This is an interview with Jacob Berry, an SAU Graduate, who enjoyed his time playing football here at SAU. 

Q How did being a student athlete help you have success in finding a job?

Jacob –  Being a student athlete is almost a cheat code when looking for a job. It can look great on a resume,  as well as showing employers that I am timely, I work with a team well, fight through adversity, understand the value of hardwork, self motivation, and listen well.

Q Were you a leader in your sport? If so, how did that help starting a career? 

Jacob – Yes, I was in a position of leadership in my sport, being a leader made it easy transferring into a new job. It allowed me to be able to create programs for success not just for myself, but my coworkers as well. It helped me to be able to listen to the problems of my partners, and implement a new strategy to solve their issues. Most importantly being a leader made me more comfortable speaking my mind and addressing obstacles instead of shying away.

Q What traits were built from sports that transferred in your career?

Jacob – Communication is one of the best traits I’ve taken  from football into my career. Such as calling plays, making checks, having one-on-one conversations, these all  have helped me in the workforce. I’ve mastered the ability to communicate with many different personality types and learned that everyone responds differently when it comes to motivation and success. Being a competitor is an overlooked trait that is extremely helpful. While “winning” isn’t necessarily the goal in the “real-world” , there are jobs out there where success is directly rewarded.

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Q How can student athletes benefit from using Career Services while attending SAU? 

 Jacob – Career Services at SAU can really assist student athletes through their journeys. It can help athletes know what kind of skills they need to work on throughout their college career which can greatly aid them in the work world. They can also help you get in touch with some great people in your field of interest.

Q  Did you learn career development through the years of playing sports? If so, what skills?

Jacob – Yes, I did learn career development throughout my years of sports. For me, it simply just came down to setting a goal and creating the steps to get there. In return, it forced me to become  positive, punctual, orderly, efficient, and a multitasker.