Almost 60 Days Until New Years Resolutions

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When was the last time you invested some quality time (even a small amount) towards your professional or career development? Imagine how valuable it would be to have a game plan for your career search.  A strategy in place to help you stay focused and moving forward opposed to all over the place and getting overwhelmed.

Having a career search strategy as well as a process in place is truly the key. Having a piece of mind that not only do you have a roadmap but methods on how to execute that plan.  That’s exactly what happens when you work with Voice of the Box.

If you’re considering investing some time into your career search and professional development, please do two things:

1. Send an e-mail to: matt@voiceofthebox.comm

2. Find a 10-minute time slot for a call to learn more about how we can help.

Also, below are a few testimonials of folks who have worked with Voice of the Box:

Dear Matt, 

Thanks for doing the webinar yesterday. It was extremely insightful. We actually met briefly last year when you came to speak to the Sports Business Association at Arizona State University. I really enjoyed hearing you speak on both occasions.  I am extremely excited to begin what I hope to be a long and successful career in the sports industry.  Thank you again for taking the time to inspire people and for believing in a new generation of aspiring sports professionals. 

— – – – – – –

“When I first met Matt I was a college student looking to get into the sports industry. He was instrumental in helping me understand the value of networking, and helped me build a network of my own with other sports professionals. Now that I work in the sports industry full-time, I can fully appreciate the lessons he shared and realize the positive impact he had on my career.”

————-

I truly feel your coaching sessions were the catalyst in landing a position with a NFL Franchise. I appreciate all you have helped me with advice wise and networking wise.

 

I hope to work with you to get you “in the game.”

Matt

Founder- Voice of the Box, LLC

 

Game Plan For Success

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The new book by Career Coach Matt Crevin – Get In The Game – is on sale now! Buy it here.

As is the case with most endeavors, there is rarely one magic bullet, one piece of advice or one thing to share in terms of what would help others break into the sports industry. For the most part it is a series of events that must take place and an action plan put in place (and implemented) that will help secure the job of anyone’s dreams.

There is so much that goes into an effective career search for any dream job that is very tough to narrow it down to one suggestion.  Here is what I would suggest to anyone:

It is one answer broken down into several parts

Have a game plan:

Successful teams as well as businesses have strategies in place to achieve goals, in both the short and the long-term. Job searching and networking is no different.

  • Combine your passion with a specific technical aptitude to find your niche.
  • Make sure you position yourself and your message to the specific market(s) you are going after.
  • Surround yourself with people you can learn from and be available to return the favor in the years ahead.
  • Continually build an industry specific network and leverage your network effectively to eventually have your own “advisory board” that you can rely on and utilize for years to come.

A big key is to be seen. Like successful marketing plans and branding strategies there needs to be a differentiation aspect to you as a person and a professional. What is it that seperates YOU from EVERYONE else??? A skill, a degree, an experience? Whatever it is, it must be not only improved on daily, but also perfected.

If you really pushed me to provide one thing that would ensure anyone to have a successful career search…BE AUTHENTIC

What does that mean?

It means to go about your career search with passion, integrity and professionalism but first and foremost be yourself and let that be your guiding principle. Too many people try too hard to be someone they are not and get caught eventually.

Why not show your true colors and be genuine right from the start. It will help you differentiate yourself and also it will set realistic expectations because at the end of the day, people hire people.  Sure you need all the traditional information to support your case (resume, cover letter, (positioning statement) but when given the opportunity to meet/interview with someone, be authentic!

The new book by Career Coach Matt Crevin – Get In The Game – is on sale now! Buy it here.

How To Win In Your Job Interview

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Whether I am on college campuses or talking on the phone with coaching clients, I’m asked for advice on how to break into the sports industry all the time. I really enjoy when some little bit of advice really resonates for someone and makes a difference in his or her search –

The consistently best bit of advice I offer, that has come back to me time and again, is this:

When it gets to that part of the live interview with your future boss where they ask, “well, do you have any questions for me?”, say yes, and ask:

“How do I help YOU get a great review next year?”

This bit of advice has helped more people in more interviews than any other bit of advice I’ve shared over the years.

Why?

Well, the interview process lends itself to self-absorption. We spend so much of the time talking about ourselves that we forget that we sound like one of those people who only talks about themselves.

People typically ask all sorts of questions about the job and reporting structure and how it fits in with the company’s five-year plan and so on. We get so obsessed with the details of the job that we forget about the work.

Working together and being a good addition to the team means being concerned with how you are making the team successful. And that means being concerned with how much you are helping to make your boss successful.

Asking this question shows that you have empathy. It shows that you have an interest in your boss’ career and future success. It shows that you are not just a self-absorbed “what’s-in-it-for-me” kind of person. And it shows that you know you are there to “give” as much as you are there to “get”.

The “get a great review” question is an easy tip to implement in your job search: it’s easy to do, easy to understand, and it’s easy to measure.

And that makes it my best bit of career advice ever.

Are you ready to get in the game?

The new book by Career Coach Matt Crevin – Get In The Game – is on sale now! Buy it here.

Meet Tony Khing

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This week on Beyond The Game our Sports Insider Series features Tony Khing, experienced media/communications executive in the sports industry including 10 years with the San Jose Sharks.

Tony got his start with a sports publishing house in San Francisco writing media content for the Sharks and eventually moved to the San Jose Sharks organization.

Beyond The Game is a weekly sports talk broadcast that can be heard online or various outlets across North America.  Join us each Tuesday night at 9PM EST and go BEYOND THE GAME!  Listener Call In Lines:  (866) 417-4359 or (646) 716-8609.

[button link=”http://www.spreaker.com/show/beyond_the_game_sports_talk” newwindow=”yes”] Podcast[/button]

Informational Interviews

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HOW THEY CAN BE A BIG PART OF YOUR STRATEGY

An informational interview is not a job interview.  Therefore, your expectations should be genuine and your objective should be to gain insights and information into the profession, not to be offered a job.  Since you scheduled the meeting, you will want to be prepared to conduct the meeting and have a set of questions to ask. You will want to bring a copy of your resume and be prepared to share it with them if they ask. Do not provide them with a resume if they do not ask for one.  Arrive early, dress professionally, and be prepared.

Format

As you enter the meeting, you will want to do your best to stay on track:

Introduction – Introduce yourself and graciously thank them for meeting you. Some small talk might be appropriate to break the ice.

Tell Them Why You Wanted To See Them – Be honest and let them know that you want to know more about the industry and their role (as well as periphery roles they may be familiar with).  Everyone likes to talk about themselves and this a good chance to ask some good open ended questions about how they started in the sports industry and what steps, series of events and actions they took to get to where they are now.

Tell Them About Yourself – This is a chance to mildly sell yourself by sharing your story (your Positioning statement).  Be mindful of the 4 C’s of communication at this stage:

Be CLEAR

Be CONFIDENT

Be CONCISE

Have a CALL TO ACTION

Ask Questions – Make sure you are prepared for your meeting and that you have a list of questions to ask.  Have a pen and paper, and take good notes.

Ask For Referrals – Because he/she has met with you, you have now earned the right to ask your new contact if they are open to connecting you with any appropriate contacts of theirs.  As he or she provides you with names, ask them if you can mention their name as the one who recommended that you contact them.

Thank Them – Being careful not to abuse their time, graciously thank them for their time, and ask if they would mind if you stayed in touch with them.  (a nice CALL TO ACTION)

Follow-up – Send a thank you letter to them and personalize it from the notes you took at the meeting.  Continue to stay in contact with them (even a short note) every three to four months.

The insight you can gain from these meetings can been invaluable, and can yield great results from proper follow-up after the meetings.  Start the process of being an active networker within the profession.   Remember, ultimately the job will go to the candidate who is prepared and who effectively executes the basics of the job interview process. In all you do, you will want to EXECUTE FOR SUCCESS!

The new book by Career Coach Matt Crevin – Get In The Game – is on sale now! Buy it here.

Meet Dave Rahn

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This week on Beyond The Game our Sports Insider Series features Dave Rahn, Road Manager for Sheryl Crow, Lionel Richie and former NFL Operations Director.

Dave is a man of many hats, who else has won three Super Bowl rings and has rubbed elbows with Sheryl Crow and Barbara Streisand all in a matter of 16 years.  Listen now as Dave gives out tons of inside information of everything needed to be handled going into the Super Bowl weekend.

Beyond The Game is a weekly sports talk broadcast that can be heard online or various outlets across North America.  Join us each Tuesday night at 9PM EST and go BEYOND THE GAME!  Listener Call In Lines:  (866) 417-4359 or (646) 716-8609.

[button link=”http://www.spreaker.com/show/beyond_the_game_sports_talk” newwindow=”yes”] Podcast[/button]

Use Your Resources

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As we move into 2013, many of us are looking for work or for new employment opportunities.  This time of year leaves brings feelings of renewed energy and motivation to better our lives and increase the heat in job searching and other pursuits.  That being said, I thought it would be a good time to pass on a few things I have learned from my own job search thus far.

Job search websites have become the number one way in which new jobs are listed.  Navigating these websites can be exhausting and tricky, but there are numerous databases specifically aimed at helping those looking for jobs in sports that are very easy to use.  One website I’ve found particularly useful is workinsports.com.  Creating an account on the website is free.  After selecting your desired sector of the sports industry (I chose Sports Management/Operations/Analyst) you can receive emails when jobs are posted in your field at your desired frequency.  I find this feature extremely convenient.

This is just one example of a useful job search website relative to finding a job or career in the sports industry.  Other useful databases for sports jobs include athletestobusiness.com, jobsinsports.com, and teamworkonline.com.  I’d recommend checking out all of the listed website to see as many job openings as possible.

When it comes to finding job openings in sports, USE YOUR RESOURCES.  Hopefully these sites will help, but make sure to have a good cover letter and résumé ready to send to these teams.  You can’t get a job in sports until you start submitting those applications!  Good luck, and until next time, take care!

Jacob Kemmerer

More on Jacob: The Journey Begins / Jacob Joins VOTB / @kemmerer11

Launching A Successful Career Search

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Getting what you want out of your career search is a simple (though not necessarily easy) process. First, you need to know where you want to go. Second, you need to plan your strategy and then supply yourself with the right information to get there. And third, you need two key factors that many successful people have.

What are they?

“Have a strategy in place” and

“Don’t be afraid to ask for help.”

You and every single successful person you know are alike. In fact you have every capability that the most successful person has. And you’ve got access to the same (if not better) information then many of the ultra successful people started out with.

So what does it take to succeed? You’re about to find out the answer based on my experience. Over the past two decades I’ve made connections and become friends with a wide variety of people in the sports industry. They have all shared with me their unique stories about their career evolution.

Some of my connections have endured trials and tribulations on their way to career success. Over the years I dug deeper with some of my trusted connections in my inner circle to see if there were any common themes I can tie together to share with my audience.

But, what’s been the most enlightening for me is to learn how important it has been to observe where my contacts started and what they went through to get to where they are now.

The real lesson is that if they can succeed, anyone can – so long as you take action.

It is very easy to just say you need heart to get it done.  The one thing that EVERY successful self-made person has is heart. And those that are unsuccessful lack it.

This is true to a certain degree. I truly believe that we’re all the same in every way. We’ve got the same capabilities and the access to the same information, and the same number of hours in a day…

… but the thing that makes some of the difference is HEART.

Heart to realize that you deserve more.

Heart to want to change your circumstances.

Heart to want to step out of your comfort zone.

Heart to be willing to do some things differently to get to where you want to be.

Heart to realize that you are going to stumble (often) and knowing that failure is the price that you must pay from time to time to gain experience.  But, I also believe that you’ve never really failed if you get back up and try again. It’s the folks who fall down and stay down that end not reaching their goals

And you need…

Heart to make some tough decisions that others won’t.

Heart to take action.

Heart to be willing to take a risk.

And heart to be willing to deal with fear, doubt, rejection and uncertainty.

Listen, if you’re sitting around waiting for one major secret to success then you’re probably feeling pretty let down by now. And anyone who says they have one magic secret career search tip to make you successful is not being realistic.

If you’re waiting for permission to become successful. I give you permission. Better yet, look yourself in the mirror, and give yourself permission because no one is going to give it to you.

I don’t know where you are on your career journey right now, but what I do know is that if you’re reading this article then you probably want more or different results from your efforts.

Well, all you need to do is put the information you have to work for you, and you need to have a desire for getting more out of your search process.

But please don’t forget this: Getting information and APPLYING information to your career search are two different things. See, I know plenty of people with all the information they need to succeed but that still struggle.

It all starts with having a strategy and asking for help.  Voice of the Box is prepared to help you in both areas.Voice of the Box can assist with tactics, resources, action steps, strategies and ideas to improve your career search process so you can be as successful as you want to be.

But what I can’t give you is heart.

What I can’t do for you is take action.

All you need to do now is get out of your own way and get it!

Are you ready to “Get in the Game?”

The new book by Career Coach Matt Crevin – Get In The Game – is on sale now! Buy it here.

7 Tips To Rev Up Your Job Search

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With the year almost half over, it’s time to size up your progress.

Your career may look like an amusement park, and you might feel like you’re stuck in a line that’s barely moving. Or maybe you rode one roller coaster only to see the other rides (goals) differently.

Just how far along are you on your career goals for this year? And what can you do now to assure that by fall, you’ll have advanced a couple of them, whether you’re looking for a new employer or to launch a side business or land a new client?
A mid-year review of your professional and personal career goals can help you refocus your energies and establish new mini-goals to advance them.

Here are seven steps for assessment and renewed engagement on your plans:

1) Write down your goals

“When you write them down, you are committing” to them. Without a written record of them, “you sort of let yourself off the hook.”

2) Clarify what you really want

Take time to consider what really matters and what is not so important, six months later. Decide which goals you could abandon and which ones are crucial. Pick a No. 1 and No. 2 goal and start visualizing what success would look like when you achieve them.

3) Measure what you’ve accomplished so far

Count the number of networking events you’ve attended. Go back and see how many letters of praise you’ve received (and how many of those have been forwarded to your boss). How many blog posts have you written, or have ready to post when you launch? How many potential clients have you approached? What else have you accomplished that wasn’t on your official list? Write down your stats and status updates.

4) Break down your top priorities into small parts

Some people find it helpful to put a weekly reminder on their calendar to check on their goal or to move it forward, others like clear action steps mapped out or written into a file.

5) Uncover your motivations

Sometimes we forget the real reasons we want a promotion or a new client. If those are the means to a beautiful honeymoon or a way to pay for your kid brother’s college costs, make that emotional connection clear to yourself again.

6) Reward yourself

If you’ve achieved one of your goals, it’s time to celebrate. And a Facebook post does not really equal a celebration. Go out for a sundae or take your goal buddy out for an afternoon of jet-skiing.

7) Take a break

“Think about other things that are important in life.” You can become burned out if you have applied for jobs non-stop while working full time. So give yourself a week away to savor summer, friends, recreation, and life. That will help recharge your batteries – and make it easier to reconnect to your goals.

Some people will find that by mid-year, they’ve checked off many of their goals. If that’s true, then they need to establish some new ones – and make them as high as the giant Ferris Wheel at the state fairs this summer. Others may be disappointed to see how little they have accomplished. They need to buy some new tickets to success, and take along a goal-buddy or career coach for accountability on the ride to success.

The new book by Career Coach Matt Crevin – Get In The Game – is on-sale now! Buy it here.

5 Key Job Search Strategies

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Information you must have BEFORE your interview.

Here are the top 5 elements you should be prepared for:

So, you’ve gotten through the hurdle of securing an employers interest in your resume but know the real challenge begins, the interview.  The interview is no guarantee of a job offer but your chances will improve greatly if you properly prepare for it ahead of time.  Here are the top 5 steps to help give you the best possible chance to leave a good first impression.

1)   Understand the companies overall mission or in the case of the sports industry, understand the departmental goals.

Odds are that one of the first questions you will be asked during the interview is, “so, what do you know about us?”  If you give a response that shows you did not perform any due diligence, you will be labeled as a “do not hire.”  Go to the companies website and get a general feel for what they are about and what some of their current initiatives are, who are some of the key management personnel and then cross reference that information with general web research.  Take a look at their recent press releases to see if there is any information that you can pick up.  You should always look the company up on LinkedIn and even Facebook to get a sense for their messaging and branding identity.  All of this research will help you get a clear picture of issues that matter to the company as well as help you speak “smartly.”  Just be sure to address information that is relevant to the employer.

2)   Check out the decision maker as well as the interviewer.

You should always get as much info as you can on the person you are meeting with.  Search LinkedIn for how long they have been in the role, where they came from prior their current role as well as look at the groups he/she contribute to.  Look for little background nuggets that you can use to build rapport.

3)   Prepare supporting points to demonstrate how your experience, skills, and strengths are relevant and will benefit the company. 

Any interview is the chance for you to learn about the company just as much as it for them to learn about you.  Start by identifying the top five skills that are most important to the job and then focus on how you have demonstrated them successfully in your career.  Be ready to provide case examples to help demonstrate specific points and achievements.

4)   Be prepared with questions for the hiring manager.

Each interview takes on a different format but somewhere during the process the interviewer will ask you if you have any questions.  Always have questions prepared that have not been addressed or if they have been addressed, that you could benefit from some more detailed information.   Asking questions can solidify a positive impression.  A little research can go a long way.  For example; you may be able to research some recent developments at the company (or the department you are looking to get into) that will have an impact on the company as well as the industry as a whole.  Asking questions to express you are thinking ahead about the job and how certain developments may impact the business will detail your ability to bring value.  It puts you in a position of thinking critically like an existing employee and lets the company see right away how you would fit in. 

5)   List of references. 

Sounds obvious but many people forget to have at least three references in writing so you can fill out the application form that every company utilizes.  Make sure to brief your references to the position(s) you are seeking so they can be aware. 

6)   Additional thoughts: 

Preparing for an interview is about having the right state of mind but there are also other common areas to be prepared for that often get overlooked.  One key element that is overlooked is to bring a notepad into the interview to take notes if need be.  There is nothing wrong with this.  It will also help you keep track of discussion points to use for your personalized thank you follow up letter.  Small details like these can make a big difference.

The new book by Career Coach Matt Crevin – Get In The Game – is on-sale now! Buy it here.