With almost 3 million payroll employees across the state in industries that are growing and looking for recent graduates of colleges, universities, technical schools, credential programs, and apprenticeships. The numbers show that Missouri has plenty of room in the workforce for those that are interested in a whole host of careers and industries. So, how are you going to work?
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So you want to work in sports? A career in sports can be a very rewarding and fun path to go down. However, it’s a super competitive field , and experience is king. Whether you want to be the director of marketing or the head coach, the path to get to each is both similar and very different at the same time. In this article, we will dive into potential paths to take to get to your end goal of a dream job working for your favorite team!
It’s perfectly normal to not know what you want to do in life when you’re in high school. There’s a lot to think about! College, a career, money, extra-curriculars, and more. To expect someone at this age to have it all figured out is crazy. However, you enjoy sports! It’s not something that every little kid dreams of, working in sports. Most dream of being out there on the field playing, but there are plenty of opportunities off the field. A lot of students don’t think of sports as a career path if they aren’t actually on the field. Don’t blame them, but those students couldn’t be more wrong. Let’s discuss some ways you could get ahead of your competition starting in high school.
Wherever you are, you are likely within an hour-or-so of a college / university with some sort of athletic program. If you have options, it’s probably best to start smaller. Smaller departments, such as community colleges, often have lower barriers to entry than a large Division I institution. For starters, send an email to their athletic department. Explain that you are interested in a career in sports and see if there’s any sort of opening for you to job shadow or help out in any way.
For as many colleges as there are in sports, it’s a surprisingly tight-knit community. Many director-level employees are well-connected and can make for a great reference / job opportunity. Maybe you’re more into sports photography? Well, apply the same method. Tell them you’ll come and take pictures for free, edit some, send them to the department, and see what they think.
High school will probably be the hardest place to gain a footing in the field, since many programs won’t hire below the college level. Also, don’t get discouraged by being told no, especially if there are other options in the area. There’s a good chance you’ll hit bumps in the road on the way there. It’s also not a bad idea to attach some form of a resume / cover letter when you reach out. Any extra effort will put you that much further ahead of your competition, and doing any of this in high school gets you far ahead of the competition.
Now that you’ve finished high school and your next step is college, maybe you got some experience in high school. If you didn’t, you’re on the same level as everyone else who will end up in the field. The first step towards working in sports in college is getting an internship. Most colleges, even major Division I schools, hire interns with little to no experience. The same goes for coaching. A team assistant will be required to know a decent amount about the sport they want to be a part of, but no prior coaching or athletics experience is typically required.
There are internships with offices like ticketing, marketing, guest relations, and operations. Each plays its own part in making sure the team and fans have the best experience they can at a game. The two most popular are operations and marketing. Operations will handle things such as setting up and tearing down equipment, putting up tents outside the stadium for tailgates, ensuring that ushers or part-time event staff are performing their duties, and more. Marketing focuses on the fan experience aspects of the game, making sure the environment is at its best.
Sports marketing is a field where you can really let your creativity fly. From planning out themed nights for fans, to choosing the music to be played in the arena, there are lots of places during a game where marketing plays a part. The first step is to see if your chosen school has a sport management program. Many of these programs touch on all aspects of sports. From marketing, to actual management of a team, to the creative aspect behind it all. Talk to your counselor about where you want to end up, and they will do their best to get you there.
Sports programs are popping up at more and more institutions as the field becomes larger and more competitive. Counselors can also direct you towards internship opportunities. Many interns don’t start until their junior or senior year, so starting early is your biggest ally. Once you’ve found some opportunities, make sure you have time in your schedule to commit. As an intern, you’ll be working lots of games that take place in the evening and even during the day. To make a good impression, it needs to be a priority but not over schoolwork. It should be a priority over going out with friends, playing video games, or other extra-curriculars. That is not to say you’ll never be able to do these things, but there will be times you need to be able to sacrifice a night of doing something you enjoy to work a game. However, if this is a field you want to get into, it shouldn’t feel like you’re going to work anyways. It should feel like you’re just picking this hobby over the other, and having fun while doing it.
We don’t want to sugar-coat it, though. There will be a lot of grunt-work as an intern, such as repetitive tasks, long hours, and late nights. All of this may seem unimportant at the time, but rest assured, it is a crucial part of the process. All the pom-poms in your seat when you arrive at the game, all the t-shirts you catch during timeouts, all the students shooting half-court shots, all of that is done by interns. Games wouldn’t be the same without them and their hard work. So don’t feel like you’re being undervalued or the stuff you’re doing isn’t meaningful. You definitely want to carry out these tasks with a mindset that you’re doing it to set yourself up for a more successful future. Your supervisors will take note of your hard work and dedication.
Think of an internship as a very involved tryout. If you want to make the team, you must show extra effort! Take every opportunity that comes your way. If your boss messages a group of interns asking for some extra help, jump at the chance to assist. As a team assistant, you may be asked to travel extra, or even help out with game film. As an operations intern, you may be asked to stay late, arrive early, or lead a smaller team of interns if you’ve been there a while. There will be many opportunities that pop up for you to make an impact and good impression on your supervisors. Remember, they will be your best references when finding a job. If you’ve done everything listed above, there’s a great chance they will help you find a job and be in your corner every step of the way.
You have made it through the gauntlet of being an intern in college sports and now you’re ready for the big leagues. This is where your path can go in any number of directions. Some decide to continue college and go after a master’s degree, while some are done with school and ready for their next challenge. Both are great options, but you need to make sure you have a plan in place.
Whichever route you decide to take, relocation will probably be involved, and it’s probably for the best. Relocation is something that will happen to you in the world of sports; it’s inevitable. It definitely isn’t a field where you get a job straight out of college and stay there for 5-10 years.
Let’s start with more school, though. If you decide you want to get a master’s, the next step in the sports world is to become a graduate assistant. There are graduate assistant positions open all over the country and for most sectors within sports. Operations, marketing, and coaching all have graduate assistant opportunities. Almost every collegiate sports team has G.A. coaches on their staff. The same goes for marketing and operations. Your supervisor from undergrad could be a great resource and, as mentioned earlier, are almost always willing to help you further your career.
A saying in college sports is “everyone in college sports is two connections away”. There is a great chance that your boss knows someone from a school that you are interested in. Talk to them! Use them as a resource! Especially if you’re someone who always jumped at extra chances to help out. A G.A. position is a great route to take. You get an extra degree and a ramp-up in responsibility and duty, you broaden your connections, and you get a little more experience before stepping into a full-time role.
On the other hand, getting a job straight out of college is an option as well. You may find it slightly difficult to secure a full-time position, especially if there are applicants who have been a graduate assistant or have better recommendations. On the bright side, you are getting more in-depth experience in your role than you would as a graduate assistant. As a full-time employee, higher expectations and more responsibility will fall on your shoulders. As mentioned before, experience is king and you’d be getting more of it going this route.
Either option is great. It’s just about balancing your priorities and what makes the most sense for you!
Working in sports is a whirlwind. It’s full of constant action, passes to every game, and it’s in an environment where teamwork and culture come first. There are amazing benefits to working in sports, and it really can be a career you stay in for life. Just make sure you’re committed. You’ll have to travel, relocate, work overtime, make tough decisions, manage people your age and older, and more. Most of that will probably occur while still in college too. However tough it may be, the payoff is incredible. Seeing tens, to hundreds, to thousands, to tens of thousands of fans enjoy an experience that you planned out, seeing them sing along to a song you picked, and seeing fans and teams utilize the things that you have set up for them is so rewarding.
Now, keep in mind that this article is in no way meant to be an exact syllabus that you have to follow in order to succeed in sports. There are so many other paths to take. These are just a few that could definitely get you to where you want to be. So, if you’re still thinking about a career in sports, go for it! You never know what opportunities lie ahead.
With more than 2.8 million payroll employees across the state in industries that are growing and looking for recent graduates of colleges, universities, technical schools, credential programs, and apprenticeships. The numbers show that Missouri has plenty of room in the workforce for those that are interested in a whole host of careers and industries. So, how are you going to work?
Three companies on Forbes 100 Best Places to Work list – Veterans United, Jones Financial (Edward Jones), and World Wide Technology – are headquartered here in Missouri. Each company employs large numbers of people and reported hundreds of job openings company wide as of March of 2021. Jones Financial reported 910 job openings, Veterans United Home Loans reported 558 openings, and World Wide Technology reported 268 job openings.
According to an October 2021 report from the Missouri Economic Research and Information Center (MERIC), there were around 67,700 job postings in Missouri with companies hoping to hire people. If you’re looking for a new job or career change, Missouri is a good place to start.
Missouri is centrally located in the country, making working with both the east and west coasts convenient for remote workers or just those who need to be centrally located for travel. Additionally, high speed internet and better broadband access in rural areas has been made a priority by Gov. Mike Parson. In 2021, $400 million was budgeted to help with broadband access.
Missouri allows you to live in one of the most affordable states in the U.S. Missouri ranks the 12th lowest in the U.S. for cost of living (MERIC) and the 12th cheapest state to buy a house (learn.roofstock.com). To do a little comparison, let’s look at the cost of buying a gallon of regular unleaded gasoline. According to AAA, in Missouri, as of December 2021, the average cost of a gallon of gas is $2.95 while the cost in Illinois, Missouri’s neighbor, is $3.44.
Missouri is the 10th best place to be single. We rank 12th for dating opportunities, 12th for dating economics, and 16th for romance and fun, according to wallethub.com.
If you live and work in Missouri, there are plenty of opportunities for romance as well as places to take your romantic partner on a date. Check out 8 Places to go on a Date Night in Missouri or just go to Visit MO’s Things to Do page.
Missouri ranks No.4 in the nation in opportunity for its citizens, according to USnews.com. Missouri is a great place to start or own a business, boasting a rank of 11 in the country. Missouri’s businesses weathered the pandemic better than most and the state was ranked third in the nation for pandemic proof small businesses.
If you’re interested in taking advantage of Missouri’s business-friendly atmosphere, the Missouri Secretary of State’s Office has step-by-step instructions for starting a business in Missouri.
Missouri ranks No.9 in the nation for equality. According to USnews.com, “the ratio of men to women in the labor force, as well as gaps between their median incomes, as well as the difference in unemployment between people with disabilities and those without, and gaps in educational achievement, income and employment between non-Hispanic whites and other racial groups” are measured to determine this. Missouri ranked 6th in the nation for equity in the income gap by race on this same list.
Missouri is a great place to raise a family. Wallet Hub says Missouri comes in third in the nation for low cost child care, surpassed only by Mississippi and South Dakota. All 10 of Niche.com’s top 10 places to raise a family in Missouri are suburbs of St. Louis, with highly rated school systems, bright job prospects, and lower costs of living. However, St. Louis isn’t the only great place to raise a family and if you prefer the country or small-town life, there’s plenty of that too.
This information is accurate as of December 16, 2021.
Regardless of whether you have chosen a major, your career path might be in a different field than the one you studied for in college. That is normal. It happens all the time. Journalism students work for PR firms; biology majors go to dental school; communications grads join sales teams; etc.
Finding a first job that matches your major isn’t nearly as important as finding a job that matches your skills and passions, as well as the demands of the labor market.
It’s also worth noting that the labor market is constantly in flux. At any given time, some career fields will have an abundance of job openings, while others are scarce.
With that in mind, here are several occupations that are projected to grow over the next decade and hire a lot of recent college graduates.
Annual Openings in Missouri: 5,525
Average Wage in Missouri: $65,130 / year
Ten-year Growth Rate in Missouri: 16.2%
Because the U.S. population is getting older and health issues such as COVID-19 have entered the scene, quality health care demands are on the rise. That means registered nursing will be an in-demand occupation for years to come. You can work in the health care field and become a nurse with either a bachelor’s degree or an associate degree. Regardless, you’ll have to pass the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX) after earning your degree.
The bachelor’s degree route can lead to a higher salary, faster career advancement, and more professional autonomy. Earning an associate degree in nursing instead takes less time and is less expensive.
Because the U.S. population is getting older and health issues such as obesity are common, quality health care demands are on the rise. That means registered nursing will be an in-demand occupation for years to come. You can become a RN with either a Bachelor’s or associate degree. Regardless, you’ll have to pass the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX) after earning your degree.
The Bachelor’s degree route can lead to a higher salary, faster career advancement, and more professional autonomy. Earning an associate degree in nursing instead takes less time and is less expensive.
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Annual Openings in Missouri: 762
Average Wage in Missouri: $113,120 / year
Ten-year Growth Rate in Missouri: 17.8%
Americans spend $11,000 per capita on health care annually – more than any country in the world. So hospitals are hiring — much like nurses — a lot of medical and health service managers to meet the high demand for quality care. Medical and health services managers (also called health care executives or health care administrators) plan, direct, and coordinate medical and health services. They may manage an entire facility, a specific clinical area or department, or a medical practice for a group of physicians.
Americans spend $11,000 per capita on health care annually – more than any country in the world. So hospitals are hiring — much like nurses — a lot of medical and health service managers to meet the high demand for quality care. Medical and health services managers (also called healthcare executives or healthcare administrators) plan, direct, and coordinate medical and health services. They may manage an entire facility, a specific clinical area or department, or a medical practice for a group of physicians.
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Information security analysts plan and carry out security measures to protect an organization’s computer networks and systems. Their responsibilities are continually expanding as the number of cyberattacks increase. Information security analysts usually need at least a bachelor’s degree in computer science, information assurance, programming, or a related field.
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Annual Openings in Missouri: 352
Average Wage in Missouri: $91,210 / year
Ten-year Growth Rate in Missouri: 37.5%
Information security analysts plan and carry out security measures to protect an organization’s computer networks and systems. Their responsibilities are continually expanding as the number of cyberattacks increase. Information security analysts usually need at least a bachelor’s degree in computer science, information assurance, programming, or a related field.
Interested in designing and programming computer applications? The software engineering occupation is not only high paying and rapidly growing, its barrier to entry is lower than you might think. While a bachelor’s degree in computer science will give you the theoretical knowledge that many employers are looking for, you can still get an entry-level job with an associate degree. There are also Coding Bootcamps, a relatively newer path to a software engineer career. These Bootcamp programs often take just 8 to 12 weeks and equip students with the training needed to land an entry-level job.
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Annual Openings in Missouri: 1,710
Average Wage in Missouri: $93,880 / year
Ten-year Growth Rate in Missouri: 26.9%
Interested in designing and programming computer applications? The software engineering occupation is not only high paying and rapidly growing, its barrier to entry is lower than you might think. While a bachelor’s degree in computer science will give you the theoretical knowledge that many employers are looking for, you can still get an entry-level job with an associate degree. There are also Coding Bootcamps, a relatively newer path to a software engineer career. These Bootcamp programs often take just 8 to 12 weeks and equip students with the training needed to land an entry-level job.
Educational requirements vary for sales representatives and depend on the type of products sold. If the products are scientific or technical, sales representatives typically need at least a bachelor’s degree.
In addition to a rising total volume of sales, a wider range of products and technologies will lead to increased demand for sales representatives. Although wholesale sales are increasingly being conducted online, these online sales are expected to complement, rather than replace, face-to-face selling. Therefore, online sales are not expected to have a negative effect on employment growth for these workers.
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(Technical and Scientific Products)
Annual Openings in Missouri: 653
Average Wage in Missouri: $84,150 / year
Ten-year Growth Rate in Missouri: 8.1%
Educational requirements vary for sales representatives and depend on the type of products sold. If the products are scientific or technical, sales representatives typically need at least a bachelor’s degree.
In addition to a rising total volume of sales, a wider range of products and technologies will lead to increased demand for sales representatives. Although wholesale sales are increasingly being conducted online, these online sales are expected to complement, rather than replace, face-to-face selling. Therefore, online sales are not expected to have a negative effect on employment growth for these workers.
Data provided by Missouri Economic Research & Information Center and U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Operational Outlook Handbook.
If you have just graduated college or are about to graduate college, you have probably spent a lot of time thinking about your next move.
Maybe you want to stay and work in your college town. Maybe you want to go back and work where you grew up. Maybe you’re looking for something new – a change of scenery, a clean slate.
Whether you’re looking for a big city, a smaller town, or anything in between, the state of Missouri has a lot to offer new grads.
For many college grads, the cost of living in America’s coastal cities is too high. Even a high paying entry-level position will only land you a small apartment with multiple roommates in places like San Francisco, Boston, and Washington D.C. However, that’s not the case in the Midwest.
Every year, Porch, a paid service for current and aspiring homeowners, ranks the best cities for recent college graduates to live. The ranking factors in affordability, job market, and recreational activities available in a given city.
In 2021, according to Porch, seven of the ten best cities for new college grads are in the Midwest. All ten cities are in landlocked states.
The state of Missouri fared well in Porch’s rankings. St. Louis scored the second-highest score among large metros to move to after college. This high ranking can be mostly attributed to St Louis’ low cost of living, which is about 10 percent less than the average large-size U.S. metro. And with large employers such as Ascension Health Alliance, Enterprise Rent-A-Car, and Emerson Electric, the unemployment rate for recent graduates in St. Louis is 1.8 percent.
The city on the west side of the state also ranks high among large metros for recent grads. Porch lists Kansas City at No.8.
Recent grads, especially those from Missouri’s colleges and universities, have been flocking to Kansas City for years – more so than St. Louis even.
With a championship NFL team in the Chiefs, an elite concert venue in the T-Mobile Center, awesome shopping at the Plaza, and a great late-night scene at Westport– on top of a strong job market and relatively low cost of living — Kansas City is a preferred destination for young people just starting their careers.
If you’re looking for something a little smaller, less crowded, more cost effective, Missouri has some great small and midsize cities. Porch ranked Jefferson City the No.1 small metro for recent college graduates because of its low cost of living and strong job market. There are large companies headquartered in the state’s smaller cities, such as Bass Pro Shop and O’Reilly Auto Parts which are both headquartered in Springfield. St. Joseph’s cost of living is lower than the Missouri average, yet you’d still be only a one-hour drive away from Kansas City. Exploring Missouri’s small and mid-sized city options can offer the recent college graduate plenty of opportunity to choose from.
In the world of COVID-19, virtual may be the new normal for a lot of people. Going forward, school, work, and meetings will likely include an online or remote element. The same can be said for internships.
Internships provide great opportunities for college students to gain insights into the work they will be doing in their chosen career path. However, an internship where the work is done primarily in a remote setting can come with a few added difficulties.
Here are some tips on how you can make the most of a virtual internship:
It is hard sometimes to understand certain projects or work you may be assigned. Do not be afraid to reach out and ask for clarification. A simple email or call could be the difference between completing the project successfully and messing it up. Do not be afraid to ask questions, you are not in the physical office building, so communication is essential!
Being a virtual intern means there is a lot more room for distraction than if you were in person. By establishing set times throughout the week to work on assignments for your internship, you will be organized and get things done on time.
Establishing good working relationships is a little more difficult when you are interning virtually, but it is not impossible! Ask your supervisor which staff members you’ll be working closely with. Then schedule meetings with those staff members and get to know them. Just because your internship is virtual does not mean you can’t create mutually beneficial relationships with your coworkers!
Internships may be a little different virtually, but that does not mean they are any less important. Work hard on all the projects you are given, ask for feedback, establish what kind of work you enjoy, and make sure to challenge yourself. If you feel like your workload is a little light, ask your boss for a few additional projects. A virtual internship may be hard at first, but you can get just as much out of it as you would if you were in person!
