By Rob Morrissey
Director of Player Engagement
Ogemdi Nwagbuo is a defensive tackle for the Carolina Panthers. Signed as an undrafted free agent by the New York Giants in 2008, Nwagbuo played college football at Michigan State University. Nwagbuo reflects on his internship experiences at the NFL league office and J Public Relations (JPR).
PE: What resources, if any, did you utilize to secure a job shadow?
ON: One important resource that I used to secure the job shadow was my Michigan State Alumni Association. I was surprised by how many alumni were in the San Diego Chapter of the MSU alumni association.
PE: What skills or information did you acquire through the experience?
ON: I learned countless things doing the job shadow. It was very interesting speaking with different people and hearing their stories about how they got started in the business world. Also just getting advice from successful people was priceless and I made sure to take good notes. Lastly, it was great getting on the job experience and just going through a typical day of work and seeing what that was like.
PE: Is there anything that you would have done differently?
ON: No I can’t say there is anything I would have done differently. I feel like I approached it the right way. I took great notes and learned a lot.
PE: How long were your shadowing experiences?
ON: Both were different lengths. The one with the NFL was one week and the one at J Public Relations was two weeks. I have participated in internships that have been as long as four months.
PE: What advice would you give to someone who needs assistance securing a job shadow experience? How did you start the process?
ON: My advice would be to utilize your resources, most especially alumni from your college. Also, simply emailing business professionals from local companies based in your area is another strategy. Being an NFL player can open doors because people admire and respect professional athletes.
PE: Which skills that you’ve developed as a professional football player transferred into the corporate world?
ON: Being a professional football player you have to work with a group of people and be able to communicate well, learn quickly, and react and adjust quickly to different situations. In the corporate world those same skills are utilized, just in a different way. In addition, being a competitive and goal-oriented person helps out on a football field and in an office building.