While most people starting a career want to start with the biggest opportunity possible, there are many positives to beginning your compliance career at a “small” university. Beginning your compliance career in a two or three-person office allows you to build relationships with people throughout the athletic department. It offers someone new to the industry the opportunity to learn all aspects of compliance while still having someone within the department to learn from. Most importantly, it offers you the opportunity to make a big impact and influence the athletic department as a whole.
Beginning your compliance career in a two or three-person department allows you to interact with, and build relationships with, everyone in the athletic department, from the Athletic Director down. Having the opportunity to offer compliance advice and answer questions not only for coaches and student-athletes, but also the heads of other departments and senior staff members is a great opportunity to grow your career. Being able to build relationships with not only the coaches, but also with academics, the business office, and everyone else within the department, on a more personal level than you would at a larger school allows you to develop as a compliance professional. It’s better for far more than just networking too; it allows a young professional to understand a variety of mindsets and all the issues that may arise.
Starting in a smaller office also allows you to learn all aspects of compliance. You never know what question is going to walk through your door, and you need to be able to answer questions on everything from recruiting, to financial aid, to personnel, and everything in-between. It allows you to grow as a young professional. The opportunity to be hands-on in all aspects of compliance is invaluable at the beginning of your career. The added benefit of this system is that you are working in a small office, so if a question or issue does come up that you don’t have an answer for, you have a mentor readily available to assist.
The chance to be hands-on in all aspects of compliance is invaluable at the beginning of your career and as you move to larger schools. Understanding how everything works together is important in being a team player as you continue to grow your career.
Most importantly, beginning your compliance career in a small office at a smaller university allows you to make a big impact. Athletic departments are often complex organizations that rely on dozens of people to complete a project. At a smaller university and working for a smaller athletic department, you are given the opportunity to see projects through from start to finish. It allows you to make a difference in the projects you take on rather than just being a small piece in the overall plan.
When beginning your compliance career, it is worth considering starting at a smaller athletic department rather than just jumping straight into the largest department you can. There will be opportunities to move to larger compliance departments later in a career, and when the time comes, the experience gained in all aspects of compliance will be exceedingly useful. But, the opportunities to build relationships with co-workers outside compliance, learn all aspects of compliance, and to make a big impact can be extremely useful as a young professional begins their compliance career.