Some Resume' Tips

[Swede]

Some recommendations for that fishing resume' - and by no means is this all encompassing. 

General Comments - KEEP IT SHORT, CONCISE, AND TO THE POINT.  You may like writing about you, but sponsors don't like or have the time to read about the details -they want the "Overview" version.  Things like spelling and grammar are VERY important -it speaks volumes of the communications skills you will use later when representing them.  No slang - use proper English.  Use language everyone knows or don't use it.  If you can say it in a shorter more concise way - do it - and definitely use complete sentences.  You want whatever the sponsor has to offer, unless you're Kevin Van Dam.  Get your foot in the door, prove yourself, and build a relationship with the sponsor.  Once you are a known quantity you can probably ask for more.     


Cover Page - recommend the cover page have a quality picture of you looking professional and and being successful.  For example - a big bass in hand, on the weigh-in stage at a big tournament.  Ask yourself if you look like someone this potential sponsor would like pushing their products/services.  Recommend your name and contact information be across the top of the cover page - centering your name in bold and larger font than rest of the contact info.  After all - you want them to remember the most important words in your resume' - YOUR NAME - right?  From there your cover page is left up to your imagination. 

Some other topics you may want to cover -

1. Background - what makes you - you!  Keep it SHORT.  Where are you from, what kind of education do you have or are you getting, what kind of jobs have you had, when and how did you get into fishing, etc. 

2. Past Fishing Successes - here I'm telling the sponsor that I regularly catch fish and walk across that weigh-in stage during tournaments.  My tournament shirt with their logos are going to get exposed to a lot of potential customers.  I recommend listing top tournament finishes (Top 20 finishes in 100+ boat tourneys, Top 10 finishes in 50+ boat tourneys, and Top 5 in the smaller tourneys).  The numbers above show that you are in the top 20 percent.  Use only the tournament placement in the smaller tourneys -  for example - 2nd - Dale Hollow UB Rally.  Leave off the fact that there weren't very many competing because it just doesn't sound good.  The more of these top tourney finishes you have, the more flexibility you have in choosing only the very best finishes for resumes.  The more recent the top finishes are the better - you want to be viewed as  being successful in both the past and present.

3. Future Tournament Schedule - remember larger tournaments mean more exposure for your potential sponsor, thus larger tournaments get more of their attention.  More tournaments are better than less.  The more potential customers you and your sponsor can reach means potential $$ in their bank account.  Always look at your resume' from the sponsor point of view.

4. Other Fishing Related Activities - here you are telling the sponsor the other ways you will be helping to expose their products outside of actually fishing. 
    --- Web Sites (your own personal site - list the web address.  List forum types like
         this one, and the role you play in each.  Remember - you will be carrying their
         web address in your siggy so the more posts you make - the more potential
         customers you are reaching)
    --- Charitable Functions - sponsors always love their brands associated with giving
         to worthy causes
    --- Sports Shows, Outdoor Shows, Expos, etc.
    --- Authorship
    --- Other Events - Casting Kids, Take a Kid Fishing Day, etc etc. 
         

5. What kind of equipment do you use - meaning boat, motor, trolling motor, and electronics.

6. Who else sponsors you and how long have they done so?  This tells the sponsor that you have the confidence of some other companies - because they kept you on as sponsorees.  If you have no other sponsors - don't worry - that can be turned into a selling point - this sponsor will get ALL of your attention - they ARE the main attraction.

I hope this helps you in you quest for sponsorship.  Resumes take time and cannot/should not be accomplished over night.  Please add remarks you think may be helpful or suggest alternatives to what I have already posted.  We are all here to learn and I have no pride in authorship.

[Mike Cork]

Great tips Swede  it's almost too late to start digging for sponsors for the comming season but if you are in the hunt here are some great tips to help you get started 

[Swede]

Thanks Mike -

Depending on who you are trying to attain sponsorship from - you may never be too late.  Fish for Free taught me that

[theskinnyde]

These two gentlemen here know there stuff, especially swede, that man theres a genuine. If you ever get the chance meet that dude he knows his stuff, hes good and also most impressive hes not overly cocky, hes really modest genuine man there