There are a number of rewarding careers in sports jobs available for sporting enthusiasts

Depending on the type of sporting career, the salary can be significant, especially if related to professional sports.

Some jobs, however, do not offer high salaries but do come with great perks such as traveling with a team or having access to major games and events and personal contact with celebrity athletes.

There are also no set work schedules for sports jobs, although hours will typically include weekend and holiday work as well as evening shifts.

Employment Prospects for Sports Jobs

• Sports Careers in Retail Sporting Goods

  Sporting goods offer sports related employment opportunities including the design, production and sale of apparel and equipment.

• Jobs at Sporting Events

  Sporting events are one of the nation’s favorite pastimes and forms of entertainment. Event management companies normally maintain an entire army of staff to insure these events run smoothly.

  Everything about the event must be coordinated perfectly; marketing and public relations, ticket and concession sales, facilities maintenance and audio and video production.

• Legal & Accounting Jobs in Sport

  Legal and accounting careers in sports offer opportunities for individuals to practice traditional careers in the exciting world of sports.

  Legal careers include contract negotiations while accounting careers include investment and financial planning and management for both teams and athletes.

• High School & College Sports Careers

  With thousands of colleges and high schools across the nation, there are a multitude of opportunities for sports jobs. On the high school level, interested individuals may find sports jobs as coaches and physical education instructors.

  The spectrum widens on the collegiate level

  Sports positions in colleges and universities include building and facilities maintenance, sales and marketing and coaching and training.

• Backroom Staff in Sport

  While the players are oftentimes in the spotlight for professional sports, there are many men and women working behind the scenes, to make sure everything is pulled off without a hitch. This includes everyone from the team’s general manager to the equipment manager.

• Careers as Sports Officials

  Sports officials such as umpires and referees are required at all levels of sporting events from amateur athletics to school organized events in youth leagues, high school and collegiate circles as well as professional sports.

• Broadcasting & Media Jobs in Sport

  Media encompasses everything related to reporting about sports and sporting events from ESPN to Sports Illustrated. Sports jobs in this venue may be found in either television, newspaper or magazine media.

• Health & Fitness Jobs in Sport

  Health & fitness is now one of the nation’s premier issues. Positions available in sports related health and fitness include trainers and instructors.

• Career as a Professional Athlete

  Professional athletes particularly pay attention to their fitness routine when they are on break from their regular sports season.

  This field offers a multitude of opportunities and is predicted to have the largest amount of growth and number of job openings within the next ten years.

• Medical Jobs in Sport

  The medical field is another booming sports related area. Proper medical care is essential to all athletes, both to prevent injuries from occurring and to properly care for injuries that do occur.

Job Search for Sports Jobs

There is no set formula or method for finding a great career in sports. Many organizations, especially professional sports organizations, hire from within their ranks or utilize private recruitment firms.

On the high school and collegiate level, coaching and instructor positions are generally learned of through word of mouth or on job posting boards via the internet.

Cover Letters for Sports Jobs

Sports cover letters, like all good cover letters, should focus on what the job seeker can do for the team or organization. It should specifically reference how the individual learned of the open position.

Resumes for Sports Jobs

The type of resume an individual interested in sports jobs will need greatly depends on the area of sporting they want to join and the specific job task they wish to perform.

At a minimum, a sports job seeker should be very specific about their objective. Stating they want to work at an arena or stadium is not sufficient. The resume should state explicitly that the individual wishes to apply in a specific capacity.

Coaching positions may require a curriculum vitae resume. This type of resume is longer than other resumes, and is much more comprehensive. Specifically, a CV resume details information about accomplishments and achievements.

A chronological resume works well for trainers and instructorsPlayers and athletes will typically use a functional resume because it has a strong focus on skills and achievements; which typically take precedence over experience in this type of sports job.

Sports administrative positions are best handled with a combination resume that addresses both work experience and education with a strong focus on career achievements.

Training and Qualifications for Sports Jobs

The amount of education and qualifications required to enter a sports related job depends on the type of position. Some sporting jobs, such as a professional athlete, require a tremendous amount of natural talent and prior experience.

Other positions such as team attorney or accountant require a minimum number of years of education, a requisite certification or license as well as specific sports related knowledge and experience.