1	Preparing Yourself For a Future in Recreational Sports Presented by:
2	NIRSA Student Member Benefits Network of fellow students and professionals in recreational sports “NIRSA Family” is always willing to help NIRSA listservs and chat rooms Leadership opportunities National, Regional, and State Representatives Joining NIRSA committees in your program area Working with professionals and professors on research Opportunity to lead,present, teach, or evaluate in symposiums, conferences, tournaments, special events, etc. Volunteer at National, Regional, and State Conferences Session Monitors, COC volunteers, Student Development, etc. Benchmarking other institutions programming, policies, staff trainings, etc. Internships, Graduate Assistantships, and Professional Job opportunities through NIRSA
3	Career Opportunities Center (COC) What is it? Venue for candidates and employers to meet and interview Opportunity to give resumes to potential employers Provide a database of all position listings Computer/ Printer Work Spaces Need to pre-register for
4	What you get from the COC Position listings will be available on BluefishJobs.com, and computers and printers will be available to facilitate searches. Additionally, hard copy job summaries will be available. Employer and candidate fees include: Online job searches Online resumé searches Interview space Convenient messaging system Opportunities to display employer promotional materials Unlimited access to the Career Opportunities Center during scheduled hours Hard-copy printouts of job summaries
5	Career Opportunities Center The COC hours of operation are as follows: Tuesday, April 5 Noon–5:30pm Wednesday, April 6 9:00am–11:00am 2:30pm–3:30pm Thursday, April 7 9:00am–Noon 3:00pm–5:30pm Friday, April 8 9:00am–10:00am 2:30pm–6:30pm Saturday, April 9 9:00am–Noon
6	NIRSA Listservs fitness@nirsa.net imsports@nirsa.net sportclubs@nirsa.net outdoors@nirsa.net recsports@nirsa.net aquatics@nirsa.net facilities@nirsa.net students@nirsa.net
7	NIRSA Programs Emerging Recreational Sports Leaders National School of Recreational Sports Management National Conference, Regional Conference, and State Conferences National Recreation Facilities Institute National Fitness Institute National Marketing Institute Collegiate Sport Club Symposium National Aquatic Institute Outdoor Recreation Symposium
8	NIRSA Committees/Work Teams Journal Editorial Board Marketing NIRSA Foundation Nominations & Elections Outdoor Recreation Research Soccer Softball Sport Club Championship Sport Clubs Standards – Programs & Services Student Leadership & Academic Awards Student Professional Development Volleyball NIRSA Committees Aquatics Basketball By-Laws Career Opportunities Community/Junior College Conference Exhibition Conference Program Ethics Extramurals Facility Management Family & Youth Finance Fitness Flag Touch Football Floor/Ice/Roller Hockey Honor Award Instructional Intramurals
9	Recommended Journal/ Periodic Readings Become familiar with the Recreational Sports Industry Knowledge will enhance your marketability Athletic Business Journal Parks and Recreation Journal (NRPA) NIRSA Recreational Sports Journal Street & Smith’s Sport Business Journal Athletic Journal Athletic Management Career in Sports Administration NCAA News Scholastic Coach and Athletic Director Fitness Management Recreational Sports & Fitness
10	Summer Jobs & Part-Time Jobs Summer is time most students take to make money If not doing internship, find relevant job May have to schedule classes around job or vice versa May be less pay May have to commute May be full-time or part-time Part-Time Jobs: May lead to internship/full-time Schedule around classes or other jobs Be sure to inform employer of class schedule or other jobs before being hired
11	Scholarships & Practicums Apply to many scholarships Speak to department, search online, look into community scholarships Offsets financial costs Recognizes you as “accomplished” Practicum Hours Credit work similar to internship to a lesser extent Opportunity to try jobs (Sport Clubs, Facilities, Aquatics, Informal, Intramural, Fitness, Outdoor Rec)
12	Externships, Internships & Co-ops Semi-professional experiences Externships Career shadowing for small period of time Internships (some schools offer instead of GA) Career-related work usually one semester or longer Paid and Unpaid Part-time and Full-time Academic credit can be earned Cooperative Education Extended work experiences Multiple semesters of career-related experience Paid positions
13	Graduate School Research institutions What do you want: large or small Education pursuing: Sport Management, Leisure Quality of Recreational Sports Program Community, location, weather, etc. Contact professors and department head Graduate Schools Websites http://www.gradschools.com Rankings of Universities/Colleges http://www.usnews.com/usnews/edu/grad/rankings/rankindex_brief.php
14	Researching schools/programs Don’t leave your school/program up to chance. Look into different schools to get an idea of where you want to work (and go to graduate school if applicable) BEFORE you go to NIRSA. If feasible, visit the school and take a tour of the campus and the facilities. Try to picture yourself working in that environment every day. Apply to schools you are interested in before NIRSA. Send a resume and cover letter to the Rec Sports Department. You can do this by: Bluefishjobs.com School’s website Talk to people
15	Essentials for Graduate School Qualifying Test Generally GRE or GMAT scores (MCAT & LSAT) Take early….. (generally need 1000 GRE for most colleges) Application, Transcripts and fee Letters of Recommendation (2-3) Personal Statement of Goals Minimum GPA (generally a 3.0) Usually last 60 hours of undergraduate
16	Take the GRE’s Get a book and start studying Kaplan GRE Exam 2005 (a comprehensive review of all of the material on the exam, test-taking strategies, and a CD-ROM) Educational Testing Services (ETS) Practicing to Take the General Test Princeton Review books and courses (princetonreview.com) Verbal and Vocabulary Workbook Take the exam before NIRSA Register on www.gre.org
17	Graduate Assistantship Cont’d Offered in Fitness, Facilities, Intramurals, Aquatics, Outdoor Recreation, Informal Recreation, Sport Clubs Smaller schools GA’s have you do a variety of recreational sports Depends on what you want in the size of the program or from your past experience Full-tuition waiver and generally a stipend Stipend varies generally from $4,000 - $13,000 for 9 months Should consider student insurance waiver, in-state or out-of-state tuition fee waiver, etc.
18	Graduate Assistantships Offered by Campus Recreation Also offered in some cases by student life/affairs Teaching and Research Assistantships also available through academic institution Usually a 2-year program Ohio University has 1 year program, but one year as a professional is required with the contract Positions are considered semi-professional and applicants are expected to be knowledgeable and qualified Use the NIRSA Bluefishjobs.com website or NCAA employment website
19	NIRSA Average Salaries
20	Campus Recreation Salaries Average recreational sports professional salary: $31,000 - $46,298 Those with CRSS averaged $50,909 Those without CRSS averaged $36,572
21	Find a job/GA that “fits” Trust your gut feeling. Can you see yourself at that school working with those people? Consider the following: Lifestyle Weather Institution Size, Academics, RecSports Proximity to city Work style/environment NIRSA supported? Your supervisor mgt. Style? Personal Close to home, far from home Socialization
22	Preparation for the Future Become familiar with other operations Learn non-primary jobs, so you are more marketable when trying to move up Each job moving up requires more qualifications and strategic thinking for overall campus recreation Create your own opportunities Work hard (bring your expertise and creativity) Make a difference in the organization you are working for The more you put in, the more you’ll get out of the experience Try things out…then eventually narrow career focus What entry level job do you desire Where will you be in 10 years? Will you always be involved in sports, fitness or recreation?
23	Your Resume A brief, concise document that presents, and effectively sells, your most relevant and positive credentials for employment Make specific to Rec Sports experience Chronological format (most traditional) Start with most recent, most relevant information Short and sweet (no more than 2 pages) Be consistent with format Don’t be redundant Proof read, proof read, proof read!!! Career center is a great resource An effective resume gets you an interview, not a job
24	The Resume Use action verbs Directed, Assisted, Acquired, Budgeted, Coordinated, Developed, Introduced, Increased, Formalized, Implemented, Utilized Specificity, Qualitative & Quantitative data Numbers, Percentages, and Figures help to show how much you’ve helped the program Take out irrelevant jobs if resume is over a page long Try to only have information on job field Formatting: templates or use other’s layout Ask people to review their resumes Chronological order Consider putting down current address & permanent address Do not put personal website, unless it is relevant to career aspirations Make easy to read & organized: maybe bullets Avoid sentences
25	Resume Format Experience Include any experience in which you learned or demonstrated skills, knowledge or abilities that are related to the type of job you are seeking. For each entry, give the job title, name and location (city and state) of organization, dates of employment (month / year), and a concise description of your accomplishments. Use phrases; not complete sentences. Example: Graduate Assistant for Fitness, Virginia Tech Blacksburg, VA, August 2002-present - Hire, train and evaluate fitness staff (approximately 40 students) -Assist the Coordinator with leading the Personal Training and Group Fitness training courses
26	Resume Extras Added extras to make it a “cut above the rest” Awards, Honors, Professional Organizations,Activities, Volunteer Service, Skills, Availability, GPA (only if above a 3.0) Include special awards (All-American, Student Employee of the Year, etc.) Certifications: CRSS, CLP, CPRP, ACE, HS officiating Have it reviewed multiple times by: Professors, Career Center, Past/Current Employers, Co-workers & Students Never EVER have spelling/grammatical mistakes!!! Update constantly after each internship/job Can have 2 sections for jobs Related work experience and Other work experience sections
27	Resume Cont’d Can customize to different jobs General Job Resume Recreational Sports Resume Some jobs require certain formats because machines scan resumes Print on quality resume paper The money invested will be worthwhile Use general colors (white, sand, gray speck, etc.) Avoid bright colored paper (paper clip, don’t staple resume pages) Always have extra copies on hand (Have 20-30 resumes) Can’t have too many resumes with you when at a job fair Bring CD/disk with resume and cover letters to be able to print more Get your name out Job fairs and Conferences Web based job seeking Network anywhere (family, friends, class, work, etc.)
28	"Achievements - State specific results..." Achievements - State specific results achieved, use measurable results (quantitative/qualitative) - Indicate team/group participation in major company initiatives - Mention specific skills acquired from specific accomplishments Organizations, Affiliations, and Memberships - Include positions held in each - Indicate dates of involvement, activities, functions, accomplishments, responsibilities, workshops, seminars, conferences, conventions, etc. - Significant professional accomplishments or unique contributions made to an employer and/or improvements made because of input - Examples: worked on a task force with student leaders to determine future plans for student community service; reorganized an inventory system resulting in significant savings within six months. Hobbies/Interests/Activities - Make a short list of two or three of your hobbies. Interviewers are interested in a team sport, an individual sport or an intellectual pursuit related to your profession References - Indicate professional/personal references are available upon request - Normally this statement is at end of resume Header - Name, Address, Telephone, Cell phone, email - If your name is not gender specific like (Kelly, Tracy, Pat..) include a title: Mr. or Ms. Career Objective - If you know the job title, use it - If you don't know the exact title, tailor one that specifies what you are looking for Education - List degree level first, then major and minor, school and graduation date - Abbreviated or spelled out degree levels are acceptable, i.e. Bachelor of Arts or BA - Include GPA if it is a 3.0 or higher on a 4.0 scale - If you have college courses or degrees, your high school listing is not necessary Experience - Include at least your last 3-6 years of work / employment history - Indicate start and end dates at each position or company, using (month/year) - List professional training such as licenses, certificates, awards, achievements Options for ordering Position & Company - Job title followed by company and location (full address not always necessary) - Company (especially if they are well known) followed by job title
29	References & Recommendations Consider past professors, coaches & employers (Generally 3-4 people) Send a personal letter to use he/she as a reference or to request a letter of recommendation Can email them a letter with attached information, but also send a paper copy Be sure to send a copy of your updated resume Send a thank you note if they accept Give people “heads up” when you are applying Allows them not to be surprised…. Good to keep in touch and let them know where your at in your life Have a reference list ready with 3-6 names, title, phone, email, and address Some people include reference lists with resumes automatically
30	References Page Make sure that you have all relevant information about references If any of their job titles, addresses, or contact information changes Be sure to make changes
31	Your Cover Letter Yes, you need one! All cover letters should: Explain why you are sending a resume Tell specifically how you learned about the position or the organization Convince the reader to look at your resume Call attention to elements of your background Reflect your attitude Provide or refer to any information specifically requested in a job advertisement that might not be covered in your resume
32	Cover Letter Format Brief synopsis of your resume Approximately 2-4 paragraphs Highlight key accomplishments Selling yourself to organization Make sure to have correct organization name, person’s name writing to, and address on letter Be sure to have name of person you’re sending to: NO….To Whom It May Concern…. Unless it’s impossible to get person’s name Is an Objective needed on resume???? Avoid using “I”: Limit to 4-6 Perceived to make you sound selfish/self-centered
33	Cover Letter cont’d Can generally use same format for similar jobs Best to customize each cover letter to each job applied, but depends on time and deadlines Customize parts of letter to the organization Use same paper as resume (high quality) Be sure to thank them for their time and include that you would be interested in further consideration or interview at their convenience Leave phone number and email at the end of letter Look at other people’s cover letters or check out samples online
34	The Interview Research organization The web today can be very useful Get directions and go there before interview Mock Interviews: do 2-3 weeks in advance of real interview Ask & take advantage of supervisors and professors Mock interviews will help to relieve nervousness and prepare how to answer certain questions (not rehearsed, but an idea) Phone Interviews Schedule a time that works for you and possible employer Be prepared and treat as regular interview If needed, ask for time to answer questions to think
35	The Interview cont’d Arrive 15 minutes early Don’t get there too early, puts pressure on organization to get their other interviews done Proper etiquette and posture Introduce self and offer your hand in introduction Fact: Research shows that body language, including voice, accounts for 38% of an overall first impression! Eye Contact Looking away while listening = lack of interest and a short attention span Failing to maintain eye contact while speaking = lack of confidence and possibly lying
36	The Interview cont’d Dress Appropriately Look well groomed, well rested, & professional Men: Dark suit Women: Dress or Business Suit (pants or skirt) Avoid too much jewelry & cologne/perfume Err on the side of conservatism Women: Keep makeup natural Put your best foot forward No open-toed, athletic, or scuffed shoes Polish shoes
37	The Interview cont’d Posture Stand, walk and sit tall. Sends a signal of confidence and power Lean slightly forward when seated Sit up straight and watch out for bad non-verbal cues Hand over mouth when speaking, slouching, crossing arms, not making eye contact, seeming uninterested, etc. Facial expressions Be conscious of your expressions. Don’t want a confused or mildly hysterical look on your face while interviewing Remember to smile! Shows confidence and that you are happy to be there
38	Keys to Effective Interviews Develop rapport (comfortable) May have to interview with many people Try to make it a conversation; not an interrogation!! Use transitions to talk about your qualifications Confidence not cockiness…..THEY NEED YOU!!! Show knowledge of current operations/news and industry trends as well as ask insightful questions Be sure to write down questions prior to interview Take notes during interview Problem solving questions…it’s ok to pause/think
39	A Few Pointers Be positive! Listen and be sure to answer every question completely Be specific with your answers – Give examples Avoid using the following statements: “To be honest with you.” / “Just between you and me.” / “Well, I’ll be completely honest with you.” Thank interviewer for time & get business card Send thank you ASAP!!!!! Some people have thank you card at interview, write in car, and put in closest mailbox on the way home
40	Networking Can’t get a job if you don’t know about it! Consider making own business cards if don’t have already Make most of opportunities Professors, Employers (past & present), Family, Friends, Conferences, Expos Use NIRSA listservs, emails & website NIRSA is a big family that helps each other in any area In discussions anywhere, if they know anyone working in the sports, fitness or recreation industry, ask if you can contact that person they know Offer your services and past experiences to help colleagues Keep in touch…. Update by phone or email every 6 months or less
41	NIRSA Networking & Conferences Many NIRSA professionals and students work hard, but also play hard Need to be aware of conduct at conferences Have fun at conferences, but watch behavior when socializing Any indicators that you are out of control may influence future employment or leave a bad impression of you or your school Some NIRSA job employers are looking to see how you interact in a social scene They are seeing if their organization can include another personality to “fit” with their team
42	Conference Etiquette Find Balance Manage your time Show up to everything you are invited for: School’s info sessions & socials Use people’s names when they are introduced to you Attend the Student Professional Development Workshop
43	Giving Back… Recreational Sport programmers are interdependent When someone has helped you….. Return the favor to someone else Update them on how you are doing and….. Always say thank you!!!!! The little effort goes a long way
44	Thanks!!!! Feel free to contact Stacy or Kevin anytime!!!! Resumes & Cover Letters may be left for review Will send back suggestions via email or regular mail in the next month or two Come see me after the session or sometime today if you want to talk 1-on-1 Please leave me your contact info!!! Presentations, job websites, and other information can be emailed to you Please write legibly!!!!
45	Contact Information Assistant Director Intramural Sports & Facilities Rowan University 201 Mullica Hill Road Glassboro, NJ 08028 856-256-4927 856-256-4428 (FAX) georgek@rowan.edu www.rowan.edu/rec