Landing Your First Role in Sport with Mark Bullingham, CEO of The FA

So you’re passionate about sport and want to work in the industry. What’s the next step?

For students looking to break into their first role in sport, it can be difficult knowing where to start. 

Mark Bullingham, CEO of The FA, holds one of the most senior positions in English football, so to find out, we spoke to him after his recent, exclusive session with our newest student intake at Wembley Stadium.

Get as Much Work Experience as Possible

Offering his top tips for students in the position he was once in, Bullingham began by advising students to get their foot in the door.

“Firstly,” he said, “try whatever you can to get work experience, because it’ll open your eyes to what opportunities there are, you’ll understand what you enjoy, and where you want to go.”

Whether it’s work experience, a placement or an internship, learning about the role from the inside goes a long way. For students, the experience throws you in the deep end, surrounding you with professionals who have real responsibility in the industry.

This is the most important thing, according to GIS graduate Madeleine Wright, a Hospitality Operations Manager at Fulham FC, who learnt as much as she can from others in the building before getting promoted to her current role.

“As an Operations Executive, I made a conscious effort to learn from those around me by gaining a full understanding of the new stand development and operation, not just my immediate responsibilities.”

Learn About the Industry

Whether it’s through work experience or any other opportunity, making a good impression can go a long way. Bullingham’s second piece of advice? Do your research.

“Secondly, really learn about the industry, so that when you meet people you’re really knowledgeable. There’s a tonne of information out there!”

As well as sounding clued-in to those you meet while networking, this industry knowledge is all the more important when it comes to the interview for your first job.

Tom Rowell, Chief Marketing and Communications Officer at World Snooker Tour, agreed, and provided his perspective as the employer, adding that he even likes to gauge the applicants’ familiarity with his company during interviews.

“You can’t be passive in this industry, you have to ask questions.”

“Practice interviews and do research about the business you’re interviewing for. So many times I’ve done interviews for executives and they’ve made no effort on the most basic things.”

“I often ask people to tell me why I’m rubbish, and people are scared to answer, but I need to know that answer so I know what you can offer me.”

Network, Network, Network

The word ‘networking’ comes up a lot in the sports industry, and for good reason.

Despite sport being such a global phenomenon, the industry itself remains relatively close-knit, meaning any relationship you can build could be useful later in your career.

“The third one is try as hard as you can to meet as many people as you can, because you never know when you meet someone what it could lead to.”

Advice that applies across almost every area of the industry, we heard from two professionals who highlighted the importance of building genuine relationships. For sports journalist Toyosi Afolayan, it can directly impact the work itself, telling us that, “Building relationships matters, as access can make or break a story.”

As for Tobias van Deijck, Senior Finance Manager at Miami FC, being genuine is equally as important.

“One piece of advice I would give to students attending these events is to network with people and create relationships without asking for a job right away. Instead, have conversations by asking about what they do and what interests them, follow-up on LinkedIn after the event, and stay in touch with them every month.”

Start As Soon As You Can

Getting your foot in the door, enriching your skills with industry knowledge, and growing a wide network are pieces of advice that come to you from the top of English football.

Straightforward and applicable, Mark Bullingham’s advice is clear: “Get to know people, be curious, and throw yourself into it. Good luck!”

From graduates who have successfully landed their first role to industry leaders, keep reading to explore more advice and top tips. Visit our news page.

Article by Zakaria Anani