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NHL is a Tough Business
by Alanah McGinley on 05/01/08 at 01:44 PM ET
Comments (4)
Because I have this secret fetish to add an alanah @nhl.com email address to my resume one day, every couple of weeks I take a trip through the NHL.com job opportunities board. (Apparently over half of their postings are filled by online applicants so I’ve got a chance, right?)
As a result of this quest I see a lot of jobs I’m not quite qualified for that I want. But then there are the rare occasions I stumble across something I figure I must be qualified for… till I read the fine print:
The NHL Washington Capitals are in need of an experienced mascot to represent the team during all games; as well as any special events. Candidates applying must meet the following criteria:
* Two years experience as a mascot for either major or minor league team.
* College degree preferred
I’ve got that college degree (though why I need it for this position escapes me; must I really be qualified to debate matters like geo-politics, etc, to hang out with hockey fans while dressed as a giant homicidal chicken??) but sadly I come up about 2 years short on experience.
Tough business.
Filed in: dumb stuff | Canucks and Beyond | Permalink
Tags: nhl+jobs, washington+capitals,
Comments
I actually have some insight into why you need a college degree. the majority of work “Slapshot” does for the Capitals goes beyond his game antics. The man in the costume must scope, find, and schedule their own marketing and promotional events. He then must throw the suit on and play the part. Much more work than one would assume....but still silly.
Posted by Andrew on 05/01/08 at 01:28 PM ET
Alas, a marketing degree would probably be helpful, yes.
To be the chicken is a multi-faceted talent—it would appear I’m way outta my league.
Posted by Alanah McGinley from British Columbia on 05/01/08 at 01:33 PM ET
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Alanah McGinley has been blogging hockey since 2003, sharing opinions, rants and not-so-deep thoughts with anyone who will listen. In addition to writing Canucks & Beyond and helping manage Kukla’s Korner, Alanah is one of the founders and co-hosts of The Crazy Canucks Podcast, as featured at Canucks.com.
She has contributed pieces to FoxSports.com and the New York Times Slapshot blog, as well as other stray destinations in cyberspace.
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The college degree would likely be in Marketing, and it really is a preferred skill that a team mascot be able to market the team. Even though it seems like all they’re doing is dancing around in a fur suit on game days, this isn’t always the case.
Just my US$0.03 (CA$0.02)
Posted by Alan from Atlanta, GA, USA on 05/01/08 at 12:49 PM ET