“Be a pro, before you are a pro. Be what you want to be. Nothing comes easy. You have to put the time in.”
That advice was spoken by MSG broadcaster Bryce Salvador as part of a panel for a captivated audience of high school and college students, members of the Black Girl Hockey Club and past Black artists that designed the Devils Black History Night jerseys.
“Your network is your reputation,” Salvador continued. “Are you punctual? Work hard? Are you a good person? You have to start thinking of those characteristics and attributes, because all of sudden someone will open the door for you because they know they and can depend on you.”
Salvador was joined on a panel alongside other Black professionals working under the HBSE blanket, Millie Watson, James Lipscomb, Emily Haydel and David Gould as part of the Devils' month long celebration of Black History.
“With broadcasting, the door opened because people knew I was going come in and be punctual, working hard and putting in the time,” Salvador said. “Maybe when I started off, I was pretty rough as a rookie, but based on my reputation of playing hockey, they knew by Year 6, 7, 8, I would be much better than Year 1. That’s where reputation and networking gets you.”
And when it comes to landing a job in sports, networking is a big part of it.
“You can’t be afraid to speak up. You can’t be afraid to introduce yourself and talk to people,” said Watson, the manager, corporate partnerships activation for the Philadelphia 76ers. “Before the 76ers I was trying so hard to get into sports because it’s so difficult. I noticed athletes were hosting these amazing charity events for their charities. So, I invested in myself and bought a $200 ticket (and networked).
“Invest in yourself. Don’t be afraid to talk to people. Some people think it’s so scary, but you can come up and talk to us. It’s okay. If you’re that person, don’t be afraid. If you’re not that person, work on that and then come holler at me.”
And when it comes networking, it isn’t just meeting and chatting with professionals. It goes well beyond that.
“I think people throw the word networking around. I think what it truly means is relationship building,” said Haydel, producer social media content for the Devils and Prudential Center. “You can reach out and have a conversation and learn about what someone does in their role and that’s that. But if you don’t follow up on that and try to build a relationship, they’re not going to remember you. I always say that relationship building is more important than making that first connection with a person.”
