National Careers Week is underway and Australian Athletics is shining the spotlight on athletes extending their dedication beyond the track, with the initiative celebrating careers and career development.
A series of Q&A’s will provide an insight into what Australia’s best athletes are achieving in their chosen fields, today featuring Olympic javelin thrower Cameron McEntyre.
I made my debut representing Australia at the 2015 World U18 Championships, and my senior team debut at the 2022 World Championships in Oregon. Since, I’ve competed at the Birmingham Commonwealth Games, 2023 World Championships in Budapest, and reached a major career milestone by competing at the Paris Olympics in 2024. Alongside my athletic career, I balanced significant commitments—completing my HSC in 2016, graduating university in 2021, and working corporate full-time. Throughout, I’ve developed strong time management, resilience, and adaptability to find a balance, enabling me to perform at an elite level. Particularly, I’ve leveraged LinkedIn to build my professional network beyond sport, staying connected with opportunities and building professional relationships.
Balancing the demands of elite athletic training with a professional career has been a continuous process of trial and error. I’ve had to refine my approach over time, learning what works best for my productivity, performance, and well-being. I began my professional career after returning from my Commonwealth Games and World Championship campaign in 2022, working in financial recruitment for 18 months. During that time, I also competed at the 2023 World Championships. I treated 2023 as a trial to see if I could successfully balance full-time work with my Olympic ambitions the following year. While I managed to qualify for WC, I noticed my training and performance plateaued over the season. It wasn’t until I spent a month in Europe before WC, free from the demands of office work, that I saw a significant increase in my training quality and energy levels. That experience was eye-opening. In early 2024, I made the decision to leave my job and focus fully on qualifying for Paris, supplementing my income by coaching at a few schools. Within two months of stepping back from full-time work, I was in career best form and gave myself the best possible chance at qualifying and competing competitively at the Olympics. I am now back working full time in a fully remote role, allowing me to have as much flexibility as I need and more.
Meticulous time management and forward planning are essential, as is clear communication with my coach and employer to coordinate around training, competitions and travel. Flexibility, both my own and my workplace has been key, and I’ve learned to adapt quickly when plans change. Prioritisation is another huge key. I’ve learned to focus on what’s important and what’s not. I also make a conscious effort to protect my recovery time, whether that’s sleep, nutrition, or downtime away from both sport and work (gaming… or golf!) . A lot of it has come through trial and error, and I’ve realised that staying organised is as much about flexibility and adjusting, as it is about sticking rigidly to a plan.
Unfortunately, we are in a sport where the top 100 in the world earn pennies compared to those in tennis or golf etc. My goal as an athlete has never been to make a financial career of out throwing sticks. It’s purely been out of the enjoyment and reaching my absolute potential. Therein lies a problem where life outside of sport catches up to you and financial income is essential. The bright side is, a dual path gives you a head start to life post athletic career and the transferable skills between the two gives you an advantage to others.
Yes. As previously stated, the transferable skills developed through sport provide a real advantage in the workplace. Qualities like discipline, resilience, diligence, and a strong goal-oriented mindset, that are essential in high-performance sport, naturally translate into my professional life. I’m very driven by clear objectives and I’m comfortable working under pressure or toward tight deadlines, because that’s the environment I’m used to. I also bring a strong sense of teamwork and accountability, knowing that both in sport and work, success depends on collective effort as much as individual performance. Being an athlete has made me more aware of the importance of balance and well-being, which shapes how I manage stress and long-term sustainability in any role.
Focusing on career development while competing at a high level requires being intentional with my time and energy. One of the most effective strategies for me has been networking. I make a point to stay connected with my professional network. Engaging on platforms like LinkedIn, or keeping in touch with mentors and previous peers. These connections not only help keep me informed about opportunities, but also provide valuable support and advice. I’ve found that maintaining and growing my network ensures I’m building a foundation for my future career, even during the most demanding phases of my athletic journey. As my career mentor says, “It’s not what you know, it’s not who you know, it’s who they know”.
I definitely did in 2023. Several people recommended that I reduce my workload to at least part-time to give myself the best chance to excel on the track. At the same time, recruitment is a demanding field that requires significant time and energy to build a successful desk and establish a strong reputation in the market. My decision was entirely driven by my goals. I wanted to become an Olympian, and every athlete knows there is a small window of time to achieve that. In contrast, I have 40+ years to build the career I want outside of sport, so the answer was obvious. Now that I have more experience and perspective, I’ve re-evaluated and know what works best for me: either a part-time role or a position with the flexibility to work from anywhere. I didn’t rush back into work after the Olympics; instead, I took six months to carefully find the right role that aligns with both my professional and personal priorities.
Prioritise your time and find your balance. Everyone is different, there is no right or wrong, just what works best for you. There is absolutely no pressure or expectations while exploring other passions and that is the beauty of it.
It puts “expected the unexpected”, on a new level of meaning. I attended a job interview for a role I wasn’t fully committed to, but through that meeting, I was connected, twice, to opportunities that led to a meeting with a Big 4 firm. Funnily enough, everyone outside of sport loves and commends what we do as athletes and what we bring to the table.
Find people who are well established in your field and reach out to them with a solid ‘elevator pitch’ on LinkedIn. You have nothing to lose and everything to gain by making that connection. Coffee catch-ups during work hours (depending on your field) are a great way to network and give you a reason to step into a professional environment. Set a clear career development goal, while staying open-minded about where conversations might lead. To put it in perspective – you’re like a little athlete again seeking out an Olympian for guidance and advice.
By Australian Athletics
Posted 14/5/2025
