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 Daniel Rafin, Customer Experience Assistant at the South Sydney Rabbitohs - This is how he got his job 👇

Why did you decide to join the SportsGrad Community?

At the time of my decision to join the SportsGrad community, I was not having any luck at finding an entry into the sports industry. I was getting good grades in my Sports Management course, easily finding jobs in other sectors, however I couldn’t land a position in sport.

One day, out of the blue, I started getting Instagram advertisements for the SportsGrad Community (thank you Instagram’s targeted advertising strategy) and after some to-ing and fro-ing I decided to dive into the community.

What problem did you have trying to get a job in sport before you joined? And how long had you been trying for?

I was facing a few difficulties in getting my first position in sport, with a bunch of factors combining to prohibit my ability to land a role. I had been trying for close to a year to get into the industry (which was when I had first started my studies at UTS). I’m 19, so a combination of my lack of professional experience and understanding, combined with for lack of a better word, ignorance, of how the sports industry operated differently compared to my previous employers, made it extremely difficult for me to get a look in.

I had applied for a few casual jobs and internships before I applied for my internship with the Rabbitohs - some businesses didn’t reply and others did, however, I did not gain any useful advice or pointers on why I was not successful. That’s where SportsGrad came in - I was able to bounce ideas off both other people in the same boat as me as well as established professionals to find out what works. 

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

My first role in sport came about as a Customer Experience Intern with the South Sydney Rabbitohs. In this position, I was responsible for all aspects of the customer experience, focusing primarily on the acquisition and retention of Memberships. I was required to respond to inbound calls and emails, as well as place outbound calls and emails in some cases.

The position also gave me the opportunity to see how the CX team works on a game day, assisting the ticketing manager in the ticket box before the game as well as helping the corporate team with their halftime activations. Over the internship, I worked really hard to make sure my hard work was noticed. One of the best parts of a Customer Experience internship is the unique connection the role has with other departments of the business. As a result of my dedication and hard work, I have been offered a casual role in the same position. As a bonus to this, I will also be helping out in the Merchandise store as required.

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

This internship commenced in April. I joined the SportsGrad community in early December 22’ so it was a relatively short turnaround; roughly four and a half months.

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

I used a wealth of resources offered by SportsGrad to land this role. I used, and still use, the template of resume and cover letter provided. Further, skills learnt in the various AskSportsGrad sessions allowed me to better my chances of performing in the interview stage.

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

I would say: if you have hit a wall with your search for your first sports job, or even just hit a ceiling with your current positions and opportunities, then the SportsGrad community is a great tool for you. Not only do you get the opportunity to better yourself and your professional ‘product’, but you also get the chance to interact with many likeminded people and create connections. You never know when these connections might come in clutch!

Want to land an awesome job in sport?

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🤝  Sports Industry Network: Grow your network in sport and learn from over 650+ like-minded Members from 50+ organisations in a private Discord group

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💬 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

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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 650+ Members who have landed 450+ 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