deiseanna gairme in institiúide an AE

Employer Insights Getting the job It was advertised in the national papers shortly after I completed my course. I applied for an interview & was subsequently offered the job in 2006. Denis ReidyFarmer - Dairy

In 2008 I did a Masters in Advanced Engineering in DIT, with subjects picked to set me up for a career in renewable energy.

I started to become very interested in ocean energy and realised how important it is for Ireland. My thesis was about wave energy in Ireland, and this led me to see what companies might be looking for someone with my qualifications. Wavebob had not advertised any positions, but I sent in a CV anyway as I knew they were doing work that I wanted to be a part of.

Following some initial phone calls, and then an interview, I was offered a graduate engineer position.

Elva BannonMechatronic Engineer Padraig ParleTeacher - Special Needs I had been hoping to get back into library work and spent many months scanning the newspapers. Eventually an advert appeared and I phoned Cavan County Council for an application form. After forwarding the application, I was called for interview.

Initially, a panel of successful candidates was prepared by the Council Interview Board. Some months later I got a phone call asking me if I would like to work for Cavan County Council as a Librarian. I could only have said yes, and to this day I have never looked back. Jonathan SmythLibrary Assistant Prior to my current role, I was team coach of the Finance Operations area for three years and when the opportunity for promotion arose, I put myself forward.

I completed an interview with the Operations Manager and one week later I was offered the position. My predecessor had over 40 years’ experience and I was very lucky to have him as a mentor. With his guidance and support, I felt I was ready to take on the challenge. Sarah TenantyFinance Operations I have previously worked for my employer so it was promotion. Being due to displaying leadership attributes as well as a flare for the retail area and the drive to increase turnover there.  Mary Jo SheridanTourism Manager - Dublinia 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

When I came out of the Botanic Gardens, I went to work in Holland for the summer and when I came back, I joined a Landscaping firm. This was in the early 1979/80 when the economy was not as buoyant as it is now. We were working on dusty sites, doing landscaping and lawns.

When the weather got bad, you were let go and got a pound an hour "wet time". I remember standing in out of very heavy rain one day in an industrial unit, reading the paper. I saw a job for a Sales Rep to sell horticultural machinery, chainsaws, lawnmowers, golf course equipment etc. I applied for and got the job as an indoors Sales Rep.

It was a great learning curve, I got training in sales, and I was selling equipment related to the industry I was in. That was one of the reasons I got the job as a result of my background in horticulture. That was great training, and I really enjoyed it. I was getting on very well with that job, but when the weather was good (around March/April) I really missed being out in the fresh air.

Within a short period of time it turned out that the company ran into bad financial difficulties, and they let about eight people go and as I was one of the last in, I was also let go. This turned out to be a blessing in disguise because it gave me the impetus to set up on my own.

I went out and started working for myself then. It was a big decision for me. I was lucky to get onto a Start your Own Business course, run by the Irish Productivity Centre and FAS. The course was excellent, it ran over sixteen weeks - eight weeks of lectures and practicals, and the second eight was about getting it off the ground.

It was great doing that, and I had a job I used to do on a Saturday. I managed to get another contract for a couple of days a week shortly afterwards, and I just built it up from there. That's really how my own Landscaping Business got off the ground.

Paul DowlingHorticulturist By accident! The date for applying for the application form has already passed, but not the deadline for sending the completed version. I got and completed it, sent it back, completed selection tests and progressed to interviews, almost a year had passed. The message here is be patient – all things come to those who wait. Notification of success was by mail. Fergal DonnellyEuropean Commission I went straight from school into the professional rugby system so it was merely based on how you were performing and what potential you could have in the future. Ian McKinleyRugby Player I applied for my job the usual way. I had worked with the company for two summers as a student so I knew exactly what I was letting myself in for and what would be expected of me. I went through the normal interview process and was successful. Lynsey GarganManufacturing Engineer The process involved completion of an application form. This entailed a detailed description of my educational background together with a short essay detailing the reasons why I thought I would be suited to a career in tax as well as a number of references.
Following a short listing procedure, I was interviewed by a panel of three people. The interview mainly covered the information provided on my application form together with some general questions about the tax system in Ireland. Edel ButlerAdministrative Officer I got my current job when I bought my own boat; it is my own business. Liz O'TooleSkipper I worked with children and families for almost 19 years, and whereas I loved my managing role within child protection services, following the Covid-19 Pandemic and many changes personally and professionally, I felt that I needed a new challenge. I applied for the position of Principal Social Worker in November 2022, and used my years of practice and management to prepare as best I could for the interview. I was successful in getting the role and commenced the new year with a new position. Jonathan O’ReillyPrincipal Social Worker While in college, a recruiter came into my college to discuss working at sea and within the first 5 minutes of the presentation I was sold and haven't looked back since. I had an interview a few weeks later and a practical assessment and a public speaking exercise. I then received an email telling me I would be contacted soon if I was successful. Low and behold, the phone rang and it was that day my life completely changed. I went and did 6 weeks intense training in London in all aspects of beauty for the company and learned their way of doing treatments etc. Kate WalshBeauty Therapist After I completed my time as an apprentice, I was being offered opportunities to take on more responsibilities in the work I was doing and it progressed to assisting the site manager. Colin ButterlySite Manager - Trade Entry

It was simple google search! I few friends of mine had begun working with AIB’s call team and I was hoping to follow suit. I sent my CV to [email protected] and was brought through their Graduate selection process. This included an aptitude test, along with an interview. I put a huge amount of work in preparing for the interview, and really wanted to demonstrate how much I had researched AIB and what it would mean to join an organisation like it.

Receiving the call to say I was selected was a big day – I still remember exactly where I was at the time, and who I ran to to share the big news.

My progression within AIB has been as a result of a number of internal interviews. The application process can feel tedious at times but putting in that extra effort to completing the submission and update the CV always prove worthwhile. I try to review my CV at least twice a year, just to remind myself of what I’ve achieved and where I want to go.

During my time in AIB, I’ve been promoted every two years to a new role. This progression has kept me motivated over the years and I enjoy reaching for that next goal. Shaping a career path can at times prove difficult, but understanding the various opportunities presented by an organisation like AIB can bring a new slant to the job. Lara MulveySenior Product Manager AIB During the MBA program, I came across my current role on LinkedIn. I was immediately interested as I was looking to move to the buy side and the role offered a great opportunity for learning due to ISIF’s diverse portfolio that provides exposure to all major asset classes and their unique investment mandate focusing on both financial performance and economic impact. I applied for the role on the NTMA’s careers website. I was shortlisted for the first-round interview, which was conducted by ISIF and HR representatives. Then, the second-round interview was conducted, again with both ISIF and HR representatives, after which I was offered the position. Madhuvratha VasudevanSenior Investment 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 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 Main challenges The financial markets always move on to the next theme once the current outlook is priced in, so one always needs to be ahead of the market, keep an eye on potential risks and anticipate how the market would react to them. I guess this explains the long hours on the desk. Semin Soher PowerSenior Inflation Trader I think for most singers the worry of illness is the most challenging one. Unlike in many other jobs, a headcold or a bit of a sore throat might not prevent you from doing your job adequately, but for us, usually it means taking time off (both to recover and to prevent passing bugs on to colleagues!) as depending on what the ailment is, it can affect your singing, or worse, damage your instrument permanently in more extreme cases. Sharon CartyOpera Singer 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

As with most jobs there is the continuous challenge of working to client deadlines while trying to ensure that high standards are maintained at all time. 

Maria O'NeillCivil Engineer Generally, library members and researchers can keep you on your toes, each new day brings a new array of requests. Its also important, as librarians that we keep up to date on library policies which affect the day to day running of the library.

While our internet facility has sophisticated software to block unwelcome sites, its always important to make sure nothing escapes our attention, by reporting it immediately to I.T. Jonathan SmythLibrary 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 Written interview unavailable... Mary McCaugheyHead of Communications The main challenge is juggling work, family, friends and trying to find some time-out time amidst it all. The main challenge at work at the moment is the market place and trying to get fairly paid for our produce. Kieran MageeFarm Manager - Dry Stock Like in any company there are always targets and deadlines to meet but to be honest I like that because if you don’t have a challenge you don’t have a future. Donal Og CusackAutomation/Energy Engineer Meeting deadlines for conferences and speaking in front of large groups of senior scientists about new work can be daunting at times, but it gets easier with practice!

Also, by its very nature, scientific research is always pioneering and new, so I have to come up with original ideas, and new approaches to old problems.

There is not necessarily a "right answer" that you can check your calculations against, so you do sometimes have to stick your neck out and come up with a theory. Someone else can then come along and say that they think you're wrong and you have to defend yourself, hopefully based on sound scientific principles! Caitriona JackmanPlanetary Scientist You can get stuck on certain problems which becomes frustrating quite quickly because you don’t have a big team to help you. And if you’re like me solving the problem is the fun part, writing up your results not so much although it is probably the most important bit. It can take some time and requires a lot of focus. Shane McDonaghRenewable Energy Engineer One of the biggest challenges is lack of awareness of our location and region by the International market, we rely heavily on our International Coach Tour Customers and this has been a challenge in attracting new customers to schedule this area. The lack of accommodation in the area also poses as a challenge. Catherine O'Grady PowersOwner Gleenkeen Farms The key challenges are the differing expectations, engagement and abilities of both internal colleagues and retailers. You need to be agile enough to respond to these to ensure as close to a consistent outcome as possible. Shane O'SheaSuperValu Regional Support Manager The main challenge is having to deal with different managers who have different managerial styles and each department has different needs. There is also a challenge to ensure that each ward has sufficient staff, particularly when staff are out sick. Ejiro O'Hare StrattonClinical Nurse Manager 2 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 Marketing - keeping up to date on trends and interesting content.
Sales - meeting sales targets and working with key customers to communicate USPs.
Business Development - sales leads. Fiona UyemaChef A huge challenge for me at the start was speaking German to native Germans on the phone. It was quite daunting at the start, but you get used to it after a while. Another challenge of mine was presenting in team meetings. Again, it's one of those things that become second nature to you the more you do. You need to remember that everyone is in the same boat when doing these things! Laura GlendonMultilingual Software Support SAP Out at sea everyday is different so each new day has it's own challenges! Brendan CavanaghShips Engineer Keeping standards to a high level through accurate reporting of the financial information. The industry is very fast paced and as a result the needs of the business are constantly changing and therefore you need to adapt quickly. Ross McKeoghMusgrave Retail Graduate Programme Troubleshooting excursions in order to understand them and prevent them in the future is challenging. Training into a new environment is always a challenge. Adapting from a college environment to a working environment is a huge change and a challenge I am still overcoming. Rebecca TigheProcess Engineer Typical day I have a meeting every morning with the HR team followed by a review of metrics for a different topic in the Training arena on a daily basis. During the day I'll meet various business leaders across all roles to promote and drive a learning strategy that gives results to the organization & the people within.  Mark MeehanSTEM Learning Head Generally, my days consists of attending meetings, collaboration with other team members or cross functional teams, working closely with Quality and EHS teams for approval and guidance on ongoing projects, providing support for new product and process introductions, ensuring that all activities are documented in accordance with the Stryker new product development procedures. Data tracking, analysis and presenting current work.  Laura FinneganProcess Development Engineer A typical day could involve many different processes, including production of hardware, some programming, inspection of finished parts and paperwork. Owen HughesManufacturing Technician I aspire to work 5 days a week (8am to 4pm) however since I am an entrepreneur who founded a start-up food company so my working hours can be less or more depending on the week and its demands. I don’t have a typical day. The advantages to being my own boss is that I can be flexible with my time to suit my family (I have 2 kids). This is really important for me. In turn, I need to make up for this time another way so I often work after the kids go to bed and sometimes I need to work on the weekends (in this case I’ll try to get another day back to spend time with my family). Balance is really important for me. Running my own company is demanding and challenging however I love what I do so I wouldn’t change it for anything! Fiona UyemaChef Our team does a lot of computer simulations. We make mathematical models and draw 3D models that represent a rocket. We can simulate an entire launch from Earth to orbit. David McKeownSpace Scientist Until recently, a typical day as an astrobiologist could range from collecting extremophiles on the surface of a glacier in Greenland; performing experiments in various laboratories; doing data analyses at university/research institutions; to being part of simulated Martian missions. Now, in a more managerial role, I also lead meetings, go to conferences, represent SOSA and my country at diverse meetings (for example at ESA headquarters) and design very big international projects. Michaela MusilovaMission Control Space Services I get up around 7.30 start work at 8.00. I go around all the stock and make sure everything is alive and well. I then make any important phone calls that need to be made.

I get tea from 10.00 until 10.30.  I call in with all my staff make sure all is well with them. I then sort out any problems they may have.

I try to get any meetings out of the way at this stage. Dinner is from 1.00 until 2.00.

Usually we try to get all the maintenance jobs completed around this time of the day. We get finished up between 5 and 6 but being a farmer there are certain times of the year when we have to work longer hours or get up in the middle of the night to check sick or pregnant animals.

It is also a big task battling not only a time scale but the weather.  A lot of our work is weather dependant and this can cause a lot of pressure which would not exist in an office job. Kieran MageeFarm Manager - Dry Stock

The first thing I do when I go onto the ward is to look at the drugs the nurses have ordered from pharmacy. The nurses will have ordered drugs for new patients and this is one way of spotting any potential problems early on e.g. drug not stocked by the hospital, wrong dose or strength etc. If anything strange does show up I go to those patients first and address the problem.

The next thing on the list is to go and talk to all the new patients and get a list of all the medicines they were on before admission. Most of the time this is relatively straightforward (and quite enjoyable as most of the patients like to have a bit of a chat) but there are occasions when it still isn't clear, even after speaking to the GP, the patient and the community pharmacist.

The list I obtain is compared to the drugs prescribed by the doctor. If the lists don't match I first of all look to see if there is an explanation and if not then let the medical/nursing staff know. Sometimes a patient won't be on a drug that they really should be taking according to their medical history or vice versa and I will highlight this as well.

Once the new admissions are sorted out I try to go round all the other patients and check that the drugs they are prescribed are suitable. I'll also answer any questions they have regarding their medicines and pass anything I'm unable to answer on to the medical/nursing staff. How busy I am depends on how many new patients there are and whether or not they have complicated drug histories. I have other non-clinical commitments which need to be fitted in as well.

Rachel BerryPharmacist My day has no set structure. I am currently managing a very tightly scheduled reentry project and this takes a lot of my time. For this we in the project team have a telecom every Wednesday to discuss progress but I am in contact with team members daily (if not hourly). Since this experiment will fly to the International Space Station (ISS) I have frequent safety discussions with colleagues here in ESA and I am responsible for ensuring that the experiment is safe for the ISS and its crew. In parallel to this I am managing activities related to launcher staging, plumes and high speed computational tools. Neil MurreyAerothermodynamics and Propulsion Design Engineer A day of a CEO in a start-up company is anything but typical. I could be talking to customers, making financial models, discussing stock options with my legal team, hiring new engineers or brainstorming on our algorithms with the technical team. All of which are fascinating and I am learning a lot, every single day. Sinead O'Sullivan CEO of Fusion Space Technologies A typical day is hard to describe, given that there are many facets to my role. However, it usually included several call and video calls with clients and colleagues alike. I really enjoy the people and problem solving element to my day-to-day work life, which provides me with high levels of job satisfaction. There are inevitably some high pressured days in banking but I enjoy the fast-paced nature of the banking world! Michael McDermottAssociate Director, International Corporate Banking There is no such thing as a typical day in a life of a Guard. Each day is different as we are faced with different tasks, meet different people and given different responsibilities. Some days are very busy, while other are more relaxed. It’s a varied job and definitely not a boring one. Emilia GilroyGarda A Paramedic for the most part doesn’t have a ‘typical’ day, and this I suppose for me and most Paramedics is the attraction to the job. No two calls are the same while they may be similar they’re never the same so there is great variety in the work through the calls and the people you engage with.

Your shift starts with meticulously checking your vehicle and your equipment ensuring everything is in place and in good working order. You can not assume everything works or is there as someone’s life may depend on it.

Outside the routine calls, such as bringing patients to different hospitals for various procedures, Paramedics must work in all kinds of environments, weather and emergency situations. We attend incidents such as serious Road Traffic Accidents, medical emergencies and social problems. Some times Paramedics are called when people don’t know who else to turn too.

The role of a paramedic is very demanding and it is challenging to ensure the patient receives the best level of care. This may be using specialist medical equipment or through administering any of wide array of medications to keep the patient alive. There are lots of situations or emergency calls when you feel under a lot of pressure, for instance, trying to resuscitate somebody in front of on looking family members or trying to save somebody and free them from a serious car crash - this can be a lot to deal with.

There can also be the harsh reality that despite all your efforts and determination the person may die in front of you. On the other end of the scale however, to directly save a persons life is immeasurable. Keith HayesAmbulance / Paramedic From 9:00 to 5:00 I am involved in manufacturing, sending out orders, and dealing with customers in the shop. I do the accounts at home after hours. Ray PowerPotter Buying, known as Trading within Musgrave, is very fast paced, and every day is different, from daily deadlines internally, to meetings with suppliers, focusing on a strong promotional plan for my category and driving sales as well as looking daily at commercials. Sara Hickey Assistant Trading Manager There are three engineers aboard here, we each do two watches in the engine room in 24 hrs, my watch starts at 12 then I finish at 4, so each watch is four hours long! Along with helping on deck when fishing and looking after refrigeration for the fish! Brendan CavanaghShips Engineer

I should preface this by saying there is no ‘typical day’ in my experience of social work, with each dawn bringing its own new learning, opportunities and challenges. However, I would routinely start the day by reviewing my work priorities’ list for the week, checking my calendar and responding to emails that may have been sent the previous evening. After a brief check in with my teams, the day generally consists of a cocktail of meetings with my teams, advocacy on behalf of them, strategy meetings with external agencies, and ensuring that the department is operating efficiently. As a Principal Social Worker, my role is less ‘front line’ now, and my responsibility is to provide support and governance to my various teams to ensure that the young people we work with are getting the best service they can.

Jonathan O’ReillyPrincipal Social Worker The most typical thing about my days is the fact that they all tend to be busy!

Days vary quite significantly in and out of term. Out of term days will be focused on course development, lecture preparation and research. In term, I generally try to have one day a week where I try to focus on research activity - at the moment I'm preparing two papers, one to present at a conference of researchers, and the other I'm preparing to submit for publication in a journal.

However, in reality this time tends to be distributed throughout the week. I have a network of people with whom I am developing my research. They are predominantly based in Ireland and the UK, but I am also developing some projects with European academics. So there may be e-mails or phone calls about something!

Otherwise, my days consist of a mix of teaching, an open office-hour where students can come to discuss their courses, assignments or concerns and administration. Aoife Mc DermottLecturer

A typical day varies depending on the client groups that the therapist is working with. Speech and language therapists work with children and adults with speech difficulties and with language difficulties including understanding and using language. Possible client groups include clients with learning disability, physical difficulties such as cerebral palsy, genetic syndromes including down syndrome, delayed language development, stammering, stroke, head injury, autism, attention deficit disorder, cleft lip and palate, dyslexia, hearing impairment, voice difficulties, swallowing difficulties.

My typical day involves: I spend four mornings a week in a local primary school where there are two language units. These are small classes for children with specific language impairment. This means that they have average intellectual abilities but have severe speech or language difficulties. They receive their speech and language therapy during school hours several times every week.

In the afternoons and on Fridays I see children in two centres; the local health centre and an outpatient centre for children with physical and sensory difficulties. These children come to the clinic with their parents for assessment and therapy. The therapy I provide varies greatly depending on the client's individual needs. It may include: speech work, oro-motor exercises (these target the muscles involved in speech production), listening skills, play skills, following instructions, grammar, sentence production, conversational skills, and understanding of concepts.

This timetable can change as I sometimes visit schools to liaise with teachers regarding a child's speech and language programme. I also attend meetings to discuss and develop our service and I sometimes attend courses to learn new assessment and therapy skills. Working from a variety of locations every week requires organisation and forward planning. I have to plan ahead what I will need in each location and the children I will be working with.

Lisa KellySpeech and Language Check to-do list written previous evening. Check emails & reply. Weave and organise completion of various production tasks

Allocate time to marketing & promotion, finance management & accounts. Updating my Website. Ongoing maintenance of equipment. Liz ChristyTextile Design/Handweaver Further training... I have developed my skills through the range of industries I have worked in within the EU, in the Industry Department on competition, and in External Relations. I also worked on Environment Policy and then with three separate Commissioners, all giving me the broad knowledge I needed to prepare me for taking top job as Secretary General. Catherine DaySecretary General I am currently studying for a Masters in Clinical Pharmacy. It is possible to undertake further training in specific ares e.g. psychiatry, respiratory and I may consider this if I find I develop a particular interest during my Masters. If I return to the NHS at some point I will probably do an independent prescribing course as this would open more doors for me in the future. Rachel BerryPharmacist

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 As a new recruit I still have the whole career ahead of me and I hope to be able to undertake as much training as possible. In particular I’d like to do a driving and specialist interviewer’s courses. Emilia GilroyGarda Yes, there is still a great number of things that I would like to learn or get better at. This includes learning new languages, improving my IT skills (for example by learning new programming languages or using new software), refreshing certain skills (such as First Aid Training) and challenging myself to learn something beyond my comfort zone (for instance learning to make good sales pitches and generally marketing) Michaela MusilovaMission Control Space Services I am continually learning through my job. This summer, I spent some time at the European Space Agency learning the latest techniques in satellite data assimilation. Keeping up with technology is both fun and vital for my business. Sinead O'Sullivan CEO of Fusion Space Technologies 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 I took the postgraduate diploma in statistics and the PhD after my undergraduate course. For the next year I'm planning to focus on settling in here and learning as much as I can from my teaching experience.

After that I would like to take a formal course to improve my teaching. There is a qualification in Third Level Teaching and Learning offered in Ireland, and an International Teachers Programme abroad. Either of those would be super.

In the meantime DCU offer courses to support lecturers, so I will be taking those from January. I would also like to undertake a professional qualification from the Chartered Institute of Professional Development, the body for HR managers. DCU offers courses accredited by the CIPD and a lot of the members of my group have this qualification. It's not essential, but it is something I would like to do. Aoife Mc DermottLecturer

I am always learning. Like most other professions (eg medicine), the law does not stand still and it must react to changes in society and seek to place human rights at the core of its work. We must do 23 hours continuous professional training every year and I will always try and focus on human rights law and child law.

Diego GallagherSenior Solicitor Absolutely I am open to any courses which will improve my performance and effectiveness within the organisation. Steven KilgannonGarda Trainee 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 Management training is a constant over the past twenty years This is necessary both for good practice and for keeping abreast of developments in the management skills area and in the area of legislation.

Most recently I attended a four days course on Leadership in Catholic Schools. Paul MeanySchool Principal In our organisation, continuous learning and personal development are encouraged. As part of my role, I attend training workshops on a regular basis which are facilitated by our learning and development team.

We also have access to an online academy where there is a library of courses available at our disposal. Sarah TenantyFinance Operations I decided to pursue the Chartered Tax Adviser (CTA) qualification on joining Deloitte. I had undertaken some lectures with the Irish Tax Institute as part of my Masters in Smurfit and found them to be extremely well organised and professional. I knew that I would have excellent support pursuing my tax qualification.
Deloitte have really supported me in pursuing the CTA qualification. They offered me paid study leave for my exams and in house training sessions which made the experience of sitting my first set of exams as stress free as possible. Anna Holohan Tax Manager I would like to develop more into software programming and networking to further enhance my skills. Liam McCaulR&D Engineer I think continuous upskilling is very important as the industry is constantly changing and you need to adapt. Elaine KellyMechanical Design Engineer Probably not! I’ve done more than my fair share of exams! Orla AherneInvestment Consultant

Yes, it is very important to continue with upskilling throughout your career. In the last few years I have started to learn and use new-found skills based aroung lean six sigma principles.

Throughout my career I have been fortunate to take a number of specialised training courses that have benfitted both the company and I.

Energy Management Pumping systems, Time Management, Intensive French, Health and Safety, Remote Emergency Care, Lean Six Sigma (Green and Black Belt), to name only a few.

I would like to go on to do an MBA in the future when kids leave home and I have more time available to study.

Jonathan PugsleyEnergy Manager

There are ongoing training opportunities in this job which are organised and facilitated by the HSE. Training pertinent to Social Work is actively promoted by the agency. For example, I have completed courses in the following:

• domestic violence,
  
• mental health,
  
• framework of assessments when working with families and children,
• attachment theory in practice etc.
  

Also there are opportunities for a social worker to take on students for their college placements which mainly involves being their ‘mentor’ while they gain work experience in your agency setting.

At present, I am also considering doing a part-time two year course in addiction studies and counselling. The benefits of a Social Work Qualification is that it opens many 'doors' and provides much opportunity to explore or specialise in other related areas.

Mary Ita HeffernanSocial Worker Yes, with previous roles, I’ve undertaken targeted software training courses. However, largely these have been self-directed, rather than any company strategy. Depending on the organisation, training budgets have been limited. Therefore, I’ve consistently taken the opportunity read around my subjects and take evening courses to supplement my skills. Sam FranklinEarth Observation Specialist Advice if considering this job You would have to be a people person with good communication skills, problem solving skills. Be able to spin several plates at the same time. Mary Jo SheridanTourism Manager - Dublinia To prepare your work place first thing in the morning would be the most important part of my job. Brendan WhiteFish Filleter I would advise them to give it a go - it doesn’t mean you have to work there long term. You must know how to speak a language other than your mother tongue reasonably well, as a good proficiency is essential. It’s also important to know and understand the cultural diversity that makes up the European Union.

Our internships are a great chance to come for a short period to determine where your interests lie and taste the experiences. Starting out your career path with the EU gives you a really good foundation of insider knowledge of how the EU works and is so useful professionally, even if you don’t plan on working there forever.

It is also important for young Irish people to consider moving to countries that are not English speaking and working for the EU would be very useful to your long term career. Catherine DaySecretary General Perfect your skills while working for others. Know your market. Ray PowerPotter

A job in any aspect of hospitality is challenging. It’s a very dynamic environment – constantly changing and pressures can be huge, particularly during peak season. May-Oct. You need to be able to hide how you actually feel, put on a smile and work.

Laura DevlinHR Manager - Hotel It needs to be something that you really love to do. When you have to train during winter it can be difficult so you have to be mentally strong. Ian McKinleyRugby Player Ignore the stereotypes, or even better, use them as motivation! Gillian MorganManufacturing Process Specialist

Make sure you are willing to go the full distance in terms of the time needed to train as a Clinical Psychologist – it’s typically at least six years academic study, and invariably this period is interspersed with work in a relevant field.

Do be as confident as you can that you’re happy being a “listener” and “observer”, as you will spend significant amounts of time in your work life as a Clinical Psychologist being in this role, as well as being in the “do-er” role and being in the limelight.

To have a good ‘fit’ with this career you’ll need to be happy working with people – as individuals on a one to one basis, with groups (e.g. families), and as part of a team in the workplace.

You need to have a good attention to detail as the job needs good observation skills, record keeping, and organisation skills.

Be prepared for learning and self-development to be on-going for the whole of your career because, as a Clinical Psychologist, you’ll be learning and using techniques and intervention approaches that are being constantly developed, and be working in accordance with policies and laws that are also constantly evolving.

The last piece of advice I’d give to someone considering this job is to be as sure as you can that you feel comfortable and even excited at the prospect of your career revolving around people and groups with all the varied, diverse, and unpredictable rewards and challenges that this brings!

Elaine MacDonaldPsychologist - Clinical 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 I would advise those considering the job to be patient and to be good at what you are doing and when the opportunity comes to join An Garda Siochana just take it!.

If you are part of a minority group in Ireland and considering joining An Garda Síochána then my advice to you is to go for it because as a foreign national working in the organisation I promise there is no discrimination in An Garda Síochána. Nan Hu Garda 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 I would advise them to get themselves physically fit and to maintain it. I would also say that a sense of humour is very important and the ability to laugh at themselves. They should have self discipline and be prepared to accept imposed discipline. Punctuality is very important as is respect for others. If they had sporting interests that would be a help. Louise Mc DonaldPrivate (Line) Be prepared for responsibility and the rewards and problems that come with responsibility. It is very important to be comfortable making decisions and living with them. While it is impossible to be right all of the time the majority of decisions you make have to be correct. Michael BohaneQA Manager

Before I applied for this job, I was worried about the staffing levels and the poor reviews that I had been told. I am really happy I did not allow these factors to influence my decision, this has not been my experience at all, my team and team leader are amazing, and I feel really supported in my role! My advice would be if you are interested just apply and go from there!

Fiona O'SullivanChild Protection and Welfare Social Worker 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

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 If you look at the staff we have here, they've come from all over the place. Some have been ex-Navy or have been Comms officers on ships; we have people who have been involved in building work and ended up coming here..it really is very random how people have ended up here. Often people have studied science in school, but often they haven't done science degrees, but have ended up meandering through various different industries to get here; so most of all it's to follow what you're interested in and what you enjoy doing. Like I say to the gang here, if they're not waking up in the morning wanting to go in to work, they need to change jobs. Rory Fitzpatrick CEO of the National Space Centre

A day for a Process Engineer at Intel can range from spending all day in what we call our 'bunny suits' or space suits as most people would recognise them as or a day of juggling meetings with working on long term projects that have a quality improvement for your product or have a cost saving for the factory. The key thing is to be adaptable, be organised and be able to communicate your plans clearly and concisely. You will be your own boss in many instances as an engineer and it is up to you to get the job done and do it well, while at the same time meeting goals and challenges that are set for the factory.

The great thing about a process engineer at Intel is that much or your work can be done remotely, which means you don't have to sit at your desk all day allowing you to get in to the machines and get stuck in. One should also be aware that you will be continuously learning in this sort of environment. Because our technology is so up to date we are always making changes to make this possible. Our products will range from mobile phone chips to top of the range computer chips so we need to be able to make changes to meet the demands of what the market is looking for.

Kerrie HoranEngineer - Process 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 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 The lifestyle Yes. The time off is very substantial. After working for six days straight you get four days off in a row.

As a family man it means I can spend time with my children and do any jobs I need to during these four days. Peter CliffordProbationer Garda My job allows me to have a great work-life balance. We have a brilliant social aspect at Arup, as the company organises many events such as office cycles, soccer matches and tag rugby events.There are also brilliant opportunities to progress within the company. Since the beginning of my career, I have worked on large scale, important projects. I gained brilliant experience on these projects, which really stands to me and helps me to improve as an engineer. The opportunity to work on projects outside of Ireland has also helped me to progress within the company, as I have added to my skills in ways that I may not have achieved had I only worked on projects in Ireland. Shauna HurleyStructural Engineer I am currently working a 35 hour week. The week usually flies by, because work is quite busy at times but also very challenging. Sometimes you may have to work beyond the 35 hours but effort by employees is readily acknowledged by management.

My current job allows for adequate time off, which allows for good quality time with family and friends. It also offers ample opportunity for leisure activities and a good work life balance. So I have no excuse for "lack of exercise ". Frank MorrisonRecruitment Manager I enjoy my work and I’m very happy with my decision to join An Garda Síochána.  Emilia GilroyGarda Yes. It is reasonably paid. I'm lucky to have a secure job, although increasingly people can spend relatively significant periods of time doing contract work. It is quite a family-friendly role, in that the working hours have some flexibility and there is scope to vary the time spent on non-teaching related activities, if required.

There are clear criteria for progression - related to teaching, research contribution and personal contribution to the running of the business school. Working in a university provides access to all of the associated leisure facilities - there is a superb sports center here, though I don't make as much use of it as I should. Aoife Mc DermottLecturer Yes, right now I’m focused on learning and progressing my career and thankfully that is encouraged in my job and industry. Job security and work-life balance are also valued. And there are opportunities to travel and meet colleagues from across the global organization. Gillian MorganManufacturing Process Specialist A very wise colleague of mine put it perfectly being a singer is the best job in the world, it's just not always the best life, and this sums it up for me. It's not for everyone, the time spent preparing things alone, or long periods away from friends and family, and the pressure of having to perform regardless of what's going on in your life can sometimes be very very tough, so what you get out of actually doing the job has to be worth it.

There's no job security, if you get sick and have to cancel, you don't get paid, and no classical musician gets into it for the money! So you have to really want to do this job, but if you do, as my colleague said, it's the best job in the world! Sharon CartyOpera Singer It enables me to have a happy work life balance. I work long hours but my job is very sociable. I meet a lot of people within the job, but outside of that I play sport in my free time with the Belgian GAA club and I also do some travelling at the weekends. Kevin KearyParliamentary Assistant

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 Yes 100%. I get to travel the world AND get paid for it. What's not to love?! You work hard but you play hard and I get 3 months holidays to enjoy back at home with friends and family. I save a lot of money on the ship so when I have my 3 months off I get to treat myself a lot. Kate WalshBeauty Therapist 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 This job allows a wide range of leisure activities as my set working hours are 9-5 Monday to Friday, so this allows hobbies and leisure activities in the evenings and at weekends. The job provides a good salary which increases each year with increments. It is also possible to get a permanent secure job. After working for a set number of years there is the possibility of progressing from basic grade to senior therapist if a job becomes available. There is also the possibility of becoming a Speech and Language Therapy manager and taking on a management role. Another benefit is 27 days annual leave per year. Lisa KellySpeech and Language My job allows me time to maintain a good work life balance and a decent lifestyle. I try to set aside a couple hours every week for my hobbies, which mainly includes Indian Classical Music (Vocals and Violin). I also like to go on hikes once or twice a month. I mainly try to maintain my physical and mental well-being, which has been a very important factor since Covid-19 hit. I start my day with a run before work as it prepares me for the day and helps me stay active throughout. I make sure to take short 10-minute breaks every 2-3 hours during work. I end my evening with yoga and meditation post work. Madhuvratha VasudevanSenior Investment Analyst Yes – fully. Mark MeehanSTEM Learning Head Yes, I love what I do. Sara Hickey Assistant Trading Manager Both myself and my partner Lisa are teachers. This affords us a very interesting lifestyle, travelling for many summers to parts of the world that combine my interest in nature with her interest in language and culture. While we will never be millionaires, the salary combined with the time off are reward enough for the job we do. We have also been able to take one year of a career break so far. This was a fabulous opportunity to further our broad education. Cian O'MahonyScience Teacher Unfortunately being a solicitor in a commercial firm can mean long hours and at least 9-530 each day but as I've progressed I've been able to manage my time better. I work from home on a Tuesday which makes a big difference to my week. With advances in technology wording remotely has become easier as I can log onto my pc from home and transfer my extension to my mobile phone. Hopefully more flexible working arrangements are to come for most professions. Niamh CacciatoSolicitor 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, I work 8am to 4:15pm daily, with the exception of staying on a bit later when work is busier, however even staying on later is still allowing plenty of time in the evenings. Abbie RiceAssociate Accountant/IFS Apprentice 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 Whats cool I get to work with people from the full Musgrave network. Denise HarringtonSupply Chain Analyst I love the fact that every day is different. Some days I spend all day in the office to catch up on admin. Other days I work offsite at events or festivals. I get bored easily so I like the diversity. Fiona UyemaChef 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 The HSE is a good place to work. As an organisation, it tends to "get hammered" by the press but these are usually very isolated incidents. It rarely gets credit for the majority of good things its' staff achieves.

Work within the HSE is usually very challenging and tends to keep you on your toes. You won't get bored. Due to its size, the chances of promotion are quite high if that's what you want.

However it never forces people in this direction. It supports staff through out their employment from a variety of different angles, i.e. in house training, support for further education, regular updates, staff development, appraisal if required, Occupational Health etc. Frank MorrisonRecruitment Manager I love the fact I am working for a large successful organisation like Northern Trust. With the big name comes big opportunities which I find exciting. Jack BarryAnalyst, Transfer Agency 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 Every day is different! I never have time to get bored, and there’s always something to learn; new equipment, unfamiliar processes, technical challenges.  Great for a curious mind!  I also get to work with most departments on a daily basis: Lab, Quality, Technical Operations, Site Services, IT, Engineering, so get a good awareness of what is happening around the site. Rachel BennettIndustrial Pharmacist The work is always changing so it never gets boring. There is a sense of self achievement when you solve a problem. There are opportunities to move roles and to develop your career. Lynda O'LearySystems Engineer Working outside in the sunshine!  Again, there isn't much I don't like. Maria O'NeillCivil Engineer The variety and the people I meet everyday. Aishling ButlerGarda Trainee I get to work on unique and interesting problems in an area I have a strong interest in. Getting to work on engaging machine learning problems means that I never get bored Catherine AhearnData Scientist Cool is not a word I would really use in relation to my work, but what I like about my job is working within a team, having a say in how my work is done.

We have a good partnership committee at work and this allows us to have an input into the changes that are taking place and how they affect us in our working lives. As one of the union shop stewards I have always had some input, but partnership gives more of my colleagues a chance to have their say. This is a very good development because for years our group of workers have felt that they had no input into the work of the hospital and partnership has given a real sense of having some ownership regarding our work. Lydia PeppardCare Assistant Team comradery. Ian McKinleyRugby Player Being able to work on something I'm very passionate about. David McKeownSpace Scientist Modeling something from scratch, and seeing the physical part after manufacture Megan WalshMechanical Engineer My job offers me exposure to a highly diverse pool of assets. As managers of taxpayers’ money, the team collectively holds a huge responsibility. The Fund is unique in its investment mandate; however, it is also highly agile in dealing with any new issues that may arise. A good example of this would be the setting up of the Pandemic Stabilisation and Recovery Fund, a €2bn fund to support medium and large enterprises in Ireland affected by Covid-19. Finally, is a fantastic team with people from many different backgrounds, giving me the opportunity to learn something new every day. Madhuvratha VasudevanSenior Investment Analyst Working with a team whom you know and get on well with makes the tasks so much easier. We also socialise together, so that it is not all work and no play. Ejiro O'Hare StrattonClinical Nurse Manager 2 The job itself is very rewarding to look back after you have put a high standard of workmanship into it and seeing where it came from and where it is at now.

At the start of the job, the building will be stripped bare and it’s a great sense of achievement as the weeks go on and the job is starting to form.

I like all the challenges and technical information you learn throughout your apprenticeship in both on the job phases and off the job phases. Im a 3rd year apprentice now and I like passing on the information that I have learned so far in my apprenticeship to new apprentices only starting and seeing them gaining from this.

I like all the opportunities that come up throughout the apprenticeship. I was lucky enough to be given the opportunity to travel to africa and work over there with my company. There are also a lot of courses available to further your knowledge and skills. Mark MaguireApprentice Electrician

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 I enjoy the fact that there is a lot of patient contact and that we have the opportunity to make a real difference to people's lives through sometimes relatively simple actions. For example, just taking the time to sit down with someone and listen to their concerns or explain what each of their medicines is used for could make the difference between them taking medication or not. I found working as a community pharmacist quite an isolating experience and enjoy working alongside other healthcare professionals in my current role. Rachel BerryPharmacist Not so cool Having to tie the vessel up because of no quotas! Brendan CavanaghShips Engineer

The things I like least in my job would be:

• Personal care! - its an area that no-one likes to do but you have to do it and be respectful and professional, knowing that they probably don't like it also but its necessary for their health and over-all well being too!
• Challenging behaviour - if your client does get upset and displays aggresive or anti social behaviour it is very stressful and sometimes dangerous to ourselves so this is not a highlight!
• Weekend work - you usually work every 2nd weekend and though I enjoy the weekends as you can do lots of activities with the clients and the house is more relaxed than during the weeks, its hard sometimes to be in work when your friends are out partying!

Naoise PyeSocial Care Worker Everyone has days when you want to do nothing but lie in bed and dancers are no different. Sometimes it's tough to always have energy, especially on days when your body is hurting. I think people forget the immense physicality of dance but it's no mean feat to do an hour show every single night for 3 months straight with no night off. It's that exhausted feeling that I don't like. Megan McEvoyDancer I would not say that there is really anything I don’t like about my job. If had to mention something, I would say I am not very fond of operational tasks in any job, which is, fortunately, only a very tiny part of my job. Madhuvratha VasudevanSenior Investment Analyst For me personally, the long hours sometimes take their toll - I need to constantly remind myself to get the work-life balance correct. Brian KellyScience Entrepreneur 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 Meeting someone new in the pub and telling them you're a "rocket scientist" can be a bit of a conversation killer sometimes! Caitriona JackmanPlanetary Scientist Some days can be very challenging and stressful when things aren’t working out or constant setbacks start creeping in making it hard to switch off.

As you get more experienced you tend to find different ways as a person to deal with these situations. Colin ButterlySite Manager - Trade Entry Sometimes people can be seasick, which they don't boast about and thats not cool. The anti-social aspect of the job is not cool; having to work weekends and during holidays. Sometimes cramped living/working conditions on board a boat are not great. Government rules and regulations which are making the job very hard and are forcing a lot of fishermen to go to sea in very bad weather. Liz O'TooleSkipper Not having enough resources to run all the great outreach activities that we could do. Karen O'FlahertyScience Communicator At present nothing, outside the college it's the level of respect towards the organisation in recent times. Steven KilgannonGarda Trainee It’s safe to say we still undertake a number of ‘tick box’ exercises. What can feel like pointless tasks which don’t seem to benefit anyone, either the customer or the business. We do our best to challenge some of these tasks, but at times there can be a mentality that it’s easier to just get them done. It’s always a nice win when you can shut down these types of tasks, and I always encourage people to stand back and question everything they do. But in saying that, there are moments of the week where you can feel like time was wasted on something that is now just saved in a folder on the off chance someone might need to refer to it in years from now. In those instances, I can’t help but think that surely we could have spent our time better! Lara MulveySenior Product Manager AIB Sometimes the early morning starts and cold weather can be difficult but as time goes on you start to get use to it. Mark MaguireApprentice Electrician 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 Managers who don't care or who are disinterested in what one does. Fergal DonnellyEuropean Commission If there is something I don’t like about it, it would have to be the public scrutiny and negative perception. Saying that, it truly is coming from minority of people and most encounters are very positive. Emilia GilroyGarda Down in the weeds tasks - running reports over and over, or sometimes the nature of lastminute.com asks can be a real challenge! Oonagh KellyHead of HR Sometimes people are working under a lot of pressure and the work situation can be stressful at times but on the whole people approach their work in a professional manner. Ejiro O'Hare StrattonClinical Nurse Manager 2 It was a challenge to balance studying and working at times, but I managed very well as the Irish Tax Institute really supports you through the qualification by offering a flexible study and learning approach that makes work life balance very manageable. Caroline AustinSenior Associate Solicitor There's always parts of any job that can get on your nerves but it's important to remember the positives and not to focus of the negatives. I'm very grateful that the positives far outweigh any negatives at work! Michael McDermottAssociate Director, International Corporate Banking