The assignment senior instructor Brian Brady gave his class was straightforward: Conduct an informational interview to get practice networking.
But for senior Richard Carr, it led to a dream job coaching soccer.
Brady’s course, Principles of Organizational Management, teaches students leadership and strategic planning and other career skills. Brady also encourages students to reach out to people who work in a field they’re interested in and speak to them in person.
Carr, an interdisciplinary studies major, saw an opportunity to connect with the director of Carolina Elite Soccer Academy (CESA) in Spartanburg. Carr had played club soccer most of his youth, and had been an activity leader for a soccer summer camp in North Carolina. Though an injury ended his soccer career, he hoped to get into club coaching, particularly at the academy level.
He put together a list of 10-15 questions, and set up a time to talk with CESA director Amer Resumovic. At the end of their conversation, Carr mentioned his desire to coach.
“He kind of took a pause and he said, ‘Are you interested in coaching with us?’” Carr recalls. “He asked about all my licensing that I have through U.S. Soccer and through the state of South Carolina.
“It was literally four days later he said that he had a training session with his kids, and he wanted me to come out and coach it alongside him just so he could see how I was in that environment.”
Resumovic liked what he saw, and the day after the training session offered Carr a job coaching the recreation and academy teams for boys 7 to 15. Rec players are still building their skills, while those at academy level are more advanced.
“It was just an interview, but then, within a week, I had a job coaching club soccer—just from that assignment,” Carr says.
When it was time to turn his assignment in, Carr put a small text box at the bottom thanking Brady for helping him secure his dream job.
While the outcome was unexpected, Brady says it shows what real-world learning can lead to.
“The Johnson College of Business and its faculty provide many experiential learning programs and opportunities for our students,” he says. “This assignment adds another element to their skill sets.”
— Christina Cleveland
