Executive Sports Recruiter, Dan Rossetti
I get asked all the time about open positions in the sports management. As many of us know, positions are filled all the time and never advertised tot he general public. One good resource that is either helping to place someone in a position or knows about an opening just because they are speaking to so many people is the professional sports recruiter.
Today, we visit with Dan Rossetti and his company, Ascension Sports Partners.
Dan Rossetti has been involved in the execution of recruiting engagements for almost a decade. Mr. Rossetti founded Ascension Sports Partners with the belief that a candidate does not need to have a seat in the board room to receive executive level treatment and guidance in their professional career choices.
Prior to starting Ascension Sports Partners, Mr. Rossetti was the Senior Vice President for the executive search arm of Turnkey Sports and Entertainment. While at Turnkey, Mr. Rossetti was responsible for the management and recruitment of executive searches for clients within the professional sports, entertainment, and experiential marketing fields.
Before joining Turnkey Sports and Entertainment, Mr. Rossetti spent nearly five years with the nation’s largest Information Technology staffing firm, TEKsystems. At TEKsystems, Mr. Rossetti learned and honed his trade as a recruiter placing numerous technical candidates within the Southeastern and Midwestern marketplaces.
In addition, Mr. Rossetti spent time with publications giant, Thomson Corporation, selling web-based tax research to corporations, accountants, and tax attorneys. Also, Mr. Rossetti spent two years as Manager of Concierge Services for Cincinnati’s largest Health and Wellness Centers, Mercy HealthPlex.
Mr. Rossetti earned his BA in Business Management from Wittenberg University and is a continuing member of the Society of Human Resource Management (SHRM) and has attended Caliper’s Client Education Workshop.
Mr. Rossetti, a former rugby player, enjoys spending time with his family, exercising, traveling, and an occasional round of golf. Dan currently resides in Cincinnati, OH with his wife and their daughter.
We posed 10 Questions to Dan and here is his Tuesday take……
1. Tell us about your Company, your job and your responsibilities
2. Tell us What Your Average Week is Like.
It’s tough to describe a typical week. I deal in the most intangible commodity out there…human capital. Quite a bit of my week is determined by the number of searches I am currently working on. I try and set a goal of at least fifteen new connections per week. While I have been doing this for close to five years…I have found there are still quite a few people I do not know out there. My week includes informational interviews, formal interviews, reference checks, and business development. Also, running the business on my own means I need to dedicate a couple of hours a week to marketing, website maintenance, and finances. I have found that no two weeks are the same.
3. Tell us about your career path including jobs in the sports industry
I have a BA in Management from Wittenberg University in Springfield, OH. I have also completed coursework towards my M.B.A. at Miami University in Oxford, OH. Prior to starting Ascension Sports Partners, I spent three years as Senior Vice President of Executive Search at Turnkey Sports and Entertainment. Before joining Turnkey Sports I spent five years working for the nations largest IT staffing firm, TEKsystems, in Atlanta, GA, Huntsville, AL and Cincinnati, OH. Other experiences include B2B sales working at publications giant, Thomson Corporation, and as Manager of Concierge Services at Cincinnati’s largest health and wellness center.
4. What was the best advice you ever received and let us know if you follow it today?
The best advice I ever received was from my first manager, Anthony Williams. Anthony showed me the ropes on how to become a good recruiter and the importance of building long term relationships with candidates. He taught me it’s important not to contact a candidate only when you needed something. I want to take the time and get to know as many candidates as possible. This will allow me to identify what is important to you in your next career move…not just what I think is the right move.
5. What are your top sports memories you are most fond of telling others?
There are a few sports memories which stand out growing up. First, would be sitting near the 12th green on Sunday at The Masters in 1986 and listening to the crowds roar each time Jack made a shot. Growing up in Atlanta, it is hard not to mention the turnaround of the Braves in the early 90’s and the city being awarded the Olympics in 1996. Personally, I am proud of our team winning the Ohio Rugby Classic my senior year in Columbus. Also, I love to watch my 2 ½ year old daughter participate in gymnastics…I think it just might be her sport.
6. How has the economy changed the way people are using executive recruiters like your company?
Our niche of the sports and entertainment business has certainly taken a hit this past year as our clients have shifted from a position of hiring additional staff to hiring replacement staff. Clients have begun to try and network more diligently and use resources such as Linked In to help identify candidates as opposed to working with executive recruiters. However, just because there are a greater number of candidates to choose from does not mean your hiring strategy should change. We like to think of these candidates as the “low hanging fruit” because it is easy to garner their interest in a role due to unemployment. This mentality can bring in some very good candidates but does not cover the candidates who are passively looking for the next best career opportunity. The approach can be very short sighted and could possibly result in missing the next “rainmaker” in your organization.
7. What would you advise for someone wanting to get into this field?
The biggest thing I relay to people looking to get in our business and who are in a search mode is to stay relevant. Our industry is very networked and we trust our network with referrals. As more and more colleges and universities are pumping out undergraduates into the business you need to find a way to stay “top of mind” with hiring managers. This can be done by networking through multiple channels: your school, your friends, associations, etc. If you are not good at networking…you need to figure out a way to become good!
8. Name a Few Mentors you have had and Why They’ve Had an Impact
Two mentors I have looked upon in my life are my first manager, Anthony Williams, whom I mention earlier and my father. My father has taught me about persistence, hard work, and has always played by the rules. I have been fortunate to watch and learn from him in business settings over the years and how to treat people (employers and customers) and how to garner their respect in the workplace.
9. What trends have you noticed in the hiring of sports management professionals and what has changed in last year or two?
The most noticeable trends I have noticed in the industry relate to the state of the economy. A few years ago, hiring managers would look at A+ talent and find a way to squeeze money from other departments to get this particular talent on board. Today, you find it harder to “sell” yourself to a hiring authority if you do not fit all of the skills needed due to an abundance of possible candidates who do match up with everything the client is looking for.
Passion has a place in everything I do. First and foremost I am passionate about being the best husband and father I can be to my wife and daughter. Second, I have always had a passion for recruiting and helping others. I love helping others achieve their professional goals and dreams by placing them in new and exciting positions. Lastly, I have always been passionate about sports and now the business of sports. The fact I get to combine my passion for recruiting and passion for sports makes me feel like one of the luckiest people in the world.
