Recruitment routes
Behind 8 careers portals: how sports brands manage applications
Why does a job link take you to Greenhouse or Workday? A guide from the brand's website to the right application form.
Sources checked: 7 November 2026
You want to work in sport. You find a job, click to apply and the web address changes completely. Have you left the recruitment process? Not necessarily: a brand may present a role on its own website but use specialist software to collect applications.
Understanding this route helps you find your way, check a vacancy you found on an aggregator and decide where to send your information. The golden rule: start on the official website and follow its direct links. A domain name alone does not guarantee that a vacancy is genuine.
01
A map in two layers
1 | The brand's website: discover and choose
It presents the company, its areas of work, locations and available roles. This is where you explore and decide which vacancy fits your profile.
↓ Clicking "Apply" may take you to another tool without leaving the official process.
2 | The ATS: submit and manage the application
ATS stands for Applicant Tracking System. It is software that organises incoming applications and helps the recruitment team manage them. It may be embedded in the brand's own website or display an external provider's domain, such as Greenhouse or Workday.
The official page and the ATS are simply two layers of the same route. The web address gives clues about the tool being used; the final experience depends on how each company manages it.
02
Where you are and what to do
| Channel | What it helps you do | Keep in mind |
|---|---|---|
| Official careers website | Learn about the brand and select a role. | Start here to follow the official application link. |
| ATS platform | Submit your application and attach documents. | It may be embedded in the website or use a third-party domain. |
| Discover vacancies and research the company. | Some roles offer Easy Apply; others redirect to a corporate portal. | |
| Indeed / Aggregators | Find hosted or indexed vacancies. | Use it for discovery; check the vacancy at the official source. |
Aggregators for discovery, official sources for checking
Services such as Google job search and Jooble bring together vacancies from company careers pages and job websites.
Use LinkedIn, Indeed and aggregators to discover opportunities. Check the employer and whether the job is still listed at the official source, then follow the application method the employer specifies, which may include Easy Apply or Indeed Apply. An indexed copy can become outdated; an official listing does not guarantee an immediate hire either. An expired job, a post for future hiring and a fraudulent offer are different situations: an old advertisement or no reply alone cannot tell them apart.
Eight providers you may recognise
These eight providers are examples found in our recorded recruitment routes, not a ranking of the most widely used. The database ATS field is incomplete: its counts do not measure market share. A portal can use the brand’s own domain or embed an application form without changing the address.
03
Eight brands, eight application routes
The shared route: official careers page → selected portal or job → application method specified by the employer.
Before sending your details, compare the employer, job, location and reference. Check that the listing is still available and that the application link comes from an official channel. The eight examples below show how this route can look different.
Rapha
Teamtailor
Rapha’s careers page runs on Teamtailor and brings together jobs across its teams and locations.
Specialized
Workday
Specialized’s official website links to its Workday jobs portal. The brand name appears in the portal address.
Under Armour
SuccessFactors
Under Armour’s official careers portal uses SuccessFactors under the brand’s own domain. The provider’s name is not always visible in the address bar.
AllTrails
Lever
AllTrails presents opportunities on its careers page and uses Lever to receive applications.
Rawlings
ADP
Rawlings’ official careers page directs applicants to its ADP Workforce Now recruitment portal.
Concept2
BambooHR
Concept2 explicitly links to its BambooHR jobs portal from the company’s official careers page.
Peloton
Greenhouse
Peloton displays jobs and Greenhouse application forms within its own careers website. An embedded form need not change the visible domain.
WHOOP
Ashby
WHOOP’s official page includes links to student opportunities in Ashby. This illustrates a specific route, not all of its recruitment processes.
Why sports employers hire and when to look
A useful search is not limited to athletes or coaches. The eight routes above show different employers and kinds of work: product, technology, customer service, retail or manufacturing. Look at the activity each employer needs to support and the skills you can bring, rather than waiting for a job with “sport” in its title.
Major events can also create projects and fixed-term contracts before competition begins. Organising committees and tournament bodies are a starting point; you can also research their suppliers, commercial partners, venues and hospitality services. LA28 and UEFA have official careers pages, and FIFA lists fixed-term contracts for Brazil 2027. These establish routes into event work, not a guaranteed rise in vacancies at every brand.
A calendar to guide your search: 7 November 2026 to 7 November 2028. Dates confirmed by organisers when this guide was checked:
- FIFA Women’s World Cup 2027Brazil | 24 June-25 July 2027. Look at the local organisation, venue operations and coordination of services and volunteers; managing volunteers is different from volunteering.
- Men’s Rugby World Cup 2027Australia | 1 October-13 November 2027. Research the organiser and its official hospitality operators, venues and spectator services.
- UEFA EURO 2028United Kingdom and Ireland | 9 June-9 July 2028. Follow the UEFA and UK & Ireland 2028 careers pages, alongside local bodies and tournament suppliers.
- LA28 Olympic and Paralympic GamesLos Angeles | Olympics: 14-30 July 2028; Paralympics: 15-27 August 2028. Check the organising committee, technology, operations and commercial partners.
Start with each event’s official pages and employers rather than waiting for the competition month. Check location, work permission, contract length and pay in each advertisement. Volunteering should not be confused with paid employment; inclusion in this calendar does not mean there is a vacancy for your profile.
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Before sending: four key checks
1. Company
Who exactly is advertising the role and who is hiring?
2. Role
Do the exact title, physical location and job reference match?
3. Status
Is the vacancy still active on the brand's official careers page?
4. Destination
Which address or form receives the application, and who receives it?
What Sport Brand Index adds
You can use Sport Brand Index to discover companies in sport and find their careers links. From there, continue your research at each brand's primary source, expanding your search beyond the usual companies.
Explore careers linksQuick questions
Where are sports industry jobs actually advertised?
Brands may post on their own careers website, an ATS portal or platforms such as LinkedIn and Indeed. Sport Brand Index helps you discover employers and find their careers links; then check each job at its official source and follow the employer’s application instructions.
How can I check whether a sports brand job is still open or genuine?
Find the same job on the official website or the portal linked by the brand. Compare its title, location, reference and deadline, and check who receives the application. If it is missing or the details differ, ask through an official corporate contact. A visible listing or a lack of replies alone proves neither an immediate hire nor fraud.
Can I apply through LinkedIn or Indeed?
Yes, if that is the employer’s chosen method. LinkedIn Easy Apply and Indeed Apply accept applications within the platform; other listings direct you to the company website or ATS. Check the listing first and follow the specified method rather than assuming a different domain makes an application more valid.
What if the brand has no careers section on its website?
A missing careers section does not mean there are no vacancies. Find an official corporate contact and ask about the right application route before sending personal information.
Is it safe to send my details to platforms such as Greenhouse, Workday or Lever?
They provide recruitment software, but the provider’s name does not validate a job. Use an official link, check the recipient and read the privacy information before attaching your CV. Share only the details needed for the application.