Played every four years, Experienced once in a lifetime…….

My name is Reema Dsouza and I’m currently enrolled in the IISM’s Post Graduate Program in Sports Management. Prior to pursuing my degree, I worked as a ‘Tour Consultant’ for group operations (Europe) for 3 years. However, I wanted to switch to a new field and that’s when I thought about pursuing sports management as a career.

Immediately after enrolling in the PGPSM course, I’ve had the opportunity to volunteer for a couple of sporting events. These included two marathons and now the recently concluded FIFA World Cup 2022 in Qatar.

On the day when we were told about the opportunity, I was happy and thrilled. I knew this was a lifetime opportunity and I didn’t want to let go of it. But at the same time, as and when the interview date came closer, I was nervous and less hopeful of getting through the selection process. As far as preparing for the interview is concerned, I did my research on Cutting Edge Pvt. Ltd. and FIFA.

On the day of the interview, I was anxious, but I gave spontaneous answers to whatever questions were thrown my way. These questions mainly revolved more around my past work experience and less about FIFA. Then my waiting period began. After a few days, I got a confirmation mail that I had been selected. I was ecstatic and was all set for this short trip, but it was one of the best opportunities I’ve ever received in my life.

The moment I landed in Qatar, I knew that I would have a tough time with the heat and I did. The weather was very unpredictable and the heat was unbearable. Travelling was not an issue as we had gotten free travel passes for the metro and shuttles.

At times, the best option available for us was Uber. We also had the group’s cars to pick us up and drop us off whenever possible.

Also, things in general are pretty expensive in Qatar. Since we were given allowances for travel, stay and food that took a load off of us.

On the work front, my job profile was that of guest management and transport coordinator. I had to coordinate with the drivers to arrange transportation for the group and the executives, whenever needed. I also took care of the group’s travel to the stadiums and attended to the guests’ queries.

The initial challenges I faced were not being able to properly communicate with the drivers and having a lack of clarity about the job role. I did have my share of ups and downs and panic moments. The panic moments were mainly because I was under a lot of pressure to meet my own expectations that I created due to my past work experience. But I gave my 100% and sailed smoothly through the event.

I did get positive feedback from my seniors and my work was appreciated, which ultimately made me very happy. I got to watch two live matches and I will never forget the stadium atmosphere of a FIFA match. I got to meet a few dignitaries and celebrities.

Apart from that, I got to witness the die-hard fans’ love for the game, fan moments in the stadiums, marketing efforts taken by the FIFA team, the amount of workforce required for the event, and many more. It was indeed a surreal experience.

This opportunity helped me learn a lot. Better communication and coordination with the team and service providers were the two most crucial aspects that I’d learned from my previous work experience and tried to follow during this opportunity, and wish to do in the future. I’ve understood that these are the important foundations on which any task is performed. Facing challenges and overcoming them with positive solutions without panicking is something that I’ve been able to achieve in my work life, but I need to work on this attitude even more from now on.

To sum it all up, my overall experience has been very positive. A different experience. It was hectic but enjoyable.

Yes, there were some downsides, but there aren’t any situations in life that doesn’t have both positives and negatives. All we can do is try to remain calm, focused and confident. This is what I’ve learned from this experience and I’m excited to put it to use in all of my future jobs. This has been a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for me, and I’ve done my best in whatever work I’ve been assigned and I’m pleased with the results.

I met some amazing people on this trip and have enjoyed most of my time spent in Qatar. I wish for more such opportunities to come my way, which I would happily grab with both hands.