Event Recap: Sports Internship Panel

Ives Hall at Cornell University

On March 8th, ILRSMC and Career Services cosponsored a Sports Internship Panel in 217 Ives. The panel featured five current ILR students who have had internships in various aspects of the sports industry. The initial part of the panel was moderated by ILRSMC VP of Events, Robbie Cohen.

When talking about how they got their internships, all of the panelists spoke about the importance of using networking. Each panelist used networking in some respect, whether it was to find out about potential jobs or, once they found a posting online, to learn more about the job. They expressed the importance of using Linked-in and consistently reaching out to networking contacts. Some panelists suggested sending relevant articles to relevant contacts as a way of showing value and knowledge of the current issues in the industry. All of the panelists stressed the importance of not taking too much of networking contacts’ time during a call or an in-person informational interview. They emphasized the fact that these contacts are people who can help you land a job or internship in the competitive industry, so keeping in touch with them after an informational interview is essential.

The five panelists also addressed the issue of how much responsibility an intern is given in the sports industry. A few of the panelists talked about the fact that they had to prove themselves with the responsibilities initially given to them before approaching their bosses to ask for greater responsibilities. By the end their internships, all of the panelists were given important assignments ranging from being the point person between their office and a PGA site to compiling data analyses that were used in draft rooms. The panelists also pointed out that interns should take each task given to them, even if it is mundane, as an opportunity to learn something about the way the company operates.

The final issue the panelists discussed was how to use an internship to help you get a full time job within the sports industry. One of the panelists talked about how every day in an internship is like a job interview. He talked about how this is true even if the organization you intern for does not have room to hire you. The sports industry is so small that you establish a reputation, even as an intern. Other panelists talked about the importance of developing transferable skills during each internship that could be used in different organizations throughout the sports industry.

Finally, the panelists concluded by talking about the need to manage expectations of finding a job in the sports industry even after having an internship with a sports organization. It is still difficult to break into the sports industry and, as one of the panelists mentioned, it is important to always have backups of other possible internships or jobs within the sports industry.

After the panelists concluded, Marcia Harding from ILR Career Services gave a presentation on various tools that are helpful when looking for an internship in the sports industry. She spoke about creating a sports specific resume, maintaining a Linked-in profile regularly and some of the resources the office has for ILR students looking for a sports internship in particular. Her power point is included in this post.

The ILR Office of Career Services is located in Ives 201.

Thank you to Marcia Harding and all of our panelists!