Student Athletes

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Career Resources

Contact Information

Kelly E. Kennedy, Director of Career Readiness, Athletics

Your Resume

Did you know that some employers actually look for athletes when reviewing resumes? You have developed important skills as a student-athlete that make you an attractive job candidate! See some below.

Don't have a resume? Need help starting one? We can help with that too! Email Kelly Kennedy for an appointment or come to a UVA Career Center appointment.

Transferable Skills of an Athlete:

Communication
Coachability
Leadership Skills
Driven
Confidence
Working Well Under Pressure
Teamwork
Discipline
Time Management
Goal-Setting
Commitment
Self-Motivation

Whether you choose to include your involvement in athletics under the heading “LEADERSHIP,” “ATHLETICS” or “EXPERIENCE,” use strong action words to describe your accomplishments and skills.

Positive Action Verbs:

Achieved
Established
Motivated
Developed
Mentored
Initiated
Oversaw
Collaborated
Influenced
Recreated
Directed
Led

Examples:

Devote 20+ hours per week to meetings, training, and competitions
Voted Most Valuable Oarswoman as freshman team member
Demonstrated ability to willingly accept challenges and make decisions under pressure
Build positive relationships with other team members through teamwork, communication skills and positive work habits

What can you include outside of game day experiences:

In the “EDUCATION” section, include a list of Relevant Courses for the job to which you are applying. You can also make a separate section called "Relevant Coursework"
Include any experience in public speaking to the media or before groups of children, at camps, schools or conferences
Include any coaching or training you have done; emphasize communication, organizational and motivational skills. This can include camps that you have worked or private training you have done at home for younger athletes.
Include community service you have done as an individual and as part of your team (e.g. hospital visits, A.C.E. (Athletes Committed to Education, Team Impact, etc.)

Job Search Tools

Pathways

Athlete Career Placement

Athletes to Career

UVA Football Alumni Network

Networking

Hoos in your Network

Pathways

Virtual Networking

Virginia Alumni Mentoring

Student-Athlete Employer Reception

Gaining Experience

Externships are self-initiated, short-term shadowing opportunities which would allow you to “test” out a career of interest and gain experience. Externships are ideal for you as a student-athlete because they can be completed at any time that is mutually convenient for you and the employer. There are UVA Alumni and friends in Pathways that you can connect with to develop your experience.
Internships - through Handshake or Pathways. Or we can help you develop and source our own!
Career Center Accelerator Program
Forge (Formerly Hack CVille)
Internship Placement Program

UVA Career Center is a great place to start your research. Your team and the alumni from the program can be a great place to start! Check out additional networking information and resources here.