Sport is a main part of many people’s lives. In fact, for people like Jack Elway, it is way of life! Whether people play it, watch it, enjoy it in school, or anything else, sport is part of our world and for good reason. It is also a very interesting and prosperous area for employment, not in the least because so many different skills are needed. Of course, most people who want to work in sports want to get in the big leagues. For Jack Elway, his target was set on the NFL (National football League). What he found through experience, was that there are seven skills required to make it here.

The 7 Skills the NFL Wants According to Jack Elway

1. An undergraduate degree. Some degrees are specific to sports, such as sport administration or sport management, but any bachelor’s degree will do. Many people hope for a football scholarship, of course.
2. A good understanding of Microsoft Office. Yes, even the world of sports is now driven by computers. Many people get to work in one of the many NFL franchises, and those all use computerized operating systems.
3. Excellent communication skills. Again, it doesn’t matter whether you become a star player and have to give interviews, or whether you become a sales assistant in an NFL apparel shop, you need to be able to communicate with others in an efficient and effective manner.
4. A positive attitude. This is particularly true when you are doing the more tedious or lowly jobs. If you show enthusiasm when you travel with your team, when you file in an office, when you drive players to and from games, speak to fans to determine interests, or make 100 copies of a work schedule, then you are more likely to be enthusiastic in the more exciting areas of the industry as well.
5. Perfect organization and time management skills. These are attributes needed in every job, but perhaps nowhere as much as in professional sports. You must also be organized, as you cannot lose anything that belongs to the NFL, as it could be linked to a star player.
6. Very good work ethics. The NFL wants to see hard workers, regardless of what you do within the organization. Coaches have to make sure their teams win, week upon week. Players have to perform for their fans. Sellers must make sure they raise enough revenue. Everybody has to give their all in the job.
7. To be a true leader. People in the NFL are followed by others, whether that is fans, sponsors, scouts, or prospective coaches. You must, therefore, be able to inspire others to play better, to buy more, to support harder, and so on.

If, besides these seven skills, you also have a real passion for football, then the NFL may just be the perfect employer for you. Be realistic about the level of hard work that will be required of you, however.