Every two years, the entire world gets caught up in Olympic fever. We all love watching the grandeur of the opening ceremonies, the thrilling competition, and the spectacle of the closing ceremonies.
Most of us probably assume that the closest we can get to the Olympics is watching it on TV. But that’s just not true.
Staging the Olympics every two years requires thousands of people behind the scenes, making it all happen. That means there are Olympic job opportunities available to jobseekers everywhere.
What Olympic Jobs are Available to Me?
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) needs people skilled in broadcasting, marketing, public relations, logistics, security, and many other fields. Be sure to highlight these skills when updating your resume.
Here’s a list of several of the most popular jobs within the IOC along with the job’s annual salary in U.S. dollars.
1. Olympic Tour Guide
If you love interacting with people and walking a lot, then being an Olympic Tour Guide might be the role for you. As an Olympic Tour Guide, you’ll lead visitors through the Olympic Stadium, Olympic Village, and important landmarks within the host city.
You’ll explain the cultural and historical significance of the sites and take questions from tourists along the way. Since there’s a great chance someone will be curious about the evolution of the Olympics, we recommend brushing up on that topic too. The average salary of a tour guide is $35,577.
2. Logistics Coordinator
Logistics Coordinators at the Olympics plan and coordinate the transport of thousands of athletes, coaches, and officials, along with their equipment and luggage from their home countries to the host nation.
They also arrange for the transport of athletes from the Olympic Village to the competition sites and back on a daily basis. The average salary for this role is $46,899.
3. Crowd Control Manager
A Crowd Control Manager’s job is to ensure the safe and smooth movement of Olympic spectators in and out of venues throughout each day of competition.
This role involves developing and implementing crowd management techniques, coordinating with security teams, and making sure there are no bottlenecks or delays. A crowd control manager makes an average salary of $64,000.
4. Catering Manager
An Olympic Catering Manager oversees and coordinates the food and beverage services at Olympic venues. This role involves menu planning, interfacing with catering vendors and guaranteeing that food safety standards are met.
They also have to ensure that there are a wide variety of dietary options available for all of the athletes that meet cultural, religious, and nutritional standards. An Olympic catering manager can make up to $54,004.
5. Security Officer
An Olympic Security Officer ensures that athletes, officials, and spectators are safe at all times. This role involves patrolling venues, monitoring access points, and responding quickly to any security incidents. Security officers have to be vigilant to make sure only authorized personnel get access to restricted areas. A security officer at the Olympics can earn $63,700.
6. Broadcast Engineer
Each Olympic games averages about 3 billion worldwide viewers. This is why broadcast engineers play such a crucial role at the Olympics. An Olympic Broadcast Engineer sets up, weather proofs, maintains, and repairs cameras and audio equipment to ensure flawless live coverage of the events. The salary for this role is $70,490.
7. Sponsorship Manager
From global brands like Coca-Cola and Visa, to more regional brands, hundreds of companies clamor to sponsor the Olympic games every two years. Someone needs to manage those relationships, create contracts, and secure payments. That’s the role of an Olympic Sponsorship Manager.
In addition, they ensure that the sponsors’ logos get visibility during high-profile events such as gymnastics, track and field, slalom, figure skating, swimming, etc. After all, that logo positioning is what sponsors are paying for. These professionals make $78,591 per year.
8. Sports Medicine Nurse
Olympic Sports Medicine Nurses provide medical care and support to athletes, officials, and spectators. This role involves treating injuries, maintaining health and safety protocols, and being on standby for medical emergencies. These professionals make $80,321 per year.
9. Sports Coordinator
An Olympic Sports Coordinator works with teams from different nations to ensure that all events are organized and conducted according to regulations set forth by the IOC, the host nation, and international sports organizations.
This role is crucial to fair competition because any team or athlete that knowingly or unknowingly acts against regulations may be disqualified from competition. The average salary for a Sports Coordinator is $80,298 per year.
10. Merchandise Manager
If you’re sporting an Olympic t-shirt, hoodie, sticker, or cap or you’re sipping from an Olympic-branded water bottle then you have an Olympic Merchandise Manager to thank. This person oversees the design of the merchandise, coordination with vendors, and ensuring the products are in-stock for Olympics fans to purchase on-site and online. The average salary for this role is $121,245.
11. Camera Operator
An Olympic Camera Operator plays an essential role in broadcasting competitions to spectators around the globe. You have to be skilled at capturing a variety of live action shots with flawless clarity and focus to ensure viewers at home don’t miss any perfect landing, record-setting performance, or thrilling victory. The average salary for a camera operator is $89,971 per year.
12. Marketing Manager
An Olympic Marketing Manager creates and executes detailed marketing campaigns to promote viewership of the Olympics. This includes developing television ads, managing social media efforts, and overseeing promotional activities. The average salary for a marketing manager is $120,109 per year.
How do I Apply for a Job at the Olympics?
If you’re interested in applying for a job at the Olympics, then start by checking out the IOC’s careers page. You’ll find information about apprenticeships, internships, as well as full time job opportunities.
Once you’ve found a role you’re interested in applying for, then you’re going to need a great resume. Competition for these jobs is fierce, so your best strategy is to work with a certified professional resume writer/ military resume writer to ensure you have a resume that’s worthy of winning the gold!