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In the latest episode of the Your Future in Sales & Marketing podcast, Mike Dickson sat down with Graham Fairbairn, Head of Sales & Marketing for Mutti pasta sauces to talk all things career, life and travels! 

Graham talks about being a global citizen, having lived and worked in over 10 different countries; his diverse FMCG career, the concept of the ‘imposter syndrome,’ and his relocation to Italy to grow the Mutti pasta sauce brand over there. 

Graham has lived a very interesting life and has collected so many wonderful experiences along the way, which he gracefully shares with us on the podcast! It’s well worth a listen! 

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In this amazing crossover episode, Mike Dickson is joined by not one, but two FMCG powerhouses, Dan Bitti, APAC Marketing Director for Jack Link's & Justin O'Sullivan, Sales Director for Jack Link's to share their career insights, the journey and ambition of Jack Link’s and ask the big question: What is the difference between Jerky and Biltong?

Key highlights include: 

• How they got to where they are today 
• Building the global Jack Link's brand in a market like Australia, where it was relatively unknown and new to consumers 
• The best ways sales and marketing can work together to grow a brand 
• The difference between beef jerky and biltong (and yes, there is one!)
• Why passion, grit and determination will get you everywhere 

So, grab your coffee (and perhaps some beef jerky?) and tune in! 

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We’re back with our first senior leader on the pod for 2025, Kerry (Kez) Appathurai, National Sales Director at Lion – and what a story she has to tell! 

In this insightful chat, Kez sat down with Mike Dickson to share her journey to becoming a sales director, what it’s like working in the consumer beverages space, paving the way for women in leadership, her role in the formation of the AACS Women In Convenience group, why it’s so important to love what you do, and so much more! 

You won’t want to miss this one, so tune in now! 

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In this special episode of the podcast, [axr] Sales & Marketing recruiters, Andrew Cannock and Ben Carnegie sat down to talk all this jobs, market trends, skills in demand and more! It's packed full of insights, as they talk through: 

• Trends we saw emerging in 2024 and how that impacted marketing, sales and category jobs. 
• What we can expect to see in 2025. 
• How candidates can set themselves to make great career decisions in 2025 and how the team at [axr] can help you with that.
• The 4 P's of job searching.

It's a fantastic listen - tune in now!  

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Back by popular demand - our review of the [axr] 2025 Salary Guide! 

In this episode, Andrew Cannock & Ben Carnegie give you a deep dive into our latest salary guide, including: 

• What to expect from Sales, Marketing & Category roles in 2025 
• Market trends and industry insights 
• What the numbers mean
• What we are looking for as recruiters when recruiting these roles and how we refer back to this guide  
• Role scope and in-demand skills for each role type 
• How to level up in your career and make great career decisions

It's a great listen, so tune in now, and don't forget to download our 2025 salary guide here: https://bit.ly/2025-salary-guide

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In the latest epsiode of [axr]'s 'How To' career series Amanda Dinte, Zara Church and Amelia Kettle sat down to share their top tips for resigning effectively.

Highlights include: 

• The main reasons why someone leaves a role, including: access to opportunities they are not getting in their current role, lifestyle factors, along with company culture and issues with management. 
• Advice they would give to people wanting to make a move and why it’s important to explore all your options first before taking that leap of faith. 
• The best way to have that conversation with your manager if you have decided to leave – approach the conversation rationally and level-headed. Be prepared. 
• How to navigate a counteroffer and what it really means.

If you're looking to make your next move, listen in now for some great advice! 

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In the latest epsiode of [axr]'s 'How To' career series, Nick Constain, Andrew Cannock and Kunal Gupta sat down to discuss what you can do to get yourself interview ready! Highlights include: 

• First impressions matter 
• Demonstrate your interest in the business – do your research 
• Be authentic about who you are as a person, and your career history
• The best way to approach the strengths vs weaknesses question 
• Using the STAR (Situation, Task, Action, Result) or CAR method (Context, Action, Result) 

If you're looking to nail your next interview, tune in now! 

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In the latest epsiode of [axr]'s 'How To' career series, Nick Constain, Amanda Dinte and Zara Church sat down to discuss the elements that make up a good resume and what will get you noticed. Highlights include: 

• Keep it simple - don't overly complicate the message 
• Treat your first page as your elevator pitch 
• Context is important 
• The value add to your resume is your achievements and how you measure those achievements 
• Is a cover letter required? 
• Get noticed online by optimising your LinkedIn profile - make sure it matches your resume. 

If you're looking to refresh your resume and get noticed, tune in now!

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To celebrate our milestone 100th episode of the Your Future in Sales & Marketing podcast, we held a live event with all past guests, and turned the tables on podcast host Mike Dickson - this time, the interviewer got interviewed!! 

With Trish Pegorer, MD for Mutti Australia at the helm firing off the questions, Mike shared his insights on: 

• His own career journey from Brand Management to Recruitment 
• Joining [axr] and building the Sales & Marketing practice
• The importance of budling and supporting careers, not just filling jobs
• The evolution of the podcast and quirky moments with guests 
• What he has learnt from his guests, including: careers should not be linear – gather experiences, maximise your potential, be patient, only you own your own career.  
• What’s next for the pod?

Guests also got a chance to ask some questions of Mike, and there were some curly ones in there! 

It was a night of fun and laughter and well worth a listen! 

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As we edge towards episode 100 of the pod, Mike Dickson sat down with Clare Darroch, Global Director of Sales for Vida Glow to talk about her varied and diverse career. Full of amazing insights, she shares her thoughts on: 

• Falling into sales after originally wanting to go into marketing, and how it’s the best thing that’s ever happened to her, career-wise.  
• The concept of manifesting and taking a positive approach to life and career. 
• Why having a stint in category will help you in an FMCG sales role. 
• The amazing growth journey of Vida Glow and how excited she is to be part of an organisation that is doing some amazing things in the market. 
• Her philosophy on work/life balance and how you don’t get paid for the minutes that you work, but rather the output that you produce.
• Why it's so important to always be open to opportunities and never live with regret.

It's an amazing listen, so grab your headphones and tune in now!