Getting yourself a full-time job in the football industry is definitely not a simple or easy task. You need to be able to deal with rejection along the way of your own journey in the job market in football because this will more than likely occur before you secure the role you’re looking for.

This has played a huge part in why the Work in Football website and the related Facebook group were set up by James Cox. Collectively, they’re playing a very important part in assisting individuals with their own job searches and taking on what can be an intimidating job market. It’s a supportive environment which allows those within it to learn and develop their approach to job applications and subsequent interviews.

It can be a highly pressurised and stressful time for those aiming to secure full-time employment at a professional football club. I openly admit that I’ve never applied for a job or had to go through the interviewing process. In truth, I’m still attempting to work out what I actually want to do as a full-time profession. From my own perspective, I’m not rushing myself and I have my own circumstances to take into account as well.

My Thoughts On The Job Market in Football

Specifically, I want to remain local to the Hull area. This comes from my position as someone who is autistic and also has Dyspraxia. I do have voluntary positions to keep me very busy and focused in the meantime which are a combination of in person and remote working. This has allowed me to see both sides of working and I’ve enjoyed this chance to have the contrasting experiences. Through this, I know what it’s like to be a Social Media Manager and Press Officer albeit at the lower levels of the English football pyramid. I’ve also got my foot in the door at my hometown club Hull City, but I’m always humble about the journey I’ve had to get myself to where I currently am.

Everyone’s journey will be different from each other and that makes the job market in football a diverse and unique market. People can pursue their own specific job interests and put all of their efforts into doing all they can to follow their dreams. I recommend trying not to get overwhelmed or frustrated by the entire process. That will only suck all of the passion and energy out of you. It can keep you going when everything seems to be lost or out of reach.

Due to the amount of people that can apply for jobs, you have to be able to stand out and not get lost within the crowd. This means that your CV must be unique from the others and you have to demonstrate both knowledge and experience of the role you’re actively seeking to fulfil as a full-time employee. This can be gleamed from undertaking unpaid work either through internships/work placements or being a volunteer. It’s obviously not ideal to not be paid for what you do, but it’s an absolutely fantastic starting point and helps you understand what the role can entail.

You may also need to write up a cover letter detailing your suitability for the particular role. This is a crucial component of the job market in football and you have to fully put across your passion and own ideas about your plan for what you want to do. Again, you can get help and advice about this through joining the Facebook group How To Get Started In The Football Industry. It’s important to ask those questions and get other people’s feedback in order to assist you and see what their own thoughts are. This community could potentially help set you well on the way of securing your dream job.