Carling León is the current Community Relations Managers for the Portland Timbers and Thorns Football Club. She proudly graduated from University of Portland with a degree in Marketing and Sustainability in 2013. Whether she is cheering on the Pilots at the Chiles Center with her family, conducting mock interviews for the Pamplin Professional Preparation Program or speaking to the UP Marketing Club, Carling is still a familiar face on the Bluff. Below is her “hat trick” to landing your dream job!
Separate Yourself
The harsh reality is that you are competing for opportunities with your fellow classmates (and more). When I would share my dream of working in sports, many would smile and say the industry was “very competitive” to get into. While that is true, what they didn’t realize was that I was a competitor. I game planned and embraced the challenge.
As a freshman on The Bluff, I began working at the adidas Employee Store and added a Communication minor to my Business major. I wasn’t exactly sure how I was going to impact the sports industry, but I knew these were relevant experiences I could talk about in future interviews and enhanced me as an overall candidate.
My Father has always been my confidante and sounding board. Growing up, he would always tell me “choice, not chance, determines your destiny.” How are you separating yourself from the multitude of other applicants? Be intentional!
Mind Your Manners
The P4 program provides you the opportunity to interact with numerous business leaders in our community. In a world where basic etiquette is sometimes an afterthought, manners are a way to separate yourself from the competition at your job shadow, mock interview or speed networking.
My Mother is a true lady, very prim and proper. Below are her timeless tips I used as a student, and still practice today:
- You have one chance to make a good first impression. Make it great! Ensure you are dressed appropriately. Greet people with a smile and a firm handshake.
- During your interaction, be sure to look people in the eye. Say please and thank you, come with questions, and put your phone away.
- Always follow up with a handwritten thank you note. It should be thoughtful and delivered as soon as possible.
Delayed Gratification
I still remember crafting my Five Year Plan in P4. This exercise helped establish my direction, both personally and professionally. I printed out a copy and made it my mission to accomplish it all. To attain this goal, it meant my foreseeable future would consist of spending Friday nights in the library, limiting my social calendar, crafting my resume at the Career Center, taking classes in the summer and working on the weekends. At times, I had to revisit my Five Year Plan when frustration set in and I could see others having fun without me. Nevertheless, I stayed focused on my goals and pushed forward.
Those experiences taught me discipline, time management and org
anization; all skills that are applicable to every facet of my life. Looking back, I can see my sacrifices in college set me up for long term success. Five years later, I am proud to report I have completed all the items on my Plan – but I was only able to do that by delaying my gratification. It’s not an accident, it takes sacrifice, diligence and perseverance. The fruits of my labor have afforded me the opportunity to become a stakeholder in Portland, walk the Red Carpet at the ESPYs and watch the Timbers win an MLS Cup – all while being able to give back to the community that means so much to me.