Trying to get a job in the Front Office of a Baseball Club...

ColdCaller · #1 05-08-2006, 05:48 PM

Alright, hopefully this post is more substantive than my other posts.

A few weeks ago, I met a lawyer who does leglislative lobbying for various independent political groups in Seattle. We got to talking about the viability of third parties and he asked for my political/economic thoughts about certain issues, and eventually we got to talking about baseball theory and sabermetrics. He was impressed with my background in Game Theory and math (which is none too strong, I promise), and gave me the business card of a Marketing guy for the Tacoma Raininers (the AAA affiliate for the Seattle Mariners).

I shot that guy an email asking for contacts within the organization about player development and human resources, and basically forgot about it.

Today, I received the following email:

xxxxxx,

I'm very sorry that it's taken me this long to get back to you. You can only imagine how busy it gets here. With the Rainiers, we deal with the Mariners up north in Seattle. Any real data analysis and player evaluation is done with the Mariners. We deal with them since they send players from AA to us or send players down from Seattle. I was able to get a name from the Mariners for you to contact. xxxxx is the Human Resources Manager for the Mariners. You can send any correspondence to him at Seattle Mariners- xxxxxx Seattle, WA 98194. Thanks and best of luck to you.

xxxxx
Account Executive
Tacoma Rainiers Baseball Club

Cool.

Now, I'm self-employed and play poker on the side for money, and I don't really need a job and won't for the forseeable future, so I don't need to worry about getting a job that pays me anything of substance.

I haven't really applied for too many real jobs in my life, having been self-employed for a long time now. Most in-between stuff I did was waiting tables and playing poker, neither which require a polished cover letter and sharp resume.

Given the context of the email, and the fact that he only sent me a physical address to contact the Mariners guy, how should I follow up? Send in a cover letter and resume focusing on player development? Send in an initial request to buy business lunch and talk about open prospects with the organization? Send him samples of my baseball analysis work? Google up his name and get his phone number?

Thanks for the insight. I'm sure some OOT'ers have done plenty of brownnosing to get jobs.

EDIT: Being a GM of a baseball team is my life's dream, so I'm willing to start anywhere with any pay to scale that ladder.

Jules22 · #2 05-08-2006, 05:56 PM

good luck, and be yourself. i would imagine powerful executives are more impressed by strongwilled independent thinking people than another yes man. note also this is complete conjecture on my part, as ive never held a position of any power in my short life

guids · #3 05-08-2006, 05:57 PM

Id get a resume/cover letter togethter, along with a note explaing who you met and the what was involved to contact. I would also google his name, and get a phone number, or call the mariners and start asking around. Shouldnt be too hard. When you get the number explain to him you will be sending a resume etc.

ColdCaller · #4 05-08-2006, 05:59 PM

[ QUOTE ]
Id get a resume/cover letter togethter, along with a note explaing who you met and the what was involved to contact. I would also google his name, and get a phone number, or call the mariners and start asking around. Shouldnt be too hard. When you get the number explain to him you will be sending a resume etc.

[/ QUOTE ]

You don't think this is going too far? I think that sending him a coldcall (haha, no pun intended) letter is probably not very good, but looking up his info won't be perceived as too pushy?

guids · #5 05-08-2006, 06:02 PM

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Id get a resume/cover letter togethter, along with a note explaing who you met and the what was involved to contact. I would also google his name, and get a phone number, or call the mariners and start asking around. Shouldnt be too hard. When you get the number explain to him you will be sending a resume etc.

[/ QUOTE ]

You don't think this is going too far? I think that sending him a coldcall (haha, no pun intended) letter is probably not very good, but looking up his info won't be perceived as too pushy?

[/ QUOTE ]

Its not really a coldcall though. Explain in the letter, the chain of events that got you to his name, Ie., I talked to person A, he told me that you might be looking for someone like me, and figured I would send something out to you becuase I would hate to miss an oppurtunity. I really dont think this is too pushy at all, most bosses would be impressed that you went through all this, imo. Looking up his info is no biggie either. Just make sure you explain that you have met/talked to the other two guys, and they gave you the impression that you could be of help to the mariners org/the guy etc.

ColdCaller · #6 05-08-2006, 06:04 PM

[ QUOTE ]
Its not really a coldcall though. Explain in the letter, the chain of events that got you to his name, Ie., I talked to person A, he told me that you might be looking for someone like me, and figured I would send something out to you becuase I would hate to miss an oppurtunity. I really dont think this is too pushy at all, most bosses would be impressed that you went through all this, imo. Looking up his info is no biggie either. Just make sure you explain that you have met/talked to the other two guys, and they gave you the impression that you could be of help to the mariners org/the guy etc.

[/ QUOTE ]

Hmm, alright, sounds reasonable.

Thanks!

WayAbvPar · #7 05-08-2006, 06:14 PM

If you want to fit in with the Mariners' front office, I would suggest you A) forget everything you ever learned about sabermetrics and B) get a lobotomy.

Elevens · #8 05-08-2006, 05:59 PM

If you get an interview, prepare a few good jokes ahead of time. Use these jokes through the interview. Once your interviewer chuckles at one of them, get up and leave.

It's your high note. Take advantage of it and you'll get your job.

surfinillini · #9 05-08-2006, 06:02 PM

do the opposite of every instinct of common sense you have

ala:

Jules22 · #10 05-08-2006, 06:03 PM

[ QUOTE ]
If you get an interview, prepare a few good jokes ahead of time. Use these jokes through the interview. Once your interviewer chuckles at one of them, get up and leave.

It's your high note. Take advantage of it and you'll get your job.

[/ QUOTE ]

THATS IT FOR ME! THANKS EVERYONE!