How to hire a sports internship

How to hire a sports internship, step by step

Here's a step-by-step sports internship hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write a sports internship job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new sports internship
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   First, determine the employments status of the sports internship you need to hire. Certain sports internship roles might require a full-time employee, whereas others can be done by part-time workers or contractors.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   A sports internship's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, sports interns from different industries or fields will have radically different experiences and will bring different viewpoints to the role. You also need to consider the candidate's previous level of experience to make sure they'll be comfortable with the job's level of seniority.

   This list shows salaries for various types of sports interns.

   Type of Sports Internship	Description	Hourly rate
   Sports Internship	Reporters, correspondents, and broadcast news analysts inform the public about news and events happening internationally, nationally, and locally. They report the news for newspapers, magazines, websites, television, and radio.	$10-18
   Anchor	A news anchor is a journalist who informs the public through reports of events and news stories. News anchors educate the public about the world, local, and national events... Show more	$19-57
   Correspondent	A Correspondent is the backbone of every news agency today. It is through the correspondent experts write the news of a particular topic... Show more	$24-64

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Professional Athletes
   • Video Footage
   • Instagram
   • PowerPoint
   • Soccer
   • Facebook
   • Twitter
   • Softball
   • Sports Programs
   • NFL
   • News Stories
   • Volleyball
   • Youth Sports
   • Press Releases

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage the day-to-day production of the Olympics section as needed.
   • Log NHL, NBA, MLB and NCAA games.
   • Help promote business through social media sites like Facebook and Instagram.
   • Operate ENG equipment and satellite truck and cover breaking news stories.
   • Prepare for nightly activities by setting up for softball games and get score cards ready for volleyball and basketball.
   • Coordinate facility and event management for summer soccer tournaments.

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your sports internship job description is a great way to entice the best and brightest candidates. A sports internship salary can vary based on several factors:

   • Location. For example, sports interns' average salary in south carolina is 39% less than in vermont.
   • Seniority. Entry-level sports interns earn 44% less than senior-level sports interns.
   • Certifications. A sports internship with a few certifications under their belt will likely demand a higher salary.
   • Company. Working for a prestigious company or an exciting start-up can make a huge difference in a sports internship's salary.

   Average sports internship salary

   $14.49hourly

   $30,137 yearly

   ---

   Entry-level sports internship salary

   $22,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 18, 2025

4. Writing a sports internship job description

   A sports internship job description should include a summary of the role, required skills, and a list of responsibilities. It's also good to include a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager. Below, you can find an example of a sports internship job description:

   Sports internship job description example

   ABOUT THE JOB
   
   We are currently searching for a Sports & Entertainment Intern who is passionate about sports marketing, the entertainment industry and public relations to join our Chicago team. This position will encompass a wide array of responsibilities, with a focus on supporting programs and initiatives for Zeno Group's Sports & Entertainment Consulting practice.
   
   This is a full-time, remote internship role through May 31, 2023
   You Will:This position will encompass a wide array of responsibilities, with a focus on supporting our Sports & Entertainment Consulting practice whose core capabilities include providing strategic S&E counsel/PR support, talent procurement, licensing, media integrations, and more.Work closely with account team members from Assistant Account Executives to Vice Presidents & Managing Directors to develop & deliver key client deliverables Manage day-to-day activities for 2-4 accounts Conduct media and social audits and general research to inform brainstorms, client POVs and new business projects Support and aid in development of press releases, visuals, media lists, presentations and additional collateral Conduct earned media relations efforts to drive positive media coverage and social buzz for client campaigns across verticals, including sports (NFL, F1, NCAA, LPGA, PGA), fashion, lifestyle, food and beverage, and technology, among others Participate in brainstorms to aid in idea generation pertaining to activations, campaigns and talent partnerships Perform media monitoring, tracking and reporting Assist with the development of the monthly Sports & Entertainment newsletter to highlight the practice's ongoing work, S&E sponsorship opportunities and available talent partnerships Work with internal and client teams to coordinate timing for meetings
   About YouBachelor's degree Must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 (i.e., at least 2 weeks after last dose) and, if hired, present proof of vaccination before start date. Candidates may request an accommodation due to a disability or sincerely held religious belief or an exception required under applicable law Prior experience in Sports & Entertainment industry/communications/journalism/marketing -related fields Assisted with Communications/marketing team-related administrative tasks, including overseeing agency news monitoring reports Consistently produced high-quality internal and external communications content to support communications efforts Enjoy building relationships with internal partners, vendors, and third party stakeholders, acting as a liaison between agency and client Must be pro-active and able to operate effectively both independently and within a team MS Office proficiency is a must
   ABOUT US
   Zeno Group is the fiercely independent and global integrated communications agency, born from PR. We bring together the boldest and brightest talent to help clients across industries and sectors unleash the power of strategic communications. Guided by our ‘Fearless Pursuit of the Unexpected,' we push the boundaries to achieve real business value and societal impact for clients. Winner of the industry's most coveted awards including the 2021 PRovoke Global Creative Agency of the Year, 2021 PRovoke North American Agency of the Year and 2021 PRWeek Agency of the Year. We are honored to be a three-time winner of PRWeek's Best Places to Work. Zeno has also been previously recognized by the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity. Zeno is a DJE Holdings Company.
   
   ABOUT OUR BENEFITS
   Healthy, happy employees make Zeno better, so we have programs that support physical, mental and financial wellness. Our culture and benefits are designed to promote flexibility, celebrate diversity and support work/life balance. We offer a variety of medical, dental and vision insurance with prescription plans, as well as short and long-term disability. Our Be Kind to Your Mind program focuses on mental health, providing a paid subscription to Headspace and access to mental health providers and other services through a best-in-class employee assistance program. Employees are encouraged to bring their authentic self to Zeno and participate in our employee resource groups which build communities for sharing and support. And while we love our work, we believe in the restorative power of time off with generous vacation, paid holidays and self-care time. Employees are supported in their pursuit of financial wellness with a 401(k) plan, pretax flexible spending accounts, tuition assistance, life insurance and free access to a certified financial coach. And our unique ZenoFit program provides a monthly allowance to fund activities in your personal life that bring you joy and keep you healthy. These and other benefits are available to non-temporary employees in the US.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   To find sports interns for your business, try out a few different recruiting strategies:

   • Consider internal talent. One of the most important talent pools for any company is its current employees.
   • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and your current work to ask if they know any sports interns they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit entry-level sports interns with the right educational background.
   • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter have more than 3.5 billion users, and they're a great place for company branding and reaching potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your sports internship job on Zippia to find and attract quality sports internship candidates.
   • Use niche websites such as problogger, media bistro, journalismjobs.com, content writing jobs.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   To successfully recruit sports interns, your first interview needs to engage with candidates to learn about their interest in the role and experience in the field. You can go into more detail about the company, the role, and the responsibilities during follow-up interviews.

   Remember to include a few questions that allow candidates to expand on their strengths in their own words. Asking about their unique skills might reveal things you'd miss otherwise. At this point, good candidates can move on to the technical interview.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new sports internship

   Once you've selected the best sports internship candidate for the job, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, this letter should include details about the benefits and perks you offer the candidate. Ensuring that your offer is competitive is essential, as qualified candidates may be considering other job opportunities. The candidate may wish to negotiate the terms of the offer, and you should be open to discussion. After you reach an agreement, the final step is formalizing the agreement with a contract.

   It's also good etiquette to follow up with applicants who don't get the job by sending them an email letting them know that the position has been filled.

   Once that's done, you can draft an onboarding schedule for the new sports internship. Human Resources should complete Employee Action Forms and ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc. They should also ensure that new employee files are created for internal recordkeeping.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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