What do Baseball, Internships and Multitasking Have in Common?

A couple days ago I mentioned in a tweet that I wanted to combine a few ideas I got from CAREEREALISM because they easily relate to the world of the Minor Leagues (plus independent leagues and other sports, especially below the highest levels). Having the knowledge these articles provide helped me earn a spot in the sport I love most.

Greg Barrette‘s article on the benefits of internships explains how even unpaid ones can offer you a wealth of experience. I spent three summers with the Brewster Whitecaps without earning a dime, but it didn’t stop me from coming back at the end of each season.

I learned so much during my time with the Whitecaps, and I certainly wouldn’t have ended up with a job in the minors without applying the lessons I learned on the Cape to my work habits and job interviews.

Whether you’ve done one internship or twenty, you have learned even more than you think. Once you get thrown into a similar situation to one in your past, you’ll thank your former coworkers and bosses for preparing you.

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Internships often show you what you enjoy doing in your field and what you dislike. For many people, it’s tough to figure out exactly what it is they want to do. If that’s the predicament you find yourself in, I have a solution for you.

Since graduating from BU in May, I have read plenty of books, websites and magazines about entrepreneurship. I love sports, and I’ve tried to understand the business of them (particularly baseball). If you enjoy baseball but don’t know how you could find a job in it, you should start with the minor leagues. It’s a viable option, especially if you fit any of the criteria in this CAREEREALISM article, Still Not Sure “What to Be When You Grow Up?”

With people’s attention span decreasing over time, it’s tough to stay focused on one thing. If you have a job in Minor League Baseball, there are plenty of different things to do. Almost all of the teams offer internships (and even full-time positions) that cover all or many of the different aspects of business. There are Community Relations Interns doing ticket sales, Media Relations Interns in the broadcast booth and even Sales people donning the mascot suit! If you like freedom in your work, then Minor League Baseball is the way to go.

As great as working in the minors can be, it’s not all fun and games. There are longer hours than most other businesses, and even the General Managers have to pull the tarp sometimes. On a positive note though, you’re free to be creative, work outside (ON A FIELD!) and share your happiness with the fans.

With a baseball team, there are opportunities that reach beyond the game too. The motto I’ve gone by in my time covering baseball is “Have fun in the name of the [team].” Ben’s Biz Blog does a great job of showing how teams can provide for their fans, whether there’s baseball in the background or not.

If Minor League Baseball seems like the field for you, there are some good opportunities to get involved.

A few Minor League teams are publicizing open positions they have and also hosting job fairs in the coming weeks. If you visit my @minorleagues Twitter list, you’ll get updates from every official Minor League Baseball team on Twitter, plus a bunch of players and employees working in affiliated ball. (Most teams have a solid facebook presence as well.)

The Professional Baseball Employment Opportunities (PBEO) website is also a valuable tool if working in the minors interests you.

I won’t pretend to be an expert about working in Minor League Baseball, but I ‘d be happy to help anyone with a question about it. I’m also curious to hear what you think of this post (as well as the rest of my blog). Feel free to leave a comment. Thanks for reading.