The SportsGrad Podcast

Meet Allison Robison, the Executive General Manager of People and Culture at Cricket Australia. Allison leads recruitment and culture for one of the nation's most iconic sports organisations, helping build teams that bring cricket to life. Her insights into hiring practices, including strategies for acing interviews and crafting standout applications, are invaluable.

With a background in senior roles at National Australia Bank and board positions at Swimming Australia and Athletics Victoria, Allison has a wealth of experience in people management and recruitment strategies. She has also been a driving force in promoting the importance of relationships and networking in career success.

If you're a young job hunter seeking to break into the competitive sports industry without the anxiety of endless rejections, Allison’s advice will help you approach the job hunt with confidence. Learn about avoiding job-hunting mistakes, crafting compelling applications, and networking your way to opportunities in sport.

We cover:

(8:27) - Introduction to Alison Robison and her role

(11:45) - Key strategies for standing out in job applications

(14:30) - Understanding the recruitment process at Cricket Australia

(18:00) - Networking: The cornerstone of career success

(21:10) - Building relationships within the sports industry

(25:00) - Role of AI in recruitment and its implications

(28:45) - How to tailor resumes to job descriptions effectively

(32:15) - Tips for succeeding in behavioural interviews

(36:00) - Importance of showcasing personality and passion

(39:10) - Final advice for navigating job applications

If you like this ep, give these a go next:

#1: Ex-ICC T20 World Cup 2020, HR Manager | Ally Dirkis

#110: Ex-Golf Australia, People & Culture Manager | Daniel Simons

#128: Netball Australia, GM People & Culture | Kimberlee Furness

#155: Australian Sports Commission, HR Business Partner | Adam Kyle

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-Follow SportsGrad on LinkedIn, Instagram or TikTok

-Follow Reuben Williams on LinkedIn, Instagram or TikTok

-Subscribe to the SportsGrad newsletter for job and networking opportunities

-Become a SportsGrad Member to shortcut your next job in sport

Big thanks to Deakin University for making this episode possible.

Check out their Master of Sport Management, ranked #1 in Australia.

Thanks for listening, much love!

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today’s pod is a very special recording of a live workshop I ran last week, specifically tailored to Young Professionals in sport, to help those currently working, level up and hit some epic career goals.

If you’re like I once was and you set goals (or aren’t sure how to), and forget to revisit them and drop off, this workshop is for you. I struggled with the same issues, and found goal setting overwhelming, so I read a lot of books, did a lot of trial and error, and came up with a system that makes it easier to stick to my goals than it is to drop off.

In this pod, I share with you that system, and it has underpinned my career and everything I’ve done in the last 3 years. Since creating it, it’s helped me:

• Live my dream working & travelling the world
• Licence my course in Universities in Australia and Canada
• Grow my LinkedIn profile to reach 4M people
• Grow the SportsGrad Community to 650+ Members
• Even beat my half-marathon PB by 6 minutes (1:22:02)

You don’t have to be running a business for this to work for you - the entire team at SportsGrad now use it, and you can make it work no matter what job you’re in. The response towards SportsGrad Pro has been phenomenal, and we’re super excited to begin a new community for those who are Young Professionals and are wanting to make progress fast. Keep your eye out for more updates!

On that note, I’m pumped to be sharing my process with you, as it’s the first time I’ve publicly let others in on what I do behind closed doors. Make sure you tune in to this pod, and let us know how you use this system!

In this episode we cover:

(00:00) – Introduction

(02:27) – Webinar Begins

(03:14) – What you are getting from the webinar

(04:51) – Reuben’s Goal setting journey

(12:56) –Career Operating System explained

(16:24) – Creating your Personal Mindmap

(18:06) – Setting your Vision and Goals

(23:02) – Building your Habits

(26:07) – Reuben’s daily cheat sheet

(28:24) – Creating your Career Operating System

(32:33) – Monthly Check-in’s

(36:40) – What is fear setting?

(39:17) – Tips for consistency

(40:00) – Q&A

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Want to stay up today with all the new podcasts, events, and blogs to help you get a job in sport?

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Become a SportsGrad Member and get exclusive access to hidden job opportunities, networking events, resources and recruiters.

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Want to hire the best grads in sport? Let us help you recruit.

👉 Help me recruit talent

Follow us on Instagram and TikTok!

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This episode is brought to you by Deakin University, the Official Education Partner of The SportsGrad Podcast. Find out why their Master of Business in Sport Management is not one of, but the best one in Australia ranked at #1 at www.deakin.edu.au

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hello friends!!

We've reached the final principle of 'How to get into sport without getting lucky':

Principle #8 - Invest so much time that it worries you if it will all be worth it. That’s how you know you’re on the right track.

When up to 600 people apply for popular entry level roles, you have no choice but to be in the top 1%.

But until you’re hired, you never really know if you’re doing the right things, or if you’re doing enough.

So... If you want confidence that your career is on track to land that dream job, tune in for a 'career barometer'.

For the 8 principles on 'How to get into sport without getting lucky', listen to episode #100

Got a question you want answered? Feel free to connect with us on LinkedIn: Reuben, Ryan

You can also find us on insta @sportsgrad

And if you're interested in more podcasts related to a certain topic (e.g. Events, High Performance etc.) check out our best picks here: www.sportsgrad.com.au/podcast

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This episode is brought to you by Deakin University, the Official Education Partner of The SportsGrad Podcast.

Find out why Deakin is ranked #6 in the world for sport related subjects at www.deakin.edu.au

At Deakin University you can be confident you'll get the job you want with the degree employers want.

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Thanks for listening! You’re all legends.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Did the Paris Olympics get you in the mood to work on LA 28 or Brisbane 32?

If you’d one day love an epic job at the Olympics, today’s podcast features several people who have been living the dream.

In this pod you’re going to get introduced to people working across Commercial Partnerships, Commercial development, Media rights, PR, Social Media and more.

You’ll find out what they’re doing on the ground, and how they got hold of their dream job.

You'll hear from:

(6:06) - Andrew Ryan - Managing Director of FIBA Media

(10:00) - Hayley Conway - Partnerships Consultant

(15:09) - Briony Carlyon - Media Official for International Golf Federation

(17:13) - Stella Barry - English Content Creator for Paris Olympic Committee

(20:04) - Tom Hickey - Director of Business Development for Brisbane 2032

(24:00) - Kiri Madhani - Senior Commercial Partnerships Manager at DAZN

(27:53) - Penelope Roth - Press Conference Supervisor (Tennis & Boxing)

Additional episodes you may enjoy:

#256: Meet the Sail GP staff on the ground in Saint-Tropez

#243: Tom Hickey (Brisbane 2032 Olympics) - Living the dream at the NFL, IOC & Brisbane 2032 Olympics

#148: Andrew Ryan (FIBA Media) - How to sell sports media rights

#171: David Pryles (Hockey Australia CEO)

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Want a weekly dose of career inspo? Get industry stories, upcoming events, and the latest sports jobs in your inbox each Friday.

👉 Subscribe to the SportsGrad Newsletter

The SportsGrad Community connects Members to peers, professionals, events, jobs, and development opportunities. Join as a Rookie or Pro Member.

👉 Become a SportsGrad Member

Follow us on Instagram and TikTok!

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This episode is brought to you by Deakin University, the Official Education Partner of The SportsGrad Podcast. Find out why their Master of Business in Sport Management is not one of, but the best one in Australia ranked at #1 at www.deakin.edu.au

Thanks for listening! You’re all legends.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

How do you pivot your career to the commercial side of sport so you can grow the game you love?

Kiri Madhani breaks down how she transitioned from game development roles to become a Senior Commercial Partnerships Manager at DAZN growing women’s football in Europe.

If you feel like your career is a bit stuck, this is your roadmap.

About the guest:

Kiri Madhani Senior Commercial Partnerships Manager at DAZN, and is part of the team recently short-listed for Football Business of the Year Award at the 2025 Women’s Football Awards.

Plenty to look out for in this conversation including Who is DAZN and what makes them a massive player in the sports media world. How Kiri consciously pivoted her career from game develop roles across university sport and charities into the Commercial world working with $Million deals and major rights holders. Plus tools on how to handle difficult conversations and work with others effectively. Kiri is one of my oldest friends in the sports industry, so naturally we go off topic a little from time to time, but I hope you enjoy.

We cover:

(00:00) - Interview begins

(03:05) - Introduction

(08:35) - Quick fire questions

(20:01) - Kiri's role at DAZN explained

(29:58) - Kiri's involvement in branding & pitching process

(32:14) - Selling brand deals

(37:25) - Understanding DAZN's offering

(41:00) - Working with FIBA Media growing Women's Basketball

(45:10) - How Kiri landed the role at DAZN

(50:09) - How the FISU Forum in France influenced Kiri's career

(58:07) - How a side role at London Rowing Club helped Kiri in landing a job in commercial sport

(01:04:03) - Tips for a successful interview

(01:10:10) - How to have tough conversations with colleagues

(01:20:11) - Advice to her younger self

If you like this ep, give these a go next:

#289: How to move from London to Australia and work in Sports Marketing | George Ludlow’s journey to Gemba

#290: Inside the 2025 FISU World University Games with Mirinda Kidman

#309: How I landed a dream job at Cricket Australia | Reuben Williams, Founder of SportsGrad

Want a job in sport? Click here.

Follow SportsGrad on socials: LinkedIn | Instagram | TikTok Follow Reuben on socials: LinkedIn | Instagram | TikTok

Big thanks to Deakin University for making this episode possible. Check out their Master of Sport Management, ranked #1 in Australia.

Thanks for listening, much love!

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.