Social Media Coordinator for Real Salt Lake (RSL) and BYU Alum Sarah Fitisemanu Opens Up About Her Experiences Working in Sports Media
Only three years post-graduation, School of Communications alum Sarah Fitisemanu (’21) has had her fair share of experiences in the competitive field of sports media, from working as a production assistant at the NFL Network to an unexpected job as a social media coordinator for Real Salt Lake (RSL).
Reflecting on her experiences as a woman working in sports media, Fitisemanu answered questions about lessons she has learned and offered advice to BYU’s sports media students.
Q: What drew you to a career in sports media?
Fitisemanu: I grew up playing sports, so from a young age I was involved in the sports world. Whether it was playing or watching sports, it was a huge part of my life. For a while I wanted to pursue a career as an athlete and then an injury made that nearly impossible, but I knew I still wanted to be involved in sports.
In high school, my school had a special program for sports marketing. That's kind of where my interest started and where I learned more about the other career options that could keep me involved in sports. So when I was looking at degrees in school, I found the BYU School of Communications, and I was lucky that I got into the program right when they made a specific track for sports media. Social media was definitely not what I expected to be doing at this point, I thought my career would be more in TV and broadcast, but through job experiences I found myself at RSL, and it's been amazing so far.
Q: How do you handle the competition in the sports media field?
Fitisemanu: You're gonna get a million no’s before you get a yes, or you might just not hear back. I feel like the job market in general, not just in sports media, is changing and it's harder to stand out. Especially with sports, I think it's a very niche field. It’s definitely competitive, but I have learned that it's all about relationships and who you meet. I think networking early on is a huge part of how you can stand out.
Q: How have you found belonging in your field?
Fitisemanu: Well, I've had experiences in jobs where I was the only female on the team, one of the youngest people on the team and sometimes even one of the only people of color on the team. I think there's a lot of ways sports media can and needs to grow, but I think it has been improving. One thing that initially made me interested in working for RSL was the diversity on the team — many of my teammates are female or people of color. It just depends on the company you are with.
Q: How has your BYU education benefitted your career?
Fitisemanu: Honestly, I feel like BYU’s communications programs, specifically their broadcast program, give you hands-on experience that most universities don't. Whether it be in the communications courses or through university media sources like the Daily Universe and Universe Sports. There's so many different ways for you to get experience and understand what it will be like to work in the field.
While I was a student, I had the opportunity to work for BYUtv, which gave me a leg up with experiences such as using Adobe Premiere and other software that different companies use. It definitely helped familiarize me with software and gave me experience that helped me to stand out more in the job market. At BYU there are just a ton of opportunities to grow and get experience before you're actually thrown into the world and that has helped me a lot.
Q: What is your favorite part of your job?
Fitisemanu: I didn't think social media is where I would end up, but it does help spark my creativity more so than a lot of other media channels. You have a lot more creative freedom working through social media, and since a large amount of the content we create is for a younger generation, we have more opportunities to reference pop culture and have fun with the content we create. It's not necessarily as strict as traditional forms of media like print and broadcast. That's something that I've really loved about my job at RSL — it has awakened my creative side and helped me push myself to come up with new ideas and innovative ways to tell stories through our content.
Q: How does your faith impact your work?
Fitisemanu: I would say my faith plays a large part in the relationships I build in my career. I am a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and I believe in loving your neighbor, no matter what differences we might have. My faith has helped me build relationships, keep a positive outlook on things and find ways to work with people from all over. Believing in that core principle of Christ’s doctrine makes it a lot easier to build and maintain positive relationships.
Q: What was an experience you’ve had that became a lifelong lesson for you?
Fitisemanu: One thing that I learned the hard way is prioritizing my personal happiness over a title. Early in my career, I had the opportunity to work for the NFL Network, which was obviously a big name and a big opportunity. However, it turned out to not be exactly what I expected, which is okay, but it started impacting my happiness and my mental health. It took a while for me to set my pride aside and ask myself, “It's cool to say I work for the NFL, but is it really what I want long term? Is it going to take me to where I want to be long term? How is it going to affect my personal life and everything else?”
I learned early-on that your personal happiness can be more important than your job and that's okay. It's okay to take a step back for your mental health if it means bettering you as a person, not just in your career. I think that's something people should keep in mind. I'm grateful for the experience I had with that job because it has taught me a lot, but I’m also grateful that I was able to move on from that job and find something that is better for me.
Q: What advice do you have for sports media students at BYU?
Fitisemanu: I feel like developing people skills, in any career, is crucial. Learning how to work with people even if you don't necessarily agree with them and learning how to adapt to certain situations is a huge part of my job. Ultimately, if or when you end up moving on from that position, the recommendations of those you worked with and anything they have to say about you can have a big impact on your next job. It is important to build strong connections with whatever company you are with. Building good rapport with everyone will help you in both your career and your personal life.
Another thing that I can't stress enough is don't be afraid to say “yes” and don’t be afraid to say “no.” You may be given opportunities that sound great and turn out poorly, and you may be given opportunities that aren’t ideal but will broaden your horizons for a career in the future. Don't be afraid to go out of your comfort zone and do something that might not be exactly what you’re looking for. Don't be afraid to say “yes” and see where it takes you.