My little brother is in the process of getting his MBA in Sports Management and wrote the following to a high school student asking for advice. He copied me on the email and I wanted to share his words with you all. Just replace the word "sports" with "theater."
" - Most importantly, in sports it is all about who you know. You must have connections inside of sports teams to have a shot at getting the exciting positions. You should do everything in your power to get to know people who can help further your career. Make the effort to develop relationships, and keep them over the years.
- Passion is not enough. Everyone who you're competing against is passionate about sports and wants to work in it for the same reasons you do. You must turn your passion into outstanding work and stand out above others who will be trying their best to stand out above you. How do you stand out? See the points below.
- Always have a smile on your face and make it clear that you really love what you're doing. This means that if you are doing bitch work (like moving boxes or standing outside during the game doing customer service instead of getting to watch) you still need to smile. It's at these moments where having a smile gets noticed.
- Do everything to the best of your ability. If you are moving boxes, do it well. My first day working for the Gators, I moved over 100 packets of posters from one storage area to another in 100 degree heat. One semester later I was promoted to leading the on-court promotions during Men's Basketball. I made this jump by doing every assignment my bosses gave me to my best ability. They responded by adding to my responsibilities little by little until I had a position that many people wanted.
- Ask for more responsibilities and then deliver better than expected. As you gain credibility, you will get a lot of opportunities to take on additional work."
(I'm so proud of him.)
