Career Preparation Career Preparation for Student-Athletes: for Student-Athletes: Preparing Job Search Preparing Job Search

DocumentsDocuments

Career Development CenterCareer Development Center

Bucknell University Bucknell University

Presentation FormatPresentation Format

• In this presentation, student-athletes In this presentation, student-athletes will learn:will learn:– Strategies for “marketing” athletic Strategies for “marketing” athletic

participation on resumes and cover participation on resumes and cover lettersletters

– Strategies for utilizing professional Strategies for utilizing professional referencesreferences

– Strategies for preparing for interviewsStrategies for preparing for interviews

QuestionsQuestions

• How should student-athletes highlight How should student-athletes highlight athletic participation on a resume?athletic participation on a resume?

• How should student-athletes discuss skills How should student-athletes discuss skills developed through athletic participation developed through athletic participation on a cover letter?on a cover letter?

• Who should serve as professional Who should serve as professional references for student-athletes?references for student-athletes?

• How should student-athletes prepare for How should student-athletes prepare for interviews?interviews?

Personal Characteristics Personal Characteristics Employers Seek in Job Employers Seek in Job Candidates (NACE) Candidates (NACE)

• Communication Skills (verbal)Communication Skills (verbal)• Strong Work EthicStrong Work Ethic• Teamwork Skills (works well with others)Teamwork Skills (works well with others)• Analytical SkillsAnalytical Skills• InitiativeInitiative• Problem-Solving SkillsProblem-Solving Skills• Communication Skills (writtenCommunication Skills (written• Interpersonal Skills (relates well to others)Interpersonal Skills (relates well to others)• Computer SkillsComputer Skills• Flexibility/AdaptabilityFlexibility/Adaptability

Source: NACE Research: Job Outlook 2011Source: NACE Research: Job Outlook 2011

Employer Evaluation of Employer Evaluation of Career PreparationCareer Preparation

• Employers evaluate candidates Employers evaluate candidates based onbased on– Education and academic background Education and academic background – Work experienceWork experience– Co-curricular activitiesCo-curricular activities– Volunteer experience/Community Volunteer experience/Community

serviceservice– Communication skillsCommunication skills– Leadership Leadership

Student-Athletes & Student-Athletes & Transferable SkillsTransferable Skills

• Time ManagementTime Management• TeamworkTeamwork• Goal-OrientedGoal-Oriented• CompetitivenessCompetitiveness• ConfidenceConfidence• Persistence/Persistence/

EnduranceEndurance• Leadership Leadership

• LoyaltyLoyalty• DisciplineDiscipline• Taking CriticismTaking Criticism• Coping with Coping with

SetbacksSetbacks• Flexibility/Flexibility/

AdaptabilityAdaptability• Performance under Performance under

PressurePressure

Student-Athlete ResumeStudent-Athlete Resume• General Format (Contact Information, Education, Experience)General Format (Contact Information, Education, Experience)• Highlight Student-Athlete ExperiencesHighlight Student-Athlete Experiences

– Summary of QualificationsSummary of Qualifications• Student-athlete with leadership, teamwork, and interpersonal skills who Student-athlete with leadership, teamwork, and interpersonal skills who

maintained academic success in accounting while devoting 25 hours per maintained academic success in accounting while devoting 25 hours per week to practice, training, and competition as a member of a Division I week to practice, training, and competition as a member of a Division I volleyball team. volleyball team.

– Education SectionEducation Section• Relevant Courses if applicableRelevant Courses if applicable

– Experience SectionExperience Section• Public Speaking if applicable (to media, children, etc.) Public Speaking if applicable (to media, children, etc.) • Coaching, Training (highlight communication and motivational skills)Coaching, Training (highlight communication and motivational skills)• Co-Captain or Captain (demonstrates maturity, leadership, responsibility)Co-Captain or Captain (demonstrates maturity, leadership, responsibility)

– Awards/Achievements Awards/Achievements – Volunteer/Community ServiceVolunteer/Community Service

• List experiences with team/campus as well as personal involvement List experiences with team/campus as well as personal involvement • CDC Staff offers assistance in resume development – get CDC Staff offers assistance in resume development – get

feedback!feedback!• More information: http://my.bucknell.edu/x54129.htmlMore information: http://my.bucknell.edu/x54129.html

Resume ExamplesResume Examples

Student-Athlete Cover Student-Athlete Cover LetterLetter

• General Format (Contact Information, General Format (Contact Information, Employer Contact Information, Letter Format)Employer Contact Information, Letter Format)

• Tailor the cover letter to the positionTailor the cover letter to the position• Research the company/Reference your fitResearch the company/Reference your fit• Highlight Student-Athlete ExperiencesHighlight Student-Athlete Experiences

– Discuss skills like time management, Discuss skills like time management, leadership, teamwork, adaptability, and leadership, teamwork, adaptability, and discipline – be specific about how you developed discipline – be specific about how you developed these as a student-athletethese as a student-athlete

• CDC Staff offers assistance in cover letters– CDC Staff offers assistance in cover letters– get feedback!get feedback!

• More information: More information: http://my.bucknell.edu/x54123.htmlhttp://my.bucknell.edu/x54123.html

Cover Letter Cover Letter ExamplesExamples

Student-Athlete Student-Athlete ReferencesReferences

• Send a separate reference page with your Send a separate reference page with your resume and cover letterresume and cover letter

• List 3 professional references (not friends, List 3 professional references (not friends, family)family)– EmployersEmployers– ProfessorsProfessors– Athletic Department Staff (coaches, trainers, Athletic Department Staff (coaches, trainers,

administration)administration)

• References should speak positively about References should speak positively about your character, work ethic, responsibility, your character, work ethic, responsibility, and maturityand maturity

Student-Athlete Student-Athlete Preparation Preparation

for Interviewsfor Interviews• General Preparation (research company, research General Preparation (research company, research

position)position)• Practice, practice, practice!Practice, practice, practice!

– Meet with CDC Staff for a Meet with CDC Staff for a Mock InterviewMock Interview• Discuss participation in Division I athletics – benefits, Discuss participation in Division I athletics – benefits,

skillsskills– S.T.A.R. : Situation – Task – Action – ResultS.T.A.R. : Situation – Task – Action – Result

• Our coach told us that the Athletic Department wanted each team Our coach told us that the Athletic Department wanted each team to participate in a new community service event. I volunteered to to participate in a new community service event. I volunteered to work with staff to develop this event for my team. I helped set up work with staff to develop this event for my team. I helped set up an afternoon trip to a local school where we read to second an afternoon trip to a local school where we read to second graders and helped them with reading skills. The school and graders and helped them with reading skills. The school and students enjoyed our visit. Since this first visit, a group of my students enjoyed our visit. Since this first visit, a group of my teammates and I have been reading to the students on a consistent teammates and I have been reading to the students on a consistent basis. I enjoyed helping to set up this project as much as I did basis. I enjoyed helping to set up this project as much as I did reading with and talking to the second graders. reading with and talking to the second graders.

– Give insight on time commitment to athletics, which explains Give insight on time commitment to athletics, which explains why there is less direct work experience than a non-athlete why there is less direct work experience than a non-athlete peerpeer

SummarySummary

• Resumes, Cover Letters and Interviewing Resumes, Cover Letters and Interviewing are similar for all candidatesare similar for all candidates– Use athletic participation to set yourself apart Use athletic participation to set yourself apart

from your peersfrom your peers– Get feedback on how to highlight your athletic Get feedback on how to highlight your athletic

participation on resumes and cover lettersparticipation on resumes and cover letters– Practice how to discuss your athletic Practice how to discuss your athletic

participation in interviewsparticipation in interviews

• Learn how to “market” yourself to others!Learn how to “market” yourself to others!

CDC ResourcesCDC Resources

• Career ConsultantsCareer Consultants– One-on-one appointments for career counseling and One-on-one appointments for career counseling and

advisingadvising– Assist with resume, cover letters, interview Assist with resume, cover letters, interview

preparationpreparation

• Externship ProgramExternship Program• Internship Search/Job Search AssistanceInternship Search/Job Search Assistance• Networking AssistanceNetworking Assistance• Job Fairs/Internship Fairs/Networking EventsJob Fairs/Internship Fairs/Networking Events• Graduate School Preparation (Pre-Law, Pre-Graduate School Preparation (Pre-Law, Pre-

Health)Health)

Contact the CDCContact the CDC

Botany BuildingBotany Buildingcdc@bucknell.edu

570.577.1238570.577.1238http://www.bucknell.edu/CareerDevelopment.xml

Monday – Friday Monday – Friday

8:30am – 4:30pm 8:30am – 4:30pm

ResourcesResources

• NACE Job Outlook 2011 Survey NACE Job Outlook 2011 Survey • http://www.niu.edu/careerServices/guides/Athlet

eGuide.pdf