Although the astronomical salaries of some in the sports industry are largely out of reach, working in sport nonetheless offers a lot of advantages, such as richly varied day-to-day life with lots of opportunities for travel. This has had the effect of making jobs fiercely competitive despite the comparatively low salaries on offer.

There is great diversity in terms of the qualifications required by jobs in the sports sector. As most roles involve a great deal of personal interaction, the right personality traits are often more important than formal qualifications.

Your interpersonal skills should be as extensive as your knowledge of the sport. In some specialised roles, such as agents and coaches, you may be required to encourage, motivate and mentor players.

Other roles require high levels of specialism in other fields, such as physiotherapy. Sports agents often have the equivalent of a masters degree in law and considerable legal experience.

Sports roles also tend to require good business awareness, organisation and problem-solving, as well as admin, so a methodical personality is also a must.

Although pay can be low in this sector, for many the ability to make money while watching and participating in their favourite sports represents a lifelong dream.