The NAIA Gender Equity Committee is committed to raising awareness about issues related to women
and diversity in sports and providing tools to help address these issues. These best practices were
compiled to assist NAIA membership to maximize candidate pools and foster career opportunities for
coaches and administrators from diverse backgrounds. Each topic includes a general description with
broad-based tips, followed by a list of additional resources in the form of websites, presentations and
literature that drill down into the details.
Information in this toolkit was assembled by members of the NAIA-Gender Equity Committee with
assistance from NAIA membership, the NCAA Gender Initiative, and NCAA Diversity and Inclusion
Department.
Table of Contents
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PART 1 — Getting Started: Planning for Success
2
Advantages of Staff Diversity
2
Establish a Core Philosophy
2
Work Environment Considerations
2
Create and Continually Evaluate a Diversity Issues Plan
3
HR Best Practices
4
Title IX – Quick History and Implications
5
PART 2 — The Search: Recruiting a Strong, Diverse Staff
7
Enhancing the Candidate Pool
7
Promoting Work Life Balance
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PART 3 — Building for the Future
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Academic Programming
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Creating Internship/Student Assistant Opportunities in your Department
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Grooming Future Candidates through Mentoring
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Resources to Share with Students
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PART 1 — Getting Started: Planning for Success
By using the most up-to-date hiring strategies athletic departments can improve the size and diversity
of applicant pools when positions become available.
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Advantages of Staff Diversity
Diversity Defined. Individuals from a wide cross section of society in respect to age, gender,
ethnicity, religious belief, educational background, sexual orientation, language.
Increased numbers of women and traditional minorities have and will continue to enter the workplace.
A diverse staff is key to meeting and addressing the needs of all college and athletic department
stakeholders.
Diversity provides:
• The opportunity to take advantage of the best skills available
• A reflection of the society in which we work, better able to address the needs of an
increasingly diverse constituency
• Valuable, different perspectives which promote diversity of thought
• Source of creativity and innovation which helps foster change
Additional Resources:
• The Inclusion Breakthrough. Book written by Frederick A. Miller and Judith H. Katz
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Establish a Core Philosophy
Nearly all institutions of higher learning have a mission statement or philosophy that establishes the
platform for their policies, values and identity. Designating diversity as an institutional priority clarifies
the importance of these expectations and goals with one’s own administration and with the public.
Clearly stated policies are essential for best practices to succeed.
An athletic department may also choose to detail diversity goals at the departmental level as well.
Sample Core Philosophy:
The University will treat all people with dignity and respect, valuing the diversity of all. It will promote
equality of opportunity and diversity. It will eliminate all forms of discrimination on the grounds of
race, gender, marital status, disability, age, social class, sexual orientation or religion/belief.
Additional Resources:
• Achieving Excellence through Diversity and Inclusion presentation of best practices
• Diversity in Athletics: An Assessment of Exemplars and Institutional Best
Practices, NCAA brochure
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1)
Work Environment Considerations
Avoid Built-in Biases:
Concerns about “homologous” or “homosocial” refer to the theory and supporting research that
dominates tend to reproduce (hire others like) themselves.
“Invisible” biases include:
• Family obligations seen as a lack of career commitment
• Job descriptions that exclude viable candidates
• Perception that “affirmative action” hires are less competent
• Cultural biases
• Unprofessional or inhospitable work environments
National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics • 1200 Grand Blvd., Kansas City, MO 64106 • www.naia.org
Toolkit Page 2
2)
Create Policies and Procedures that will Sustain and Retain New Hires:
• Create a diversity statement and an accompanying plan to develop and sustain diversity
• Develop and communicate a clear path to success/path to promotion
• Offer equal access to advancement
• Provide fair compensation, and frequently assess and evaluate its practice
• Conduct exit interviews to uncover areas needing improvement
3)
Promote and Encourage Success
• Reward mentoring, involvement in leadership roles that typically do not carry monetary
compensation
• Provide professional development opportunities like leadership and training
4)
Build a Dynamic, Innovative Work Environment
• Take active steps to ensure the work place is free of unprofessional language and
conduct
• Combat sexual harassment
• Rotate administrative responsibilities (i.e. meeting note-takers, event management, etc.)
• Create and support flexible work environments including reasonable parental leave
options, part-time positions, job sharing, flex hours, emergency/sick child care.
Encourage the use of and make it OK for people to use these options.
• Formalize a mentoring program
• Allow and encourage participation in women’s or minority associations and organizations,
sponsor membership
• Create networking opportunities across disciplines
• Encourage cultural networks
• Institute a recognition/reward system
Additional Resources:
• An Examination of Homologous Reproduction in the Representation of Assistant
Coaches of Women's Teams, article by Michael Sagas, George B. Cunningham, Ken
Teed published in Sex Roles: A Journal of Research , Oct, 2006
• 101 Recognition Secrets: Tools for Motivating and Recognizing Today’s
Workforce, book by Rosalind Jeffries
• Making Diversity Work: 7 Steps for Defeating Bias in the Workplace, book by Sondra
Thiederman
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Creating and Continually Evaluating a Diversity Issues Plan
There are several ways to utilize a diversity issues plan. First, at the institutional level an athletics
department can
• Establish written diversity objectives
• Create a gender equity plan
• Foster collaboration between the department of athletics and the institution’s multicultural
office on programming, education and events
NAIA member institutions also play an influential role in conference administration. Working with
conference administration to develop a statement of diversity in conference membership
requirements can supplement and enhance diversity efforts being made in individual conference
institutions and within the NAIA governing/leadership structure.
Additional Resources:
• Gender Equity and the Black Female in Sport, article from the Women’s Sports
Foundation
• Declining Opportunities: Job Prospects for Women and Minorities in College
Athletics Have Decreased, Article by Brad Wolverton, Chronicle of Higher Education,
October 28, 2005 (membership required)
• Black Coaches Association website
National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics • 1200 Grand Blvd., Kansas City, MO 64106 • www.naia.org
Toolkit Page 3
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The Institute for Diversity and Ethics in Sport website
National Association of Collegiate Women Athletic Administrators (NACWAA)
website
NCAA Diversity Training Tools website
Creating a Diversity Action Plan website for the Employer Resource Guide from The
Looking Ahead Initiative
HR Best Practices (extracted from Betsy Alden and Associates)
To meet these demands of today’s competitive job market, the hiring process should be consistent,
streamlined, and clearly outlined to all involved. Executive search firm, Alden and Associates,
recommends the following:
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Prepare a hiring manual. The process should be consistent, streamlined, and clearly outlined
including the following:
1) Institutional Policies, Mission Statement and Departmental Goals.
See Establishing a Core Philosophy section above.
2) Checklist and Timeline
The checklist should include all actions needed to conduct the search to a successful
conclusion, how long each action will take, and a blank line for who is specifically
responsible for each action. A checklist will also facilitate keeping the search organized
and those involved in the process accountable to their assigned tasks.
Be realistic about how long each step in the hiring process takes.
3) Search Committee
Using a committee provides insight from a variety of perspectives (including those
outside the department), helps distribute tasks associated with the hiring process and
creates a more collaborative work environment.
The manual should state any rules about your search committee you may want to
establish (eg. standard number of members, include a person from a minority group,
confidentiality statements, code of conduct, etc.)
4) Search Profile
A search profile is a description of the open job for use by the search committee. Its
purpose is to ensure that all committee members understand the major objectives of the
job; and to provide applicants with more information than what appears in a short job
listing. It makes sure that everyone is heading in the same direction on the hiring
process.
5) Job Announcement
The job announcement is developed from the search profile, condensed into description
for publicity purposes. Suggested posting opportunities are listed in the Advertising for
Success section below.
6) Review & Selection
This section of the manual should give guidance on how committee members should
process, evaluate, and choose candidates and helps ensure all candidates are evaluated
in a consistent manner.
7) Final Checks
Hiring due diligence includes credit checks, public record checks, criminal and civil
litigation checks, and educational degree verification, and checking references, which
may be best handled by the institution’s human resources department.
National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics • 1200 Grand Blvd., Kansas City, MO 64106 • www.naia.org
Toolkit Page 4
Additional Resources:
• Goal: A Good Hire, article by Dr. Elizabeth Alden, originally printed in Athletic
Management, 13.6, October/November 2001
• Sample Best Hiring Practices from NCAA-DII
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Title IX — Quick History and Implications
1) TITLE IX of the Education Amendments – 1972
No person in the United States shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from participation in, be
denied the benefits of or be subjected to discrimination under any education program or activity
receiving Federal financial assistance. ( 20 U.S.C. Section 1681)
2) Title IX Requirements
a.
REQUIREMENT #1 – PARTICIPATION, Three Prong Test
i. Prong One – Proportionality: Male and female athletes are “substantially
proportionate” to their respective undergraduate enrollments OR
ii. Prong Two: Demonstrate a history and continuing practice of expanding opportunities
for the underrepresented sex (usually females) OR
iii. Prong Three: Completely and effectively accommodate the interests and abilities of
the underrepresented sex
b. REQUIREMENT #2 - FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE:
Total scholarship dollars allocated to male and female sport teams do not have to be equal
but must be in proportion to the percentage of male and female student-athletes.
Example: If 60% of the athletes are male, then 60% of the scholarship money is to be
allocated to the male athletes.
c.
REQUIREMENT #3 - OTHER PROGRAM AREAS
Comparisons are to be made between male and female programs in their entirety not sport
by sport. Also, Title IX does not require that each team get exactly the same services and
supplies or that equal dollars are spent between the sport teams (Javits Amendment).
Rather they must receive fair treatment and benefits. In assessing these program areas
schools need to evaluate the quality, amount, suitability, maintenance and replacement,
and availability. (Reith, Women’s Sports Foundation, 2004)
“THE LAUNDRY LIST”
Equipment and Supplies
Scheduling of Games and Practice Times
Travel and Daily Allowance
Access to Tutoring
Coaching
Locker Rooms, Practice and Competitive Facilities
Medical and Training Facilities and Services
Housing and Dining Facilities and Services
Publicity
Recruitment of Student-Athletes
Support Services
Additional Resources:
• Understanding Title IX, Women’s Sports Foundation
• Title IX Overview, National Association for Girls and Women in Sport – 27 year update
• Title IX Overview, National Association for Girls and Women in Sport – 31 year update
• Title IX Statute, 20 U.S.C. Sec. 1681-1688
• Title IX Federal Regulations, Department of Education, Office of Civil Rights, 34 CFR
Sec. 106.41 (rev. July 1, 1999)
• Title IX Legal Manual, U.S. Department of Justice, Civil Rights Division.
• 2008 NCAA Gender Equity Manual
National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics • 1200 Grand Blvd., Kansas City, MO 64106 • www.naia.org
Toolkit Page 5
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NCAA Teaching Title IX Resources
Title IX Athletics Policies, Issues and Data for Education Decision Makers, report
from the National Coalition for Women and Girls in Education (NCWGE), Updated May
10, 2007
Playing Fair. A Women’s Sports Foundation Guide to Title IX in High School and
College Sports, report by Kathryn M. Reith, (2004). East Meadow, NY: Women’s Sports
Foundation
Breaking Down Barriers: A Legal Guide to Title IX and Athletic Opportunities,
publication from the National Women’s Law Center, 2007
Enforcement Guidance on Sex Discrimination in the Compensation of Sports
Coaches in Educational Institutions, EEOC Notice No. 915.002, October 29, 1997.
EEOC Issues Guidance on Application of Anti-Discrimination Laws to Coaches:
Pay at Educational Institutions, article published by the U.S. Equal Employment
Opportunity Commission, October 31, 1997
National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics • 1200 Grand Blvd., Kansas City, MO 64106 • www.naia.org
Toolkit Page 6
PART 2 — The Search: Recruiting a Strong, Diverse Staff
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Enhancing the Candidate Pool
Here are some helpful strategies that can help you increase the number and quality of applicants for your
open positions.
1) Sourcing
Sourcing is a proactive approach to finding candidates who may not be actively looking for a
new position but might be interested if the right opportunity came along. Do not hesitate to
reach out to your own professional contacts such as
• fellow administrators
• conference commissioners
• professional associations (for example, American Volleyball Coaches Association)
• regional officials associations
Encourage current staff to be on lookout for quality people.
2) Advertising for Success
Where you post your open job listings can directly impact the number and quality of the
applicants.
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NAIA: To place an ad on the NAIA News Message Center, simply e-mail the copy to
sschottman@naia.org. Also include the name of the person to bill and a billing address.
The rate is $50 for the first 50 words and $25 for each 50 words after. The ad will run for
one month from the day it is posted.
NACWAA: https://www.nacwaa.org/?page_id=15
NCAA: http://ncaamarket.ncaa.org/post.cfm
NACDA: http://nacda.collegesports.com/nacdajobs/nacda-nacdajobs-form.html
Women’s Sports Jobs: http://www.womensportsjobs.com/default.htm
Sports Careers: http://www.sportscareers.com/content/view/387/279/
Feminist Majority Foundation: http://www.feminist.org/911/jobs/jobadd.asp
Chronicle of Higher Education: https://careers.chronicle.com/webbase/index.jsp
Additional links for coaches associations and national governing bodies links to many of
these can be found at http://www.nacwaa.org/rc/rc_links.php#wis and
http://web1.ncaa.org/memberLinks/links.jsp?div=0
3) Networking
Joining professional organizations is an ideal way to connect with people from a broad
spectrum of companies and job titles. Many organizations hold events in business casual or
informal environment. Developing relationships within these organizations often uncover
potential employment/hiring opportunities and provide access to resources that would be
otherwise inaccessible.
• Minority-based organizations (for example NACWAA, Black Coaches Associations,
WBCA, etc.)
• Regional athletic commissions (Greater St. Louis Sports Commission)
• Professional associations (NACDA)
4) Recruit from within
• Encourage young staff and coaches to advance in the profession. Provide support
for professional development, such as NACWAA membership, joining national
coaching associations, seeking additional certifications or advanced degrees.
• Educate and encourage athletes and student support personnel. Successful studentathletes regularly demonstrate the skills that could benefit your athletic department:
teamwork, goal-setting, time management, punctuality, discipline, initiative, tenacity
drive, loyalty, dedication and the ability to take direction and recover from adversity.
Additional Resources
• 101 Recognition Secrets: Tools for Motivating and Recognizing Today’s
Workforce, book by Rosalind Jeffries
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Promoting Work Life Balance
It is no secret that jobs in college athletics demand daunting hours along with high performance
expectations. Many promising administrators and coaches leave the field, or don’t attempt to enter it,
because the work requirements trump all other obligations and interests. No one wins when talented
professionals burn out and leave athletics.
Promoting a work-life balance is an investment as important as professional development.
following:
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Consider the
The financial burden of day care. Coaches and administrator’s children often need to be cared
for after traditional work hours.
o Suggestion: Institutions that offer tuition reimbursement for employees could also offer
day care reimbursement.
Suggestion: Consider setting up a “free agent” board to match up job-seeking students willing to
provide child care services for children of your department. Women working in intercollegiate
athletics are 25 percent less likely to be married than their male counterparts. Female coaches
also are half as likely as their counterparts who aren’t working in intercollegiate athletics to have
children. (CAGE report – need citation)
Suggestion: Provide flexible working conditions for all employees, particularly women, and make
it OK to take advantage of such perks. The culture of intercollegiate athletics often encourages
hours outside the traditional work week.
o Early-morning practices on the weekend and evening workouts during the week require
coaching staff and athletic trainers to be present.
o When a game finishes at 9 p.m., SIDs are headed back to the office to write the press
release, report scores and stats
o Suggestion: Count these hours toward what your institution defines as “full time” – a 37.5
or 40 hour week. Allow “overtime” hours or a percentage above a threshold, to be used
as “comp” hours to be taken, or paid for, at a later date.
Additional Resources:
• Work and Family Agenda Faces Tough Climate – article from MSNBC Dec. 8, 2008
• 100 Best Features from America's Best Companies – article published in Working
Mother Nov. 2008
• 100 Best Companies Benefits Access – article published in Working Mother Oct. 2008
• For Coaches, a Race With No Finish Line – article published in Chronicle of Higher
Education, May 5, 2008 (membership required to view article)
• Balance Act – Regular column published by the Chronicle of Higher Education
• Manage Your Energy, Not Your Time – article published by the Harvard Business
Review Oct. 2007
• Where Are the Women Coaches? – article published by Time – Aug. 16, 2007
• Where Have All the Women Gone? – article published by the Chronicle of Higher
Education – May 4, 2007
• Going the Distance and Keeping the Pace, -article written by Dena Evans, published
by the Chronicle of Higher Education, June 30, 2006
• Coaching and Gender Equity Project (CAGE) Report – overview and link to final
report, Aug. 19, 2005
• Long Hours, Little Sleep and Loving It, article written by Kelly Whiteside, published in
USA Today, Nov. 11, 2004
• Work and Family Choices - Website
• Work Life Center – video from the National Institutes of Health Video Library
• Listing of NCAA Work-Life Balance Resources
National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics • 1200 Grand Blvd., Kansas City, MO 64106 • www.naia.org
Toolkit Page 8
PART 3 — Building for the Future
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Academic Programming
Creation of a sports administration degree program at an institution does not occur overnight. Here are
some steps to help stimulating new interest in sports administration and coaching on your campus.
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First there must be an interest on the campus by the faculty and administration.
A market study of the availability of job opportunities in the field can help build interest among key
stakeholders at the institution.
Look at the resources that are currently available on the campus by building activities within
existing course structures.
Work with department heads to encourage the addition of sports as an integral part of the specific
courses being taught.
Encourage faculty to introduce speakers from athletic teams in the city, county and state.
(Athletes, coaches, personnel directors, marketing and public relations personnel, athletic
trainers, general managers, facilities directors, recruiters)
Utilize the personnel from your athletic department to share their own stories about how they
entered their sports careers.
Invite people from the city or state recreation departments to speak about the opportunities for
leadership as sports managers in recreation centers, government agencies, and industry.
Coursework can be developed in the following departments:
• Business department
Principles of Marketing
Principles of Management
Business Law
Business Ethics
• In the communications department
Introduction to Mass Media
Mass Media Management
Broadcast Performance
• In the physical education department
Community Recreation
Recreation Leadership
Area and Facilities Management
Theory of Coaching
Officiating Sports; Principles and Techniques
Recreation Internship
Recognize that males may be the first to enroll in sports management courses, but it is important
to emphasize that the doors are wide open for qualified and capable women (to become coaches,
athletic directors, sports commentators, recruiters, etc.).
Introduce journals and magazines that promote the idea of sports management such as Sports
Illustrated, Athletic Management, and Recreation Management.
Display in prominent places like, the athletic department, career center, or the library reference
room.
Contact other institutions with sport management/administration graduate programs
• Display their brochures and posters on campus bulletin boards and other resource centers.
The more exposure the students have to the many graduate programs in these areas the
more likely they are to consider them.
• Invite recruiters from these institutions to participate in a campus career day.
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Creating Internship/Student Assistant Opportunities in your Department
Coming soon!
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Grooming Future Candidates through Mentoring
WHAT IS MENTORING?
It is not a new practice – particularly in sport. Most people have sought advice from a trusted friend or
colleague. Most sports managers freely admit they have sought the advice of someone more experienced
in their part of the sport industry than themselves.
Mentoring can be an effective practice for less experienced individuals in college athletics to be able to
connect with and learn from highly seasoned individuals with many years of experience. The mentoring
relationship or dyad should be beneficial for both the mentee/protégé and the mentor.
Mentors serve many roles for the mentees/protégés they serve including the evaluation of on the job
skills, determining future educational needs or serving as a sounding board for concerns the
mentee/protégé is having with current employment.
Mentoring dyads can be formally structured, with mentors assigned to their mentees/protégés, or they
can be very informal where either the mentor or the mentee/protégé builds the relationship on their own
without any formal arrangement.
No two mentoring relationships are the same. Each dyad will take on a life of its own based on the needs,
strengths, and personalities of the individuals involved. The way these relationships develop will be
different from all other mentoring relationships.
Ultimately, all mentoring should be about helping another person regardless of their stage of
development.
WHY MENTOR?
Benefits to the mentee/protégé
• Increases confidence and motivation.
• Provides constructive feedback on performance.
• Helps translate theory into practice.
• Provides opportunities to ‘network’ and enhance career prospects.
• Promotes lifelong learning through relationships.
• Minimize the difficulties of attending training courses.
Benefits to the mentor
• Provides renewed enthusiasm and commitment to the mentor’s own work.
• Creates opportunities for mentors to share their knowledge and skills.
• Recognizes the expertise of mentors.
• Provides new opportunities for mentors to learn.
Benefits to the your organization
• Eases the difficulty and costs involved in conducting lengthy residential training courses.
• Taps into the expertise of experienced coaches/officials in your sport.
• Reenergizes experienced coaches/officials who take on mentoring roles.
• Transforms mentees/protégés into better people managers.
• Encourages mentees/protégés to achieve higher levels of education and training.
National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics • 1200 Grand Blvd., Kansas City, MO 64106 • www.naia.org
Toolkit Page 10
THE MENTORING PROCESS
Whatever the purpose of the mentoring relationship, effective relationships involve the following
processes. It is important to recognize there are phases or cycles to all mentoring relationships.
1) Identifying needs – by identifying the needs of the mentee/protégé and the mentor at the beginning
of the relationship, it will be clear what both parties hope to get from it and the experience can be
better tailored to meet the needs of both parties.
2) Goal setting – after identifying both sides’ needs it should be possible to set some specific goals for
the relationship – for both the mentee/protégé and the mentor.
3) Establishing an agreement – the agreement does not need to be a formal written one (although this
might be appropriate), but the mentee/protégé and mentor should at least discuss and agree upon
some ground rules for the relationship.
4) Observation – observation of the mentee/protégé in action should focus on the needs and goals that
they have already identified. It might be helpful for the mentee/protégé and the mentor to develop a
simple observation checklist to ensure that the mentor focuses their attention on the coach’s/official’s
areas of need.
5) Analysis and feedback – this should be a shared process, with the mentee/protégé being given the
opportunity to analyze their own performance, as well as the mentor providing analysis. This will
encourage the development of reflective coaches/officials, who have the ability to analyze the own
performance and improvements. Questioning can be an extremely valuable tool for mentors at this
step of the process. By asking supportive, but challenging, questions of the mentee/protégé, the
mentor will empower them to make their own analyses and subsequent improvements to their
performance.
6) Action planning – once the mentor has observed and analyzed the performance of the
mentee/protégé, together they can explore ways of improving performance. Ideally the mentor should
write down the strategies to be used for improvement and re-visit them after further practice to ensure
that the strategies have been effective.
7) Review – the mentoring relationship is likely to change and grow as it progresses. Many relationships
are not always smooth sailing however, and the effectiveness of the relationship should be reviewed
at regular intervals. If the relationship is no longer meeting the needs of the mentee/protégé or the
mentor then it may be time to end the relationship or find a new mentor.
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Resources to Share with Students
1) Sports Administration Graduate Programs. Graduate school may be a consideration as
undergraduate students general explore the possibility of working in athletics.
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Sport Management Programs-USA. The North American
Society for Sport Management (NASSM) provides a listing of many of the universities around
the country that offer sport management degrees at the bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral
level.
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Sport Management Programs at NAIA institutions. Many NAIA schools offer graduate
degrees and academic service learning through graduate assistantships, assistant coaching
and other on campus positions.
2) Getting Started with the Job Search. (Tips provided by Career Athletes)
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The Unique Skill Set of a College-Athlete
Fortune 500 companies, employment agencies, graduate, and professional schools have
come to know the value of collegiate student-athletes! You have a unique skill set and it
is important that you not only identify with your skill set, but also articulate and
demonstrate these experiences with others. Utilize the 25 Traits of an Athlete, provided
National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics • 1200 Grand Blvd., Kansas City, MO 64106 • www.naia.org
Toolkit Page 11
by Career Athletes, in your everyday dialogue with campus community and external
constituents:
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Competitive Nature
Understands value of teamwork
Handles pressure well
Always striving to improve
Coachable-willing to learn
Understands how to execute
Aggressive
Understands time management
Great Discipline
Strong work ethic
Can overcome adversity
Knows how to prepare
Mentally tough
High energy level
Goal oriented
Strong character
Self-motivated
Able to handle multiple tasks
Making decisions under pressure
Value from constructive criticism
Confident
Focused
Results oriented
Understands accountability
Seeks and loves challenge
Resume Writing
Your resume is the single most important document provided to an employer. The cover
letter and reference list will serve as a balance, but the resume makes you attractive to
an employer. Resumes that lack visual appeal can diminish its effectiveness and
resumes with too much design could be a bit much.
Use these guidelines in preparing your resume:
Feel free to incorporate an opening section or summary of qualifications to share with
the employer what you are qualified and capable to do. Explain in detail your
background, credentials, certifications and interests in bullet style format. An
employer should have enough information to call you in for an interview directly from
reading this section. Other known names for this often overlooked section could be
professional summary, personal profile, etc.
Highlight educational credentials and personal traits that will make you a valued
employee. Be sure to mention specific extracurricular activities, coursework and
internships.
Be sure to emphasize what you’ve done as opposed to where you did it. Although
the company you worked for may not be of interest, the responsibilities held and
conducted within your role will be of utmost importance to the employer.
Do’s and Don’ts to Resume Writing
DO:
Tailor each resume to a specific employer by revising your summary of qualifications
section.
Type your resume in a detailed but concise format that explains who you are and what
you’ve done.
Include references available upon requests at the end of your document.
National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics • 1200 Grand Blvd., Kansas City, MO 64106 • www.naia.org
Toolkit Page 12
Keep each occupation simple and brief… three to five lines maximum per experience.
Make sure there are no errors or misspelled words and each section is consistent.
Mention the additional software, technical and certifications held as it applies to that
position.
Highlight the key points of your resume by emphasizing with “bold” or “italicized” words.
Provide a one page resume by adjusting the top, bottom, left and right margins
accordingly.
Include your GPA if it is a 3.0 or higher. Most employers will assume you have less if it’s
not there.
DON’T:
⌧ Don’t include high schools experiences on the resume, try and include college
involvement.
⌧ Don’t list too many jobs held that don’t apply to your prospective career position.
⌧ Don’t have a generic resume for every position sought after; tailor your document every
time.
⌧ Don’t forget to include your telephone number, email address and basic contact
information.
⌧ Don’t use a type font smaller than 10 point and be sure to include your city/state for
each job.
⌧ Don’t simply restate the same responsibilities for every job held, show your diverse skill
set.
⌧ Don’t rely on the computer’s spell check, have many people review your resume.
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Interviewing
SCREENING INTERVIEWS
Screening Interviews are typically conducted over the phone or via video conferencing
but can also be completed in person. During screening interviews, the employer wants to
make sure you have the proper requirements for the job and that you have good
communication skills. These are often used to assist the employer in narrowing down the
candidate pool. Screening interviews allow the employers to get to know you without the
expense of travel.
TELEPHONE INTERVIEWS
The first step in the hiring process is usually a telephone interview, the most common
type of Screening Interview. Typically, the telephone interview will be your first contact
with a company. This is your first opportunity to make a positive impression on a
potential employer… take it seriously, be prepared and do not mess it up! It is not
uncommon for a company to end the recruiting process for a job applicant based on a
poor telephone interview.
THE CAREER FAIR INTERVIEW
If you would like to properly “Sell Yourself as an Athlete” and “Create the Competitive
Advantage,” there is a certain etiquette practiced at career fairs. Make this brief visit
memorable with each organization and “Differentiate Yourself” from the crowd.
THE PERSONAL INTERVIEW
One-on-One Interview
This is the most common type of interview used by hiring managers. Be sure to
maintain good eye contact. Ask the interviewer what the most pressing issues
facing the organization are, and try to have strategies and solutions to overcome
them and/or show your interest in being a part of the solution.
Selection Committee Interview
Selection Committees have become more and more common during the
interview process. It is important to have extra copies of your resume with you in
preparation for a group of three or more interviewers. Be sure to shake hands
with each person in the room while introducing yourself before you sit down.
Move your eyes around the room to each individual while answering questions to
include all present.
National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics • 1200 Grand Blvd., Kansas City, MO 64106 • www.naia.org
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Peer Group Interview
Employers often like for you to meet with your potential co-workers. Peer Groups
are looking for individuals that have a personality that they feel will fit into their
environment. Be sure to be polite and agreeable during these interviews. Peers
typically have a solid influence on the final decision.
Lunch or Dinner Interview
Interviews during a meal are used to assess your social skills and ability to be
comfortable under pressure. Be sure and order food that does not consist of a
large portion and is easy to eat. Never order alcoholic beverages even if others
at the table do. If possible, take a class on dinner etiquette so that you will be
more comfortable in these situations.
Additional Resources:
• Sports Careers for Women. This web page on the Women’s Sports Foundation website
provides resources about a variety of sports careers.
• Job Banks. The job banks and websites on this listing are great for job-seekers as well as
those with open positions.
National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics • 1200 Grand Blvd., Kansas City, MO 64106 • www.naia.org
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