Student Athletes

Introduction

Use these relevant tools to help you explore jobs, build your brand, and translate your athletic skills into career context.

Leadership & Professional Development

Application Materials

Resumes & Cover Letters

Student Athletes, though their sports, coursework, and through co-curricular activities, develop extensive skills and talents that are in demand in the workforce. The challenge is translating and accurately representing what student athletes can do. Below are resources for application materials, resume examples for different sports, and transferable skills that student athletes have.

Resume & Cover Letter Resources

General resume advice and guides
- Athlete Resume Example
- Career Center Resume Overview
Cover Letter Resources
- Cover Letter Example & Guide
- Career Center Cover Letter Overview

Transferrable Skills for Student Athletes

Teamwork: Teamwork is a top skill sought after by employers in almost every career field. As a student athlete, you understand the importance of collaboration, communication, and cooperation, as well as the collective value of unique strengths.
Time Management: As a student athlete, you are used to managing multiple things at once, including coursework, practices, games, tests, and other commitments. Because of this, you are already well suited to balance multiple projects and tasks at work.
Coachability: You take feedback well, you are willing to learn, you grow from your mistakes, and you constantly strive to be better. Every good boss wants this type of employee.
Competition: Not only do you want to be better than your opposing team, but you also want to be better than your previous self. Competitors are hard workers, and your drive will help you perform well in the workplace.
Leadership: Whether you have been in a formal leadership role, such as a captain or team representative, or have just stepped up when your team needed you, you have already learned leadership skills. Leadership can look different in different contexts, and includes making decisions for a group, motivating others, and putting the needs of the team first.
Self-Discipline: While others have supported you along the way, a lot of your success has come from personal commitment to your sport. You are goal-oriented and self-motivated, two qualities that will make you a great employee at any organization.
Handling Pressure: High pressure situations are a natural occurrence in almost every sport; and while not all careers are high stress, any workplace can benefit from someone who knows how to stay calm, think quickly, and problem solve when things get tough.
Commitment: Sports require dedication, and as a student athlete, you know how to follow through with what you set your mind to and pledge to others. This strength will benefit you at any level of your career.
Responsibility: You understand that you have a role to play as part of a larger team, and you don’t take this responsibility lightly. You are reliable and dependable as a teammate, and you will be as a coworker too.
Resilience: You probably didn’t pursue college athletics because you dislike challenges. In fact, you probably enjoy them and maybe even view them as opportunities to see what you’re capable of. Challenges will come throughout your life and career, and luckily, you know how to face challenges head on.

Explore Job & Internship Boards

Looking for a job, internship, or coaching position? These job boards and additional resources are built for athletes who want to work in sports industry.

Sports Industry and Athletic Job Opportunities

Student Athlete Guide to Getting a Job – Step-by-step guidance on the job search process specifically for athletes
PTR Tennis Career Board – Tennis-specific coaching and instruction roles
CHSAA Coaches Wanted – High school coaching opportunities in Colorado
Work In Sports – Wide variety of sports industry opportunities across all sectors
NCAA Job Board – Comprehensive listings for intercollegiate athletics jobs at all levels (coaching, photography, administration)
HoopDirt – Specialized basketball coaching positions at all levels
NAIA Careers – Opportunities within the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics
HigherEdJobs: Athletics – Coaching and administrative positions in higher education
NCAA After the Game Career Center
AthleticLink.com

College Sports Communicators
TeamWork Online

Busy with team and academic commitments but still want internship experience? Here’s how you can get it.

There is a paid on-campus internship project for Student Athletes. Participate in person or virtually throughout the summer via Student Athlete Internship Program. Fill out this Interest form and we will be in touch with more information in the Spring Semester

NIL, Branding & Entrepreneurship

Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) opportunities create new entrepreneurial pathways for student athletes to leverage their personal brand while developing career skills.

NIL at Colorado State University– Campus-specific information check out the Green and Gold Guard
How Student Athletes Can Prepare to Become Entrepreneurs – Learn strategies to monetize your NIL

Leadership and Professional Development

Developing leadership skills are important aspects of a student athlete’s professional growth. These opportunities can enhance your resume and prepare you for future leadership roles.

National Collegiate Athletic Association Jobs and internship/ leadership development opportunities at the NCAA office
Women Leaders in College Sports – professional association, access to a women’s sports leadership community through small membership fee levels, professional development
Women’s Sports Foundation – potential volunteer opportunities through advocacy work for women in sports
Black Student Athlete Summit – Annual conference dedicated to empowering Black student-athletes through networking, leadership development, and career preparation

Olympic Sports Career Guide Workbook – Interactive exercises to help plan your career transition

Networking and LinkedIn

Networking Like a Pro

Make a list of people you already know coaches, teammates and supporters.
Join alumni groups and industry-specific communities.
Engage with content by commenting and sharing posts
Connect with professionals by requesting informational interviews.
Prepare an elevator pitch: Create a 30-second-1min introduction about who you are and your career goals
- One Minute Elevator Pitch
Send a thank you emails within 24-48 hours after meeting someone new
Build authentic genuine relationships rather than just collecting contacts
Create job alerts with keywords of interest like “sports marketing” or “athletic administration.”

LinkedIn is an essential platform for professional networking and job searching. Create a profile that highlights athletic and academic achievements.

Use a clear headshot + a banner that reflects your sport or career interest.
Example Headline: Student-Athlete | Health & Exercise Science Major | Future Physical Therapist
About section should be a short paragraph (3–5 lines) about your strengths, goals from present, past, and future.
Experiences should include your role as a student-athlete and any jobs, internships, or volunteer work you’ve done.
Skills: Include athletic, technical and transferable such as leadership, coaching, facilitation, event coordination, JavaScript etc
Create a custom URL: Example: “linkedin.com/in/veronicavvolleyball”