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Alumni Week: 4/12-4/15 4 Days of Virtual Events! 100+ Years of Cumulative Industry Experience Speaking
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Alumni Feature Spotlight
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Jesse Clark
UW Class: 2014 UW Major: Journalism SBC Position: Member Current Job: Manager of Digital and Social Media, Kansas City Royals |
Q & A
When/how did you know you wanted to get into social media?
I knew I wanted to get into social media the summer between sophomore and junior year of college. I always enjoyed writing and was passionate about sports, so I thought a career as a sports writer was one I'd like to pursue. I majored in journalism and worked for the Wisconsin State Journal and UW's athletic communications department, covering sports on both the high school and collegiate level. These opportunities gave me experience in the digital and social media space, which strengthened my affinity for the latter and helped me immensely upon graduation.
What are your thoughts on the Communications Internship with the Athletic Department?
My communications role at UW was invaluable because it provided the opportunity to cover a wide variety of sports including track, cross country, football, basketball and volleyball. I gained both digital and social media experience and improved my ability to write and communicate with athletes through previews, recaps and feature stories I'd craft for uwbadgers.com. The skills and experience I gained during my two years working in that role helped me land future internships and full-time work.
How did your time as an intern with the Detroit Lions shape the future of your career to date?
My internship with the Detroit Lions largely came from experience gained in college. While I didn't post on social media during my time with the Lions, I gained confidence working with professional athletes for feature stories I'd write and learned CMS since a bulk of my role was to help update a variety of pages on detroitlions.com. This internship enhanced by desire to work in digital/social in professional sports and played a major role in me getting a full-time opportunity with the Houston Texans.
How was your transition to being a manager? What have you learned about yourself and your team in your first year?
My transition to manager has been extremely valuable. Managing a coordinator and a trainee has helped me grow in a variety of areas including prioritization, delegation, motivation, communication and time management. Our three-person social team learns from and inspires each other daily and a positive work environment fosters a creative space that leads to great social content.
Where do you think the Royals and their relationship with digital and social media will be in 5 years? What about the future of the social media industry as a whole?
The digital and social media space continues to rapidly evolve. In five years there will likely be a handful of new platforms we'll be responsible for. Social teams will either need to increase in size or prioritize which platforms to focus on. I imagine by then we'll be immersed in a legalized sports gambling space and need to continue to find the best ways to increase our value by monetizing our content and strategically incorporating sponsors. We'll also want to make sure our content is targeting all demographics, especially appealing to Gen Z, so we can simultaneously strengthen the affinity current fans have for the Royals and build connections that create new fans. While these challenges and opportunities will be a focus for the Royals, they also apply to the sports industry as a whole.
What kind of advice would you offer a younger college student looking to build their resume to eventually start applying for post-graduation internships and full time offers?
My best pieces of advice would be to find relevant experience and make connections. Whether it's an internship or a full-time role, college or professional, a sport you love or a sport you may not prefer, there is value in every opportunity. Make the most of it, have a positive attitude, learn as many skills as you can and make yourself an invaluable resource. I was willing to travel just about anywhere for opportunities I was confident would help move my career in the right direction. It's a competitive space and it's not as big as you might expect. The sports social community is really well connected and most people in the industry either know somebody where you may want to work or knows somebody who knows somebody who works there. Reach out, ask questions, establish relationships with people in roles you admire or at places you aspire to work someday. These can really pay off down the line in the application process when your name is more than just a name, but also a potential connection or recommendation.
How about advice for older individuals who are in the heat of the application process right now? Any cool ways to stand out among other applicants?
The best way to stand out, aside from the answer above, is to show personality and creativity. I had an applicant create a Twitter page that served as a resume and featured a number of content ideas, which was memorable and led to an interview. Show an eagerness to learn and a passion for the industry. Additionally, your personal social accounts tell us something about you as well. Make sure they represent how you want to be represented. We do check them in the hiring process.
What’s your favorite part about living in Kansas City?
I have yet to truly experience all of what Kansas City has to offer since I moved here at the start of the pandemic a year ago. That being said, there are a number of things I like about living here. The city is walkable and green with cool parks and unique neighborhoods. KC doesn't feel too big or too small and the food is great, especially the BBQ. Most of all, I'm glad to be back in the Midwest closer to home.
I knew I wanted to get into social media the summer between sophomore and junior year of college. I always enjoyed writing and was passionate about sports, so I thought a career as a sports writer was one I'd like to pursue. I majored in journalism and worked for the Wisconsin State Journal and UW's athletic communications department, covering sports on both the high school and collegiate level. These opportunities gave me experience in the digital and social media space, which strengthened my affinity for the latter and helped me immensely upon graduation.
What are your thoughts on the Communications Internship with the Athletic Department?
My communications role at UW was invaluable because it provided the opportunity to cover a wide variety of sports including track, cross country, football, basketball and volleyball. I gained both digital and social media experience and improved my ability to write and communicate with athletes through previews, recaps and feature stories I'd craft for uwbadgers.com. The skills and experience I gained during my two years working in that role helped me land future internships and full-time work.
How did your time as an intern with the Detroit Lions shape the future of your career to date?
My internship with the Detroit Lions largely came from experience gained in college. While I didn't post on social media during my time with the Lions, I gained confidence working with professional athletes for feature stories I'd write and learned CMS since a bulk of my role was to help update a variety of pages on detroitlions.com. This internship enhanced by desire to work in digital/social in professional sports and played a major role in me getting a full-time opportunity with the Houston Texans.
How was your transition to being a manager? What have you learned about yourself and your team in your first year?
My transition to manager has been extremely valuable. Managing a coordinator and a trainee has helped me grow in a variety of areas including prioritization, delegation, motivation, communication and time management. Our three-person social team learns from and inspires each other daily and a positive work environment fosters a creative space that leads to great social content.
Where do you think the Royals and their relationship with digital and social media will be in 5 years? What about the future of the social media industry as a whole?
The digital and social media space continues to rapidly evolve. In five years there will likely be a handful of new platforms we'll be responsible for. Social teams will either need to increase in size or prioritize which platforms to focus on. I imagine by then we'll be immersed in a legalized sports gambling space and need to continue to find the best ways to increase our value by monetizing our content and strategically incorporating sponsors. We'll also want to make sure our content is targeting all demographics, especially appealing to Gen Z, so we can simultaneously strengthen the affinity current fans have for the Royals and build connections that create new fans. While these challenges and opportunities will be a focus for the Royals, they also apply to the sports industry as a whole.
What kind of advice would you offer a younger college student looking to build their resume to eventually start applying for post-graduation internships and full time offers?
My best pieces of advice would be to find relevant experience and make connections. Whether it's an internship or a full-time role, college or professional, a sport you love or a sport you may not prefer, there is value in every opportunity. Make the most of it, have a positive attitude, learn as many skills as you can and make yourself an invaluable resource. I was willing to travel just about anywhere for opportunities I was confident would help move my career in the right direction. It's a competitive space and it's not as big as you might expect. The sports social community is really well connected and most people in the industry either know somebody where you may want to work or knows somebody who knows somebody who works there. Reach out, ask questions, establish relationships with people in roles you admire or at places you aspire to work someday. These can really pay off down the line in the application process when your name is more than just a name, but also a potential connection or recommendation.
How about advice for older individuals who are in the heat of the application process right now? Any cool ways to stand out among other applicants?
The best way to stand out, aside from the answer above, is to show personality and creativity. I had an applicant create a Twitter page that served as a resume and featured a number of content ideas, which was memorable and led to an interview. Show an eagerness to learn and a passion for the industry. Additionally, your personal social accounts tell us something about you as well. Make sure they represent how you want to be represented. We do check them in the hiring process.
What’s your favorite part about living in Kansas City?
I have yet to truly experience all of what Kansas City has to offer since I moved here at the start of the pandemic a year ago. That being said, there are a number of things I like about living here. The city is walkable and green with cool parks and unique neighborhoods. KC doesn't feel too big or too small and the food is great, especially the BBQ. Most of all, I'm glad to be back in the Midwest closer to home.
March Events Recap
March 3rd - The Business of Summerfest
March 10th - Student Internship Showcase
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March 23rd - Barry Baum, Chief Communications Officer at the Bucks
March 31st - Sports Communication & Media Panel
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