Entry Level Finance at a Golf Company?
So next year I'll be a college senior on the east coast. I'd like to enter a leadership program, and my ideal area to start would be within a golf company. I'm on my team at school if that helps as a qualifier (Taylormade requires golf experience to apply for their finance positions)
I know that Taylormade is HQ'd in California and Callaway is on the West Coast. While Nike is HQ'd in Oregon, I don't know exactly where Nike Golf is. Not sure if any have offices down south.
Does anyone have any advice on networking into a job within one of these companies? Are there limited opportunities for upward progression because the companies are smaller branches off of large companies? If you started at Nike Golf, would you just be promoted into the larger Nike company?
I'm not sure exactly how much 'finance' is going on at any of these companies, and really would just like more information on the field at all
I don't know if TM has a leadership program, but Adidas has this: http://www.careers.adidas-group.com/functional-trainee-program.aspx
I don't have experience with this (not working FT), but here are some thoughts:
And corporate finance covers a huge variety of functions. You can try and get on the finance track for sure, but a lot of what's done in corpfin is accounting. I'm not 100% sure how placement will work with one of these companies, but you might not be able to jump right into a finance role. Usually companies allow you (most encourage, or require) to switch job functions every couple of years, so you may be able to work your way into a finance role if you don't get one starting out..
For networking into a job: 1) email/cold-call alumni if any work for TM specifically, or even Adidas Group in general 2) if there are none, just start hitting up random people that you can find that work for Adidas. Don't be sending mass-emails, you'll likely be sending them to people who work together. I'd also space out the emails you do spend (one every couple of days) when you're sending to a specific company. 3) don't be annoying, be appreciative, let them know if there's anything they need you'd be happy to help them out. Follow up, too. Make sure you send them a thank you email after you've met with them or spoken with them. 4) be excited and upbeat, but once again don't be annoying
If you play golf competitively, that will help a lot. If your school is on the west coast, that will help a lot. If you go to a name-brand school, that'll help a lot.
If you want to stay working for Taylor Made and kill it while you work there, they won't make you leave. But you're right, the smaller the company, the more limited the opportunity for advancement. This isn't because you're bad at your job, but let's say you're a senior FA/manager/director in a cushy corpfin job making six figures for a major golf-related company, why would you ever leave?
And it shouldn't be too stressful leaving the specific company to, say, another Adidas group for a while. More experience and you get the opportunity to advance. Then you jump back.
Hope this helps, once again just some thoughts. Get going ASAP, the sooner you start building a rapport with people the better (especially for FT recruiting, many companies get theirs done in August/September, so get on it now). Best of luck man.
Can't give you much information, just that I'd be eternally jealous. I would think a lot of their positions are geared towards engineering majors with the design aspect and all. Finance positions would probably be financial planning and budgeting areas.
When I get rare breaks, I'm shopping for golf shit.
You are a genius and why didn't I think of this?
I have a feeling you could make something happen dawg
If the alum search strikes out...Do you know any PGA Pros from any of the clubs in the area? They can be pivotal-whether through reps or even work history (just to get foot in). I know from personal experience with Acushnet/Titleist that interns are recruited from the PGM schools.
I actually do know a few on the west coast. My next question would be- are jobs in these companies more of a 'I do budgeting and forecasting, but I also give my input on the marketing end etc' or are positions mostly strict in where people end up. Also, what would supply chain be at a company like TM? How far up can you go with that?
I know of somebody doing a supply chain internship at TM this summer. Like a dream come true for him
If you want to do golf as a career, I'd recommend looking at the AJGA internship program. I did the traveling summer internship, and it was a blast. They have internships in-house at their offices in Atlanta as well.
You're not going to be giving input into marketing unless it's related to finance/accounting. At least I've never heard of a company that does that. Corporate strategy lets you get your fingers in everyone's pot a bit, but I doubt TM is going to have a strat group
SCM would be relevant to a club producer like TM just because of the different production processes for shafts, grips, heads, as well as custom orders, partnerships, etc. I can't speak to the forward prospects of it, but my friend was strictly interested in SCM, and is a SCM major. I'd assume he's doing work relevant to the position, and will continue to do so if he opts for full time. Also, as far as i know, he didn't network into it. Just applied and it probably helped that he used to be a competitive junior golfer.
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