deiseanna gairme in institiúide an AE

Employer Insights Getting the job I started my own company, Celtic Catalysts Brian KellyScience Entrepreneur I was offered the job by the director of the company and promoted in house. I did not actively seek my current position. I had always been involved and had opinions on the direction the company should take with regard to Health & safety, and became safety rep as a result.

As Duty manager and later Deputy GM, recruitment and selection was part of my role. As the company grew to 4 hotels, there was a need for HR department, and I was offered the position of HR manager & H&S co-ordinator the group RCOI. Laura DevlinHR Manager - Hotel I heard about the opportunity from a family member and decided to apply online. The process moved very quickly, and I had an interview weeks after I applied. I was interviewed by a panel of two partners in Northern Trust. The interview went very smoothly there was no pressure at all. I got a call from HR two weeks after my interview to offer me the position. Abbie RiceAssociate Accountant/IFS Apprentice I started in Intel as a graduate process engineer. My manager asked me during my regular one-on-one meetings, where I envision myself in the group for the upcoming new technology. It was here that I was able to express my interest in the ‘tool install’ area.

It wasn’t until many months later, after I had completed an assignment in the US, that I was asked to move to the Install-Qual group. It was great to evidence the personal interest that my manager had in my career progression to encourage this opportunity and this seems to be a value that Intel actively encourages in management. Darryl DayIQ Engineer While in college both myself and a friend discussed joining the army after viewing it at a careers day. On completion of our degrees we both applied to join the army and were called for interviews. On passing the interview we were selected to attend a medical and then on completion of that a fitness test had to be passed. On passing all three sections I was contacted by ManPower (now Fas) who then confirmed my acceptance. Keith LynchPrivate (Line) I finished my PhD and heard that a position was to become available at the university where I studied. I applied by filling in a very detailed application form (it took me several weeks to write my answers and be happy with them), I taught a sample lesson and made a presentation about my plans for the job if I were to be successful, I sat an interview with a selection panel, and got told by phone that evening that I got the job. Dr. Patrick CadwellLecturer When I was in College, I spoke to a Musgrave representative at a careers fair. They spoke about the benefits of the programme and told me about the history of the business. From that conversation I decided to apply for the Graduate Programme. Ross McKeoghMusgrave Retail Graduate Programme I went on college placement for 6 months as a product developer which really showed me what career path I could go down as my degree was very broad. This helped me gain experience in the food and drinks industry. I started a full-time job as an own brand analyst after college and then eventually apply for the Musgrave Graduate Programme. Sara Hickey Assistant Trading Manager The Public Appointments Service run competitions periodically for the position of Third Secretary. There are various stages involved from submitting an application to sitting psychometric tests and attending an assessment centre before the interview stages begin. I would be recommend anyone interested to sign up job alerts on www.publicjobs.ie. Shane SargeantDepartment of Foreign Affairs While I was at Leicester doing my PhD, the job advert was sent around a mailing list that I had subscribed to. I applied straight away, and it was actually the first application I made so I was very lucky!

The interview required me to give an overview talk discussing my research and ideas for future work, followed by technical questions, and then a personal interview. I was then offered the job and I accepted straight away. Caitriona JackmanPlanetary Scientist In the answer to question #3, I partially explained how I got to my current job. I was offered the position of Senior Research Advisor at both SOSA and MCSS before I even finished my PhD. I ended up moving to Slovakia to pursue the job at SOSA, while performing my work for MCSS remotely. In January 2016, I was elected vice chair of SOSA, so I have even more duties and responsibilities (described in section #8 below). Generally speaking, however, I got to my current job by going after my passion and childhood dreams: to study space and astrobiology, hoping that one-day I could work for NASA and/or ESA; even to become an astronaut! I have worked very hard so far pursuing these dreams. First of all, I funded all of my studies at UCL, CalTech, University of Bristol (UoB) and the International Space University’s Space Studies Program (ISU SSP) only through numerous scholarships, awards, part-time work and even charity funding (as my parents could not afford to finance my education). Moreover, I used the possibilities, offered by my studies, to the maximum to gain research experience in space exploration. For example, I volunteered to work on an extracurricular project on extra-solar planets at the University of London Observatory; I was awarded a Nuffield Foundation grant for a joint NASA/UK Space Agency MoonLite project, simulating planetary surfaces; I became a teaching assistant in astrobiology and astronomy for Bachelor’s degree classes at UCL, UoB and numerous schools in London; at CalTech I proposed research projects of my own, working with leading scientists in astrobiology, including Mars Curiosity Rover’s chief scientist, Professor John Grotzinger; I was awarded a research fellowship to work at NASA JPL; and my research projects and myself were selected for a Martian simulation mission to the Mars Desert Research Station (MDRS), USA. All of the awards and job offers that I received were the result of all of these self-driven activities, as well as the quality of my research results. Michaela MusilovaMission Control Space Services I applied for the role having gained experience in Corporate Finance role. I completed my professional Accountancy Exams with BDO and worked in a number of areas within the practice. I applied, successfully completed my interview and secured my first job in Banking. Madonna DalyBusiness Manager

• Saw the job ad on LinkedIn – Applied
• Had a competency based interview
• Follow up coffee with two different team members
• Started in the role within three weeks of accepting

Ross O'BrienGraduate Recruitment Team Lead I made the most of my time on the Graduate Programme and utilised all the networks I made throughout no matter what department or level of seniority they may have been. Denise HarringtonSupply Chain Analyst

I am currently seconded to the National Project Office as an Acting Grade VIII - Operations Manager. The job itself was advertised both by circular and on the internet.

Application for the job was in the form of detailed application form with career history, educational achievements, reasons why you think you are suitable for the job and then the completion of competencies which are essential to the position.

After shortlisting took place, i was invited for interview. The interview itself was structured in format requiring "live" examples of where I met the competencies required for the job. I was informed by letter of my success at interview.

Frank MorrisonRecruitment Manager While still living in America I heard that Wyeth were opening a plant in Clondalkin, Dublin which is where I grew up. I was excited about the prospect of actually working in a Biotech plant in Clondalkin. I applied online and then when I moved back to Ireland I went to an assessment centre which also included an interview. The assessment centre included some role-playing and aptitude tests. I was called soon after and told that I got the job. Brian O'ConnorAnalytical Chemist I was working in the agency side of the business carrying out commercial lettings on behalf of landlords, I spotted my current job on LinkedIn and it really appealed to me as I always had an interest in working for Aviva. My experience is predominantly in retail, so this aligned with Aviva's fund having a number of retail assets. I had an interest in moving to the client side also.

Given it was during a pandemic having applied online everything was done virtually from initial discussions to interviews, the interview process consisted of two interviews with the second being a presentation. My direct line manager called to say I was successful, and this was followed up with an offer letter from HR. Jenny DonnellyAsset Manager Luckily I made my way up through the ranks within my company since I finished college. I completed my work experience with the company and they asked me to return once I completed the course. Aidan MaherSite Manager - Grad Entry My husband saw a gap in the market for selling fish in Wicklow and after two years of looking for premises, we finally found one and just went for it! Nicola O'HigginsFishmonger I set up my own workshop in 1997. I am continually upgrading the workshop and developing work and teaching programmes. Glenn LucasWoodturner Main challenges

The most challenging aspect is managing all of the different tasks that need to be completed as part of my role. Once you move into a senior management position in any company, there is a lot of responsibility that rests on your shoulders. With experience you get used to that and it doesn't cause me an issue, but it certainly keeps me busy! I think the word "perspective" is a great word to have in your head as you go through a career.

There have been many occasions in my career where things have become a challenge or things have gone wrong but having perspective and always doing your best is the key here. My experience has shown that no matter how bad you think things are at a point in time, by working hard and showing integrity you can make sure they work out in the end. There's no point getting stressed or worried, you can only do your best.

Brian DelahuntyHead of Corporate Banking Attending to emergency situations where you are expected to act rapidly in a dangerous environment with a wide range of different people, some of whom may be hostile to you (e.g. in a riot or fight), also working with people in distress and taking decisions that will affect life and livelihoods and sometimes on the basis of incomplete and ambiguous information. Rasaq FaladeGarda Reserve The main challenges for me are managing expectations of those to whom I am presenting data and analysis as people can have differing or conflicting views. Denise HarringtonSupply Chain Analyst Main challenges for me right now include aligning the cool algorithms that the technical team can create with customers, and trying to commercialize them. Some of the technology we can create is very cool, but getting people to see the value of it and buy it can be very difficult. Sinead O'Sullivan CEO of Fusion Space Technologies The most difficult part of my job is Managing my managers! This is especially difficult in the Public Sector where one can feel that as much or even more time is spent on ensuring that we can be SEEN, in time, to have done the right thing over and above the time taken to actually do it. This is to bolster ourselves for future questionning (e.g. in a Public Accounts Committee hearing) wherein it is easy to criticise.

Also, the VERY Risk Averse nature of things means that sometimes a large capital expenditure approval might take 1 or 2 years when in a private sector environment it might take months. This is due to the number of government agencies things must go through, often with each one getting their own independent consultants to review matters. As for Technical Challenges, in the light of the above, no matter how difficult they are, they're easy! Ciaran MacSamhrainEngineer - Transport Infrastructure Ireland Some of the main challenges include:

• When clients present with unusual and complicated difficulties. This requires resourceful, flexible thinking and the ability to research new therapy ideas.
  
• Long waiting lists.
• Balancing seeing clients with managing other aspects of work including attending meetings, keeping paperwork up to date, attending courses etc.
• Keeping up to date with new developments in therapy and assessment and expanding my skill base.

Lisa KellySpeech and Language As the people I work with face challenges with communication, learning what their needs are can be a challenge, this encourages you to think creatively and develop problem solving skills. It also develops good communication among the staff team. Deirdre LavelleCare Assistant Keeping abreast of all the changes is a major challenge. There are so many bright people all working away on their topics and changing the game so often that it is essential to keep abreast of your peers work. Go on holidays for two weeks and it could take another week just to catch up with everything. The technical challenges I experience here are often involved with the intricacies of minor details in operating systems, networking protocols or programming. Staying on top of the game involves continually keeping track of what are the trends and technologies outside the corporation too. e.g. subscribing to blogs to stay informed of trends in the processor industry. Jason RuaneComputer Programmer So far in my training the main challenges would be getting used to the change of lifestyle inside the college. Aishling ButlerGarda Trainee It was certainly a challenge to balance studying for a professional qualification and work full time, however, the Chartered Tax Adviser (CTA) programme offered by the Irish Tax Institute caters for this challenge by providing weekend lectures and electronic access to materials. In particular, the professional skills workshop offered the opportunity to discuss and solve real-life tax problems that I could then apply in my day to day work. Caroline AustinSenior Associate Solicitor Given the economic difficulties of the past few years I would say that the main challenge in working in financial services is gaining the customers trust. Clients are now more careful and in many cases very cautious about dealing with financial services providers.

However in many ways this can be looked upon as a positive as it give us a chance to showcase our knowledge and capabilities and sell ourselves to the customer and thus building up relationships. Kevin MoranInsurance Administrator Staying in control of my to-do list is the main challenge… You need to be very organised in this job. You need to plan ahead, know what meetings are coming up, make sure those who work with you on a particular client are aware of the upcoming meeting and what’s required for it.

Keeping up-to-speed can be challenging – what’s moving markets, any developments with investment managers or funds. Sustainability continues to gather momentum and it can be challenging to stay up-to-date with regulatory developments in that area.

The job can be tiring. I find it takes a lot of energy and proactivity to keep on top of all the tasks that are ongoing with all my clients…to keep projects moving. At times, it can feel like you’re being pulled in different directions and it’s really important not to drop a ball.

Having said that, I’m very lucky to work in a team of highly-motivated, hard-working and conscientious people. We work well together as a team, helping each other out as and when necessary. There’s always someone ready and willing to help if you have a problem or if you simply need to bounce an idea off someone. Orla AherneInvestment Consultant I am most challenged by the need to catch fish, i.e. enough to make good wages for the crew and myself. I get fantastic job satisfaction from this. Seeing a good catch of fish coming aboard gives me great motivation, you forget any problems and seem to get energy from no-where. Other aspects of fishing would stress me more; i.e. slack, fishing boat breaking down, bad weather, bad fish prices, and some of the ridiculous rules and regulations which are in force at the moment in Ireland. Liz O'TooleSkipper The main challenges are:

Getting the curriculum covered in a short day.
Meeting the high expectations of parents.
The constant changing of textbooks/methods of teaching. Brian CadiganPrimary School Teacher In a modern Ireland drink and drugs provide us with a huge challenge. Situations can and do turn very violent when people consume excess alcohol or drugs. It makes communicating with these people extremely difficult as they are impaired and their thought process is different. Peter CliffordProbationer Garda As every day is slightly different and you can be dealing with process engineers from different sections of the Fab every day, the main challenge I have is trying to gain an understanding of each section. Each day you tend to gain more knowledge of the Fab process and with every little piece of knowledge you gain your understanding becomes that bit greater. Deborah CaffreyElectronic Engineer Biggest challenge is meeting customer needs in an efficient and effective manner. Madonna DalyBusiness Manager

The main challenges for me are:

• Dealing with the dynamics of clients in the house and how they interact (why and how they get on or don't ), identifying skills that they may need help with in order to learn how to get on better and finding ways we can teach these
• Liaising with the wider organisation in finding solutions for problems
• Developing new areas and generally increasing the potential for our clients in how they live and what they can expect from the service
• Working with a large team of people from different backgrounds, cultures and with different values and beliefs, all which affect our work and how we see our clients and our work
• Our clients may not be able to communicate properly what is wrong and therefore may display behaviour which is not appropriate or which is aggressive or antisocial. This is a challenge to encourage good behaviour and give them other more positive and mature ways of communicating their problems.

Naoise PyeSocial Care Worker AIB is quite new back to the market in the Graduate Space – Playing catch up but we are very fast to do so. Ross O'BrienGraduate Recruitment Team Lead Tax law is always changing, so it’s really important that I keep up to speed on these changes! Lorcan KellyTax Consultant Typical day I am on site at the moment working as an Assistant Resident Engineer. I am supervising construction work of a Water supply scheme for the council.

Every day presents it's own problems. I get to work for 7.30am.  A few times during the day I walk around the site and make sure I know who is working. I answer questions for the contractor about the design, sometimes there are mistakes in drawings, or they have suggestions of different ways of building and I have to check if we are happy they are as good as the original design. I check levels to make sure its being built at the right height. I carry out concrete testing so we are sure we are getting the right concrete. I measure what they have built so we know what to pay them. I suppose no day is typical! Maria O'NeillCivil Engineer Each machine is unique if there are parts that need customised, I create them on solid-works and then I send them to be machined. I also go out onto the factory floor and check the machines to see if there are elements/parts that need changed. Kevin O'HaganDesign Engineer

• Main thing to note is ‘no two days are the same’
• Recruitment can change day to day
• One day – attending Grad Fairs, spending time meeting students and selling AIB as a great place to work
• Next day- Screening candidates, setting up interviews
• Next day- Making offers
• Works in cycles and this forms a typical day  

Ross O'BrienGraduate Recruitment Team Lead

• 6am - 7am - Emails and Admin
• 7am - First Appointment
• 2pm - End of Clinic
  
  
• 4pm - May start second Clinic
• 9pm - Finish of Clinic
  
  

 

Barry McEnteeChartered Physiotherapist I start my day with a shift handover from the previous shift to get an update on process status for each product.  I have a team of six pharmaceutical technicians reporting to me so I try to spend time with them to plan their day.  We then have update meetings with other department managers, and spend the rest of the day ensuring the smooth running of each process, answering technical questions, scheduling maintenance work, troubleshooting, and report writing. Rachel BennettIndustrial Pharmacist My day starts at 8:30am. I am part of the System Admin team. We are responsible for providing robust cloud infrastructure to engineering teams, automating processes, configuring hardware and troubleshooting infrastructure related issues. During my day, I assign myself tasks from our backlog. The highest priority tasks are issues and I would troubleshoot these issues first. In the afternoon, my team meets for our scrum call and we provide an update on our tasks and discuss any open items. My day ends at 5:30pm. Lynda O'LearySystems Engineer Start @ 6:30 milking, feeding calves, checking cattle & complete all feeding & routine tasks by 11.

Non routine work varies with the seasons & is completed each day between 11am & 4pm.

The current spring tasks include calving cows, ploughing, slurry & fertiliser application, fencing & straw bedding cattle.

Updating the paperwork end of the business also takes quiet a while.

The evening routine replicates the morning routine & is completed between 4-6pm. Denis ReidyFarmer - Dairy Because I am self-employed, I have to be very self-motivated and always provide quality and positive Leadership for my team, sometimes this can be challenging as I have to juggle a lot; we have a large working sheep farm coupled with my Husband Jim spending long stints away for work, we also have a 4 and ½ year old wonderful boy. While challenging this juggle is very rewarding, we live in a beautiful place, surrounded by wonderful people and happy Customers. Catherine O'Grady PowersOwner Gleenkeen Farms I start at 8.45 a.m sharp. I put on my uniform which entails boots, overalls, hairnet, gloves and apron. I then prepare my area of work - I wash the work top, table, etc., I then sharpen my knife, get the fish into the factory floor, fillet from bin and then put the fillets into a tray. From there the fish are weighed. Brendan WhiteFish Filleter Scientific research is a cycle of a) devising an experiment to find the answer to a particular question, b) running that experiment - whether on a computer or in an experimental laboratory, c) analysing the results and d) publishing your conclusions. A typical day depends on where in this cycle you are and, of course, you could be trying to answer several questions at once! A typical day for me includes reading the relevant literature to see what people already know, using computer code to model the properties of new materials, and writing up my methods and results so that I can communicate them to my colleagues. Nuala CaffreyResearch Fellow in Computational Physics When I arrive to work in the morning, I run a report to check what tasks are coming due for our team and also what batches we need to release in order to meet patient demands. These are discussed and prioritized during our morning meetings, along with any issues encountered in manufacturing during the previous 24 hours.Because Johnson & Johnson is a global company, there are often conference calls with colleagues from the US and around the world, to discuss various projects. Gillian MorganManufacturing Process Specialist A typical day can vary a lot, but generally consists of activities such as writing code, analyzing data, and researching and applying machine learning and mathematical techniques. However, we follow the Agile working process, so every day there are standup meetings where everyone gives an update on what they've been working on, and every other week we have planning and review meetings Catherine AhearnData Scientist My average day starts at about 7.30am, as does that of my employees. Our workforce is organised in three crews of two or, sometimes, three men. On a Monday, we would normally go on a run of maintenance contracts, maybe seven or eight sites and I would work with one of the crews during that run. On Tuesdays, we tend to concentrate on new landscaping jobs. I would organise the materials for the job and any deliveries of materials. I'd then set out the planting and allocate various tasks to my helpers, make sure that everything is going smoothly and that the job is finished well. Our work days finish at four in the afternoon. On Wednesdays, after allocating the various tasks to the staff and ensuring that everyone is on site, I spend the rest of the day in the office. This is a vitally important part of my work, although the least enjoyable. Accounts and credit control have to examined , bills paid, lodgement of cheques received and wages for the week prepared. There is usually correspondence to be dealt with as well as quotations and tenders for future work prepared. A lot of time is spent on business calls not only on Wednesdays but throughout the week. The other days are taken up in much the same way as Mondays and Tuesdays. Contact has to maintained with the clients on a regular basis to ensure that they are satisfied with the service we are providing. Also regular contact with suppliers, such as Nuserymen, is very important to make sure that we know which plants or other materials can be sourced at any one time. Paul DowlingHorticulturist

A typical day can be challenging although very varied.

I can be anywhere doing anything literally.

From a HR perspective, seeking new candidates, responding to applicants, sending out offers or employment, arranging and conducting induction training, sending out contracts, contacting staff to return said contracts, dealing with issues in-house if there are any, conducting appraisals and performance reviews, updating staff data base, any grievance /disciplinary issues, Letters of reference, updating employee handbook, attending HOD meetings

I also respond to trip advisor and some of the social media outlets, and deal with any letters of complaints

H&S - keeping safety statement up to date, conducting risk assessments and implementing control measures, carry out fire training, conduct fire drills, weekly testing of fire alarm, inspection of extinguishers, lighting etc. manual handling training, keeping all food hygiene courses up to date, ensure new staff receive relevant training, organising refresher training, testing of AED, Refill of first aid boxes, general observations of front /back of house areas to identify /eliminate potential risks, Writing and communicating of new policy and ensuring new policies being implemented. COVID-19 and everything that goes with that.

Liaising with insurance company. fire officer, EHO and ensuring we are compliant with all requirements, dealing with any claims that may arise i.e. personal injury, updating incident report and ensuring all relevant information is sent to insurance companies, download & Maintaining CCTV footage relevant to incidents,

I can do this in any of the 4 hotels. Laura DevlinHR Manager - Hotel Get up, shower, come to work, go home, play with the kids and go to bed. It'ss very simple, but I suppose, a lot of my job is travel. I have to travel an awful lot because there's no real business in Ireland, this is an international service that we do for people all over the globe: for big space agencies, governments, for big broadcasters. So most of my life is out there selling the services to people all over the globe. I've just come back from Jerusalem where I was for a week at a conference.

The week before that I was in the States; next week I'm back to Knoxville, the week after I might go to Russia. It sounds great and glamorous, but I don't like being away from my family for more than two days, so at the moment I'm trying to cut it back. If I was single and young it would be a dream. With my kids, I prefer to spend time at home now. Rory Fitzpatrick CEO of the National Space Centre A typical day would consist of :

- All apprentices and electricians getting together in the site office to discuss what had to be done that day with the site foreman.

- Gathering up all the materials you were going to need for the day from the stores

- You would then be teamed up with qualified electricians and go and do the job required, they would be helping you as the day went on with showing you how to read technical drawings and how to do the job.

- At the end of the day we would have a quick run through of everything we had done and what had to be done the following day. Mark MaguireApprentice Electrician The best thing about the job is there is no typical day. This was probably the biggest draw for me to the job. I love the unpredictable nature of it and that we can get called to any incident at any time.

Some days when it is extremely busy I find we are very reactive due to the high volume of calls. Other days when it is a bit quieter we can be more proactive and we can get out and prevent incidents from happening before they unfold. Peter CliffordProbationer Garda Delegating and prioritising work to the site workers. Also a weekly plan for any tasks or jobs must be generated and completed each week.  All jobs and tasks must be completed within a specified time frame. Hugh Heraghty Fish Farm Manager There is a lot of diversity working with J&J and there isn’t any set routine. I like to rise early - in a previous life I used to do a lot of training. With this job, some days I’m working offsite, some days I’m working in different countries or with people in different time zones so there are no two days the same. I generally finish about six in the evening. Donal Og CusackAutomation/Energy Engineer Each day can be very different, most of the time I am working on content for our wide spread social media campaign that we are running for SSP. Or I could be working on videos, photos and lots of communications with people from all over the world. Jonathan FaullSpace Social Media and Communications Further training...

Further training as part of my job as a Civil Engineer, nothing specific planned at the moment.

Further Education..... as much as I enjoy my job as an Engineer, I still have not ruled out Teaching. I am still considering doing Secondary School Teaching. As a qualified Civil Engineer, if I do a one year course in Teacher Training (H.Dip.ED), I will then be able to teach Maths and Applied Maths in School. Its worth remembering that!  

After four years in a course, its good to know you're not tied to the career, but you will always have the profession!  Engineering is a degree in problem solving. Getting a job in Engineering, Research, Teaching, Accounting, Management - its all possible.

Maria O'NeillCivil Engineer In my first year as a qualified solicitor, I started my studies for the AITI Chartered Tax Adviser (CTA) qualification with the Irish Tax Institute. Both in Matheson tax department and the tax industry as a whole, the AITI Chartered Tax Adviser (CTA) qualification is considered an essential qualification to obtain and I knew it would provide me with a further opportunity to enhance my knowledge and skills. Caroline AustinSenior Associate Solicitor I only plan to keep up with developments in International Standards relating to trams. Ciaran MacSamhrainEngineer - Transport Infrastructure Ireland The QP course was undertaken through distance study while working in a previous role. I intend to study for an MBA within the next two years. The course will enable me to understand the business needs of the company and meet these requirements. Michael BohaneQA Manager Training is always an ongoing agenda item - we even have it listed as a default priority item in our official schedule here. It may be of the form of online classes, or classes in-house where the company brings in professional trainers/lecturers to give classes and information talks; or it may involve traveling to attend a class specifically tuned to your next objective. For example, my next class is a two day session about digital electronics, which will be pertinent to my current programming project. On average training in some form or other occurs about 3 or 4 times a year. Jason RuaneComputer Programmer I'm doing ongoing courses in safety, though probably at this stage in my career I'll be doing more at the business end of things, doing courses on communications and management and things like that. I have attended some small courses on spraying and chainsaws, things like that at various times over the years. Some of these are run by Teagasc,FETAC, ALCI and others. I attend business seminars, as well as other relevant seminars, on a regular basis in order to keep up to date with industry trends. Paul DowlingHorticulturist As part of St Michael's house we are sent on training in various areas relevant to our job. These include First Aid, Manual Handling, Challenging Behaviour Training, Sexual Abuse Training, Training in Individual Personal Plans (which are each clients individual yearly goals) and Health and Safety training.

I personally have an interest in Bereavement Counselling and plan to undertake the course provided by this organisation when possible. Outside of work I am completing a Foundation Certificate in Psychotherapy and Counselling as it continues to be an area of special interest for me. Naoise PyeSocial Care Worker Yes, I believe in continuous learning and seeking new challenges. There are always industry events, projects, trainings as well as online education opportunities. Semin Soher PowerSenior Inflation Trader I have done courses on Special Education, Learning Difficulties inc. Autism, Asbergers. Deirdre SayersPrimary School Teacher

Health & safety rep training, fire warden instruction, occupational First aid evacuation chair training, manual handling instruction, Hr training & development, Multiple seminars in employment law – constantly upskilling to ensure I’m up to speed with new legislation / legislation planned to come into effect. Nothing planned at the moment, but no doubt will go training again.

Would like to go further and gain certification in employment legislation. Laura DevlinHR Manager - Hotel Most definitely. It’s important to upskill yourself at every opportunity, even if you’re happy with your current role. It can be a challenge at times, as day-to-day work can get in the way and you can end up putting training to the bottom of the priority list. For this, I set reminders in my calendar do something small every week to up-skill myself. Laura GlendonMultilingual Software Support SAP

Yes of course as technology is constantly changing especially in global positioning systems and communications equipment constant training is needed.

Also, courses in health and safety, risk management and human resourses are very important these days.

David FlemingSub Lieutenant - Navy In the Defence Forces you are constantly furthering your career by undertaking military and educational courses. Tom TooherLieutenant - Army Several H+S and construction management courses and welding courses. I plan on doing a project management course and CAD course in the near future. Donal KanePlumber / Construction Super. It is definitely my intention to return to education in the very near future. I am out of college two years and even now I can see the advantage to continuous education.

The one thing that is always recommended by engineers that I have encountered is to take any and all education that you can. Apart from the fact that it makes you infinitely more qualified for different jobs, it keeps you up to date with new technologies and methodologies.

Sometimes a company will contribute towards costs and give you time to attend college if it is related to upskilling for a role which the company values. To date, I have witnessed a number of people transition from one type of career to a completely different career within the same company.

Education is the tool that allows you to change your work life to whatever you wish depending on how you go about it. Lynsey GarganManufacturing Engineer My training firm (KPMG) required me to complete the Chartered Tax Adviser (CTA) qualification. The Chartered Tax Adviser (CTA) qualification is the most widely recognised and best regarded tax qualification in Ireland. Lorcan KellyTax Consultant

Since graduating from College I have attended a number of courses to develop skills in specific areas. These have included courses on handwriting, posture & seating and sensory integration. Continuous Professional Development (CPD) is vital for keeping your skills up to date as OT is a dynamic profession.

I hope to continue to attend professional courses to further develop my skills. In particular I would be interested in undergoing additional sensory integration training as this is an area of particular interest to me and it is relevant to my current caseload.

In the future there is the option of undertaking a Masters in Occupational Therapy or a Masters in Intellectual Disability. This is something I might be interested in doing in due course.

Tomas FlanaganOccupational Therapist You never stop learning. Training and coursework are vital aspects of my job. Technology changes quickly, so you always have to be prepared to learn something new. Owen HughesManufacturing Technician Probably not! I’ve done more than my fair share of exams! Orla AherneInvestment Consultant Yes it’s always necessary to keep up to date with best practice in special education. I have completed a Cert. in Dyslexia which is DES (Department of Education and Science) approved. In the future I intend to study for a Masters degree. I also read books and publications on special education and teaching methodology. Paul GalvanResource Teacher Advice if considering this job A common misconception about a career in tax is that it is just about numbers, however, tax law has a strong basis in legislation and case law. Therefore, it is really suitable for graduates from a legal background, or for qualified solicitors and barristers. Caroline AustinSenior Associate Solicitor Someone who wants to be where I am today shall need bucket loads of ambition and not be afraid of hard work.  They will need to not be afraid of starting at the very bottom of that big high ladder but at the same time have the eagerness and determination to get to the top of that ladder because the opportunities are there.

Education is very important.  It may only seem like a silly piece of paper but it's that Cert, Diploma or Degree that gets you that job and not the man/woman beside you.

The one thing that is vital in not alone this job, but any job, and alot of people don't seem to have it, is common sense. It's something so simple but really important. if you have no cop-on then nobody wants to know you. Kieran MageeFarm Manager - Dry Stock Only enter the Defence Forces if you are willing to commit to it 100% as it is a long tough road which can be extremely rewarding if you fully engage it. Like everything in this life, you get out what you put in. Keith LynchPrivate (Line) Enjoy the wild ride after you enroll in a course. It is bumpy and challenging, but where is the fun in life if there is no challenge?  Kelvin E Lau HowPHD Student RCSI

Get some experience working with both children and the elderly and feel comfortable working with both. Throughout college you will take part in clinical placements where you will be required to work with various age groups.

Work hard in school and achieve good Leaving Cert. results in order to get the necessary points for entry into the course.

Research the career thoroughly and arrange to speak with a speech and language therapist to discuss the job further.

Think about the personal characteristics mentioned below that are important for the job and think about whether you possess these characteristics

Lisa KellySpeech and Language It's extremely important to be enthusiastic and excited about the JET Programme, but the JET Coordinator also needs to be very organised. Edel CarletonJET Coordinator - Japanese Embassy The role is really a portfolio of jobs, so you'd need to be able to vary your skills depending on the situation, be it operational management, people leadership to strategy formulation, etc. Richard KinsellaManaging Director Some of the best people I know still aren’t sure what they want to do, my advice would be to give it a go. If you don’t like it you can always try something else. Whatever is in your heart follow it, don’t be something just because someone in your family is. Whether you’re looking to be a leader, a designer or come up with new ideas and a better way of doing things, make sure it’s something that fills you with passion. Donal Og CusackAutomation/Energy Engineer

Communication and team skills are probably the most important aspect overlooked.

In energy management, it is not I that saves the energy, but often it is folks on the ground using the equipment.

It is the energy managers job to educate by communication, the importance of doing the right things, savings then come as a result.

Jonathan PugsleyEnergy Manager

Need to have a belief about the value of the sort of education provided by the school to which you are applying.

Need to be able to cope with ambivalence - being leader in the school is not a black and white thing.

Need to believe in people, whether it is staff or students.

Paul MeanySchool Principal Its very specialised so one would really have to do Mechnical Engineering or a Transport Operations/Transport Management degree course. Foreign languages would be extremely useful. Ciaran MacSamhrainEngineer - Transport Infrastructure Ireland Think long and hard, listen to advise, plan well and be ready to make sacrifices for job satisfaction… Liz ChristyTextile Design/Handweaver

Look up the Defence Forces website at www.military.ie and talk to serving personnel. If its possible try to visit a barracks.

Tom TooherLieutenant - Army Perfect your skills while working for others. Know your market. Ray PowerPotter Learn every day and always find time to listen – do not be afraid to be brave and promote those around you! Mark MeehanSTEM Learning Head

Possibly useful qualities/interests:

A predisposition towards technical problems, such as puzzles or machinery. An interest in the nature of how things work, such as the desire to disassemble machinery/gadgetry to unlock its inner workings.

An inventive side; one who uses the parts of other gadgets, to make a new personalised gadget. Interested in high tech gear: gadgetry of all forms.

A capacity to learn processes for oneself e.g. seeing a puzzle solved and then repeating it.

Skills: Technical subjects such as Maths or electronics. Programming is very accessible to anyone with a basic home PC and some internet connection so try it out and see if you like it.

Values: If you value the solving of an intricate, convoluted problem, for it's own sake and find that rewarding, then any engineering job will come easily.

Education: Firm basis in Maths and the sciences. People are hired into engineering positions here from backgrounds such as science and computing primarily.

Jason RuaneComputer Programmer

“We have to continually be jumping off cliffs and developing our wings on the way down”  

Damien HaberlinEcologist (Post-Doctoral Researcher) Don't just go into teaching because you are looking for long holidays. To teach everyday you need to like children, be very patient and understanding. However I feel it is one of the most rewarding jobs out there. Brian CadiganPrimary School Teacher

I would advise anyone interested in Occupational Therapy to read up on the profession or else try to meet a qualified Occupational Therapist and talk to them about their work.

The internet can be a great resource in getting information. Also information from the universities might indicate if this is a course that is suited to you. A lot of the course work relies on you being a self-directed learner. This makes the course different to other more mainstream/academic courses as the onus is on the student to complete a lot of work independently.

As this is a caring profession an interest in working with people is a must. You also need to be a good communicator as you will be working closely with clients, families and other staff on an ongoing basis.

Organisational skills are essential to enable you to manage a caseload.

Tomas FlanaganOccupational Therapist 1.Be open to new ideas. Think critically, and not just about the ideas of others. Be hard on your beliefs. Take them out onto the verandah and beat them with a cricket bat. Be intellectually rigorous. Identify your biases, your prejudices, your privilege. 2.Dedicate one's self to the pursuit of short-term goals. Be micro-ambitious.

Put your head down and work with pride on whatever is in front of you, you never know where you might end up. Be aware that the next worthy pursuit will appear in your periphery and when you least expect it. 3.You don't need to already know what you're going to do with the rest of your life. Many people who were sure of their career path at age 20 end up having midlife crises now. 4.Be able to speak in public and also in a foreign language. If you can do all that and tell a joke, you've cracked it. Fergal DonnellyEuropean Commission The lifestyle Yes and no. I live and work in the centre of Dublin, which I think is amazing. My work has taken me to places all around the world including three years in London. I loved every bit of that aspect (others don’t). Job security is really poor. Most young scientists are on fixed-term contracts hoping to be given a permanent position. It’s very, very competitive. Then again, most jobs at that level (in law, business, etc.) are too. Far more needs to be done to help research scientists move from the lab to the non-academic world. Recent initiatives by government and industry have started to make positive changes here. Shane BerginPhysics Lecturer One of the undisputed benifits of primary teaching are the hours! It allows you spend a lot of time with family.Without wishing to sound sexist it is an ideal job for somebody with small children as your hours and holidays coincide with theirs.It is also a secure job and has a very attractive pension.The downside is it doesn't have great progression opportunities especially in small schools. Deirdre SayersPrimary School Teacher Yes absolutely, I enjoy my work and this has a positive knock on effect on my personal life. I believe if you are happy in your professional environment that has a positive knock on effect on your personal life.

My job is such that it does not impede on my personal life and I have time to do the things I enjoy. Kevin MoranInsurance Administrator Generally yes it would as I know I have weekends off and the industry allows you to meet a wide variety of people. The early mornings can be hard if your trying to participate in sports clubs etc. on week nights, so it requires trying to find a happy balance. Colin ButterlySite Manager - Trade Entry

As I am a Guidance Counsellor in a second level school I work the same hours as most teachers. These school hours allow for great opportunities to get involved in extra curricular activities after school. The hours also allow for one to develop and partake in hobbies and pastimes. Weekends are free, thus allowing for good quality time with family.

While a school Guidance Counsellor will never be a millionaire on the salary, it is a comfortable salary which will allow for a decent standard of living, where a nice house, car, etc. are within reach.

There is a lot more to my career than just offering career guidance. The Guidance Counsellor can give a great deal of time heping students cope with personal problems. We provide guidance to our students in relation to their future path to further education as well as future career. Certainly this career does suit someone who values a good quality of life with plenty of time to spent with family and pursue leisure activities, while at the same time gaining great satisfaction from helping young people make important decisions on their journey through school life.

Brian HowardGuidance Counsellor

At the start of my career in Finance, I had many hobbies – from social hockey to playing in a concert band. As I began to advance in my role and take on more responsibility, I found it difficult to carve out the time, but that’s always been a challenge for me. A healthy work – life balance is something that is always encouraged, and what I’ve come to learn over the years is that it is entirely up to the individual to make it happen. Although my hobbies and interests have changed over the years, I’ve made sure to take time in the evenings to switch off.

Thankfully, the security of what I do afforded us the opportunity to buy a house in the last year. Needless to say, DIY has become a new hobby, between gardening and interior design.

In just a few months’ time I’ll be taking maternity leave as we get ready to welcome our first baby. Having the reassurance that my job will support me through this milestone is something which I value greatly, especially as I see friends in a similar position who are struggling to work through some of the challenges presented by maternity leave. Lara MulveySenior Product Manager AIB It is reasonably paid. I'm lucky to have a secure job as I am in a permanent post. It is very much a family friendly role in that there is a lot of flexibility for those people who are parents and have childminding responsibilities etc.

There is scope to vary your working hours around such commitments e.g. part time, parental leave etc. Also the hours are 9-5, Monday to Friday which allows you free weekends etc to pursue other interests etc. Mary Ita HeffernanSocial Worker Working on shift allows me to lead a very flexible lifestyle which would not be possible with a 9 – 5 job. Typically I work a 3 or 4 day week, with each day comprising of 12 hour shifts. This means there is a lot of time off during the week to have a life outside of Intel. Rebecca TigheProcess Engineer Overall I would say yes. Teaching hours are very social, there is no shift work and the holidays are fantastic. The pay is reasonable too. That said you are unlikely to become a millionaire doing this job! Paul GalvanResource Teacher Yes absolutely Megan WalshMechanical Engineer I get to travel a lot which is fantastic and also my days are not always structed the same which I like. Ian McKinleyRugby Player Thankfully in my current job, I am able to balance my work life commitments. When I trained with KPMG, they gave me more than adequate study leave when I was pursuing the Chartered Tax Adviser (CTA) qualification which was great. It can be difficult to go to lectures some evenings after work and at the weekends but if you can’t make it they’re also available online to catch up on in your own time. Lorcan KellyTax Consultant My job allows me a good lifestyle with regard to owing our own home, providing for my children's education and leisure activities. It also allows me to indulge in my hobby of showing dogs. Deirdre LavelleCare Assistant At the moment I have free time on Sunday and Monday, so that is great as I can spend time with my two small children. Having just started a new business that is the best I can get at the moment. Nicola O'HigginsFishmonger Tourism is working what can be deemed anti-social hours and that’s not for everyone. If you have family members who are retired or working odd shifts you can work out family time. I myself like walking the cliffs of Howth mid-week, going shopping and swimming when its very quiet and for that I trade, I suppose, getting out early on a Sunday morning for work. The weekend work has also helped me to go to college and work simultaneously. Mary Jo SheridanTourism Manager - Dublinia My job gives me security, it has helped me to be able to afford to build my house. I have been able to go on holidays and enjoy time with my family, but sometimes the unsocial hours have a real impact on family life, such as working on Christmas Day or other bank holidays when the rest of the family are all off work or school.

Unfortunately unless you want to go on to be a nurse there are no progression opportunities within my grade of staff within the hospital where I work. Lydia PeppardCare Assistant

Absolutely. The job itself lends itself to a normal 9 to 5 scenario, with the opportunity to delve deep into projects and spend all day on them if so desired. Also, my employer is particularly accepting and accommodating of the work-life balance. Initiatives such as telecommuting and skewed hours are commonplace here so it is possible to define much of your own working patterns (within some limits).

Sabbatical banks are used to great effect in this company too, i.e. where you carry forward a number of days holidays each year for 5 or 7 years and then can take them all in one chunk.  Incentives such as this allowed me to go traveling through Australia and South East Asia for three months last year.

The location of the campus is perfect for me. i.e. 20 km west of Dublin, outside the heavy commute region but still within NiteLink range so I can get a 3:30am bus home on a Saturday night. The work-life balance has always been addressed openly here and various services exist to cater for this, such as the on-site gym where I play indoor soccer on a Friday.

Jason RuaneComputer Programmer Yes, I do my own research, generate trade ideas ahead of the market and have the opportunity to be in contact with policy makers, academics, thought leaders and of course our clients. Semin Soher PowerSenior Inflation Trader Written interview unavailable... Mary McCaugheyHead of Communications

My current job as a Senior Quality Officer affords me the ability to enjoy a reasonably high standard of living. I earn a good wage which allows me to live in a nice area, pay my mortgage, run my car etc while still leaving enough financial freedom to enjoy a nice social life and other activities. That said I'm not off on several holidays a year by any means. One a year is good going but with financial discipline, money can be put aside for it.

My job is reasonably flexible around my lifestyle as I no longer work shift. As a QA analyst (the job I held before I became a senior QA Officer) I was on four and three shift rotations. In such a role you're taking over from the previous shift and handing over to the next so the hours you are present on site are strictly controlled. On day shift as a senior QA officer if for some reason I need to leave a few minutes early on a given day I can come in early (with managements approval of course). I should mention that shift work can be very difficult at times and nobody I've ever met has had an easy time with it (especially night shifts).

My current role involves no shift work which is great for meeting up with friends and family. All said I have a good quality of life. Owing to the demands of my job for meeting my own deadlines and those of the people who report to me, it can be hard to switch off after work. Frequently I find myself thinking over issues from work while at home. As one rises in levels through a company I'm sure this becomes a more frequent thing and possibly even a necessary one at times.

Fergus O'ConnellQuality Officer Whats cool I love lots of things about my job, the friendly/laid-back environment, the people, the place, but most of all I love what I do! Writing code and having something to demo is such a satisfying feeling Claire PurcellSoftware Engineer I love the variety the job offers. It sounds like a cliché but no two days are the same. I also like the satisfaction of knowing I am helping people.

People sometimes see the Gardaí as disciplinarians but in a lot of situations we help people who are very emotional and vulnerable such as victims of crime. Peter CliffordProbationer Garda

I like it that my job is always challenging and never boring. Throughout the economic cycle, change is constant within financial markets. Interacting with our clients, hearing what it is that they are mostly focused on, allows us to tailor our solutions and be relevant.

Currently as economies are recovering from the pandemic, we are hearing more on how to hedge inflation risks, if house prices are reflecting asset price bubbles and on ESG investing. We have the opportunity to offer guidance and use our expertise to support our customers.

Semin Soher PowerSenior Inflation Trader I really enjoy the design process and using my creativity to create a modern and unique product that is specifically customised to every single customer. I also enjoy using the program Solid works in my daily work routine – overall design is my passion and my favourite aspect of the job is seeing your finished product in action. Kevin O'HaganDesign Engineer You will get to know all the latest book releases and may have opportunities to meet a visiting author. Librarians will have an input in creating and organising library events.

The Library is a place where you are working within a team, and we are people who enjoy working among the public. I think you also need to have a liking for knowledge and learning, a good general knowledge is an asset.

It can be very satisfying to successfully assist people find what they want, whether this may be on, (for example), building a garden shed or screen writing. Each morning I look forward to my days work, that to me is cool. Jonathan SmythLibrary Assistant Being involved in peoples lives at such a basic level is really 'cool'! It is cool to have such great opportunities to relate to our clients in a real and meaningful way and see the difference your team can make on the lives of those in your care.

You have some great times, great fun with your clients, you get the opportunity to expose them to great challenges and to see them develop new skills and participate in society in a meaningful way.

I love to see a client find a new skill or hobby or to be involved in making something happen in their lives which before would have seemed impossible i.e. that they would find employment in mainstream society or that they would join a film club. Naoise PyeSocial Care Worker I enjoy working on new and exciting products that have not yet been used by customers. Patricia ClearySenior Systems Verification & Validation Scientist Winning new business….it’s gives you a great buzz knowing you’ve beaten competition!

I also enjoy meeting clients face to face and talking about their business…you learn so much about their world. Karl CurranAssociate Director I like the fact that my job gets me involved with all aspects of the business - planning, purchasing, finance, engineering, human resources etc. It is this diversity of contacts which ensures that each day is different and interesting. I also like the pressure in my job. I'm never short of something to do. Fergus O'ConnellQuality Officer Best thing I like about my job is it can be so rewarding and we get to see alot of Europe which is quite cool! Brendan CavanaghShips Engineer Delivering for the Irish public is a key personal driver of mine. When a new depot, tram Luas line is launched, my colleagues and I do feel (justifiably, I believe) very proud. Ciaran MacSamhrainEngineer - Transport Infrastructure Ireland My favourite thing about my job is the opportunity it gives me to work with talented people from all over the world. Academic conferences can be held anywhere, so I have travelled to the US, Russia, the Caribbean, and all over Europe for work! Nuala CaffreyResearch Fellow in Computational Physics

I don’t know about cool, but there is a buzz – even after 25 plus years in the profession – when you do something that changes someone’s viewpoint on health and safety and they start to do things the right way in order to protect themselves.

There’s loads of cool stuff with astronomy. I’ve been fortunate enough to do some work with RTÉ – both live and recorded. I even got to do a film review on the Moon landings. As well as meeting the RTÉ folks like Dave Fanning and Derek Mooney, it’s great to communicate the message that astronomy is interesting, fun and very accessible to everyone.

The coolest astronomy thing, though, has to be having an asteroid bearing my name. With all my achievements, one very kind colleague put my name forward to the International Astronomical Union and they named asteroid number 21782 after me. So asteroid Davemcdonald will be whizzing around the solar system for a few billion years after I’m well gone. Now that’s cool!

Dave McDonaldAstronomer Oisín:
Finished job satisfaction, seeing yourself and your skills develop using different tools and methods to get the job done.

Oisin MurphyApprentice Carpenter I like the satisfaction you get at the end of the week when you see all the planning and the work co-ordinated well to present a new piece of construction. Colin ButterlySite Manager - Trade Entry Meeting people from all walks of life and no two days being the same. Donal KanePlumber / Construction Super.

I don't know what is cool about fish but the creative side of the counter and cooking suggestions give me a buzz.

My husband used to be a Chef and the ideas he comes up with are great and the customers love that.

Nicola O'HigginsFishmonger The rewards of helping students to learn, and developing a positive relationship with them is definitely cool. The feeling that you are making a difference to their education and experience of school is also rewarding. Another cool part of the job is the long holidays! Paul GalvanResource Teacher Reward and Recognition play a big part in the culture of our organisation where success is celebrated and high performance is recognised.

Several initiatives have been introduced such as Employee of the Month, Silver/Gold awards etc. which instils a culture of high achievement across all areas. Sarah TenantyFinance Operations There are not many people who can say that they make a living out of their passion but luckily I am one of those people. I can do my favourite thing in the world and get paid for it and I will never take that for granted. Nothing will ever quite beat the adrenaline rush when you finally finish the show and hear the audience applause. For me that feeling will never get old. Megan McEvoyDancer Not so cool Getting called in some weekends isn't always fun but you get recognised for it and so at the end of the day its not that bad and it doesn't happen too often Kerrie HoranEngineer - Process Sometimes the paperwork can be time consuming, but necessary to do the job. Madonna DalyBusiness Manager Written interview unavailable... Mary McCaugheyHead of Communications Some days working from home can be difficult as something simple like asking someone a quick question becomes a task in itself, trying to find time between online meetings. Denise HarringtonSupply Chain Analyst It can be difficult working on legacy applications. It is important to upskill and to learn new technologies. Lynda O'LearySystems Engineer It is always a challenge to manage ever-changing requirements within the business. It ultimately means you have to always compromise a bit in terms of the scope of what you are doing with the time available. However, you get used to it! Sam FranklinEarth Observation Specialist The pay at the moment. Coming from a full time job it was very hard to adapt to the allowance paid during training. Mark Spain Garda Trainee Although it's been interesting travelling to different parts of Ireland, I can't say that I have gotten used to having to get up super early in order to travel for hours to get to my destination on time! Office work can also build up during the days you are travelling so when you get back there's often a lot to do! Edel CarletonJET Coordinator - Japanese Embassy Nothing so far. Liam McCaulR&D Engineer Changing timelines place additional pressures on the group. Sometimes this is necessary from a business perspective. Validation project deadlines can be pulled in a few days or weeks (sometimes at short notice) and so all the activities of the validation group need to be reassessed to meet the new date.

There can be an expectation that the group just has to figure out a way to get it done ("nothing is ever impossible to the guy who doesn't have to do it himself"). Somehow we always manage to get it done albeit with additional stress but that's one of the aspects I like about my job. Fergus O'ConnellQuality Officer People constantly asking if you can get them cheaper car insurance! Karl CurranAssociate Director The constant cleaning is mundane.  At the end of a long day on your feet you have to clear the counter which is heart breaking, putting everything away which took so much time to get ready and look good. You have to clean the counter, the fridge and  the floors - nothing can be left undone. Nicola O'HigginsFishmonger There’s always room to improve administration and processes - some of the activity is non-value add to our customers and consumes a lot of our time each day. Sarah TenantyFinance Operations There are some less fun aspects to my role. I find some of the administration around organising training sessions or sending out communications dull. You have to contact lots of different people; you think you have it all organised and then someone can't attend or the room isn't available or something else happens. It can feel like you are taking a long time to get a very small thing done. Kathryn ReevesLearning and Development Lead Not really. We have to do some administration-type work that isn't the most exciting thing but is really important to supporting our clients. Brian DelahuntyHead of Corporate Banking Not taking time to reflect on your achievements Sara Hickey Assistant Trading Manager Probably the amount of meetings that I go to. It’s a lot more fun being out interacting with people discussing successes or problems. Meetings can be a bit tiresome at times. Brian O'ConnorAnalytical Chemist IT problems. Des LalorWind Engineer The clean up after my events (TV cooking slots, cookery demonstrations etc). Yes I do a lot of the cleaning, packing up and carrying luggage. Fiona UyemaChef Unfortunately not everyone understands the role of an Occupational Therapist and this can be frustrating at times. As OTs work in many different areas and with a diverse range of service users the role of an OT can be very different from one setting to another. This can lead to confusion for staff and service users as to when to contact the OT Dept. Tomas FlanaganOccupational Therapist