From Student-Athlete To Student

by Leave a Comment

I hope my first post resonated with more than a few of you and brought you back for more.  Moving forward, I intend to share my journey from high school, junior college, and NCAA athlete to a career in greater detail.  However, I’d first like to share my transition from student-athlete to student.

Over the past few weeks, I have begun to acclimate to life after college baseball.  Going into the new school year, I was nervous about the fact that I wouldn’t be around my teammates anymore, wouldn’t have a group of friends, and that I simply would hate being away at school without baseball.  However, since I arrived on Liberty’s campus in late August, my experience has been the exact opposite.  School without baseball is great!

I never realized how big the time commitment of a college sport really is.  Over the course of a week I would be at school from around 9 am to around 7 pm, my day filled with class, practice, weights and conditioning, meetings, and a whole lot of sitting around waiting for the aforementioned to start.  Many times, these events soured my love for the game, but the game itself always seemed to erase those negative thoughts.   I played the game because I still loved it.  When you’re pigeonholed into activities on the field or in the weight room that don’t produce results, or when you have to wait around for a practice or meeting to start, there is an opportunity cost associated with that time burn which could be spent doing much more productive activities. Only in hindsight has this become clear to me.  I guess until recently, I never realized, or I flat out denied, just how frustrating this process can be.

Without having to attend team mandated practices, study halls, and whatever else is on the agenda, I have found and feel anew sense of freedom.  I can now lift weights the way I want, put more time into my academics (much easier now that I’m not exhausted from a full day’s worth of class and baseball), and pursue other opportunities (I think most non-athletes call this “having a life”).  So far, I’ve been able to put time and effort into my Voice of the Box internship (by writing this blog), vastly improve my résumé (I strongly recommend you go to your school’s career center if it has one), attend various clubs centered around my degree and what I’d like to do in the future, and captain an intramural flag football team.

Over the past few weeks, I’ve quickly come to the realization that life is not all about a sport.  You need to have a back up plan, you need to make time for other things even if it’s only a small amount of time, and you need to find balance.  Even if you are a phenom, everyone’s career comes to an end at a fairly young age. What are you going to do after sports?  19, not 29, is the age to plan for this.

While I still have a long way to go to get where I want to be, taking steps in the right direction is definitely an invigorating feeling.  So far, life without baseball has been a success, but staying motivated to continue bettering myself will be an ongoing process.  In my next few posts, I plan on sharing some lessons learned through my athletic career.

Stay tuned!

Jacob Kemmerer

More on Jacob: The Journey Begins / Jacob Joins VOTB / @kemmerer11

Voice of the Box Hires Social Media Manager

by Leave a Comment

Voice of the Box is pleased to announce the addition of Jacob Kemmerer to the staff as Social Media Manager.

Jacob Kemmerer is a former college baseball player currently completing his degree in Business Finance at Liberty University in Lynchburg, Virginia. Jacob is a Dean’s list undergraduate student currently in search of the next step in life. He graduated from Issaquah High school in 2008, where he earned the titles of all-league baseball and all-league football player.  Jacob continued his baseball career at Edmonds Community College out of high school, which allowed him the opportunity to become all-league performer of the highly renowned NWAACC Conference.  Upon completion of his two years at Edmonds CC, Jacob accepted a scholarship offer to play baseball at the Division 1 level at Liberty University of the Big South Conference.

Born and raised in Issaquah, WA, he is a fan of the Seattle Seahawks, the Seattle Mariners, and the Ohio State Buckeyes. Jacob enjoys college, professional and fantasy sports. He likes spending time outdoors, particularly boating. He spends a decent amount of time focusing on and developing his fitness, while making sure maintains plenty of time to spend with family and friends.

According to Matt Crevin, Founder of Voice of the Box, “I am pleased to have Jacob part of the VOTB team.  Despite his fan loyalty to the Seahawks and Mariners, which are clearly the wrong teams to root for, I am excited to add Jacob and his enthusiasm to the team!”

More on Jacob: The Journey Begins / Twitter

How It All Got Started

by Leave a Comment

The year was 1992.

In the NFL as well as 49er universe the planets were about to go through a major shift.   The legendary Joe Montana was about to play his last season as a 49er and Steve Young was poised and ready to take control.  The Cowboys and 49ers were on the brink of revisiting their championship game rivalry.

In 1992 many great moments in 49er history took place on the field and at the team’s headquarters there were epic press conferences.  Up in the press box and in the locker room on game-day the energy was incredible.

I was very fortunate to witness it all as the Public Relations intern in 1992.

Moving forward to the 2012 season, it will mark my 20th season with the 49ers game day staff and my 14th season being the voice of the press box.  I have met and worked with many talented individuals internally at the 49ers in addition to working with many of the best TV and radio broadcast teams.  Such icons as Dick Enberg and Bob Trumpy, Marv Albert, Matt Millen, Joe Thiesmann, Boomer Esiason, Howard David, Don Criqui and the late Jack Snow, Harry Kalas, Bill King and so many more.  Not only was standing shoulder to shoulder with broadcasting legends an amazing learning experience, I also was able to learn from the producers and engineers in the broadcast booth as well.  Together, it was the start of a fantastic sports industry education.

During my first seven years I had the opportunity to learn the “football industry” from the inside out.  Having access to not only the front office groundwork during the week but also the pre game preparation on the field, the inner workings on how the game is covered by the media in the press box, as well as the truly eye opening environment of a post game NFL locker room.  Simply put, there is nothing else that compares to the truly electric environment that every NFL Sunday provides.

The connections I made in 1992 have led me to where I am today.  Not only did I establish my sports industry education back in 1992, I was able to create lasting connections with hundreds of sports industry executives across a wide range of the sports landscape.  The early days of investing my time in building those relationships has put me in a position to continue to learn from them as I have progressed in my career.  The associations I have formed and the real world knowledge I have gained have helped me develop in such a way that can’t be taught in a class anywhere, its called…real world experience.

I have packaged all those great learning moments, the many lessons learned and all the real world experience to form Voice of the Box a few years ago.  My mission is simple yet powerful:

“To help develop the next generation of sports industry insiders.”

Whether it is offered through my innovative career counseling, my in-depth interviews on Beyond the Game Sports Radio or my highly interactive guest lectures or even my book, Get in the Game, the goal is the same, to help those that are dedicated to break into the business side of sports create a career search strategy that works!

Are you ready to get in the game?

The Journey Begins

by Leave a Comment

My name is Jacob Kemmerer, and I will be writing a blog series for the Voice of the Box website.  To briefly introduce myself, I am a 22-year-old former college baseball player currently finishing up the last class of a finance degree at Liberty University in Lynchburg, VA.  I don’t want to delve to deeply into my personal background, as I will get into this more over the series of blog posts.

Because the Voice of the Box platform is geared to help create job search strategies for anyone looking to break into the sports industry, including athletes and former athletes, I saw myself as a natural fit to write for this webpage.  As my athletic career has come to a (hopefully temporary) halt while I finish my degree, I am transitioning from the sports world to the business sector and looking to start working for a living.  Ideally, my career would involve work in some major sport, as sports are my first love.  However, like many other athletes whose professional aspirations have not come to fruition, I am now facing the “real world” and looking to maximize my employment potential.  With Matt Crevin and others’ help, my ambition is to ultimately end up in a career where I both make a lot of money and get to enjoy what I do, something that I am learning can be rare in this day and age. As I am about to emerge out of college, this seems to be an especially daunting task, one I’m sure many of you are similarly about to face.

My first career goal was to become a professional baseball player.  However, like so many college seniors (especially right handed pitchers not throwing in the mid-90s, like myself) who are not considered “prospect” types, I was bypassed in the spring amateur draft.  This brought about the harsh reality that I would have to find an alternate career to replace my lifelong dream of playing major league baseball.  My view as a recent NCAA athlete has given me the insight to understand that the main concern of universities is to keep athletes eligible and in top condition to perform at the highest level possible during their tenure.   Their non-sporting future gets neglected.

The fact is that very few college athletes ever make it to the professional level.  If you are an athlete, career search guidance is pretty much non-existent, and recommendations to find summer jobs or internships in one’s desired field just doesn’t’ seem to exist.  All I was taught was how to craft a résumé, which is basically useless because my summers have all been spent playing summer baseball, and during the school year playing a sport while balancing academics is a full-time job.  The bottom line is that as a college athlete aspiring to transition to the next level, you often find yourself three-plus years behind other similar students when competing for jobs.  You have likely foregone summer jobs and internships in pursuit of your chosen sport, and you don’t likely have a good backup plan.

In light of this, I am determined not to give in and be a “flamed-out” jock that didn’t make the pros.  I will strive to be successful in whatever career field I end up in, and with some guidance from the Voice of the Box principles and a solid network of connections, I am confident that this can be achieved.  I am going to re-channel the drive that lead me to play four years of college baseball into my search for employment!

Follow me in my journey as I transition from NCAA athlete to businessman or whatever other opportunities come my way.  I promise that it will be a fun and informative ride.

Until next time,

Jacob Kemmerer

More on Jacob: Jacob Joins VOTB / Twitter

7 Tips To Rev Up Your Job Search

by Leave a Comment

With the year almost half over, it’s time to size up your progress.

Your career may look like an amusement park, and you might feel like you’re stuck in a line that’s barely moving. Or maybe you rode one roller coaster only to see the other rides (goals) differently.

Just how far along are you on your career goals for this year? And what can you do now to assure that by fall, you’ll have advanced a couple of them, whether you’re looking for a new employer or to launch a side business or land a new client?
A mid-year review of your professional and personal career goals can help you refocus your energies and establish new mini-goals to advance them.

Here are seven steps for assessment and renewed engagement on your plans:

1) Write down your goals

“When you write them down, you are committing” to them. Without a written record of them, “you sort of let yourself off the hook.”

2) Clarify what you really want

Take time to consider what really matters and what is not so important, six months later. Decide which goals you could abandon and which ones are crucial. Pick a No. 1 and No. 2 goal and start visualizing what success would look like when you achieve them.

3) Measure what you’ve accomplished so far

Count the number of networking events you’ve attended. Go back and see how many letters of praise you’ve received (and how many of those have been forwarded to your boss). How many blog posts have you written, or have ready to post when you launch? How many potential clients have you approached? What else have you accomplished that wasn’t on your official list? Write down your stats and status updates.

4) Break down your top priorities into small parts

Some people find it helpful to put a weekly reminder on their calendar to check on their goal or to move it forward, others like clear action steps mapped out or written into a file.

5) Uncover your motivations

Sometimes we forget the real reasons we want a promotion or a new client. If those are the means to a beautiful honeymoon or a way to pay for your kid brother’s college costs, make that emotional connection clear to yourself again.

6) Reward yourself

If you’ve achieved one of your goals, it’s time to celebrate. And a Facebook post does not really equal a celebration. Go out for a sundae or take your goal buddy out for an afternoon of jet-skiing.

7) Take a break

“Think about other things that are important in life.” You can become burned out if you have applied for jobs non-stop while working full time. So give yourself a week away to savor summer, friends, recreation, and life. That will help recharge your batteries – and make it easier to reconnect to your goals.

Some people will find that by mid-year, they’ve checked off many of their goals. If that’s true, then they need to establish some new ones – and make them as high as the giant Ferris Wheel at the state fairs this summer. Others may be disappointed to see how little they have accomplished. They need to buy some new tickets to success, and take along a goal-buddy or career coach for accountability on the ride to success.

The new book by Career Coach Matt Crevin – Get In The Game – is on-sale now! Buy it here.

Message From Matt Crevin

by Leave a Comment

As an unpaid intern for the San Francisco 49ers back in the early 90’s, I had the opportunity to observe the inner workings of a sports dynasty.  As an industry hopeful, I learned the techniques and strategies used by hiring managers to screen potential candidates which inspired me to create this business.  For the past 4 years I have been teaching my clients how to take control of their career search strategy in new ways so they can achieve different results based on my experience.

All hiring managers are looking for the best talent for the companies they represent.   In today’s high-pressure sports industry environment, these individuals still have the strongest leverage in the entire job search process — and they use it!  Voice of the Box aims to find a more effective way for students and young professionals to break into the sports industry by following four key principles:

  1. Consistently effective networking
  2. Thinking and acting like the CMO (Chief Marketing Officer) of your own “brand”
  3. Developing a solid value proposition to make you as attractive as possible to decision-makers
  4. Expertise at following a precisely targeted 4-step job search methodology that leads you to having your own custom system in place for you to execute.

Voice of the Box offers a highly specialized and customized career coaching program where the emphasis is creating a career search roadmap for every client.  My signature service, the 4 “P” model has helped many prepare for opportunities and interviews. I provide a clear and logical path for moving from “in-transition” to “employed.”

To really make progress, you need a network that’s already been on the journey you’re taking now, a willingness to commit to some hard work and the mental toughness to see the process through to completion.  I am ready to guide you to take the next step, manage your career search and support you in becoming the next sports industry insider.

5 Key Job Search Strategies

by Leave a Comment

Information you must have BEFORE your interview.

Here are the top 5 elements you should be prepared for:

So, you’ve gotten through the hurdle of securing an employers interest in your resume but know the real challenge begins, the interview.  The interview is no guarantee of a job offer but your chances will improve greatly if you properly prepare for it ahead of time.  Here are the top 5 steps to help give you the best possible chance to leave a good first impression.

1)   Understand the companies overall mission or in the case of the sports industry, understand the departmental goals.

Odds are that one of the first questions you will be asked during the interview is, “so, what do you know about us?”  If you give a response that shows you did not perform any due diligence, you will be labeled as a “do not hire.”  Go to the companies website and get a general feel for what they are about and what some of their current initiatives are, who are some of the key management personnel and then cross reference that information with general web research.  Take a look at their recent press releases to see if there is any information that you can pick up.  You should always look the company up on LinkedIn and even Facebook to get a sense for their messaging and branding identity.  All of this research will help you get a clear picture of issues that matter to the company as well as help you speak “smartly.”  Just be sure to address information that is relevant to the employer.

2)   Check out the decision maker as well as the interviewer.

You should always get as much info as you can on the person you are meeting with.  Search LinkedIn for how long they have been in the role, where they came from prior their current role as well as look at the groups he/she contribute to.  Look for little background nuggets that you can use to build rapport.

3)   Prepare supporting points to demonstrate how your experience, skills, and strengths are relevant and will benefit the company. 

Any interview is the chance for you to learn about the company just as much as it for them to learn about you.  Start by identifying the top five skills that are most important to the job and then focus on how you have demonstrated them successfully in your career.  Be ready to provide case examples to help demonstrate specific points and achievements.

4)   Be prepared with questions for the hiring manager.

Each interview takes on a different format but somewhere during the process the interviewer will ask you if you have any questions.  Always have questions prepared that have not been addressed or if they have been addressed, that you could benefit from some more detailed information.   Asking questions can solidify a positive impression.  A little research can go a long way.  For example; you may be able to research some recent developments at the company (or the department you are looking to get into) that will have an impact on the company as well as the industry as a whole.  Asking questions to express you are thinking ahead about the job and how certain developments may impact the business will detail your ability to bring value.  It puts you in a position of thinking critically like an existing employee and lets the company see right away how you would fit in. 

5)   List of references. 

Sounds obvious but many people forget to have at least three references in writing so you can fill out the application form that every company utilizes.  Make sure to brief your references to the position(s) you are seeking so they can be aware. 

6)   Additional thoughts: 

Preparing for an interview is about having the right state of mind but there are also other common areas to be prepared for that often get overlooked.  One key element that is overlooked is to bring a notepad into the interview to take notes if need be.  There is nothing wrong with this.  It will also help you keep track of discussion points to use for your personalized thank you follow up letter.  Small details like these can make a big difference.

The new book by Career Coach Matt Crevin – Get In The Game – is on-sale now! Buy it here.

Damon Bruce Show Talks New Book

by Leave a Comment

Matt returned to San Francisco last week with a busy schedule including the Pac 12 conference, plus a guest appearance on KNBR 1050’s Damon Bruce Show.  Matt and Damon had a great chat catching up on 49er’s football and of course talked about Matt’s new book Get In The Game.  Listen to the interview here:

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

The new book by Career Coach Matt Crevin – Get In The Game – is on-sale now! Buy it here.

 

 

What Concerns You The Most?

by Leave a Comment

I would like to share with you some of the key challenges I hear most frequently from both college students while I’m on my speaking tours as well as those that that take part in my 1:1 coaching sessions.

Below is a short list and my guess is that you can relate to some of these if not all of them…

1) Having a tough time starting the networking process or getting in touch with the right people.

2) Knowing what to say and how to say it once you get the chance to connect with someone live.

3) Being able to clearly and confidently share your “story” or your positioning statement.

4) The lack of results you are getting with your career search.

If any of these concerns resonate with you, I’ve got some good news to share.  My new book, “Get in the Game” addresses these concerns and much more.  I wrote the book with you, the sports industry hopeful, in mind.  It details how to focus on your core strengths, provides steps on how to create AND leverage your network as well as numerous tips on how to get the results you need.

After you read “Get in the Game” I am ready to give you the insight you need, privately, just the two of us, one on one.  I do this to make sure you are moving forward with the best possible strategies.

– I believe in making my clients think and act differently to get new results.

– Easy to implement strategies that are straightforward.

– Want to take action and Get in the Game?

Contact me today!

The new book by Career Coach Matt Crevin – Get In The Game – is on-sale now! Buy it here.

New Career Coaching Service

by Leave a Comment

While the sports industry continues to evolve it remains a very competitive field to break into.  National career coach Matt Crevin is well positioned to help the next generation of sports industry hopefuls.

To level the playing field, Voice of the Box, LLC Is unveiling a brand new coaching package enhanced with professional career branding strategies, communication skills and a simplified 4-step process to empower weary job seekers.

“During my Career Coaching sessions, I teach fresh, relevant and unique job search strategies and advanced network development strategies to aggressively challenge young professionals to be relentless in managing their career search the best way possible,” Crevin explained. “Now more than ever, college students and young professionals have an opportunity communicate their qualifications through many channels but still need a strategy that successfully markets their career value proposition.”

Crevin has a unique perspective on what it takes to succeed in today’s sports industry — offering 19 years (and counting) of experience as a sports industry insider, 17 years of corporate experience, years of advanced networking skills and being a career coach. He recently wrote his first book “Get in the Game” and hosts a weekly radio program entitled “Beyond the Game Sports Talk.”

“Helping job seekers, especially those looking to break into the business side of the sports industry, communicate their stories through résumés, positioning statements and optimized LinkedIn profiles is very fulfilling,” said Crevin, Giving young professionals the career tools they need to compete effectively is a big step in launching their career.”

To learn more about the career services package, call 425-577-8483 or click here to submit a request.

About Voice of the Box, LLC

Leveraging 19 years of experience as a sports industry insider, with 17 years of real world corporate America experience, career coach, Matt Crevin advocates a fresh and common sense approach to career management. Matt is also a national guest lecturer at many college campuses speaking to sports management students.   Matt demonstrates the power of his 4 step career search roadmap and tactfully challenges students and young professionals to implement new techniques as part of their overall management of their career search.  The author of “Get in the Game, Matt hosts a weekly call-in radio show entitled “Beyond the Game Sports Talk.”  Matt has been featured on KNBR Radio in San Francisco numerous times among other media outlets.