Neeraj Nair

When I moved to the UK to study Sports Management, I wasn’t chasing a degree.

I was chasing exposure to a global sporting ecosystem that I hoped would shape my career.

The UK felt like the right call. Top clubs. Rich sporting culture. Massive industry.

And I told myself I’d start applying early.

But like many international students, I underestimated how hard it would be.

It was March 2023 when I sent my first application. I made it to the second-last round of a grad programme and thought, “This won’t be too bad.”

Turns out, that was the closest I got to an offer for the next 18 months.

Between balancing coursework and a part-time job, I kept applying, and kept hearing nothing back. No feedback. No callbacks. No clarity.

In total, I sent out 326 applications. Got 318 rejections. 8 interviews. 2 final rounds. 1 contract offer. That’s the math of my job hunt.

It was around the 200-application mark when I came across Unimad.

I had a quick chat with Shaki, who walked me through how most international students don’t have bad profiles, just misaligned ones. That clicked.

I used Unimad to rebuild my CV, create a solid cover letter, and for the first time ever, a portfolio. I always thought portfolios were for creative folks, but in a competitive field like sport, it helped me stand out.

With a better story and stronger visibility, I finally got that break. A contract role in the sports industry.

It’s not the end of the journey. I’m still looking for something long-term.

But I’m in the room now. I’ve got my foot in the door. And that changes everything.

Here’s my advice: You might be doing all the right things, but not in the right way. Fix your positioning. Show, don’t just tell. And don’t underestimate what the right guidance can do. Because sometimes, just one offer is all it takes to change the game.