28 January 2014

Caitlin Crawford Is A Great Role Model For Those Interested In A Career In Sports Broadcasting

By Judy Sullivan


University of Oklahoma graduate and Dallas native Caitlin Crawford got the internship opportunity of her dreams when she was chosen for the chance to work with the media department of the Dallas Cowboys. She was a longtime fan of this football team and was excited to be a part of it all and put the skills she had learned in the broadcast and electronic media program, which she graduated from in 2013, to good use.

When applying for this position Caitlin realized the importance of submitting some samples of the high quality work she had produced in school, which in this case included some of her best articles. It's necessary in such a highly competitive area with few positions available that one stand out from the crowd, which she clearly did, landing her a phone interview.

She advises that if others are also interested in such an opportunity, they should concentrate on developing several key skill areas. One of these is to become increasingly confident in front of a camera, which is vital to a career in this field. Strong written communication skills and technical knowledge for video production are also very important to have.

Crawford was happy to get the opportunity to put some of her acquired technical knowledge to practical use while on her internship besides having the chance to become more comfortable in front of the camera, she also got to apply her skills with editing software and applications and was thrilled when they relied on her to operate a new playback system which no one else was familiar with except her.

Before starting her position with the Cowboys, she prepared herself by learning as much as possible about all aspects of the team from its history to its individual players, staff members, and scores. Her internship spanned two summers when she was not attending classes, and she was also given the chance to produce a couple of other features for associated media company later on as well.

Crawford's work days as an intern were filled with variety. Sometimes she would be interviewing players, and would need to keep a flexible schedule as they would show up at various times since it was during the off-season. Covering and producing numerous televised shows, script and feature development were amongst her typical duties each day.

The skills Crawford considers as most important to an organization like the Dallas Cowboys are first of all being punctual and not having a problem with working overtime. Persistence, dedication, and learning from one's mistakes are also valued. A strong work ethic is also looked upon favorably, which is shown in one being a self-starter, doing careful research, and being an "ideas person".

Her time with the Dallas Cowboys was truly inspiring to Caitlin Crawford who aspires to have a career in sports broadcast journalism. With this experience to add to her resume as well as her involvement with the school sport newscasting department, she is likely to find a rewarding position with a news station or sports organization.




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