Being a Sports Management student there is always the question rolling around in your head about what to do once you actually graduate. You have studied hard for four years and graduation is just around the corner.

Soon you will have your diploma and will be cast out into the real world. In order to succeed, you will need to know all aspects of the sports industry and have the resources available to you in order to become successful.

As with most businesses these days, it is not what you know but who you know. I can’t say this enough. Networking is extremely important, but how do you find the right and important people to network with?

There are many resources which you can, and definitely should utilize in order to build your network and improve your chances to succeed in a sports management career.

Below I have listed the top resources that every sports management graduate should utilize to meet people in the business and increase their knowledge of the sports industry.

NORTH AMERICAN SOCIETY FOR SPORTS MANAGEMENT

The North American Society for Sports Management is a membership organization for professionals in the sports industry.

According to their website, “The purpose of NASSM is to promote, stimulate, and encourage study, research, scholarly writing, and professional development in the area of sport management.”

Membership is available to both current sports professionals along with sports management students.

As a member of NASSM you will receive:

• NASSM Conference fees at a discount
• An annual issue of the Sports Management Education Journal
• Bi-monthly issues of the Journal of Sports Management

The Journal features expert information covering numerous areas of sport management including:

• Marketing
• Sponsorship
• Tourism
• Consumer behavior

SPORTS INDUSTRY NETWORKING AND CAREER CONFERENCE

Sports conferences are extremely important in building a network and letting you be known in the industry and the Sports Industry Networking Conference is one of the leading sports conferences in the business.

It is an annual event that features some the top executives in sports and gives both students and recent graduates the opportunity to meet the biggest names in sports and hear keynote speeches, participate in panel and roundtable discussions and help build strong networks.

SPORTS EXECUTIVE ASSOCIATION

The Sports Executives Association is the place on the web for sports executives to get together to share ideas and build their networks and businesses. It is a great place for Sports Management students to:

• Interact with top executives
• Learn about the sports industry
• Build a network

This site could help increase your network which could lead to some great opportunities after you have graduated.

SPORTS BUSINESS JOURNAL

Sports Business Journalis a must read for anyone who works or aspires to work in the sports industry. The Sports Business Journal gets into every different aspect of a sports career.

The Sports Business Journal gives you all of the latest industry information including:

• Marketing
• Sponsorship
• Media
• Agents
• Facilities

THE BUSINESS OF SPORTS

The Business of Sports is a sports industry blog that features a lot of content which helps both students and professionals alike keep up to date with the sports industry.  So regardless of whether you are interested in sports marketing, advertising, ticket sales, or social media, this site will help keep you informed and up to date.

WORK IN SPORTS

Workinsports.com is the best job board that there is in the sports industry. With over 5000 employers, 2500 sports jobs, and many internships listed, Workinsports.com can help you find an internship in which you can build your resume and gain ever important experience. Once you graduate, this site should be your first stop in trying to find work.

SPORTSCAREERS.COM

SportsCareers.com is another job board that features literally thousands of different sports jobs. They also have valuable content which can give you additional knowledge and help you develop your sports management career.

TEAMWORK ONLINE

Teamwork Online is a sports job board with a unique twist.  Teamwork Online has what they call “Call an Audible,” which provides job hunters with an audio job description directly from the hiring person.  The site also has numerous search features that will allow you to sort job listings by location, job type, and sport.

NCAA

For anyone interested in working in collegiate athletics, you must visit NCAA.org. They have a Job board that features listings from all NCAA member schools.

They also have a great search function which gives you the opportunity to refine your search in order to find the exact job that you are looking for. You can also post your resume on the site so that schools with an opening can find you as well.

AGENT ADVISOR PROGRAM

For those looking to get into marketing, promotions, and representing professional athletes, Agency Athlete has an Agent Advisor certification training program which presents the chance for people to break into the world of sports and give them the opportunity to work directly with athletes.

After successful completion of the course curriculum, which you can complete within 30 days, you can start your journey as an Agent Advisor, learn the business and gain valuable experience while working under the umbrella of Agency Athlete.

The Agent Advisor program gives you a wider range of experience than any internship or account executive job with a sports agency.