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Well, I had my interview today. As I was warned, and maybe expected, it doesn't seem to be a paid position. A decision won't be made for about two weeks, and it doesn't seem like this team is going to do second interviews, so I suppose today was my chance. The position sounds good, but I'm second-guessing myself.

I'm almost glad the decision is going to take awhile so I can think things over with my family. But honestly...I'm starting to wonder if I'm willing to make the sacrifices. I'd have to move for no pay and then keep my job, which would have me working over 40 hours a week no doubt. I feel like there should be no doubt in my mind as to yes I'd take the opportunity, but instead...I feel like I can't bring myself to keep working for free. I'm getting older and have student loans and bills, like a lot of the population, and I just wonder if taking an internship is worth it if it's offered me.

I told my mom the other day that if I applied for a non-sports, 9-5 job and it were offered to me, I would be OK with that because I could keep all my hockey fan privileges. But right now, I feel like that I know nothing else because I've wanted to work in hockey for so long that it doesn't make sense to throw everything away and stop pursuing it.

Sigh...
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I know you said you did some writing, any chance of tapping those connections made asking about jobs? Not getting paid is rough, I couldn't imagine doing it will working full-time as well. I hope everything pans out for you. Maybe staying involved in sport in some capacity like volunteering or officiating would be something you could do as well?
 
NYR89 said:
It's all about paying your dues. My personal story:

I just finished on campus this May and graduated with a Sport Management degree and a Marketing degree. To be completely honest, I learned more from joining clubs and organizations and being involved on campus than I did from class. Focus on standing out in everything possible and do things that have TANGIBLE results (ex. raising attendance xxxxx or raised xxxxxx). It will look great on a resume and gives you something to separate yourself from the rest of the crowd that took the same classes as you.

I interned with an NHL team this summer (only have 2 days left unfortunately). The key to transitioning the internship into a job is to work your ass off. Make sure every person that works for the team knows who you are. Make friends with employees AND interns in other departments. If there is an event going on in another department ask them if they need an extra set of hands. Even if they don't it will make you look fantastic. As far as turning a internship into a job with the same team immediately...it takes some luck. Someone has to be going out as you finish. However, that team/organization could become vital down the line if positions come open. Just because you don't get offered right away doesn't mean you will never work for them again.

As far as sales go, the one poster had it right. It's not glamorous at all, but talk to anyone in the industry and chances are they started in sales. It separates the people willing to put in the work to the one's that aren't. It also teaches you key skills in organization, communication and relationship building. My first job (starting in a few weeks!) is a sales position. I'm going into it open minded, but I would be lying if I said as of now sales is long-term for me. You just never know, it could be my calling. You have to be willing to try everything and work harder than everyone else.
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I agree with this 100%. Especially "paying your dues" and always offering to be an extra set of hands. Couldn't have said it any better.
 
NYR89 said:
I know you said you did some writing, any chance of tapping those connections made asking about jobs? Not getting paid is rough, I couldn't imagine doing it will working full-time as well. I hope everything pans out for you. Maybe staying involved in sport in some capacity like volunteering or officiating would be something you could do as well?
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It's a possibility. I mean, if this interview I had today and a couple of other applications I have in don't pan out, I accepted a gig to be the webmaster for my local team's Booster Club this season. Obviously, that's only volunteering, but I'll learn new skills and it will be another resume booster.

I've never played hockey, and right now, my skating skills leave A LOT to be desired. Let's just say I've seen seven-year-olds skate better than me. :laugh:

I'll PM you with some other info...I don't want to give away too much as to who I am since you never know who's reading these boards...
 
http://www.kuklaskorner.com/index.p...kauffman_the_new_director_of_hockey_content_/

KK interview with Caity Kauffman, Director of Hockey Content for website. Here's the first question on how she got into hockey, starting out.

Caity was kind enough to take time out of her extremely busy schedule to tell us about her background, how she got into the game and her new position at HockeyPrimeTime.com.

PH: How did you get into hockey?
CK: Completely on accident. I was a sophomore in college and picked up an internship with the ECHL team, The Florida Everblades, that was close by my college Florida Gulf Coast University. My first hockey games were the ones I attended for work, and initially I hated it. It wasn’t until my boss challenged me to write game recaps and be the in-game sideline reporter on FOX Sports radio that I stepped up and started absorbing everything there was to know about hockey.

In retrospect, I have no idea how I survived two live interviews per game (while walking on the ice in 5†heels, mind you - my tiny 5’0†frame needed an extra boost to get the mic to the face of the real tall ones) and did it without batting an eye or breaking a leg. I have a couple on my YouTube page and I always get a laugh listening to them. Some were great, some were… rookie. It was all a learning experience.

What it comes down to is - being able to tackle asking those questions on the ice with 3,000-5,000 fans watching and listening, and who knows how many more listening on live radio, while I only had a couple months of hockey experience under my belt really helped my confidence in this industry big time. If I can do that, I can do anything. Hockey gave me a backbone.
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I applied for an intership with a local team.I talked to a few members of the organization and they said "if anything should come up I will have a look at".I have a few contacts in pro and junior hockey but yet to get anywhere.Any real advice? I wants to get involved in hockey operations.

I have done my homework and know the success rate or lack there of.I'm going to college and wants get an education as something to fall back on.
 
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Although I haven't heard back about the ECHL internship and didn't get an answer to a follow-up I made the other day, I've made a decision about my career. I've decided that if I don't get a job in sports by December 31st (I'd be OK if I got a job this year but it didn't start till 2013), I'm going to make a break for something else.

I just can't keep working for free, and there's not enough jobs in the business for me to continue waiting it out. I work full-time, but as a contractor, my job doesn't provide health benefits. I'm only in my 20s but I feel like I have to start watching out for stuff like that. I'm starting to consider other areas where my writing and research skills will be of use, and I have background in other areas such as customer service that could benefit a company. It is looking more and more appealing to be able to still be a hockey fan and put money into season tickets and my jersey collection rather than working 10-12 hour days and continuing to work for free but still not getting anywhere.

I'm also looking at a field outside of communications/PR altogether, as the field as a whole is so competitive whether you're into sports or not.

It sucks to give up, because I have worked hard for a long time, but it's disappointing that my writing portfolio doesn't seem to mean anything to teams and they want me to take more free work. I used to work with a girl who did two sports internships, one with a minor league baseball team that has one of the best internship programs going, and she still didn't get a job in sports. So all the interning/working for free is clearly no guarantee.

But at some point, I have to stop chasing a fantasy and get practical. I'm thinking now is the time for that.
 
NYR89 said:
It's all about paying your dues. My personal story:

I just finished on campus this May and graduated with a Sport Management degree and a Marketing degree. To be completely honest, I learned more from joining clubs and organizations and being involved on campus than I did from class. Focus on standing out in everything possible and do things that have TANGIBLE results (ex. raising attendance xxxxx or raised xxxxxx). It will look great on a resume and gives you something to separate yourself from the rest of the crowd that took the same classes as you.

I interned with an NHL team this summer (only have 2 days left unfortunately). The key to transitioning the internship into a job is to work your ass off. Make sure every person that works for the team knows who you are. Make friends with employees AND interns in other departments. If there is an event going on in another department ask them if they need an extra set of hands. Even if they don't it will make you look fantastic. As far as turning a internship into a job with the same team immediately...it takes some luck. Someone has to be going out as you finish. However, that team/organization could become vital down the line if positions come open. Just because you don't get offered right away doesn't mean you will never work for them again.

As far as sales go, the one poster had it right. It's not glamorous at all, but talk to anyone in the industry and chances are they started in sales. It separates the people willing to put in the work to the one's that aren't. It also teaches you key skills in organization, communication and relationship building. My first job (starting in a few weeks!) is a sales position. I'm going into it open minded, but I would be lying if I said as of now sales is long-term for me. You just never know, it could be my calling. You have to be willing to try everything and work harder than everyone else.
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Really well said. I will also note that this industry is very much relationship based and most jobs aren't even exposed to the public. Internships are the best way to really get your foot in the door, and during your time there really try and make it out to all the employee outings where you could really bond and make those meaningful connections.
 
I figured since someone bumped the thread, I'd update on what's been going with me.

I never heard anything back from the ECHL team I interviewed with. But since it ended up being an unpaid position and I'd have to move, I wouldn't have been able to go anyway.

I'm still looking for internships, but since I'm late for hockey and most of those don't pay, I've been looking into minor league baseball teams which seem to offer stipends in various ranges. It's not hockey, but I've always thought minor league baseball was a fun environment, and I really admire how hard those staffs work. I didn't really want to intern, but unfortunately, the lack of response to my resume for jobs has forced me to rethink my priorities.

That said, I'm 27, so the idea of interning now is a little scary and WTF-esque, but people older than me have done internships in various fields, so I figured I should at least try.
 
Where do you think that accountancy could fit into hockey jobs? I was think that maybe teams could need them but do they hire accountants to stay on top of their financial information and would me doing my courses in the UK, where I live affect any change of a job in America If I were to go down that path or if I don't decided to just stick to accountancy in the UK.
 
Power2ThePenguins said:
I figured since someone bumped the thread, I'd update on what's been going with me.

I never heard anything back from the ECHL team I interviewed with. But since it ended up being an unpaid position and I'd have to move, I wouldn't have been able to go anyway.

I'm still looking for internships, but since I'm late for hockey and most of those don't pay, I've been looking into minor league baseball teams which seem to offer stipends in various ranges. It's not hockey, but I've always thought minor league baseball was a fun environment, and I really admire how hard those staffs work. I didn't really want to intern, but unfortunately, the lack of response to my resume for jobs has forced me to rethink my priorities.

That said, I'm 27, so the idea of interning now is a little scary and WTF-esque, but people older than me have done internships in various fields, so I figured I should at least try.
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Plenty of people start in minor league baseball. You get plenty of responsibility because the front office isn't very big. That being said it's tons of hours because of the schedules and the lack of employees.

Minor league baseball is a great place to start. You'd get to try just about everything and find what you really enjoy doing. Good luck!

Shrimper said:
Where do you think that accountancy could fit into hockey jobs? I was think that maybe teams could need them but do they hire accountants to stay on top of their financial information and would me doing my courses in the UK, where I live affect any change of a job in America If I were to go down that path or if I don't decided to just stick to accountancy in the UK.
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Teams have positions for accountants. Accounts receivable/payable for example. Teams may be reluctant to give you a chance because of the complications of a visa/work permit (I'm not familiar with this at all, but I'm sure there's something there). They may also shy away becaue of the cost of relocation. More than likely teams won't help pay to relocate because there are plenty of people who want that same job that have it easier. If/when you apply stress the fact that you've done your research and are prepared to relocate. Make them feel like they don't need to do any of the work.
 
Been a while since this thread has had an update...

After working in a sales capacity for almost 2 months now, it is MUCH different than I expected. I am actually enjoying the work more than I thought I would. I came into the gig expecting it to be miserable because of some other experiences I have heard about. However, I have come to realize it really depends on the team. The atmosphere here is fantastic, mostly attributed to our Inside Sales "team" is made up of 6 of us just recently graduated from school and in our first jobs.

The general jist being go into any job open minded no matter what you have heard from other people in the same/similar job. It will help you enjoy your work more than if you go in expecting it to be miserable.
 
A few months ago, I said that if I didn't have a sports job by the end of this year, that I would seriously look into moving on to opportunities outside of the biz. Although I briefly forgot about it on the high of interviewing with a minor league baseball team, I remembered coming back to reality.

The interview I had with the minor league team (OK, interviews) went very well, but the pay was so low there was no way I was going to be able to afford to move and live in the team's city. However, I ended up placing in the top five of over 30 candidates, so I guess I can't be too upset about that. I consider it an accomplishment given the competition.

However, I've realized that I'm not really up for selling tickets for not much over minimum wage. I want to work in media, even if that's low-paying too, and honestly, there's just not that many media relations jobs out there. The ones that seem to be available are non-paying or very low-paying internships. I'm in my late 20s and have a nice student loan bill (it's not as bad as some people are faced with, but I wish it were lower), and I'm thinking of going to grad school, which will only add more. I get told by contacts that I have potential, that I'm not doing anything wrong, and here I am still waiting for a break that may never came.

Right now, I am starting to explore other possibilities. I imagine I will stay in my original field (communications) but try to get a job in a non-sports capacity in that area, or I will explore something new altogether, as it's not like communications has a ton of earning potential and stability. This decision came about for some other reasons that I can PM to someone b/c I don't want to accidentally reveal my identity, but the money and lack of jobs other than pushing tickets are the biggest ones.
 
I need some Q's answered by Forumers that have knowledge...

of this subject; coaching.

Ok so I'd like to PM or receive a PM about coaching. I have tons of questions and I really am scrambling at this point in my life because my passion to coach in the NHL is a dream I want to accomplish one day. I know this will take decades and even then Im not sure where my life will be guided and if the opportunity to take this path is even laid out before me.


But I need to start somewhere.

Im a senior and right now I coming out of hs, playing experience of 8 years and I have been looking into coaching and schooling but as most know, college isnt cheap. But if need be, given the right circumstances, I would go through it.

I'd like to rack somebody's brain with questions instead of just listing questions on here and wasting my time.

MODS: sorry if this is posted in the wrong section, I figured this would be my best bet. Thank you for your time and if you PM me, you're an angel in disguise for my life. Thank you.
 
I need guidance.

Here's a brief description in hopes of somebody seeing this excluding the two other members on here that have already helped me a ton so far.

I want to coach. My dream in life is to coach at a professional level, in the NHL, Im not aiming or hoping to coach in the ECHL and be happy with that. I know that I will have to sacrifice, work for chump change, volunteer, most likely go to school, coach kids( I want to this summer), and I want to work my way up the ladder. This will take decades, Im sure of it, but this is what I want to do.

I was directed to some links and given advice to contact the TB and FLA organizations, as well as take coaching lessons, i will do so.

Im 17, turning 18 in a few weeks so this should have been inquired about yesterday if you know what I mean. I really need all the advice I can get from somebody that knows what colleges are suitable for courses that would be recommended for my situation so that I can look at my options. I have a passion to coach as I could see the game better than I could play it. I'd like to have 1000 different people to contact or inquire about so that I could get the ball rolling on this and not waste time.

I understand the casual person may think Im just "wanting to coach" but no, Im a determined person, Ive already worked hard for about 4 years(roofing), I know discipline, responsiblity and lots of values most wouldnt see in a young adult as myself.

Please PM me with anything you could help me with, I could not thank you enough. Thank you :)
 
Does the NHL or any of its teams have a summer internship program for first year law school students? I am studying at a reasonably good law school in the US and I'm doing well in school. I am looking for a summer internship position for when I finish my first year of school.
 
Just keeping anyone who may or not be interested in someone working in the industry, I'll be starting my 2nd season with a pro baseball team...again in a sales rep position. Just get your foot in the door, and a lot of good things can happen!
 
mizzoublues29 said:
Just keeping anyone who may or not be interested in someone working in the industry, I'll be starting my 2nd season with a pro baseball team...again in a sales rep position. Just get your foot in the door, and a lot of good things can happen!
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A few weeks into my first season and I seriously cannot imagine liking a job more than the one I currently have. It's not glamorous by any means, but it's just flat out fun. If you're struggling to get your foot in the door keep on plugging along.
 
Any information on being a hockey journalist? It's not really something I really want to be (still want to get into Urban Planning or Bussiness) but something I'm looking into.
 
Watch for the Yeti said:
Any information on being a hockey journalist? It's not really something I really want to be (still want to get into Urban Planning or Bussiness) but something I'm looking into.
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I looked into this myself a while ago and spent a year or two hoping to get into hockey writing/media relations with a team. My best advice to you would be to be prepared to write for free for a good, long time. There are plenty of sites on the web you can do this at (I can PM them to you with some info on each), but the competition is intense for things like credentials, future job openings, etc. When I was on the job market, I would apply for jobs with teams that drew 300-500 applicants, or more, even on the minor league level. I had a contact with a minor league team, and that wasn't even enough to give me an edge over other applicants. If you're going to do this, make sure you have a thick skin because the rejections WILL pile up, especially when you are first starting out.

I also have a friend who was writing his own blog about our hometown team (not Pittsburgh, contrary to my username) for the last two seasons, traveling to road games on his own dime to live tweet and make blog posts, etc. This season, he finally started getting credentials and landed a job with a small newspaper to cover an AHL team, but his conduct and attitude at times (he tends to be cocky, and I have overheard his statements at times...ugh!) have turned him off to some media relations folks. I'd say if you're going to do this, make sure you're professional at all times.

I am currently on a break from the hockey writing, as I was worn out from the grind of having a full-time job and writing for no pay when I wasn't working. Ultimately, I wanted to be a fan for a little while without trying to get into the working media side, and I am pretty happy with that. I have thought about writing again, but the hit to my energy and personal life doesn't seem worth it, knowing that I'd be doing it for no pay. I also got a promotion at my job a few months ago, and a decent raise to boot, so I'm not sure I'd still be willing to take the pay cut to work with a team.

Also, this isn't really mandatory, but if you can, get a mentor. Mine is a media relations director for a team, and I can't say enough good things about him. It was good knowing that I had that kind of support and encouragement, someone to put a word in for me for jobs, etc. It's worth it if you get connected to the right person, but even if you don't, keep looking.
 
Does Anyone Know who is Behind the Marketing for the NHL?

My Google skills obviously need a bit of work, but I can't seem to find this information at all.

Does anyone know the marketing/advertising agency that is behind the NHL? Or is it all done in house? There have been some great NHL campaigns lately, and (selfishly here) since I'm looking for work in advertising, I couldn't think of a better firm to apply to than the on that handles the NHL (if it's out of house advertising, of course).
 
silverfish said:
My Google skills obviously need a bit of work, but I can't seem to find this information at all.

Does anyone know the marketing/advertising agency that is behind the NHL? Or is it all done in house? There have been some great NHL campaigns lately, and (selfishly here) since I'm looking for work in advertising, I couldn't think of a better firm to apply to than the on that handles the NHL (if it's out of house advertising, of course).
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IIRC the "No Words" ad garnered a number of awards, so you might check to see which company produced it and try that.

I don't think the NHL does advertising/promos "in house".
 
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