If all your spare time is spent catching up on AFL or footy results, it might be time to consider a career in sports (and no, you don’t have to be an athlete to crack this industry)!
When most people think of sports careers, they usually think of the players on the field. However, those who have a deeper understanding of sports know that a huge team operates behind the scenes to help your favourite sports teams do what they do best! So, to demystify the industry (and the tonnes of exciting sports jobs on offer), we’ve put together a guide covering our top tips for beginners, a variety of potential sports careers, and pathway options to help you plan your future. All you need to do is read on!
Why Choose a Career in Sports?
Besides the potential to work alongside your sporting heroes, there are so many exciting reasons to choose a career in sports. For starters, your whole job will be based on promoting an active and healthy lifestyle, community collaboration and attributes like perseverance, excellence and cooperation. Basically, sports careers are super admirable pathways.
There’s also the perk of transforming your passion into a career. The best bit? Unlike athletes’ short-lived careers, alternative sports career pathways offer the potential for long and fulfilling careers that last a lifetime.
Is it Hard to Work in the Sports Industry?
Unfortunately, it can be pretty tough to land a career in the sports industry. After all, Australia is a very sport-obsessed nation, so it comes as no surprise that so many people are chasing jobs in sports!
However, if you carefully plan your career path, work super hard and keep at it, there’s no reason you can’t still succeed. Following your passion is never a bad idea when choosing a career, you just have to be ready to commit!
Education Pathways for Careers in Sports
If you want to set yourself apart from other sports superfans, you may want to consider earning a relevant degree. That way, future employers will know that you’re serious about a future in the sports industry, and you’ll be able to enter the workforce with some super helpful knowledge and skills! A couple of degrees we’d recommend are:
Bachelor of Commerce (Marketing Major)
Who’s this degree best for: Aspiring sports marketers
Sports marketers create exciting marketing campaigns that are aimed at bringing in more money for sports teams, and a Bachelor of Commerce degree will help you start your sports career off on the right foot!
What Sports Jobs Could I Land?
- Marketing Manager
- Advertising Manager
- Community Relations Director
- Public Relations Manager
- Sponsorship Manager
- Social Media Manager
Bachelor of Communication
Who’s this degree best for: Aspiring Sports Journalists
If you can sniff out a great story anywhere and you keep your finger on the pulse of sporting news, a career in sports journalism could be a perfect fit. Studying for a Bachelor of Communication will help you hone your story-seeking abilities and prepare you to go out in the field!
What Sports Jobs Could I Land?
- Sports Anchor
- Sports Broadcaster
- Sports Writer
- Sports Editor
- Sports Analyst
Bachelor of Sports Management
Who’s this degree best for: Aspiring Sports Managers
Sports managers have a seemingly vague title, and this is because they oversee tonnes of different parts of the sporting world. A degree in sports management will empower you to tackle planning, organising, controlling, directing, leading and budgeting responsibilities with confidence! Plus, major organisations will be super impressed by your qualifications.
What Sports Jobs Could I Land?
- Athletic Director
- Athletic Scout
- Contract Negotiator
- Event Coordinator
- General Manager
Bachelor of Sports Science
Who’s this degree best for: Aspiring Coaches and Trainers
A Bachelor of Sports Science is a pretty impressive degree that can help you kickstart your sports career! Over the course of your studies, you’ll learn all about physiology, kinesiology, biomechanics and exercise psychology. There are also some pretty cool majors to choose from, like Sports Performance, Human Movement and Sport Coaching!
What Sports Jobs Could I Land?
- Sports Coach
- Personal Trainer
- Exercise Physiologist
- Strength and Conditioning Coach
Master of Sports Medicine
Who’s this degree best for: Aspiring Healthcare Pros with A Passion for Sports
If you plan on becoming a qualified practitioner, studying for a Master of Sports Science as your next step could help you break into the sports industry. You’ll learn about athlete physiology, biomechanics, sports injury prevention, athlete case management and performance! Pretty cool, right?
What Sports Jobs Could I Land?
- Athletic Trainer
- Sports Medicine Physician
- Kinesiologist
- Exercise Physiologist
Top Tips for Kickstarting Your Sports Career
Now that you’re familiar with a tonne of underrated sports careers and the education pathways to get you where you need to go, it’s time to conclude with our top tips for landing your dream job in the sports industry! Don’t worry, you can thank us later!
- Make Sure You’ve Written a Stellar Resume and Cover Letter
- Build Transferrable Skills
- Network With Other Sports Industry Pros
- Volunteer for Sports Events
- Understand the Industry
- Keep Up To Date With Sports News
And if you’re ready to launch your career today, head over to our sports and recreation industry page to discover insights into industry growth, average salaries, the best places to study, and much more! What are you waiting for? Don’t let the other sports fanatics get ahead; kickstart your dream career today!
