The SportsGrad Podcast

SportsGrad
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Ever thought "I'd love to work in sport!" but have no idea where to start? You're in the right place. Join Reuben Williams (ex-Cricket Australia) each week to learn about jobs in the sports industry and how the people in those jobs forged a career they love. If you're trying to find your place in the industry, need some inspiration on what to do to get started, or just want to keep your finger on the pulse... you're going to love this catalogue of interviews. For more help to take the next step in making a career in sport a reality, subscribe to the SportsGrad newsletter: www.sportsgrad.com.au/newsletter LinkedIn: SportsGrad Instagram: @sportsgrad Connect with Reuben: Reuben Williams Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  1. 1d ago

    The Method: Why Asking for Jobs Isn’t Getting You Anywhere

    Want to land a job in sport? Apply for The SportsGrad Method: www.sportsgrad.com.au/program So you want to work in sport. You are not alone, and that is exactly the problem. Sport is one of the most competitive industries in the world. Everyone is passionate. Everyone has a degree. Everyone is willing to work hard. And yet most people spend years on the outside looking in, never quite understanding why. It is not a capability problem. It is a method problem. I am Reuben Williams, founder of SportsGrad. I landed a job at Cricket Australia the day after I finished university. When COVID hit and I was made redundant, I was headhunted into a role that doubled my salary. Not because I got lucky, because I had a method that most people never find. Since then that method has helped over 800 people land jobs in sport, from graduates with no experience to career professionals who thought the window had already closed. We have built a global network that members can tap into from day one, and spent ten years inside this industry learning exactly how hiring actually works. 80% of jobs in sport are never advertised. The people landing them are not the most qualified. They are the most visible, the most connected, and the most prepared to convert opportunity into an offer. That is what The SportsGrad Method teaches. How I can help you: 1. Listen to The Method — real coaching call snippets every Wednesday so you can hear the work in action. 2. Read The SportsGrad Newsletter — weekly insight on breaking into sport the right way. 3. Apply for The SportsGrad Method Program — if you are serious about making this happen, this is the fastest path. We review every application personally. If you refuse to settle for a career you do not care about, you are in the right place. Let's get to work: www.sportsgrad.com.au/program Reuben Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  2. 3d ago

    #375: How to Get Into Sports Presentation at Cricket Australia with Mitch Siwek

    Meet Mitch Siwek, Acting Sports Presentation Director at Cricket Australia. If you've been to an international at the cricket, you've seen his work: the big screen, the anthems, the music and the pyro. He started as a 15-year-old Cricket Blast volunteer, then graduated at the end of 2019, just as COVID shut sport down. What happened next came down to one question he asked after a uni tutorial, a podcast he started so his resume wouldn't have a gap, and a string of volunteer gigs most people would skip. A few years later, he was hearing the Australian anthem at Headingley during a World Cup. Lots to look out for in this episode, including the question that opened the door to Cricket Australia, why five AFL clubs is the wrong volunteering strategy, and what his manager told him actually tipped the hire. We Cover: (1:43) – Interview begins (4:18) – Quick fire questions (11:16) – From Cricket Blast volunteer to Deakin (16:51) – The tutor who changed everything (21:00) – Graduating into COVID (26:21) – Volunteering across different sports (31:10) – The agencies behind sport (33:26) – What a sports presentation director does on match day (41:44) – Landing a World Cup secondment (48:39) – How to break into sports presentation If you like this ep, give these a go next: #262: Sport Management grad to living the dream at the FIFA Women's World Cup and Cricket Australia #369: From warehouse to working with Olympians - How to build a sports marketing career w/ Pat McGregor #367: From Engineer to the FIFA World Cup - How Hector Arenas built a career in sports operations Want a job in sport? Click here. Follow SportsGrad on socials: | Instagram | Linkedin Follow Reuben on socials: | Instagram | Linkedin Thanks for listening, much love! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    #375: How to Get Into Sports Presentation at Cricket Australia with Mitch Siwek

  3. Oct 13

    The Method: How to Stand Out When Every Grad Looks the Same

    Want to land a job in sport? Apply for The SportsGrad Method: www.sportsgrad.com.au/program So you want to work in sport. You are not alone, and that is exactly the problem. Sport is one of the most competitive industries in the world. Everyone is passionate. Everyone has a degree. Everyone is willing to work hard. And yet most people spend years on the outside looking in, never quite understanding why. It is not a capability problem. It is a method problem. I am Reuben Williams, founder of SportsGrad. I landed a job at Cricket Australia the day after I finished university. When COVID hit and I was made redundant, I was headhunted into a role that doubled my salary. Not because I got lucky, because I had a method that most people never find. Since then that method has helped over 800 people land jobs in sport, from graduates with no experience to career professionals who thought the window had already closed. We have built a global network that members can tap into from day one, and spent ten years inside this industry learning exactly how hiring actually works. 80% of jobs in sport are never advertised. The people landing them are not the most qualified. They are the most visible, the most connected, and the most prepared to convert opportunity into an offer. That is what The SportsGrad Method teaches. How I can help you: 1. Listen to The Method — real coaching call snippets every Wednesday so you can hear the work in action. 2. Read The SportsGrad Newsletter — weekly insight on breaking into sport the right way. 3. Apply for The SportsGrad Method Program — if you are serious about making this happen, this is the fastest path. We review every application personally. If you refuse to settle for a career you do not care about, you are in the right place. Let's get to work: www.sportsgrad.com.au/program Reuben Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  4. Oct 11

    #374: How Victoria won the NFL: What government's role in major events actually looks like with Hon. Steve Dimopoulos MP

    Meet Hon. Steve Dimopoulos MP, Victoria's Minister for Sport. Before entering Parliament, Steve ran a local café in Oakleigh, worked in the Department of Justice and at the Victorian Multicultural Commission, and served as a councillor and Mayor of Monash. He also worked for federal MP Simon Crean. Lots to look out for including how Steve came to lead the sport portfolio without being a lifelong sports fan, how Victoria secured the NFL through the work of government, what he asks potential employees in interviews, and how Melbourne's concentration of sporting organisations creates opportunities to connect with employers. We Cover: (03:40) - Quick fire: the "Minister for Fun" (05:28) - The interview question he asks potential employees (10:22) - What government's role in sport actually involves (18:50) - How Melbourne's sporting organisations create career opportunities (23:05) - What the NFL game was really worth to Victoria (26:48) - How Victoria secured the NFL (34:16) - What's being considered for the future of the MCG If you like this ep, give these a go next: #355: From Man City to the MCG – How to land jobs at the world's biggest sporting events with Jamie Fisher #243: From Commercial Lawyer to living the dream at the NFL, IOC & Brisbane 2032 with Tom Hickey #370: Melbourne Meetup ft. San Francisco 49ers Want a job in sport? Click here. Follow SportsGrad on socials: | Instagram | Linkedin Follow Reuben on socials: | Instagram | Linkedin Thanks for listening, much love! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    #374: How Victoria won the NFL: What government's role in major events actually looks like with Hon. Steve Dimopoulos MP

  5. Oct 6

    The Method: What To Post On LinkedIn When You Think You've Got Nothing

    Want to land a job in sport? Apply for The SportsGrad Method: www.sportsgrad.com.au/program So you want to work in sport. You are not alone, and that is exactly the problem. Sport is one of the most competitive industries in the world. Everyone is passionate. Everyone has a degree. Everyone is willing to work hard. And yet most people spend years on the outside looking in, never quite understanding why. It is not a capability problem. It is a method problem. I am Reuben Williams, founder of SportsGrad. I landed a job at Cricket Australia the day after I finished university. When COVID hit and I was made redundant, I was headhunted into a role that doubled my salary. Not because I got lucky, because I had a method that most people never find. Since then that method has helped over 800 people land jobs in sport, from graduates with no experience to career professionals who thought the window had already closed. We have built a global network that members can tap into from day one, and spent ten years inside this industry learning exactly how hiring actually works. 80% of jobs in sport are never advertised. The people landing them are not the most qualified. They are the most visible, the most connected, and the most prepared to convert opportunity into an offer. That is what The SportsGrad Method teaches. How I can help you: 1. Listen to The Method — real coaching call snippets every Wednesday so you can hear the work in action. 2. Read The SportsGrad Newsletter — weekly insight on breaking into sport the right way. 3. Apply for The SportsGrad Method Program — if you are serious about making this happen, this is the fastest path. We review every application personally. If you refuse to settle for a career you do not care about, you are in the right place. Let's get to work: www.sportsgrad.com.au/program Reuben Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  6. Oct 4

    #373 From Hospitality to QRL: How Nancy Alu Got a Job in Sports Operations

    Meet Nancy Alu. Nancy is the Pathways & Performance Administrator at Queensland Rugby League, looking after everything off the field for Queensland's representative programs, from travel and accommodation to apparel for camp, including Junior Origin. Before sport, Nancy spent five years in hospitality walking events with food trays, then worked in concierge and member events roles. Along the way she spent eight years volunteering with her church youth group, running logistics for summer camps and conferences. She also paid her own way to volunteer at the Beach Volleyball World Championships in Adelaide, and found a mentor in Dubai who pointed her towards SportsGrad. Lots to look out for in this episode, including how to get a job in sports operations when your experience is outside sport: how Nancy broke the rejection loop by learning to read job descriptions properly, the rep clubs and team manager roles she'd target to get a foot in the door, and the three questions she asks when a networking conversation runs dry. Plus, how she keeps growing in the role by always having questions ready for her manager. We Cover: (04:17) – Quick fire questions (12:42) – How sport became her place to belong (15:51) – The rejection loop: applying for roles in sport (18:40) – The mentor who pointed her towards sport (23:45) – Networking and SportsGrad meetups (28:0) – How church camp volunteering helped her get hired (31:36) – What a Pathways & Performance Administrator does at QRL (38:47) – Pinch-me moments: Maroons camp and Cameron Munster (44:46) – How to land a sports ops job in 30 days Related Episodes: 🎧 #367: From Engineer to the FIFA World Cup - How Hector Arenas built a career in sports operations 🎧 #368: From Gym Receptionist to CEO, with Sarah Loh (Softball Australia) 🎧 The Method: Turn any job description into a winning Cover Letter Want a job in sport? Click here. Follow SportsGrad on socials: | Instagram | Linkedin Follow Reuben on socials: | Instagram | Linkedin Thanks for listening, much love! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    #373 From Hospitality to QRL: How Nancy Alu Got a Job in Sports Operations

  7. Sep 29

    The Method: Chasing "Any Job in Sport" Is the Wrong Way to Get Hired

    Want to land a job in sport? Apply for The SportsGrad Method: www.sportsgrad.com.au/program So you want to work in sport. You are not alone, and that is exactly the problem. Sport is one of the most competitive industries in the world. Everyone is passionate. Everyone has a degree. Everyone is willing to work hard. And yet most people spend years on the outside looking in, never quite understanding why. It is not a capability problem. It is a method problem. I am Reuben Williams, founder of SportsGrad. I landed a job at Cricket Australia the day after I finished university. When COVID hit and I was made redundant, I was headhunted into a role that doubled my salary. Not because I got lucky, because I had a method that most people never find. Since then that method has helped over 800 people land jobs in sport, from graduates with no experience to career professionals who thought the window had already closed. We have built a global network that members can tap into from day one, and spent ten years inside this industry learning exactly how hiring actually works. 80% of jobs in sport are never advertised. The people landing them are not the most qualified. They are the most visible, the most connected, and the most prepared to convert opportunity into an offer. That is what The SportsGrad Method teaches. How I can help you: 1. Listen to The Method — real coaching call snippets every Wednesday so you can hear the work in action. 2. Read The SportsGrad Newsletter — weekly insight on breaking into sport the right way. 3. Apply for The SportsGrad Method Program — if you are serious about making this happen, this is the fastest path. We review every application personally. If you refuse to settle for a career you do not care about, you are in the right place. Let's get to work: www.sportsgrad.com.au/program Reuben Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  8. Sep 27

    #372: How to Become Head of Sales at the AFL with Steve Whately

    Meet Steve Whately, Head of Sales at the AFL. He leads a team working on new brand partnerships across the AFL, AFLW, Marvel Stadium, and the league’s digital and community channels. Before joining the AFL, Steve worked at KPMG, became Head of Strategy at Sport Business Partners, and held roles at the Australian Sports Commission and Nielsen Sports. Across those jobs, he built experience in strategy, sales, digital and data. His interest in working in sport began at KPMG, while auditing Golf Australia and Hawthorn Football Club. Steve wanted to find out what other jobs existed in the industry, so he asked friends whether their parents knew anyone he could speak to. One conversation led to an introduction at Tennis Australia, then a job at Sport Business Partners. In its 5-person team, he worked on projects for organisations across several sports. By the time the AFL role opened up, Steve had years of relevant experience to show. During the hiring process, he was asked to present a growth strategy for Marvel Stadium. He opened with a slide showing around 25 brands he had sold to. Lots to look out for in this episode, including why Steve says his degree wasn’t a factor in getting the AFL job, which sports agencies and consultancies are worth researching, and how to make your existing experience relevant to a sports employer. We Cover: (3:14) – Interview begins (5:08) – Quick fire questions (15:52) – What it takes to do Steve's job at the AFL (30:50) – First break into sport at KPMG, auditing Golf Australia and Hawthorn FC (35:12) – The five-person consultancy that changed everything (55:41) – The presentation that got him hired (57:08) – Mentors and the value of asking for help (1:00) – Advice to his younger self If you like this ep, give these a go next: #354: How to transfer your Finance experience to the sport industry, Golf Australia | Phil Speake #265: From Westpac to the Adelaide Crows FC in 29 days, Adelaide Crows FC | Parth Suri #334: Adam Collins (The Final Word) on political career, transition to sport & origins of TFW Want a job in sport? Click here. Follow SportsGrad on socials: | Instagram | Linkedin Follow Reuben on socials: | Instagram | Linkedin Thanks for listening, much love! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    #372: How to Become Head of Sales at the AFL with Steve Whately
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About

Ever thought "I'd love to work in sport!" but have no idea where to start? You're in the right place. Join Reuben Williams (ex-Cricket Australia) each week to learn about jobs in the sports industry and how the people in those jobs forged a career they love. If you're trying to find your place in the industry, need some inspiration on what to do to get started, or just want to keep your finger on the pulse... you're going to love this catalogue of interviews. For more help to take the next step in making a career in sport a reality, subscribe to the SportsGrad newsletter: www.sportsgrad.com.au/newsletter LinkedIn: SportsGrad Instagram: @sportsgrad Connect with Reuben: Reuben Williams Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Information

  • Creator
    SportsGrad
  • Years Active
    2020 - 2026
  • Episodes
    418
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © SportsGrad
  • Show Website
    The SportsGrad Podcast

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