Technology

If you're looking for an area of sports where it will be relatively easy to find an internship or job, compared to traditional areas of sports, I have one word for you: technology. Especially as it relates to marketing, if you know how to take technology and use it in the capacity of marketing, you've got what Willy Wonka would call the Golden Ticket. Look at all the positions that are listed for database marketing/database administration and CRM (Customer Relationship Management). When you start thinking about content management, SEO (search engine optimization), SEM (search engine marketing), the use of YouTube, Twitter, text messaging/SMS, the third screen (phones/PDAs are the third screen--TV is the first screen, computers are the second), Facebook, MySpace, LinkedIn, PageFlakes, Flickr, etc., and countless other technologies--existing and not yet developed--there are some great opportunities out there.  There are opportunities in the phigital realm (phigital = the combination of the physical and digital world).

Think about the Obama campaign and their use of technology.  YouTube and viral video.  A custom created iPhone app.  Text messaging to announce Joe Biden as the VP candidate.  YouTube weekly address to the nation.  All of these, and more, are great uses of technology that can carry over to business.  I remember reading several of the articles during the campaign and thinking that companies who haven't, yet, are now going to jump all over the use of this type of technology to promote their companies.  The Obama campaign proved many things, and one of them was that technology can be used very effectively to communicate a message.  If I were a sports organization, I'd be looking heavily for someone who could bring new marketing outlets like these to my company and effectively use them.

If you're currently a student, your classes may not even cover a lot of this.  Some of these things may be ones with which you're somewhat familiar just because they're a common part of your generation.  Regardless though, you will probably need to learn some in depth aspects about the technologies.  You may need to read books and pursue online training. For any applicable parts, I highly recommend Lynda.com for online training.  I've been using that site for a couple of years and am a huge fan of it.  Books, blogs, and online articles are abundant on these topics.  Seek them out.  Like many of these technologies, the cost of learning about them is free because you can easily go to the Internet to learn about them.  Take advantage of the information out there and make technology one of your areas of expertise.  I'd be willing to bet that it will pay off.