. Associate Commissioner.She worked to gain experience and figure things out along the way. She learned sponsorship, fundraising, negotiating, relationship building and so much more. And you know what, these were all qualifying experiences to become commissioner.At some point along the way, maybe when she was Sr. Associate Athletic Director at the University of Oklahoma or Senior Associate Commissioner at the Pac12 - I’m sure she started to think… maybe I can be a commissioner. But she discovered her path while she was on the path.The point is, stay open, stay flexible, learn a multitude of skills and enjoy the journey… like Gloria Nevarez has… well, I guess I should let her tell you…Questions for Gloria Nevarez, West Coast Conference Commissioner:1: When an event like March Madness comes around and one of your teams is a #1 seed and another qualifies and faces the reigning champion – do you get to sit back like a fan and enjoy…or is it a totally different experience for you?2: Let’s dig a little into your background. You grew up in the San Francisco Bay Area but traveled across the country to atten...

Transitioning from an Internship to a Full-Time Role – Work in Sports Podcast Mar 25, 2019

Show notes

How do you earn a full-time role after an internship or a seasonal role finishes up? Great topic! Listen in.Hi, everybody, I’m Brian Clapp Director of Content for WorkinSports.com and this is the Work in Sports podcast…Before we get into today’s topic a few notes…We’re running a March Madness bracket on ESPN.com and anyone who plays in the bracket and beats me gets a free month at WorkinSports.com.Well…right now I’m in 219th place. Seriously…my bosses are unhappy with my decisions. The good news for me is I have 12 remaining teams. I did not have Virginia Tech, Oregon, Florida State or Texas Tech – so the rest of my bracket looks pretty OK.Last year I finished 49th out of 400 plus…so I’m gearing up for a late charge.If you are in the Bracket Challenge, we don’t have a way to contact you directly – so if you end up beating me you can email us at bracket@workinsports.com with the subject I beat Brian.Now, if you are not in the bracket challenge, or just don’t want to wait, you can get a 2-week membership to WorkinSports.com for just $5 right now…this instant.Go to WorkinSports.com/promo/jobmadness to sign up – 2 weeks $5 a great deal.I have to admit, I’m a little sad today. Rob Gronkowski is by far my favorite player in the NFL. I loved watching him play the game. He’s like a superhero out there, bodies bouncing off of him, incredible hands, agility, and ability…and he just had so much fun. You hear him in press conferences and he’s trying to be serious, but kind of snickering through the jokes he has in his head…that are eerily reminiscent of 13 year old boys saying poop and laughing that they got away with it.The guy is like the living embodiment of a yellow lab.Always happy and smiling, he bounds around breaking shit in the house like a big ball of uncontrollable energy…but you can stay mad at him, you just want to hug him and roll around on the ground with him.Sometimes he’s awkward and clunky – but he’s always good hearted and just wants to have some fun.Guy made me laugh, made me cheer, made me envious… I mean who wouldn’t want to be a 6’6” 270 lbs wrecking machine who is also the life of the party.Here’s the thing about joy. That dude had it in spades – and I’m not sure the rest of us are that good at it. I don’t want to go too deep down this tangent today… but he enjoyed his moments. He celebrated his success.I get that it’s harder when you are working paycheck to paycheck – trust me, I get that more than you know – but we, as a working class, don’t stop to celebrate victories enough. We don’t enjoy our success.I ask almost every single one of my industry experts – how do you define success and what does it feel like? Do you celebrate it? Do you enjoy it? Or do you just move on to the next assignment?I tell you, no one has really handled that question all that well. It’s like success is a bad word, like admitting it is akin to complacency.That’s bull. Celebrate your moments. Laugh more. Enjoy the people around you more. Cherish your hard work, and the steps you are taking to get to your next level.Have a little Gronk in you.Alright – today’s question comes in from Joseph McGrath –Joseph asks…“I just completed Week 3 as a merchandise assistant with the Wilmington Blue Rocks. Our home opener is April 4. It is a seasonal role and my position runs through September. When is it appropriate to start asking about a full-time role with the team, and if they don’t have opportunities, when can I start asking for a referral to other teams?”Joseph this is a very good question, one that many people deal with as seasonal and temporary roles are popular in the sports industry, especially in the minor leagues as teams try to preserve budget by hiring under seasonal roles which allows them to be more flexible in paying out benefits etc.Not only that, but every one of you who is working an internship or will work an internship, will face the same issue… when can I start asking about next steps?

Bryan Srabian: A Giant in Sports Digital Media – Work in Sports Podcast Mar 20, 2019

Show notes

Bryan Srabian is the guy behind the San Francisco Giants digital media and content success story, and he joins us this week on the Work in Sports podcast!Hi everybody, I’m Brian Clapp Director of Content for WorkinSports.com and this is the Work in Sports podcast.Today's Sponsors:Temple University - Master's in Sports Business!WorkinSports.com #JobMadness promoWorkinSports.com Bracket Challenge -- Beat my bracket, get a free month at WorkinSports.comOver the last decade or so there has been a greater emphasis on culture and environment in the workplace, especially in business but more recently in sports.Not to get all “when I was a young whippersnapper” on you…but when I started my sports career back in 1996, everything was task oriented. Get the job done. Period. My boss didn’t really care about my feelings or how I fit in or whether I felt comfortable taking chances in my role.And I didn’t expect her to. If you messed up that was bad… if you messed up multiple times you’d be labeled as unreliable and never given the fun games to cover, or the next opportunity. That was sports and that was the media… we couldn’t really afford to be wrong.Failure wasn’t seen as a pathway to creativity, it was seen as a pathway to a different career.Around the early 2000s, my wife, then girlfriend, was in the dot com industry where they played ping pong in the office and totally changed the concept of failure…this new wave believed failure was a necessary part of true growth and creativity.This idea of failing as an acceptable result always confused me. She played Half-Life around her office and I sprinted around the newsroom trying to get a story on the air and not miss a deadline.We lived in very different work worlds.But…despite 90% of them going out of business, the dot coms may have been on to something.The sports world has come in this direction as well – there is more concern than ever for happiness, inclusion, cultural fits and more.In fact, the same concept the dot com industry embraced in the early 2000s of failure being a necessary indicator of pushing yourself, finds its way into the sports world modus operandi too as we constantly try to push new boundaries in social media, content creation, branding, advertising, and marketing.We can’t just recycle – we need to push new boundaries, we need to try new things, we need to be free to fail in the spirit of refining and developing.It’s not the same as “do crappy work and it’ll all be ok” – it’s the concept that to be unique means you have to try things and you won’t always hit. I heard someone say the other day – “if you want to see something new, better go to a different planet” implying it’s all been done before. I don’t buy this. I see new often. I see teams and brands and leagues pushing past normalcy daily.And I see failure.I think back and wonder if these things are inextricably linked – was I afraid to fail back in my early career and therefore less impactful? So I now feel more emboldened to fail and am more creative?Hell if I know.But one thing I know about myself is I do like an environment where I’m not self-censoring every move fearful it will result in my downfall. I do like running a group of people and trying to get them to work fearlessly.Not carelessly, we still have to be accurate, we still have to do things the right way and be careful what we say and who we say it about… but the idea of trying without fear makes sense to me.That is the philosophy of today’s guest.I believe wholeheartedly that for a creative person, you could have no better leader and role model than Bryan Srabian San Francisco Giants VP of Digital Media and Brand Development. For 18 years he’s been a fixture with the Giants, and get this he started his career well before the internet, well before social media… and now in my view, he is the kingpin, the OG of the sports social media.He adapted to a changing world, became an expert in a growing field, pushed the Giants to new levels and formulated...

#JOBMADNESS and When You Should Start Applying for Sports Jobs – Work in Sports Podcast Mar 18, 2019

Show notes

When is the right time to start applying for sports jobs? Good question - let's handle it on this Work in Sports Podcast episode.Hi, everybody, I’m Brian Clapp Director of Content for WorkinSports.com and this is the Work in Sports podcast…I’d be crazy not to talk tournament this morning. The Monday after Selection Sunday is a very special day in the sports world and should be a national holiday.In the spirit of such a joyous occasion, well that is unless you go to NC State or Clemson and are feeling a little left out, sorry about that, we have two really cool promos going on.Work in Sports Bracket Challenge on ESPN.comWork in Sports #JOBMADNESS Promo - 2 weeks, just $5The first one you have to earn.We’ve created a Bracket Challenge on ESPN – the group name is WorkinSports #JobMadness there are no spaces in WorkinSports, so it’s WorkInSports #JobMadness – I will link to the group in the show notes for this episode, I’ll post it in our private Facebook group and on Twitter…if you still can’t find it…the internet is pretty tricky after all…you can hit me up on LinkedIn.Here’s the deal, I’m going to create a bracket this morning. Zion. And at the end of the tournament. Zion. If you beat my bracket. Zion. You’ll get a free month at WorkinSports.com. Zion.What does that mean for you? – it means full access to 10,264 active sports jobs from thousands and thousands of different sports employers and the ability to apply with ease. Upload your resume and we’ll match you to jobs your skill profile fits. Pretty magical right?Now about beating me in the bracket challenge.Two years ago we did this… and I came in tied for 370th.Last year… oh my, I think it was worse.So you don’t have much to fear. The last time I won a bracket was in 1993 during my freshman year of college. Seriously. I remember it well, I had picked Jason Kidd’s California Golden Bears to upset Grant Hill’s Duke Blue Devils in the 2nd round… and had picked UNC to ultimately defeat Michigan in the Championship.That year I was a baller. This also shows how old I am, since both Jason Kidd and Grant Hill are now well into retirement. This also began my theory that ball dominant guards control the NCAA tournament and top big men can be controlled easier than a top-notch guard. Which has led me to bank on Chris Paul’s Wake Forest Deamon Deacons, Lonzo Balls UCLA Bruins, Penny Hardaway’s Memphis Tigers, Damon Stoudamire’s Arizona Wildcats…hell even Steve Nash’s Santa Clara Broncos I had pegged for upsets…which actually worked out pretty well if you go back through the history books.My point is, my brackets always skew this direction… and it almost always fails me. I’m learning from this that I am hella stubborn. I think it’s time to give up on this theory of ball dominant guards and head to the wing. Hello Zion! Then again…it; also means I probably have overvalued Murray State and their stud in the backcourt Ja Morant.Alright, enough about the bracket --- if you don’t want to wait for the tournament or risk your chances at beating me one on one… We also have a more straightforward approach – get 2 weeks of access to WorkinSports.com for just $5. Now that’s easy.Head over to WorkinSports.com/promo/jobmadness to sign up. 2 weeks. $5 duckets.Alright so let’s continue with the theme.Today’s question comes in from Adriana in New Jersey – I saw this and immediately thought Sopranos…Adriana from New Jersey? I’m guessing there are many Adriana’s in New Jersey about 15-20 years old right now.Anyway – the question from Adriana:Brian, Love the podcast I listen to every episode and take notes, your insight into the industry is a gold mine for me and has given me such confidence and guidance! (Thank you Adriana!)Since we’re in college basketball mode, I wanted to ask about jobs in college sports. I rowed crew while in college and would love to continue working on college athletics. I believe there is nothing quite like it, so many of the athletes play for the love of the game knowin...

Josh Rawitch: Arizona Diamondbacks Sr. VP of Content and Communication Mar 13, 2019

Show notes

Josh Rawitch, Arizona Diamondbacks Senior VP of Content and Communication joins the Work in Sports podcast!Hi everybody, I’m Brian Clapp Director of Content for WorkinSports.com and this is the Work in Sports podcast…When I have a guest on the show I spend an inordinate amount of time studying them. I’ll be honest, fear drives this obsession…I am so worried I’ll ask a bad question, or miss something important, or not dig deep enough into a subject that I pour over articles, research, social media feeds and more.We all have this, an internal voice that says… do more, dig deeper. I believe this is a voice you have to listen to.I guarantee you feel this as you apply for jobs.You’ll have decision making moments… should I recraft my resume? come up with a new angle for my cover letter? Research who the hiring manager is and connect with them on LinkedIn… or…it’s a really nice day outside, and my friends are playing beach volleyball on the quad…or there is this really cool music festival going on.Then the voice comes in… you know you should go the extra mile right?That’s what happens to me through this process. I can write questions all day long… but if I just sit down and write them from the inner workings of my brain…they’re good, but I know they could be better with more research…so I go back to the lab.It may surprise you to know that I go back and listen to each episode multiple times and critique my interview technique. I try to figure out patterns for what evokes a good answer, how my phrasing could have improved, whether I dig deep enough in the follow-up, or stepped on their words.I listen to other interview style podcasts and see how others perform their tasks… Bill Simmons, Adrian Wojnorowski, Adam Schefter, Peter King – sometimes I like their techniques and pick up a little something, other times I wonder how they made it to the top.But it is all learning, it’s all self-scouting with a goal of improvement.Are you doing this? Are you competing at this level?Please tell me you study your performance after a job interview. I don’t mean clutch your pearls and freak out over the thing you said wrong. I mean really think about what they asked? why did they ask it? what were they driving towards? did you hit the mark with your answer? Will you be better prepared the next time?Maybe if you don’t get a call back on your application – instead you get the dreaded "after careful consideration...we will not be moving forward with your application..." – maybe after receiving that response you should go back and look at the job description again, figure out if your resume hit the mark on what they needed. Determine if your cover letter told them a story of how you can help drive their organization forward.If you weren’t a match – ask yourself WHY!All of this takes work and is humbling. Trust me when I go back and listen to myself on the show, I cringe A LOT. I beat myself up over my questions, I wonder why my voice got so high, I pinch myself for interrupting right when someone was about to go deeper.BUT – I also listen to myself back when I started, and listen to myself now…and see improvement. Not perfection, improvement.This is what you need – to have an attitude of improvement, and that only comes from self-analysis. No one else will do this for you. No one else will take a deeper look into your WHY – the employer or interviewer isn’t going to give you a grade after they are done, and no matter how badly you want them to, they aren’t going to give you a reason why they chose someone else. That’s on you to figure out.Put yourself in the shoes of the employer. Change your perspective and evaluate …YOU.Part of what launched this thought process for me this week was my desire to bring back an old episode…and after listening to it again, the guest was incredible…and I had some major flaws. But that’s OK, that part of growth, and I’m willing to expose that wound because the content from the guest was so top notch.

Our TOPPODCAST Picks

Follow Us

Stay Connected

The Work in Sports Podcast – Insider Advice for Sports Careers

Related Podcasts

Links

Stay Connected