EP 58: AJ Walters - From Serving Aces to Making Waves in Recruitment Artwork

Career Clarity with Athletes: A 2ndwind Podcast with Ryan Gonsalves

Former professional footballer Ryan Gonsalves dives deep into the unique challenges and triumphs of transitioning from elite sports to fulfilling careers. Through candid conversations with athletes, the Career Clarity Podcast explores their inspiring journeys, uncovering lessons on identity, resilience, and reinvention. Whether you're an athlete or simply seeking inspiration for your next chapter, this podcast will empower you to unleash your second wind.

Ryan Gonsalves transitioned from professional football with Huddersfield Town in the English Footbaal League, to a career in financial services by leveraging his adaptability, transferable skills, and willingness to embrace new opportunities.

While playing semi-professional football, he pursued education and began working at GE Money Capital Bank, where he gained global experience and developed expertise in Lean Six Sigma and process improvement. His sports background often helped him stand out during interviews, creating memorable connections with hiring managers.

Later, Ryan joined HSBC in Hong Kong, where he worked for nearly a decade in consumer banking, focusing on global projects such as researching homeownership behaviors. His ability to understand consumer insights and behavior became a cornerstone of his success in the financial sector. After over 20 years in banking (including back in Australia at AMP, Westpac, COmmenwealth Bank and NSW Treasury, Ryan transitioned into career coaching, inspired by helping fellow athletes navigate their post-sports careers.

Ready to take the next step? Connect with Ryan at letschat@2ndwind.io.

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Career Clarity with Athletes: A 2ndwind Podcast with Ryan Gonsalves

EP 58: AJ Walters - From Serving Aces to Making Waves in Recruitment

July 26, 2023 • Ryan Gonsalves • Episode 58

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In today's episode, Ryan speaks to Alexandra Walters, a retired professional tennis player. At the age of 18, AJ made a crucial career move by relocating to the United States to play Division One college tennis in Charleston. During her time there, she achieved the highest number of total wins among all CSU tennis players and earned several prestigious accolades. In 2014, AJ decided to turn professional, reaching a career-high ranking of 590 in the WTA rankings. She competed in 37 countries, secured one pro title, and was a finalist in two other tournaments.

AJ retired from professional tennis in 2018 and ventured into the corporate world, where she is making significant strides in business analyst recruitment in Sydney, New South Wales. Currently, she works as a Specialist FS Business Analyst Recruiter, collaborating with clients within the financial services industry, particularly top-tier Australian & Global Banks. She aspires to become the best analyst recruiter in Australia.

Tune in to learn more about:

- How it feels to lose in an individual sport

- What role her academics played as she grew up

- How AJ would pick herself up after losing one of two consecutive tournaments

- Her journey to fulfilling her passion for working in the world of Med

- Aj's post-tennis era of her life in the corporate sphere

- What she brought from the tennis world into business recruitment

- Alexandra's hardest moment during her transition

- Nuggets on how to get through with your 2nd wind

and so much more!

Are you looking for Career Clarity for your next step, for more information, or to book a consultancy, make sure you check out

www.2ndwind.io