Cristina Martínez, Team Leader of Retail Talent Acquisition at Sprinter, shares key recommendations for young people interested in building a career in the sports retail sector
With more than 215 stores in Spain and expansion plans underway, Sprinter is positioning itself as one of the leading companies in the sector. At the first SPORTS BUSINESS Job Fair, Cristina Martínez shared insights into her daily work and explained how her team drives the connection between brand, product, and customer. In this interview with Johan Cruyff Institute, Cristina shares her experience and advice on how to access the job market through sports and retail.
What is day-to-day life like in Sprinter’s talent acquisition department?
“My daily work focuses on managing the retail recruitment team,” Cristina explains. Her team supports over 200 stores across Spain and Portugal, including planning for new openings —15 scheduled for this year alone— and integrating interns.
“We organize ourselves based on store priorities, resolve issues, and search for management talent when needed. We also coordinate the internship program, offering hands-on training for students and feeding our internal talent pipeline.”
Most in-demand profiles at Sprinter
In sports retail, Sprinter mainly seeks Sales Assistants, especially during peak seasons like Easter. At headquarters, digital marketing, social media, and e-commerce profiles are in high demand, with a focus on brand marketing and employer branding.
What qualities should a young person have to work in retail?
Cristina knows the path firsthand: she started as a Sales Assistant, moved up to store management roles, and now works in the People team. “Retail teaches you from the ground up. Experiencing it from the inside gives you real insight into the business. Motivation, commitment, and a willingness to learn make all the difference.”
She also highlights the value of starting as an intern: “It allows you to get to know the company and gain practical experience. If a student shows the right attitude, there are real growth opportunities.”
Keys to starting a career in sports retail
For students interested in working in retail connected to sports, Cristina recommends:
- Identifying companies that align with their interests
- Researching the company’s culture, values, and working style
- Showing initiative and motivation during the selection process
“We receive a lot of resumes that we classify and keep on file. Even if there’s no open position at the moment, candidates can be considered later on.”
The role of the cover letter
Cristina emphasizes the added value of a cover letter: “It goes beyond the résumé and conveys the candidate’s true motivation. During the recruitment process, we really value answers that show initiative, not just a simple ‘yes’ or ‘no’. We want to understand why they’re interested in the position.”
Current challenges in talent acquisition
According to Cristina, the main challenge is promoting staff mobility. “We want employees to be able to move between stores or departments. We have a strong training plan from day one, but mobility is still something we need to work on with our teams.”
Where does Sprinter publish its job openings?
Sprinter uses two ATS platforms and posts vacancies both on conventional job boards and on its own career site, which is available for Spain and Portugal. There, candidates can also learn about the company’s values, sustainability commitments, and employer branding efforts.
Employer branding strategy at Sprinter
Sprinter’s employer branding strategy is developed in collaboration with the marketing department. “We tailor our career site to younger generations and analyze which channels and devices they use to access job postings,” Cristina explains.
She also stresses the importance of conveying corporate culture, communicating current projects transparently, and aligning every new store opening or campaign with brand values. “It’s an ongoing, coordinated effort between the talent and marketing teams.”
Would you like to join the sports retail sector and build a career from within?
As Cristina Martínez explains, the combination of the right attitude, education, and eagerness to learn can open many doors in companies like Sprinter.
