Pointers from an Aspiring NASCAR Public Relations Professional

Jason Schultz has found success by doing the little things.

Public relations and sports marketing careers are a hot commodity for many young professionals in college, and those with quality experience are setting themselves apart.

For one North Carolina college student, immersion into the communications field is exactly the standard he has set for himself.

UNC Charlotte sophomore, and Dirty Mo Radio producer Jason Schultz believes success can be attained in many ways.

“What I’ve found most effective is simply knowing who the major players are in the field that you’re interested in and then walking up and introducing yourself.”

Schultz lives by the premise of controlling your own destiny and utilizing your resources, whether that be your area or subject knowledge to make connections in the fast paced environment. He also acknowledges the importance of writing and developing a brand.

“Simply starting your own website or blog is a good way to develop and grow your brand to stand out to future employers.”

Schultz began establishing his brand in high school by joining Twitter, LinkedIn and developing his own blog.

“It [blogging] provided me an opportunity to share my thoughts and opinions, connect with professionals in the sport, and begin to get my name out there.”

From Stillwater, New York, Schultz has been passionate about NASCAR all of his life, and relishes in its intensity and excitement.

“Being so entrenched in the sport from a young age has also made it the most fitting field to pursue for a career,” said Schultz, “[It’s] allowing me to combine both my passion for the sport and passion for public relations.”

He believes that NASCAR’s reach, while present in New York, was not sustainable to develop a successful career. So, in August 2016, he enrolled at UNC Charlotte to pursue that dream.

In addition to being a full-time student, he is a part-time traditional journalist, writing for Popular Speed on the side.

However, he sees that concentrating in one area is not the best idea to have.

“I specialize in social media, podcasting, and journalism, and showcase each of those in a unique way as part of my brand.”

Schultz also knows that social media and digitization of access and content define what a brand can be in this age and the directions it needs to take. For NASCAR, its social presence showcases what the sport is doing right, allowing fans to engage and explore.

“Social media can often make or break a brand today,” he added, “As solid content allows organizations to reach a larger audience.”

Since 2014, Schultz has worked with Autism Delaware’s Drive for Autism garnering social media experience. The event includes a golf tournament involving drivers and broadcasters before Dover’s spring NASCAR Cup race. As a representative, he runs the social media accounts during the tournament and during the AAA 400 Drive for Autism on raceday.

Through production work at Dirty Mo Radio, Schultz also specializes in podcasting.

The more eccentric podcasting industry allows fans insider access to driver personalities.

“The Dale Jr. Download on Dirty Mo Radio offers fans of the most popular driver a rare glimpse into his life and thoughts about the sport.”

Schultz believes that no other superstar athlete offers this much connectivity.

In his other on-site experiences, Schultz has traveled various race weekends, nine in 2017, and to NASCAR press conferences as a media representative. With over 2,500 twitter followers, his brand is being cultivated along with the journalistic demands of NASCAR media.

“One connection often opens the doors to more, and continuing to grow your network is important.”

Not only is courage important, but professionalism and your reputation can make or break you.

“If they hear good things about you from other professionals, it makes the process of gaining credibility easier.”

Like any other college student, he knows a lot of fun is involved, but he feels some students get distracted and do not focus well enough on why they are there — for a career.

Getting ahead raises the bar, and focusing sets the tone for what you will actually learn.

“Not all students will focus on working on their career throughout college,” he insisted, “If you can do that, you’re already well ahead of most students.”

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