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 Maddie Reith, Memberships Officer at the Brisbane Broncos - This is how she got her job 👇

What made you want to work in sport?

Growing up I didn’t really have any female athlete or sports management role models. When I reflect back, I think of Sir Alex Ferguson, David Beckham, the All Blacks, the Wallabies etc. Therefore, I wanted to work in sports to ensure future generations will be provided with female athletes, teams and sports behind-the-scenes superstars that can inspire and motivate them to achieve greatness as well.

What was the biggest challenge you found trying to get your foot in the door?

The biggest challenge for myself would be imposter syndrome and the notion that I don't believe I am good enough, nor that I have what the organisations are wanting. This has then impacted my confidence going into networking situations, job interviews or even applying for jobs in the first place!

What have been some of your key work experiences?

• My internship at Events Management Queensland working as a Sport Development Officer for the 2022 Pan Pacific Masters Games.

• Volunteering at the Gold Coast Marathon, the ICC T20 World Cup 2022, and Uni Games.

• Volunteering as a Griffith Sport Event Leader for Griffith University's Sports Department for 2022.

Can you recall a question from your recent job interview that you aced? How did you answer it?

Ooooh this is tricky one... maybe “where do I see myself in 5 years time?”

My answer: “I believe in transparency, and therefore I’m not afraid to admit I have lofty goals and ambitions and although I am not 100% sure how to get there, I have no doubt that I will get there. I see myself holding a management and leadership position and will do whatever it takes to get there. I am not afraid to work hard and I want to prove to all the doubters that I can and did do it.”

How has networking played a role in your journey?

Networking has been huge and I know that joining SportsGrad has immensely helped get me to where I am today. I would not have known about my current position if it wasn't for this platform, nor would I have been able to name-drop Kate Cullen (Head of People & Culture at the Broncos) into the application, which helped get me an interview, alongside my experience and tenacity.

As a mature age student undergoing the Master of Business at university, I definitely feel it has encouraged me to speak up and create relationships with my lecturers and guest speakers so that I can use these connections to get ahead.

What does a day in your new role look like?

Checking emails and call list campaigns for the day ahead, then once it hits 9am, either be on inbound or outbound calls for the Brisbane Broncos membership hotline. We have a target of hitting 80-100 calls a day or at least having 40% of your day worked having talk time. It's mainly just answering enquiries, upgrading, resending emails or utilising sales strategies to sell memberships or spare single seats. Some days I’ll have meetings, and some days helping out at school aged children's buck to bronco rugby league skill clinics.

How did being a SportsGrad Member help you break into sport?

I used the SportsGrad Community to get free tickets to the Ministry of Sport Women in Sport Summit conference and the Gold Coast 2022 Elite Athlete Conference where I was able to network and make numerous helpful connections. I also have been given more of an idea of what sports roles there are alongside connecting with Community Members on LinkedIn and Instagram.

What do you love most about working in sport?

I love creating that magic for consumers as well as knowing you have contributed to creating an incredible experience that money truly can't buy. I love how every day is different and the opportunities that are provided through sport. I am only just beginning so I know I have lots to learn and experience, and I am so excited about what lies ahead! It truly is only upwards from here.

What advice would you give to someone else trying to break into sport?

Don't give up, and that all the hard hours of volunteering for free pay off. Definitely put the effort into volunteering and getting your name out there as it truly is about who you know.

Want to land an awesome job in sport?

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

Join over 500+ Members enjoying...​

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

 🤫 Exclusive Job Board: The hidden job market lives in the SportsGrad Community, remove the competition with access to unadvertised roles

💬 Talk to Recruiters: Chat directly to the sports recruiting, get your name out there, and become memorable with companies hiring via Virtual Job Fairs

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

🗣 Speed Networking: Grow your network rapidly without sending a single ‘unseen’ cold message

🤑 Discount on Events: Get discounted prices to SportsGrad Meetups featuring panels and sporting events, plus discounts from our partner brands

🔥 Sports Jobs

Looking for a new gig?

Become a SportsGrad Member to access our exclusive job board featuring opportunities at over 50+ partner organisations we help recruit for.

Meet people in the sports industry 🤝

Grow your network with like-minded peers and professionals in sport at in-person Meetup events specifically for the sports industry.

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 500+ Members who have landed 370+ roles in sport in the SportsGrad Community and get exclusive jobs, resources, events and discounts.

3. Grow your team with young guns in half the time and at a fraction of the cost. Post a job or let us recruit for you