The “One Minute Drill” is a weekly video series full of tips and tricks for getting ahead in the sports broadcasting industry. In this edition, SportsTVJobs.com founder Brian Clapp explains how to prepare for a sports career fair so that you make a positive and lasting impression with recruiters.
Video Transcript: Sports Career Fair Preparation
A great way to gain exposure to potential employers is to go to a sports career fair. Many of these sports career fairs are hosted by professional teams who bring in a lot of different businesses from the region all looking to hire people.
So what do you bring when you go to a sports career fair?
- At least 20 Copies of your Resume
- Business Cards
- Three to Four Pens
- A Reporter’s Notebook
Every person you meet with you want to take out the reporters notebook and jot down some notes; names, titles, facts, any information that they gave you that you’ll probably forget if you don’t write it down immediately.
You’ll want to have a bunch of copies of your resume and business cards because that’s what you are going to leave behind with the various recruiters.
The key thing to have on those items, both your resume and business cards, are links to your writing samples, demo reels, whatever work you have done that you can share you want to have front and center so the recruiter can go look at it afterwards and learn more about what you can do in sports and how you can help their company.
You might be thinking to yourself, I don’t plan on being a sports reporter so why would I need a demo reel? It’s simple:
I think everybody in sports television should have a demo reel.
If you’ve produced shows in college, put together some of the segments you’ve produced, if you’ve shot video put together some of the camera work you have done, if you’ve edited, if you’ve done audio, if you’ve done graphic design put together your portfolio into a demo reel so that you can show off your skills, what you’ve done and what you’ve accomplished. Remember television is a visual medium, don't tell me what you've done show me!
Now when you go to a sports career fair, and you leave a recruiter with a link to what you have done you look technologically savvy, you look just a bit ahead of everybody else…it doesn’t matter of you are an aspiring reporter or anchor whoever you are or want to be, you can benefit from having a top notch demo reel to show off your work to potential employers at a sports career fair.
Authors bio is coming up shortly.
Personally, I have not had a chance to attend a sports career fair. But, I have always felt, as you do, that they are a great way to gain exposure with sports media outlets. Plus, you have a chance to be yourself since it is not an interview and you will not be sick with nerves.
Furthermore, I would have to agree with you, showing is better than telling. Employers do seem impressed when you can backup what you told them with a visual.
I will soon be starting the process of building my online portfolio in hopes that it will put be a little ahead of everybody else.
Let’s face it, television is an important technology and if you cannot show that you are “technologically savvy,” as you put it, there is no way you will get a job in sports television.
Thank you for the post. I look forward to seeing more advice and tips from you.
Appreciate your response Hayden, I’m glad you enjoyed the content (and resisted the temptation to point out that I need to iron my shirts better). We have a lot of advice on building a demo reel/portfolio on the site that I’m sure will be helpful to you. If you have questions feel free to post them on our Facebook page: facebook.com/sportstvjobs we answer all questions within 24 hours!
I recently graduated from Ball State University in Indiana, with a BA in Telecommunications specializing in Video Production. I’m going to be putting my demo reel together soon. I’ve produced music videos, a music documentary, and a short film, as well as a couple of other smaller projects. I haven’t had any experience working in sports though. I’m a lifelong NBA fan, and I would love to work as a camera op in the league someday. I interned at my local news station over the summer where I ran camera in the studio, hoping this experience might translate to an opportunity to work in sports someday. I’m confident in my work but do you think my demo reel will translate to prospective employers in sports broadcasting?
Lance thanks for reaching out, great questions. Email me at brian at sportstvjobs.com and I’ll give you some tips…