Tips on Applying to My University of Iowa Practicum Course (and any Job/Internship)
‘Tis the season for making summer plans if you are a University of Iowa student who wants to get into my summer Sport Management practicum. Students have until February 17 to apply with a résumé and cover letter to take a three-credit-hour summer practicum course that involves sport management projects with the Chicago Blackhawks and the Cedar Rapids Kernels minor league baseball team.
The application process is competitive, and the experience gained can help students launch their careers.
60-70 students apply each year for about 20 available spots in the course.
One student was hired by the Blackhawks for a 12-month internship after her practicum ended.
The Blackhawks organization has implemented several worthy student recommendations in the past.
The practicum becomes a highlight on student résumés with many students reporting that they are still asked about the practicum during job interviews years after they graduated.
Because of the large number of applicants and the importance of assembling a team that will excel in a demanding environment, students need to take the application process as seriously as if they were applying for a job or internship. Below is advice for students who plan to apply, but this advice is applicable to any job or internship application, so I encourage all students to read this even if they are not applying for my practicum:
Grammar, spelling, punctuation, and formatting in your résumé, cover letter, and email communication should be flawless. It is astonishing to me how many students fail to take adequate time and seek assistance from others to help carefully edit their written materials. If you are sloppy with details and do not take time to get everything correct when presenting yourself on paper to be accepted to the course, you surely will let details slip through the cracks when under pressure in Chicago. Your written materials are a reflection of your attention to detail and communication ability, so perfect them before sending to me (or any prospective employers).
Do not tell me about your Blackhawks fandom! See my November 9, 2016, blog post "Stop Telling Sport Employers You Are A Huge Fan" for more information on why this will short-circuit your chances of being accepted. Start thinking like a sport business professional and investigate who the organization’s major corporate sponsors are, what the organization’s major promotions are, and learn about the team’s fan convention (which my students work at during the practicum).
Read the description of qualifications being sought and tell me which of those you possess and how you acquired them. I basically gave you the answers to the test, so to speak, in the informational flyer at our program website: ”Explain what you can offer in terms of previous experience, expertise, relevant course work, work ethic and/or any other qualities that you believe will contribute to success in the course. Desirable qualities include strong communication skills (public speaking/presentation and writing/editing), tireless work ethic, unyielding attention to detail, ability to work effectively with teammates, event management experience, dependability, maturity, creativity and an interest in performing market research in order to develop the best possible recommendation for the Blackhawks.” Your cover letter should show me how your experiences and education have helped you develop some or all of the qualities required to be successful in this experience.
Never inflate your GPA or misrepresent ANYTHING! Make sure your GPA is accurate if you list it on your résumé. If you misrepresent your GPA, even inadvertently, I will disqualify you from consideration. A few students each year make this mistake, and it costs them. How do I know it is not an accident? Because I have never seen anyone err on the low side when listing an incorrect GPA.
Keep your social media accounts professional. If your Twitter profile picture is of you and your buddies shotgunning beer on the beach during spring break (I seriously just saw that on a student Twitter account), I will bypass you for a student who presents a more professional image to the world, because you are probably not ready to handle this experience appropriately. As a friend of mine who works for ESPN once told a group of my students about managing their personal brands on social media, “If you can’t be trusted to manage your own brand online, what the hell makes you think I’m going to trust you with the ESPN brand?”
If I ask you to come to my office for a personal interview, at least dress business casual. I have asked finalists to come in for interviews and seen all levels of student dress. Just because my office is on campus and I am a teacher does not mean you should show up dressed the same as you would for my 9:30 a.m. Sport Law lecture. You are being considered for a chance to spend two weeks working with the Blackhawks. Wear clothing that suggests you might be able to blend into a formal office environment. Show me you are mature enough to dress up for one day on campus.
Students featured in SPORTS BUSINESS JOURNAL, AUGUST 8-14, 2016, Vol. 19 Issue 17
Finally, if you are accepted into the course, be prepared to work long hours under pressure and embrace the opportunity to get the most from every experience the course offers. The challenges that we all go through together – last summer I stayed awake for three consecutive days working with my students to help them prepare exceptional materials that would meet our deadlines – lead to lifelong friendships, professional connections, and plenty of fun while getting the job done. Students in previous years have written reflection papers with comments such as:
“The experience was one of the best of my life on a number of levels.”
“So many of the experiences were priceless because they are memories I will cherish for the rest of my life. Being able to do real work in the professional sport industry is going to benefit me greatly when I graduate college and start working.”
“These 3 weeks have been an experience that I will never forget. It has allowed me to gain a deeper understanding of what it is like to work in the sports industry. You have showed me the dedication it takes to make it in the sports industry.”
I wish all applicants the best of luck and look forward to reviewing your materials!