Paying Dues: Cleveland Browns Professionals Explain Why Starting From the Bottom is Worth the Price

Bridget Huzicka, director of corporate partnerships activation for the Browns, talks to UF students at the Browns Edge Career Development Summit.

No pay. Little sleep. Winging it. Are challenging “grunt work” internships and volunteer experiences really worth it?
Absolutely, say those who have recently been through the gauntlet within the professional sports industry, and others who have worked their way up the ladder.
At the University of Findlay’s second Browns Edge Career Development Summit, students looking to gain valuable insight into the business world of sports heard from established professionals from the Cleveland Browns. The event was a part of the Browns Edge Partnership, an educational collaboration between the organization and university that also includes internships, mentoring opportunities and specialized learning.
Browns managers and directors addressed three different topics: pathways to successful careers, inspirational talks and best practices for building a résumé that gets noticed.
Speaking about pathways to successful careers were Anthony Cangelosi, Browns’ manager of corporate partnerships activation, and Kaila Lockhart, corporate partnerships activation coordinator. UF students who have interned or are interning with the Browns were also part of the panel. They were Brandon Emsweller, a UF senior, junior Adam Twining, and junior Delaney Haas.
On interviewing:

• Emsweller interviewed multiple times for his special events and corporate partnerships internship. “It was a bit stressful,” he said. “I had to do a lot of homework on what they do to interview for that.”
• “The interview process really starts right now,” Twining told the crowd. “Make a name for yourself today. Make sure
  they remember your face. Shake their hand and ask good questions.”
• “I introduced myself and kept in contact with them,” said Haas, who has worked for the Browns for about one year. “Talk to them, reach out to them and share what your goals are.”
• Be prepared to illustrate your “personality, adaptability and versatility” with evidence and anecdotes that show you’ve been able to successfully switch gears and be part of a team, said Lockhart.
• Learn as much as possible about the company where you’ll be interviewing and its history, Cangelosi added.

On job preparation:

• Gain actual work experience, even if it’s at a job that doesn’t correspond with career goals, Cangelosi said. “Have some war stories to tell in an interview.”
• Work on telling those stories well, Cangelosi continued. “Be a good storyteller, if you can tell a great story, you can sell yourself better than anyone else.”
• Diversify your work experiences. Use those strengths and skills to offer insight and additional value to future employers and what they’re offering, Lockhart said.

To view more photos from the event, go to UF’s Browns Summit Flickr Album located here.