From the Ground Up: Reevaluating Sports Internships

Many students are eager to take on internships in the hopes of learning what a full-time may entail. Yet, a disconnect seems to exist between student's perceptions and employer's expectations in regard to what an internship entails. Many students are unsure of what the requirements are required obtain an internship just as employers are unaware of what students are seeking in an internship experience. The ultimate goal for every new collegiate student should be to have a job lined up for them upon graduation. However, as most students already know, entry-level jobs require experience. From start to finish, the process of finding a job can difficult to navigate. For students, there is no clear-cut path for where to intern, who to find as a mentor, which classes to take, and where to delegate time to extracurricular activities. Some choices, such as which classes to take, may not have as much impact on a student's future. The need to find a proper mentor(s) is critical to growth. Yet, the opportunity to find the right guidance may be difficult to manifest. In many instances, the proper mentor will come about within one's internship or networking through the industry. A mentor who is experienced and has longevity in the sports world can be instrumental to "climbing the ladder" in the industry. That is the crux of the problem. There needs to be an outline that shows what students are looking for and the skills they possess that can then be cross-referenced to what employers are looking for in potential interns as well as forecasting the potential traits of the internship.