My goal to work in the sports industry developed late. I entered college wanting to work in journalism, even spending two years writing for the Wichita Eagle newspaper covering high school sports. I never would have expected a golf career back in high school.
During my senior year at the University of Kansas, I completed a Sales and Marketing Internship in the Athletic Department which was my first taste of working in sports. I loved it and immediately set out to learn more. I made the decision to attend Graduate School at Wichita State University, and it became my mission to gain as much work experience as possible in a wide variety of fields.
Since I didn't know exactly what I wanted to do in sports, I spent my 18 months in Wichita working as a Graduate Research Assistant, Ticket Sales Associate for the Oklahoma City Thunder, and completed internships with the Wichita Wingnuts baseball team and Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference.
This past November, I accepted an internship with the Hurricane Junior Golf Tour in Jacksonville, Florida. While I had never worked in golf, I was an avid golfer, playing semi-frequently with my father and brother. I was fortunate enough to run sales and marketing for the Hurricane Collegiate Tour, and helped run junior golf tournaments. I had never considered a career in golf prior to this internship, but was fortunate that the experience introduced me to Nextgengolf and the NCCGA.
The opportunity to work at Nextgengolf was a big one, as it meant a move from my home of Kansas to Boston. However, it was the opportunity I had been waiting for since my first internship and I seized it without hesitation. It provided me with the chance to work alongside passionate people dedicated to growing the game of golf for millennials across the country.
Tips on a Finding a Golf Career
1) Improve Your Resume
You will need to compete against other people for a limited number of jobs, so make sure your resume looks better than the rest. Never say no to an opportunity to gain experience and meet new people.
2) Network
I hated this word in school, but it really is critical. Don’t burn bridges, because the sports industry is tight-knit. You never know when you’re gonna need to call upon a former classmate, intern, supervisor, or coworker.
3) Good impressions
This goes along with networking, but it’s important enough to mention separately. I have worked with many interns that were lazy, didn’t finish assignments, and left early. While they passed the internship, it’s these people that end up changing career paths or struggling to find a job.
**Travis Richardson helps grow golf for millennials with Nextgengolf and the NCCGA. Connect on LinkedIn or reach out on Twitter @travis_richson.
