Interested in working in sports media? Keep reading to find out more about Jess’s role as an Earned Media Executive and how she used her networks and initiative to land a full-time role in the industry.
6 Mins Read
Can you give our readers a bit of background on yourself and when you knew you wanted to work in sports?
I’ve always gravitated to sports since I was young and chose to go to Loughborough University to study sports management, which cemented my choice to pursue a career in sports.
What has your journey into the sports industry looked like?
Part of my degree at university involved a placement year within the sports industry. I contacted multiple organisations, most of which were not actively hiring. One of these was a sports agency called ARETE. I had some experience working in part-time marketing roles in hockey, and luckily for me, the CEO at ARETE took a chance on me and offered me my first full-time role in the industry.
I worked as an account executive for my placement year, predominantly on the talent management teams for England netballer Layla Guscoth, and Great Britain hockey player Maddie Hinch. The year gave me an excellent insight into the industry. I was given free rein to explore different aspects, such as finding new commercial partners, increasing the player’s media exposure, and watching Layla and Maddie compete at the Commonwealth Games.
During my placement year and my final year at university, I continued to work freelance in the sports industry in creative, social media and commercial roles. Continuing to work at ARETE, I also worked with Miss Kick Foundation, Nicky Affleck Consultancy and LIBER8. Working these freelance roles whilst still at university allowed me to develop my skill set whilst maintaining and building my network in the industry. I worked on campaigns, such as Allica Bank’s first sports sponsorship. With my previous experience having been across football, netball, and hockey, I joined Performance54 after I graduated. However, with no previous experience in golf, I did feel out of my depths at times, but a lot of the skills you gain working in other sports are very transferrable.
What does your current role as an Earned Media Executive entail?
As an Earned Media Executive, I am part of the marketing department at Performance54, working in a PR and communications role. Day to day, this includes writing press releases and pitching to journalists – essentially trying to boost our clients within the media.
What has been your favourite part of the job so far?
Working on the Aramco Team Series, I was able to go to Hong Kong for the event. It was my first time in Hong Kong and working on a golf event. It was a great time to immerse myself in how a golf event is run and the behind-the-scenes work that takes place so that it can run smoothly.
What are three skills are essential to your role within the sports industry?
Proactivity – The sports industry is a competitive industry to get into. If there is a particular strand you want to work in, you have to be able to stand and put yourself out there. Meet new people and network with peers and those more established in the industry.
Creativity – Working in sports, your day-to-day can vary. Creativity can be crucial to go against the grain in marketing campaigns and the work you may be producing.
Confidence – You may feel out of your depth sometimes, especially early in your career. But everyone started from somewhere. Confidence in yourself can take you a long way, and others around you will notice this!
How did you find out about this opportunity to work at Performance54? If you had an application process, what did it involve?
I saw the opportunity on LinkedIn and applied through quick apply. The hiring process was fairly quick, involving an initial interview to meet the team’s director. A task was then set for the second interview, which involved writing a press release and a presentation on encouraging female participation in golf.
One of the biggest challenges for young people who want to work in sports is the lack of knowledge about available opportunities. How can other aspiring individuals get involved in similar opportunities?
I always see great job opportunities on the Women’s Sport Collective, which is how I got some of my previous freelance work.
Did you face any challenges trying to get into the industry? If so, how were you able to overcome them?
I wouldn’t say I faced any personal challenges in getting into the industry. Many people want to work in sports, but it can be hard to break into, especially within specific sectors like football representation. You need to be proactive in order to gain the relevant experience. I’ve worked various volunteer roles alongside paid freelance roles to gain that extra experience to stand out more.
What is one piece of advice you would give to a young person who has a similar background as you and is looking to enter into the sports industry?
More often than not, the sports industry is about who you know. This is truer for certain parts of the industry, like player representation. Who you have in your network can be crucial in finding short-term opportunities to gain more experience or having a mentor who can help you progress. People want to help others. If you reach out to people asking for advice or mentorship, they are likely to help if they can.
Secondly, experience is essential. If you’re still at university, go for those volunteer positions in sports coaching or sports marketing.
If you were to choose one person to shine a light on in the industry, who would it be and why?
What Ella does here at Bridged is great—providing a platform for young people to be more aware of the industry—and amplifying more diverse voices in sport. There is definitely a diversity problem in the sports industry, and this platform is a great step towards changing that.
Want to connect with Jess? Head over to our Networks page to find out more!