I recently reviewed a job description and started to to think what qualifies one person for the job over another. There are moments during every hiring process where résumés begin to blend together.
Everyone has written recaps.
Everyone has posted graphics.
Everyone has worked games.
Everyone knows Photoshop, social media strategy, and basic statistics software.
Technical competency matters. It always will.
But the longer I work in athletic communications, the more I realize the profession’s best professionals are rarely separated by software knowledge alone.
They are separated by how they think.
How they serve.
How they communicate.
How they respond under pressure.
How they build trust.
Too often, the modern athletic communications conversation becomes centered entirely around production:
How many graphics?
How many posts?
How many impressions?
How much content?
Those things matter, but they do not fully define the value of an SID professional.
The best professionals in this field become connective tissue for an athletic department.
They connect coaches to administration.
They connect student-athletes to institutional storytelling.
They connect alumni to current programs.
They connect community to campus.
They connect trust to communication.
That responsibility requires far more than content creation.
Serving Before Self-Promotion
One of the clearest indicators of long-term success in this profession is whether someone enters the field to serve or to be seen.
The strongest professionals understand visibility is earned through consistent work, not chased through constant recognition.
They celebrate student-athletes before themselves.
They share credit.
They handle small tasks with professionalism.
They understand that some of the most important work in athletic communications is never publicly noticed.
The late-night stat correction matters.
The follow-up email matters.
The quiet conversation with a frustrated coach matters.
The overlooked athlete story matters.
Service builds trust.
Trust builds relationships.
Relationships sustain departments.
A self-centered communicator can create division quickly.
A service-centered communicator creates stability.
Strategic Thinking Beyond the Recap
Athletic communications is no longer simply about documenting events.
It is about positioning institutions.
The best SID professionals think strategically. They ask:
What story are we telling?
Who needs to hear it?
How does this align with institutional mission?
What does this communicate about our culture?
What impact does this have beyond today?
A graphic is not just a graphic.
A release is not just a release.
A social media post is not just content.
Every piece of communication reinforces identity.
Strong communicators understand that recruiting, fundraising, alumni engagement, campus pride, and institutional reputation are all affected by the consistency and intentionality of communication.
The profession increasingly needs communication leaders, not simply content producers.
Trust Is the Real Currency
In athletic communications, trust matters more than almost anything else.
The best professionals become reliable people within departments.
Coaches trust them.
Administrators trust them.
Student-athletes trust them.
Media members trust them.
That trust is built through consistency:
Accuracy
Follow-through
Calmness
Professionalism
Emotional maturity
Honest communication
Departments do not need professionals whose demeanor changes based on wins, losses, recognition, or stress levels.
They need stabilizers.
The strongest SID professionals often become trusted because they consistently make situations better, not louder.
Communication Is Leadership
Every interaction inside an athletic department shapes culture.
Emails shape culture.
Social media shapes culture.
Conversations shape culture.
Responses during adversity shape culture.
The best communicators understand that communication is not simply output. It is leadership behavior.
Intentional communicators understand:
Timing
Tone
Audience
Context
Emotional intelligence
They understand that professionalism is not performative. It is operational.
Clear communication reduces friction.
Thoughtful communication builds alignment.
Professional communication creates trust.
Mentorship Still Matters
One of the profession’s greatest strengths has always been its willingness to help others grow.
The best SID professionals invest in people.
They mentor student-workers.
They share ideas with peers.
They encourage younger professionals.
They seek growth themselves.
This profession improves when knowledge is shared instead of protected.
Strong professionals understand their responsibility extends beyond their own career progression.
They are helping shape future communicators, future leaders, and future advocates for student-athletes.
Protecting Institutional Culture
Athletic communicators often become unofficial custodians of departmental culture.
They help determine:
Which stories are elevated
Which voices are heard
What standards are reinforced
How people are represented publicly
Culture is affected by communication more than many departments realize.
Negativity affects culture.
Carelessness affects culture.
Disengagement affects culture.
Ego affects culture.
The strongest professionals understand their role is not simply to promote athletics.
It is to represent people responsibly and institutions professionally.
Professionalism Under Pressure
Athletic communications is demanding work.
Long hours.
Constant deadlines.
Travel.
Unexpected issues.
Emotional environments.
Limited staffing.
Pressure reveals professionalism.
The best SID professionals are not defined solely by what they produce when everything goes smoothly.
They are defined by:
How they respond to mistakes
How they manage conflict
How they communicate during adversity
How they handle exhaustion
How they lead when things become difficult
Composure matters.
Departments need professionals who create calm, not chaos.
Understanding the Mission
The strongest candidates — and the strongest professionals — understand the work is bigger than the content itself.
A transactional communicator sees:
Posts
Graphics
Statistics
Recaps
A mission-driven communicator sees:
Student-athlete experiences
Institutional storytelling
Historical preservation
Community connection
Department identity
Athletic communications is not simply publicity.
It is stewardship.
It is documentation.
It is advocacy.
It is relationship-building.
It is preserving moments and memories that become part of an institution’s history.
That responsibility deserves intentionality.
More Than Content Creators
The phrase “content creator” has become common within athletics.
But the best SID professionals eventually become something much more important.
They become connectors.
Stabilizers.
Translators.
Relationship-builders.
Problem-solvers.
Culture-shapers.
They become connective tissue for athletic departments.
And in a profession built around people, trust, and institutional identity, that may be the most valuable role of all.
No comments:
Post a Comment