Hello friends! 👋

Welcome to this ✨  free edition ✨  of the SportsGrad Newsletter. Each week we take a deep dive into ‘how to get a job in sport’.

Meet Billy Bolch, the once laid-back uni student who found his mojo, and now boats works at the mighty Hawthorn Football Club, and just wrapped up at the FIFA Women’s World Cup.

Billy is one the best examples of a student who pushed themselves out of his comfort zone to reach the workplaces most only dream of. This is how he got his job 👇

Why did you decide to join the SportsGrad Community?

I decided to join the SportsGrad Community after participating in one of the speed networking nights. Everyone I met had interesting and exciting careers, yet were all in different parts of their journeys. I had also been a listener of the SportsGrad podcast as it gave me knowledge and access to people whose footsteps I could follow.

For example, a young footballer may look up to Sam Kerr or a basketballer may look up to Lebron James. Through the SportsGrad community, I found people I could look up to (that I could also reach out to) including Nathan Perrone, Bianca Litchfield, Blair Crouch and Sam Hickson.

What problem did you have trying to get a job in sport before you joined? And how long had you been trying (or thinking about) to get a job in sport before joining?

Before joining the community, the main problem I had securing a job in the industry was that I didn’t have the knowledge or the connections to be a part of a professional sporting organisation. I also was just a very relaxed person, lacking that motivation with just an interest in sport, rather than a young professional, hungry for a role in the industry. Working in the industry has been a goal of mine for the last 5-10 years. I always enjoyed business and being a member of my local sporting clubs so a job in sport was the perfect opportunity for me!

Tell us about your new job? What will you be doing?

My new job sees me as a Membership Consultant at the Hawthorn Football Club. As a part of this job, I take calls from the members of the club in addition to responding to emails from our members. These calls and emails could include anything such as questions about our upcoming game, to wanting to change details on their account and I even can get some calls about people who want to sign up as a member or renew their memberships. Being a part of the Hawthorn organisation is something I am super proud of. And I always look forward to going to work as I am surrounded by a great team whilst following my dreams!

How long did it take you to land a full-time job in sport after joining the SportsGrad Community?

Although I got my Membership Consultant Role at Hawthorn a little under a year after joining the community, almost immediately I was pointed in the direction of multiple opportunities. The community gave me opportunities with Melbourne City FC as a young leader, which has allowed me to work on many match days, and the FIFA Women’s World Cup, where I got to volunteer alongside other community members as an Accreditation Officer and a Pre-Match Ceremonies Officer.

I also received a position at Spark Event Group, which has helped me work at many events, including an Elton John concert, Boomers vs The World Event and Melbourne Uni Graduation ceremonies.

How did you use the connections and resources inside the Community to help you get this job?

I used the resources inside the community to ‘upgrade’ different aspects of myself when it came to job preparation. I was able to become better with my interview skills, in addition to upgrading my resume and my cover letter. I was also able to view both public and private webinars and interviews that helped me become a better prospect and a better employee. I have also connected with many people within the industry - these people often provide me with great advice, support and encouragement as we all try our best to achieve our different goals within the sports industry.

How long had you been thinking about joining the SportsGrad Community before you decided to sign up?

Before signing up to the SportsGrad Community I was probably thinking of joining for a couple of months. During this time I had been watching some of the podcast episodes and I even reached out to Reuben after receiving an informative and helpful response I thought it was time I jumped on board.

What would you say to anyone else who’s on the fence about becoming a Member?

Get off the fence and join the community!! Working in sports is incredibly rewarding and is an industry that is filled with awesome people. Being in a community with those who share the same goals as you is a great experience and makes chasing your dreams that much easier!

Want to land an awesome job in sport?

The SportsGrad Community makes it 1000x easier to land a dream job.

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🤝  Sports Industry Network: Grow your network in sport and learn from over 500+ like-minded Members from 50+ organisations in a private Discord group

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📚 Premium Resources: Access our library of Masterclasses to learn exactly how others have made it in the sports industry and what companies hire for

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P.S. Whenever you're ready, there are 3 ways we can help you:

1. Grow your network in the sports industry with like-minded peers and professionals at our Meetup Events

2. Join over 550+ Members who have landed 400+ roles in sport in the SportsGrad Community and get exclusive jobs, resources, events and discounts.

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