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Develop a sport business perspective

This is an excerpt from Contemporary Sport Management 8th Edition With HKPropel Access by Paul M. Pedersen.

By Khirey B. Walker, Dominique C. Kropp, Jamee Pelcher

Achieving success in most business settings requires specific knowledge, skills, and values that students are expected to begin acquiring as undergraduates. The first step ­toward developing ­these essentials to success involves adopting the perspective that you are now more than simply a student; you are a professional. You cannot wait ­until graduation to accept the responsibilities of being a professional. Your professors expect you to conduct yourself with professionalism, and you ­will gain more from your degree program if you behave as a professional rather than wait ­until you gradu­ate to do so. The level of commitment that you dedicate to sport management as an academic pursuit ­will influence how you approach your coursework, cocurricular activities, and relationships with fellow students and instructors. Students who embody a professional perspective early on in their academic ­careers ­will benefit through increased knowledge and opportunities. Through academic and cocurricular activities that facilitate developing the key competencies that employers seek in job candidates, you should progressively approach ­career readiness.

The field of sport management is extremely competitive. Many schools offer a major in sport management, which results in a large number of gradu­ates entering this field ­every year. Besides, students in majors outside sport management may also be interested in working in sport. Therefore, candidates from a large pool compete for a finite number of jobs within the sport industry. To achieve success in this competitive environment, students must be willing to plan ahead and put forth a ­great deal of effort to land in the best position pos­si­ble.

No ­matter what type of job you plan to pursue, professionalism begins when you are a student. You must first understand and then satisfy the requirements and learning objectives of your courses and the expectations of professors. As a student who practices professionalism, you should arrive at scheduled classes and meetings on time, be attentive and prepared, take notes, and show interest in what you are studying. If you are taking an online class, visit the class website or learning platform often to ensure that you know of all requirements and deadlines. You should follow the example of ­organized industry professionals and use a day planner, calendar, or ­organizer in which you enter and track assignment due dates, exam dates, work responsibilities, and meetings. ­Whatever apparatus you use, keep it handy, update it when necessary, and refer to it often.

Intentionally focusing on your professional perspective ­will lead you to take advantage of resources as you dedicate yourself to becoming a successful professional. This chapter addresses three components of a professional perspective:

1. Professional preparation: The courses and experiences that you can expect in your undergraduate curriculum and beyond
2. Professional attitude: How to pre­sent a professional image, follow the fundamentals of business etiquette, develop ethical and critical thinking skills, and enter the world of work and be comfortable and productive ­there
3. ­Career readiness: Purposeful steps you can take to attain and demonstrate the competencies that broadly prepare college gradu­ates for a successful transition into the workplace

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