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mistakes on a résumé usually lead to immediate removal from
the job opportunity.
Use networking to find outmore. RoryDavidsonwas in high
school in Menlo Park, California, and used a family connection
to get some meetings with the people at the San Francisco 49ers
who were introducing various levels of analytics to the team. “I
spent a day with them talking about how the NFL values draft
picks based on which round a player is chosen,” says Davidson,
who now studies at the University of Oregon. “We’ve stayed in
touch, and I’ve been able to see the people I met there at the
sports analytics conferences I’ve been to.”
25
G
etting
S
tarted
Text-Dependent Questions
1. When should you begin looking for internships?
2. According to Ari Kaplan, what are some of the types of classes and
software you should be familiar with?
3. What was Bill James’ job when he began writing and self-publishing
his annual baseball book?
Research Project
Start looking at teams near you for internship opportunities. Don’t
forget minor-league teams in sports such as baseball, basketball, or
hockey. The opportunities might not be in analytics, but learning other
parts of a sports organization can be helpful.