The number of sport-related event management jobs increases as the sport industry continues to grow. Almost every professional sports team, collegiate athletic program and sport governing body hires an event manager. But what type of skills are essential for students who are seeking jobs in sport event management?

For students searching entry into sport event management can find an increasing number of opportunities available. Organizations in sport industry recognizes the importance of individual employees that specializes in planning different types of events. Job titles like special events coordinator or director of events can commonly be found in an organization’s marketing department, event department, or facility management department. 

Several skills are critical for success in sport event management. One of the most important skills is the ability to manage and maintain a vibrant personal life. The long working hours in the industry can affect an event planner’s personal life. You may not be able to have a professional career if you cannot effectively manage your time, professional resources, interpersonal relationships and finances.

Interpersonal and Communication Skills

Interpersonal skills allow an individual to work effectively with others. The ability to work well with others and maintain diverse relationships is crucial. Event planners must network with a wide variety of people and organizations. Due to the increasing globalization of events in sports industry, event planners must be able to work and interact with diverse groups of people who speak multiple languages. Interpersonal skills also include written and verbal communication.

Time Management Skills

Effective time management in sports industry is essential, which essentially means being able to multitask. There is a wide variety of duties that event planners are responsible for, which makes their jobs very enjoyable. For example, one day you might travel to a destination for a site visit, while another day you might negotiate a contract, write a proposal, or attend meetings. Because of this wide variety of duties and the deadlines for an event, you must plan and manage their time well. Once the event arrives, an event planner is either prepared or not. Tasks in sports events must be done in advance and require strong organizational and time management skills.

Technology Skills

In the 21st century, students graduating from colleges and universities should be able to use technology proficiently. Senior co-workers often expect students to be highly advanced in these areas. The expectation is that students will graduate with advanced knowledge of social media sites such as Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), LinkedIn, Instagram, YouTube, and Snapchat. In addition, students should be familiar with software packages such as Microsoft Office and other types of media such as blogs, video conferencing, and mobile applications.

Moreover, event planners need to understand information technology (IT) security, use various project management and customer relationship management (CRM) software packages, and manage and develop websites. Students may, however, graduate without knowing about the software packages unique to their industry. It is a good idea for students who know what sort of jobs they will seek after graduation to conduct research while still in school to determine what kind of technology skills are required for those jobs. 

Header photo by Dylan Freedom