Best way to pursue a job in a Sports Information Department?

So, I've got a quick question.

I was wondering if anyone here has gone from a career in sports journalism to a job at a sports information department at a college or university.

With the way the newspaper business appears to be going, I fully expect that in the next couple of years I am going to have to find work outside the field, and a job at a SID seems like a logical choice given my experience and abilities.

Any comments?

 

Re: Best way to break into a SID?

with a sledgehammer.

 

Re: Best way to break into a SID?

Sounds awfully grisly, breaking into an SID.

 

Re: Best way to break into a SID?

pennies.

 

Re: Best way to break into a SID?

Crowbar and some elbow grease. If nothing else, you'll make it fun!

 

Re: Best way to break into a SID?

Distract him by telling him the Nationals are on TV.

 

There.

Edited for less sarcasm

 

Re: Best way to break into a SID?

Bravo.

 

In answer to the question, you get into SID like you would any other job. Talk it up with SIDs you already know, and also start applying for jobs---one place you can find them listed is in NCAA weekly newspaper classified.

There's no magical formula otherwise. It's not like you have to take an SID version of a civil service test to become eligible or get an SID degree from University of SID.

Buddying up to Sid Fernandez of Sidney Crosby couldn't hurt.

 

Sid Moncrief got out of the car business in '99, so no joy.

 

I'd say go to a university's athletic website and look for a Career Opportunities link. I found a few opportunities, though none came through, for entry-level stuff with local D-1 schools in marketing and game day operations.

 

Friends tell me that it's very difficult to jump into a D-I situation unless you already have a foot in the door by means of interning at the school or have a work-study job there as a student. It's a similar situation a lot of the time in D-II and D-III, especially because there are a lot of two- and three-person departments in which positions don't turn over that quickly.

But once you do get your foot in the door in D-III and do a solid job for a couple of seasons, there are opportunities to move up for people with solid newspaper experience also showing up on the resume.