Survive and Advance Sports
One of my favorite aspects of sports are the time-honored traditions each year that we tend to watch regardless of our rooting interest in a particular outcome. The coin toss at the Super Bowl. The national anthem and first pitch on Opening Day. The leader’s walk down the 18th fairway on Sunday at Augusta. The handing off and hoisting of the Stanley Cup.
But one tradition that I’ve always particularly enjoyed is when One Shining Moment is played (alongside highlights) at the end of the NCAA Tournament’s National Championship Game. Sure, it’s a hokey 80s song that you’ll never hear anywhere else (nor would you necessarily want to). But there’s something about it that reminds us that despite the ever-fleeting innocence of sports, we still genuinely want to believe in the purity of competition and the belief that we all can achieve our goals with hard work and determination.
So here we are again, it’s tournament time. But remember, March Madness is not just a celebration of college basketball; it's a season of opportunity for professionals across various industries, including sports and entertainment. In fact, this time of year offers unique networking opportunities that can significantly impact your career. If you don’t believe me, just google “March Madness Networking events near me.” You’ll be surprised by how many options are out there.
Whether it's at a game, a viewing party, or a themed networking event, the casual atmosphere of excitement and community creates a more relaxed environment for making connections that could lead to opportunities you weren’t necessarily expecting. From time to time, we need to remind ourselves that sometimes authentic relationships that offer support, mentorship, etc don’t always arrive through traditional networking channels.
Not someone who enjoys the sports bar scene? That’s ok. Incorporate some bracket creativity into your notes or LinkedIn messages. What better way to start a conversation with a hiring manager or recruiter than to notice they are a University of Vermont alum and then let them know you’re rooting for them to upset Duke?
And as we always tend to emphasize relatability at Advance Sports, just remember that nurturing the human element in every interaction enriches the professional journey for all of us. Nobody wants to work with a robot. We’re all human. We all like to have fun.
So whether you’re a college basketball fan or not, try to embrace March Madness this year. It offers so much more than just basketball excitement; think of it as also a platform for meaningful professional development and networking.
Who knows? It might lead to your very own One Shining Moment.
