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 SportsGrad , 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 did SportsGrad help you land this job?

Without SportsGrad I wouldn’t have been offered this role. The weekly webinars have helped me build confidence in my skills and have also gifted me the opportunity to build others. The connection with other community members allowed me to gain other perspectives of the sports world, whilst resources such as the template resume showed me the best way to present myself to employers.

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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 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 SportsGrad 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!

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