The Work in Sports Podcast - Insider Advice for Sports Careers

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Should I Give Virtual Networking a Try? Work In Sports Podcast Jul 20, 2020

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Hey everybody, I'm Brian Clapp, VP of Content and Engaged Learning for WorkInSports.com and this is the Work In Sports podcast. I’ve been ending every show sharing the importance of wearing a mask -- but I don’t want to bury this conversation at the end. It’s not a political statement, it’s not controversial, it’s a simple thing we all have to do. Wear a mask. Be safe. I want sports to return, I want fewer people to die, I want my kids to go back to school safely. We can all contribute to that... just start with wearing a mask. Later today I’m really pumped to be interviewing Ameena Soliman, Player Personnel Coordinator for the Philadelphia Eagles, Ameena spent multiple years with the Temple University football program, interned with the NFL league offices, and began working for the Eagles three years ago -- we talk player personnel, the combine, learning to evaluate players, being a woman in sports, and even deeper being a Muslim woman in sports who wears a hijab and I’m guessing has been the subject of stereotyping -- we’ll learn more shortly. And then Wednesday this week -- check out my interview with Melissa Silberman, Director of Partnership Activation for the Atlanta Hawks. Very cool business conversation - Melissa is in the business of providing sponsors value with, a lot of the time, in-arena marketing activations. Well -- how do you pivot when there are no fans in the stadium and still create value for sponsors. That’s what we talk about and it’s really fascinating so tune into that on Wednesday. Today - great question coming in from Michael J. Hi Brian! Hope all is going well! I have enjoyed listening to your podcast! I will be attending my first virtual networking event in a couple of weeks. I am a person with a lot of social anxiety and struggle with networking events. Would you be able to provide any advice on how to handle a virtual networking event? Thank you, Michael Johnson Great question Michael. Many points to be made here. Networking isn’t easy for most of us I’d say envision it as a bell curve. There are 10% of people who love and adore the art of networking. 10% of people who are deathly afraid of it, and then 80% of people who are in the middle, don’t love it don’t hate it. I’m in the 80%. Don’t love it, don’t hate it. What this really means though is 90% of people, aren’t really avid fans of networking. But we all realize it’s important. Social anxiety is a real thing. Of course you know this, you don’t need me to validate you -- but anyone out there that deals with social anxiety needs to accept it, not fight it. Don’t try to convince yourself you aren’t or you can fix it. Be who you are, it’s OK. I’m reading a book right now, it’s based on a story from the 1930-50’s so before WWII, during and after. There is a character who was gay but tried for decades to “fix” himself. I found this heartachingly sad. I would hope anyone, anywhere today would be themselves...be who they are, accept it, love who you are, and figure out how to get the best out of yourself. If you are someone who deals with social anxiety, learn your triggers, figure ou those things that really inhibit you. I remember our team of reporters interviewing Ricky Williams back in th day when he left University of Texas to enter the NFL - and he deals with social anxiety, he would conduct interviews with his helmet on. People thought h was weird or aloof... no he was dealing with anxiety and it helped him Don’t be afraid of what helps you. Don’t try to please everyone else, make yourself happy. Let’s get into what you can do Social Media is your friend. A Virtual networking event may not be. Round peg, square hole. There are literally thousands of people I have had intelligent, thoughtful conversations with, without ever hearing their voice. Listen in to the Work In Sports podcast episode to learn more!

Raleigh Anne Gray: Must Love Sports CEO – Work In Sports Podcast Jul 15, 2020

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Hey everybody, I’m Brian Clapp, VP of Content and Engaged Learning for WorkInSports.com and this is the Work In Sports podcast. Not a day can go by without there being some messaging that directly affects the young people of our world. When I was growing up in the 80s and 90s we felt the burden of nuclear war, I remember being fearful every time a plane flew overhead they were carrying a nuclear bomb set to destroy us…. Yes, I was slightly neurotic. But the theme of the decade was War Games. It felt like we were in constant threat of massive military action. Compared to the onslaught young people are facing today - that seems trite. Job prospects are down, industries are failing, people are dying en masse -- you don’t need me to recite the hateful mess that 2020 has become. I feel for all of you, and that is not patronizing, that is truly from the heart. I think of all of you daily who are doing so much right to prepare yourself for professional life and create the best version of yourself… and yet, the opportunity, in many ways, is being taken from you. I read someone yesterday pitching a concept, a marketing plan, with the main thrust being a push for people to “Find Something New” … “Find Something New” Your career and life may be in shambles, your goals may be in disarray, your internships are canceled and your dreams look to be off track, you are collecting unemployment, you don’t have healthcare, you are afraid of a highly contagious virus killing people around you … but hey, just find something new. As if it was that easy. Personally I found this upsetting. Kind of like Marie Antoinette saying to the poor people of France without bread to eat… “Let them eat cake” These words essentially claim the unemployed just aren’t creative enough - they need to just find something new! A mantra like this says - the burden is on you, just shift and do something else. You’re on your own kid, figure something out. Now, I’m all for personal accountability, I think we all need to own our path, make our choices, adjust, learn new skills, adapt…. But these are really, really strange times. This is abnormal. Our current events are something none of us have any experience with, so in my worldview, the burden is on all of us to come together and help each other. Not just pass the buck, not just put the burden back on the individual and say “figure your own shit out”. The time is now to help...and that burden fits firmly on my generation. Those of us with employment, those of us who can help, those of us who can guide and assist and mentor. No one exhibits this spirit more than today’s guest Raleigh Anne Gray. Raliegh has a career in sports as impressive as they come -- ESPN, Twitter, The Players Tribune, Wasserman -- she has the iconic sports brand royal flush on her resume. But that is not where this story stops, it’s barely the beginning. A few years ago Raleigh launched her own LLC, Must Love Sports, and I’ll let her explain the details of that venture. BUT, when coronavirus hit, she immediately identified a problem facing the young college-age professionals and set out to fix it. Internships were being canceled everywhere. College students need experience, but also, many need the specific internships credits to graduate! So now imagine you are a college student, who’s internship has been canceled, but you need to intern to graduate. Well, now, that’s a problem you didn’t see coming. Here comes Raleigh. Must Love Sports pivots their business model, puts together a summer session virtual internship program, and offers it FOR FREE. 355 students sign up. Raleigh is changing lives. This is community action. This is a collective move to work together and force positive change, to help others, to work as a team in the game of life. I couldn’t be more excited to have Raleigh on this show -- here she is,

Should I Take a Job Outside of Sports? Work In Sports Podcast Jul 13, 2020

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Hey everybody, I’m Brian Clapp, VP of Content and Engaged Learning for WorkInSports.com and this is the Work In Sports podcast.Big week this week! Coming up on Wednesday is my interview with Raleigh Anne Gray -- Raleigh is incredibly impressive -- having worked at ESPN, Twitter, The Players Tribune and currently at Wasserman.Get this - at Wasserman, she is the senior director of athlete exchange -- which means, she works directly with the athletes Wasserman represents to help them build their brand and audience. Dream job.And as if that wasn’t enough -- she also launched Must Love Sports a sports company dedicated to helping people in the sports industry connect and learn from one another. During the corona quarantine, she said to herself… how can I help? She identified students aren’t able to complete their internship requirements to graduate, so she created a virtual internship session, utilizing all of her industry contacts to put together a curriculum and program to help students… for free. 355 students enrolled. Can you tell I’m a big fan of Raliegh… stay tuned for that on Wednesday. Also, later today I’m interviewing Mlissa Silberman, Director of Partnership Activation for the Atlanta Hawks, and leter this week I’m bringing back returning champion Joan Lynch from Working nation to discuss how sportsindustry employment will change in the near future.For those of you who are long time listeners, Joan was on the show last year and was one of our most popular guests. She knows employment, and as one of the main people behind the 30 for 30 series on ESPN, she knows sports. I’ve also booked some other really cool guests in the coming weeks so make sure to stay tuned, subscribe, all that good stuff. Also, if you are a professor listening, it’s time for you to check out our sports career game plan -- we have an online curriculum that will knock your socks off. Perfect for the online world we are migrating towards. 120 pages of carer changing content, over 3 hours of videos, downloadable worksheets and checklists, quizzes, assignments and more. It is a living textbook - growing with your students and preparing them to enter the sports world. If I just piqued your interest… email me, bclapp@workinsports.com and I’ll show you the goods.And for the rest of you who aren’t professors… tell your professors about it. And for the rest of you that aren’t in school -- well, tell someone. Alright let’s get into today’s question -- Oh one quick note, every once in a while Apple podcasts will send me all the most recent reviews of the show. Thankfully, we have 194 ratings and a 4.9 average -- so you guys and gals like the content -- thank you.But I found one review quite funny -- Headline: A Not Annoying Podcast “Brian has great information, great guests and a great show. He also speaks at a normal speed which is so much better than those slow-talking podcasters speaking in soft tones. I want good info given to me in a normal conversational tone and speed.” Cheers to fast talking!Alright today’s question comes from Nick S who it looks like just finished getting his MBA at Jacksonville State University -- Congrats Nick:Nick writes in --Hey Brian!Just finished the newest Gap Year episode. I took my gap year before grad school, and just graduated in May with my MBA. Perfect timing right? I obviously want to work in sports, but I feel the need to get a job as soon as possible. Do you think that it would be viable to accept a position in a business, and be able to switch to the sports industry down the road? I have no idea what to do if I were to receive, say, a marketing offer from a business company rather than a sports team. Great question Nick -- let’s get into it. I obviously have feelings on this and I will share them shortly, but no joke immediately after you sent me this, I was on Twitter and I saw friend of the show Dior Ginyard post a response to your question. For those of you that haven’t listened,

Tiara Brown: Charlotte Hornets Sr. Manager of Corporate Social Responsibility Jul 08, 2020

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Hi everybody, I’m Brian Clapp VP of Content and Engaged Learning for WorkinSports.com and this is the Work In Sports podcast…Corporate Social Responsibility.It’s a big term with a lot of weight, but for a long time Corporate Social Responsibility was a “nice-to-have” part of an organization. A “check the box” procedural decision of large corporations in sports and in business.These massive organizations figured Corporate Social Responsibility, or Community Relations, was a way to feel good about their org, to do good in the community, and grab some positive press here and there.Now, times have changed, Corporate Social Responsibility is no longer a separate piece of the business strategy, it is an integral part.It is no longer a division of the organization kept separate from the larger organization plan, it is part and parcel.It is no longer just a desire to do some good, it is an essential part of a business being successful.Why? Why this fundamental change?If you ask me the reason is two-fold – competition, and current events.Even in sports, there is competition for the almighty fan dollar. This isn’t the 1980’s where if you are a fan of a certain team you have to go to the game to see them play. There are alternatives to spending money at the arena.There are other sports, you can watch on TV, heck you can even bypass your local team and watch out of market teams in a myriad of ways or you can choose completely different things to invest your money in.Competition is huge… if your team isn’t likable if it doesn’t have a soul if it is mired in controversy… people will turn away. Corporate Social Responsibility aims to fix this.. to give a heart and soul to the big business. In addition, current events demand someone keeping an eye on the decision making of the organization and making sure it aligns with the expectations of society. Sexual misconduct, race relations, freedom of speech and countless other issues are at the forefront of our day to day society.Never before has it been more important for sports teams, leagues and organizations to lead in this regard rather than react from behind.This week’s guest, Tiara Brown, Charlotte Hornets Manager of Corporate Social Responsibility sees this all happening first hand. She and her team with the Hornets aim to strengthen the Charlotte community by supporting education, military, hunger and wellness initiatives – and they are doing one heck of a job.Here’s Tiara Brown…

Should you Consider a Gap Year? Work In Sports Podcast Jul 06, 2020

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Hey everybody, I’m Brian Clapp, VP of Content and Engaged Learning for WorkInSports.com and this is the Work In Sports podcast…Obviously, we are in some crazy times right now, and it feels like a bit of a struggle to come up with new ideas that are related to career development when it feels like carers are stuck in neutral… am I right?I was reading a survey this morning asking millennials and college-age students words to describe how they feel about their careers right now, and the number one response was “frustrated”.I think that sums it up. You’ve been in school prepping for this moment to enter the world and start your new direction… and the world is like “Hold up, wait a minute...take a break while I ravage your global society”I have three kids, so I am constantly thinking about how this “pause” will affect their growth, and what I can be doing to help mitigate the lost classroom time… because no matter what anyone tells you, virtual learning is not the same. They are missing out on key social development, emotional intelligence, and straight-up learning. Side note -- we have watched a ton of documentaries though - anything from 13th - which is a documentary on the 13th amendment abolishing slavery - exploring the history of race and the criminal justice system in the United States.To Mission to mars -- which is more self-explanatory. It’s about the Mission to Mars. For a little context -- 13th was produced in 2016, and it is incredible. Hard to watch. We actually watched it over three days so we could stop it, have a discussion, answer questions..and then take a break. It’s some heavy shit, that can be tough but awakening for the kids. It’s made an impact. My 8 year old literally said to me on the 4th of July… shouldn’t Juneteenth be independence day since that was the day everyone in america become free?I wish I had that knowledge and perspective when I was 8. Ok, back on track… My point is, as I think about my kids and their growth, I also think about how tough it must be for high school, college and entry-level staff ages. People just getting started in their career getting things rolling, are being told … sorry go home, we’ll see where this takes us. High school seniors are evaluating what the fall means for them...is it worth it to pay tens of thousands of dollars for a virtual college education? College students are wondering does it make sense to take a year off and come back later? These are all perplexing questions...which brings us to the thrust of today’s conversation. Yeah that was just the preamble. Noah writes in …“Hey Brian, I’m a high school senior and what is supposed to be the best summer of my life full of parties and prepping for college… really sucks. I didn’t plan on spending my summer at home with my parents. Some of my friends are going to the beach still and doing things as normal, but I am not, and I am really missing out. True story - 4 of my friends got coronavirus after bragging about going out without masks and hanging at parties with strangers, so while I am bummed, I’m also fully understanding of my parents choice to keep me in and safe. Ok, my question, I had a plan to go to college in the fall, but I’m wondering if it may be smarter based on the circumstances to do a gap year, and if I did that, what should I do to enhance myself? Thank you, Brian, I love your podcast I really do.”Noah this is a really great question and I’m excited to dig into it. Two notes first -1: If you have questions you’d like me to handle on this here podcast you can email me at bclapp@workinsports.com -- make the subject line Podcast Question - so I can easily identify it from all the other stuff I get. If I read your question on the air, I’ll give you a free month of full access to our WorkInSports job board. At the lowest point of the corona, we went from 25k jobs down to 8! Now we are back up to 13k… which means we are headed in a better direction.#2 before we get into Noah’s question -- I know it sucks....

Stu Grimson Part 2: NHL Enforcer to Corporate Lawyer – Work In Sports Podcast Jul 01, 2020

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Hey everybody, I’m Brian Clapp, VP of Content and Engaged Learning for WorkinSports.com and this is the Work In Sports podcast.I very rarely listen back to our podcast episodes after I finish creating them. The neurotic side of me can’t stop analyzing the way I deliver questions -- I’ll be walking around with ear buds yelling at myself to “stop talking already and let them answer!”It’s not a good scene and not all that healthy, so I tend not to listen once the final production is done and published. But I’ll admit, Monday night I listened back to part 1 of Stu Grimson’s interview and despite having already listened to it multiple times during production… I was hooked again. I thought the 30 minutes went by really fast and I wanted to hear more. Stu is a fascinating person to speak with, and I couldn’t wait to publish and listen to, part 2. So I’ll take my own advice and stop talking -- so you can hear Part 2 --here’s Stu Grimson. Questions for Stu Grimson, Cheif Counsel THIRDHOME and former NHL Enforcer10: Were former teammates and opponents surprised that you were becoming a lawyer, or was this the locker room secret – that the brawler who would beat the snot out of you was smarter than you too? 11: In the practice of law you deal with leverage all the time – was leverage something you started learning about as a player as you assessed your own value to a team?12: To become an NHL player puts you in the rarest of categories – it is such a miniscule amount of people that make the pros. Then layer in becoming a lawyer, and again, you break all the rules of probability.Both of these roles require incredible discipline and work ethic - where did your work ethic come from, and is that a skill you can learn, or is it something you are born with?13: Your side gig beyond being chief counsel for ThirdHome is as a senior analyst for NHL network – this role as an analyst is a logical step for a lot of ex-players, was this part of your post-playing days plan?14: Is it hard to be critical of players, when you know how difficult it is to be an NHL player?15: Do you have a favorite player you like to watch right now?16: Ok, I have this weird curiosity with friendships and relationships – like I watch a movie and wonder if the two main stars are still friends because they seemed to have so much chemistry in the movie.I know, I’m weird.But it makes me wonder – are the majority of your friends from hockey former teammates, or the guys you got into brawls with? I picture you hanging out with Marty McSorley or Dale Hunter and it amuses me.17: We’ll finish up with this – we have a lot of student-athletes in our audience, people who dream of being a pro – looking back at your 20-25-year-old self, what advice would you give that guy that could be helpful to someone in those shoes today…

Stu Grimson Part 1: NHL Enforcer Turned Lawyer – Work In Sports Podcast Jun 29, 2020

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Stu Grimson was one of the most feared men in the NHL and now he's a fixture in the boardroom. Learn more about his transition from brawler to lawyer on 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.I love contrast. Contradictions. The unexpected. It can be as simple as a flower in the desert, a kid quietly reading a book when all of their friends are on their phones, or Tom Brady going to the Buccaneers. Alright, maybe I didn’t love that last one so much. But on a grand scale, I tend to seek these things out, always on the hunt for contrasting elements - I don’t know why - just one of the quirks of individuality I guess. These moments of contrast bring me great joy. I guess they remind me that the journey is not predictable, that patterns and assumptions aren’t finite - nature and people are always able to change and throw you a curveball when you are looking dead red. And isn’t that an incredible lesson -- doesn’t it harken you back to the idea your mother drilled into your head not to “judge a book by its cover”? That we as people are all the sum of our actions, and actions themselves are individual and unpredictable?Ok, maybe I’m going to abstract here and I need to reign it in, I get it. But if you haven’t noticed lately, our society is largely based on the superficial judgment of others. We see looks, and judge, we see patterns and assume. Ugh. It’s so maddening. I can’t say we’ve lost touch with compassion, empathy, and understanding for each other, because I’m not sure we ever had it. Well, I’m here to admit that I made the same mistake just last week and it was really enlightening. I assumed I knew someone based on my superficial knowledge of their past. Stu Grimson played 13 seasons in the NHL as one of the most feared enforcers in the game. 211 career fights, of which he estimates he won about 80% of them, and watch the videos, he’s right. His nickname is the greatest in sports -- the Grim Reaper. I mean come on, you are a fighter with the name Grimson, and you earn the nickname Grim Reaper. It doesn’t get any better. When I worked in the media during his playing days I would celebrate this man as the baddest MF’er in hockey -- and cheer on his vicious battles. I assumed he was a lug nut on skates. I born brawler with what little he had between the ears beaten out of him over years of repeated head trauma. I assumed that he may be addicted to painkillers somewhere. I assumed that he followed the predictable storyline of former player fallen on tough times. You know what I didn’t assume -- that he’d be a successful lawyer. Never entered my mind. We all do this. We try to fit life into predictable channels. We try to put our own conclusions on people based on our limited information. This is wrong at its core.What follows next is one of the most enjoyable and insightful conversations I’ve ever had on this podcast. Stu is amazing, and I’m not just saying that because I fear for my health after assuming he was a lug nut on skates - I’m saying that because over the last few weeks I’ve gotten a little glimpse into the man and I respect the hell out of him. Our conversation was long… so I’m going to break this into two parts -- I’m not editing out a simple word, part 2 will air on Wednesday! Here’s Stu GrimsonQuestions for Part 1 Stu Grimson, Chief Counsel ThirdHome and Former NHL Enforcer1: There are so many topics I want to speak with you about, so I’m glad we have some time to truly dive into your whole journey and story.Let’s start with your playing days in the NHL - 13 seasons with 7 NHL franchises, we often talk about the glory of professional sports – the money, the fans, the winning – but as you look back what was the hardest part of being a professional athlete?2: With a nickname like “The Grim Reaper” there is no denying how you made your name in the game – you were an enforcer.

Tripp Keister: Washington Nationals Player Development – Work in Sports Podcast Jun 24, 2020

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Hi everybody I’m Brian Clapp, VP of Content and Engaged Learning for WorkinSports.com and this is the Work in Sports podcast…In honor of baseball returning, finally, I hope, I wanted to bring back one of my favorite episodes over the last few years with Tripp Keister from the Washington Nationals organization. I also want to state for the record, as Bill Simmons from the Ringer gets rightfully dragged this week on social media. Not all people from Boston are racist idiots. I’ve never liked Bill Simmons, always found him snarky, smug and elitist - and I see lots of people saying things like “he’s from Boston, what do you expect?”. Well, I judge people by their actions, not where they are from or what they look like, so don’t lump me in with that clown because we share an area code. But let’s get into something a little more positive. Tripp Keister is the winningest manager in Potomac Nationals history, but he doesn’t care about that, what he cares about is player development.Since the day we started this podcast I have had fans ask repeatedly – please get someone in player development.This has been one of my big failures to date – I’ve struck out a ton. I’ve likely requested interviews with 30 different people in player development, which resulted in 29 very polite no thank you’s.Dior Ginyard, Senior Player Manager for the NFLPA was my one success, and if you ask me one of our best interviews to date, primarily because player development is a very interesting subject. Helping elite athletes develop as people, serving them so they can be the best version of themselves on campus, or in the minors, or in the big time.As you likely have noticed I’m a little obsessed with the development side of people in general. That path from student to professional is fascinating to me – the steps people take to find their true calling and to master their art form. The influencers who have guided them, the tough love that drove them, the micro-decisions that have resulted in massive change.All of this fascinates me, which is why I, like you, wanted to have more guests in player development.This week's guest, Tripp Keister, is the single-A manager of the Potomac Nationals. He’s the winningest manager in Potomac Nationals history…but you know what it says on his LinkedIn account: that he works in player development.Not that he’s a master of double switches and pitch counts, but that he’s in the development of the young men that come through his dugout.And they all do.As the manager of the Washington National High A team, most if not all of their top draft picks and prospects start with Tripp.This again fascinates me.Think about this for a second, Tripp is managing a bunch of 18-year-olds embarking on their future, not just on the field but often in their first times away from home, their first time having to manage their own lives!This makes me wonder – how is that any different than Mike Judge managing the inside sales staff of the Cleveland Browns?Is it the same? Is management, management? Is motivation and technique and evaluation and discipline the same whether you are developing high powered athletes or entry-level employees?I found my conversation with Tripp fascinating, and his overall approach to developing young men into really good, productive people. Success is different for everyone, some will reach the majors, some won’t, but I think they’ll all look back and remember the influence of Tripp Keister.Let’s get into it – here’s Tripp Keister... (listen in to the Work In Sports podcast!)

Time to be Your Own Cheerleader – Work In Sports Podcast Jun 22, 2020

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Show outline:It’s time to be your own cheerleaderOld school -- work hard people will notice you and you’ll get promoted. I lived this way, I hustled, I worked the grind -- late-night shift, extra work, volunteer for more. Yes yes and yes. But I never leveraged any of it. I just hoped and prayed my bosses would notice and good things would happen.Not until I started to be more self-promotional did good things happen. I mean this honestly, businesses have a different objective than you do. Your objective is likely some combination of feel fulfilled making good many, enough to do things outside of work that I enjoy. Businesses have the inverse goal -- get as much positive production as they can out of each employee to generate revenue...and shareholder satisfaction.I’m not on some capitalism is awful rant, I’m just trying to show you, businesses don’t necessarily want to see you as more than a productive pice in their machine. It is upon you to be your biggest cheerleader, it is upon you to show you are deserving of more, it is upon you to know yourself, your accomplishments and your value ...better than anyone. All of you sit back and think for a second of people in your industry, co-workers, fellow interns -- who received more accolades despite doing lesser work. Likely it is because they are better at self-promotion and personal advocacy. I know there are people in my space, podcasters in the career development conversation, who do far lesser work than I do, but they are way way better at personal promotion. They post videos of themselves, quote graphics of their wonderful thoughts, that are mostly cliche, pictures of them yucking it up with celebrities… and they have huge audiences. I am not slamming them, they have built a brand I haven’t. I am recognizing that this applies to all of us. It’s not just you, it’s me too! This concept of factual bragging applies to internships, jobs, opportunities, speaking engagements, etc. You have to be your cheerleader. Ok, so how?First, start with your goals. If you want to be a national audience guest speaker, that is a much different approach than if you want a promotion, or an entry-level job or an internship.Let’s stay focused on the jobs and internships part for this conversation. Imagine you need to be noticed more, and someone in charge of decision making needs to be able to see and understand your worth quickly. You must be an expert in you, no one else will be.Key components:Don’t be afraid to say what you are proud of. Don’t be afraid to tell people what you have accomplishedDon’t be afraid to tell people what you have done to improve yourself. Subtle -- I read this book recently and was struck by the ideaIn your face - in my two years with organization X my social media strategy helped us increase twitter followers by 47% Get your own website and domainProfessional looking social media pictures that are all aligned.LinkedIn - bulk it up, treat it like your personal domain, share accomplishments, videos, blogs, metrics, contact info. People, including recruiters, will look here!Resume metricsEmployment or internship journal - keep track of your wins.Remote interviews -- be quick to explain why you are a positive hire. How you not only understand their organizational goals, but will help them deliver on them, Be excited about you If you have a job right now and are working remotely, make sure you take the time to escalate your wins and your value to the org. You want them to feel like they have made the right decision keeping you on. Businesses have cover right now, they can lay off or furlough employees and no one thinks they are heartless, they think it’s just the times we are in. Well, if they've kept you on, that means they believe in you, make sure you validate that belief and are selling all of your wins. Final point -- being your own cheerleader also means being thee cheerleader for others you believe in.

Lauren Sisler: ESPN & SEC Network Reporter – Work In Sports Podcast Jun 17, 2020

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Hi everyone, I’m Brian Clapp VP of Content and Engaged Learning with 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 composed 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 As John Milton in Paradise Lost wrote:“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.I just watched A Star In Born with my almost teenage daughter, and for those of you who have seen it, it’s a sad sad movie, I won’t ruin the ending for you. But I asked her afterward what she thought, and she said “you don’t always know someone by what you see on the outside”She made me cry just a little. 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…

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