deiseanna gairme in institiúide an AE

Employer Insights Getting the job 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 There are a couple of ways that singers are hired for work, one is via auditions. Typically at an audition, you are invited to sing for an opera house or casting director, you bring 5 pieces with you, and they provide a pianist (sometimes there is no time allowed to rehearse with the pianist beforehand!) and you sing 2-3 pieces from your list, and based on what they hear, if they like you and have something suitable to cast, then you're in luck!

More often than not though, singers will be cast because a director or conductor has worked with them before and knows they would be suitable, or they'll have seen them on stage or in concert and want to work with them based on that. So it's really important that when you're performing, it's to the best of your ability. You never know who's in the audience! Sharon CartyOpera Singer I responded to an advertisement which appeared in the Irish Independent newspaper. I attended an interview in the school and the school principal rang me the following day to say I was successful in my application. Brian CadiganPrimary School Teacher We started planning our business venture of opening Glen Keen Farm as a tourism facility back in 2004, this took 10 years. We had to go through a lot of different challenges, obstacles and of course raising the funds to build a purpose built tourism facility was a major challenge. Eventually after our planning application, Environmental impact study, Archaeological impact study and a complex process of applying for grant aid we finally opened the doors of Glen Keen Farm in July 2014! Catherine O'Grady PowersOwner Gleenkeen Farms

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 I went about getting this job by becoming an intern in Jim Higgins’ MEP office after spending a while pestering him. Then, after I developed experience, I was able to apply for this post as Parliamentary Assistant.

I had a series of interviews with the prior staff of the MEP and also with the MEP himself, where I was questioned on my knowledge of European Union law and also my work ethic. Kevin KearyParliamentary Assistant 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 My current job arose from a restructuring of the Quality Function within IVAX. I was a QA (Quality Assurance) analyst in the Inhalations business for three years when I applied for a Senior QA Officer role. I was interviewed and offered a role in the Solid Dose business. One of the key questions in the interview was 'what would you change'. The company was looking for new ideas. My manager called me into his office and told the company wanted to offer me a position telling me that my work ethic and ability to make hard decisions played a big part in their decision. Fergus O'ConnellQuality Officer 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 rang the army and requested an application form which was sent out to me. I submitted the application and in time was called for an interview.

The interview board consisted of three soldiers, an officer and two sergeants. They asked me questions about myself, my background, and what knowledge I had of the Defence Forces. I was sent a letter to tell me that I had been successful in my interview. 

I then had to complete a medical and a fitness test. I got a letter about one month letter telling me I was successful and when I was to start my training. Louise Mc DonaldPrivate (Line) Setup on my own in 1992. Ray PowerPotter I applied in the last recruitment campaign in December 2013. I passed all assessments and test and was invited to Garda College in Templemore for a 34 week training period, which I enjoyed a lot. Emilia GilroyGarda I have a background in Agriculture. I grew up working on various farm machinery. I had a part time job in Combilift while I was studying at University. Combilift are great for accommodating summer work opportunities across various departments. I gained hands-on experience on assembly lines where I seen the process come together. I got to see a truck go from a bare chassis right through to a truck ready for delivery. It helped me to gain knowledge on building a truck through Combilift standards. Kevin O'HaganDesign Engineer Written interview unavailable... Mary McCaugheyHead of Communications I applied through publicjobs.ie and was guided through the process. Mark Spain Garda Trainee 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

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 I got my first job with St Michael's House through answering an advert in a local newspaper. I attended an interview with a panel of three people and was informed by letter that I had been successful. I was then covering a maternity leave vacancy, when a full time post became available in the unit.  I applies for the position, attended an interview and was successful. Deirdre LavelleCare Assistant Padraig ParleTeacher - Special Needs I did a Diploma in QA in NUI Galway which was fulltime until one got a Tuesday to Friday work placement. I got a placement in a chip manufacturing entity in Dublin. After this year long diploma, courtesy of my mother spotting a job advertisement, I got a permanent job in Iarnrod Eireann in the Technical Department in Inchicore Works, where locomotives, carriages, etc. are maintained.

I was involved in many interesting projects, mostly specifying and buying vehicles, e.g. the first Arrows, and this made me competent in contracts and legal issues relating to procurement. I was there from 1992 to 1997 and left primarily for a change and for more money!

I then worked for a number of years through agencies working for various pharmaceutical manufacturing companies, a year here, a year there, and the work, surprisingly, was like the previous railway work: specifiying and procuring; only this time it was things like high-speed Tube-filling machines, etc. Next, out of the blue, I got a call from a businessman who had gotten my name from Iarnrod Eireann and he offerred me a car, nice salary and a permanent sales engineering job, selling Bus, Truck and Railway parts, with the CIE companies being my main customer. That was interesting but hectic. A

fter one year, again I was appraoched (as opposed to applying) and was asked (because of a lack of people with railway engineering experience) if would I be available to supervise the manufacture of the Luas Vehicles in France! Of course I was! That was 18 years ago and, a couple of years after my return from France, I was made permanent and promoted to Rolling Stock Manager. 18 years later and I'm still here! Ciaran MacSamhrainEngineer - Transport Infrastructure Ireland Main challenges Funnily enough I don’t like doing paperwork, in fact I rather despise it! Oz IlbrahmiManufacturing Specialist 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

The challenges are many and varied, again any number can arise during a patrol or even over a day, from someone in your division who faces a domestic problem that needs advice/help, adverse weather or a search and rescue situation which requires everyone’s complete concentration.

David FlemingSub Lieutenant - Navy

The first big challenge with becoming a pilot in the Air Corps is the initial 2-3 years of training....bit military and flying training. This is a tough few years and should not be looked on lightly.

Once finished and passed though it is probably one of the most rewarding days of your life!! From day to day, however, flying presents us with numerous challenges to keep us on our toes. No two flights are ever the same...there are so many variables including weather, wind, turbulence, type of job and numbers on board.

Having to make difficult decisions before and during flights is very challenging and needs flight crews to be up to speed and alert at all times.

Oisin McGrathLieutenant - Pilot - Air Corp

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 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 Time management! There is a lot of work to do, especially if you want to keep up with all the developments in the topics that interest you. I am good at maintaining to-do lists, and I spend a lot of time thinking about what is important and what is urgent on these lists and managing my time accordingly. Dr. Patrick CadwellLecturer As with any job in a very regulated industry such as pharmaceuticals, the admin and paperwork can be quite heavy. But this is necessary to ensure the highest quality products are delivered to our patients and customers. Gillian MorganManufacturing Process Specialist Passing exams and advancing academically is the main challenge, i.e. ongoing training and assessment. Dr Jan SteinerAnaesthetist As in any chemistry lab we have to deal with atypical or out of specification results. When these happen, at first you are unsure whether the batch of material in question is of the quality standard expected. We conduct investigations which at times can be very laborious. Besides this, other main challenges would be, to keep the group content with the work they are doing. It is important that we are all constantly challenging each other to help us learn more about science and develop into more all-rounded scientists. Brian O'ConnorAnalytical Chemist Managing my time during the school day is the biggest challenge. For example, timing practical work to be finished before the pupils have to be off to their next class is always a challenge! Cian O'MahonyScience Teacher Every day presents different challenges, some more challenging than others. For example Barrack Guard presents its own challenges, patrolling , monitoring and remaining alert for the duration of your duty. Everyday in my office job there are different challenges which also have to be met. Louise Mc DonaldPrivate (Line) The main challenges I feel would be the deadlines. Other teams rely on us completing our tasks on time in order to get our NAVs to the clients on time, so it's important to manage our times and ensure we have sufficient training in order to complete our tasks to a high standard Abbie RiceAssociate Accountant/IFS Apprentice Every part has to finished to a very high standard, dimensional and visual non-conformances are not acceptable. Also identifying trends during the machining process which would help contribute towards continuous improvement. Owen HughesManufacturing Technician 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 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

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 The main challenges of my job(s) are managing multiple projects, many staff members and a variety of duties at the same time. There is often too much work for the small number of staff at SOSA or at MCSS, so we have to be very organised and efficient to do everything properly. My jobs are also quite varied, so I have to be able to wear many hats at the same time. This means that I have to be able to think as a leader, scientist, a diplomat, a manager and a friend at the same time, which can be quite demanding.

Finally, I also have to point out that even in this day and age, there are people that are sceptical of a young woman trying to push through to new boundaries and leading big projects. I constantly have to prove myself to others, especially the older generation here in Slovakia. I will not let it daunt me or put me off of my goals whatsoever. It is, however, another obstacle sometimes when trying to set up collaborations or negotiate with those people. Michaela MusilovaMission Control Space Services As a Revenue Auditor the challenges faced are numerous. Tax Payers tend to view Revenue Auditors and the Audit process with a certain amount of caution and trepidation. In such circumstances it is necessary to be able to make the taxpayer feel as comfortable as possible. I deal with such situations by ensuring that the taxpayer is fully aware of how the Audit will be carried out.

Revenue has a “Code of Practice” for Audit and I will notify the taxpayer in advance that my Audit will be carried out in accordance with this Code and I will direct them to our website so they can examine this document in advance.
I will always ask at the start of the Audit if the taxpayer is aware of how the Audit will be conducted and I will answer any questions or clarify any issues they may have before I commence my Audit.

By setting out how the Audit will progress, the taxpayer should be prepared for what will happen and I have found that this helps to manage the Audit process for me and the taxpayer. Edel ButlerAdministrative Officer 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 Typical day It varies from project to project. In the last two months, I’ve worked on projects researching cloud coverage and its impact on future optical satellite communication systems. I’ve been involved in designing an Internet of Things hardware solution for improving wildlife collaring for zoology research. I’ve been researching and developing a product that uses advances in Deep Learning, a nascent form of artificial intelligence. This is a truly exciting technology that we’ll all hear a lot more on soon. Sam FranklinEarth Observation Specialist 7.30 Set up workshop for day’s work. Prepare wood for or finish work for an order or exhibition. Prepare workshop for a class – one-to-one or group. Update my website with recent press and new dates for classes. Make and return calls/emails to buyers, suppliers and potential students. Keep my machines in good working order. Glenn LucasWoodturner Oisín:
Assisting in a machine shop, assembly of joinery items, finishing joinery work i.e. oil laquer spraying. Keeping the surrounding bench area tidy and setting out of joinery work. 

Oisin MurphyApprentice Carpenter 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 Certainly no two days are the same. You can never predict what might happen at any time. The challenges are those of sticking to a prescribed timetable. But the rewards are the gratitude of parents and students and actually seeing the pupils learn in a fun environment. Cian O'MahonyScience Teacher My typical day involves taking part in a lot of different meetings with people from around the site. As manager of my area it is important that I am always planning ahead for what new activities may be coming into the group. Some of the meetings are for this planning while others deal with day to day activities in the lab. I talk to my supervisors daily to discuss any issues in the lab. We monitor the number of batches that we release on a weekly basis and any errors that occur in the lab. Knowing everything going on in the lab is very important so that I can communicate anything critical in a timely manner to my own boss too. Brian O'ConnorAnalytical Chemist

My role can really be divided into two sections - R&D projects and manufacturing. Each day I have tasks relating to both sections of my role. I manage approx 30 people who have different responsibilities within each of these two sections of our company.

I spend time monitoring progress on the various projects that are ongoing at any one time. Each project has a time line that must be met to ensure the projects deliver products to the market on time to keep us competitive. My role would be to remove any compliance / regulatory roadblocks to the time line that may arise. I need to make decisions or suggestions that maintain the timeline and ensure product quality , safety and efficacy are maintained. We could have up to five development projects running at one time. A lot of time is taking up with project meetings to review progress etc.

We are also a manufacturing facility manufacturing product for up to 50 different markets. My group is responsible for the review and release of the product before shipment. Each day I meet the staff involved and review shipments for the week and any deviations that have occurred which might affect the product. I need to decide if the product is affected and needs to be rejected. If this is the case it must be reproted to the site and investigated to ensure it cannot happen again. We work to a shipment plan which must be met each week. We also have improvement projects to deliver each quarter which have to be managed.

Michael BohaneQA Manager A typical day consists of a high paced professional environment. From the minute you log on until the minute you log off it's a high paced professional environment which is challenging and therefore extremely rewarding. Everyone pulls together working as a team helping each other out and learning from each other to achieve a shared goal. Jack BarryAnalyst, Transfer Agency

Imperial College London is based in South Kensington which is a really nice part of London. I usually get in around 9:30 and after a few minutes of gossiping/checking email/facebook, I get down to work!

The main portion of my job is research, and I try to have one primary project on the go at any given time, although occasionally ideas will crop up and I will be working on multiple papers.

My research involves a lot of computer programming. I work with data from the magnetometer on the Cassini spacecraft which is in orbit around the planet Saturn. I plot out this data using computer programs, and study the magnetic environment around Saturn, looking for unusual deflections of the magnetic field etc. and trying to interpret what they mean.

On any given paper that I write I usually have several co-authors or people that I am collaborating with, so I talk to them over email, teleconference, or face to face at meetings, and we discuss ideas and interpret the data.

Another portion of my job is teaching, and I currently demonstrate in the first year undergraduate labs, and also run small projects for undergrads in the summer term.

At Imperial, we are the Principal Investigators on the Cassini magnetometer instrument. We have a team of spacecraft operations people who send commands to the spacecraft, and process the data that comes back.

We have had an extension of funding for the Cassini mission so I am currently involved with planning the trajectories for the extended mission. This means that I work with spacecraft operations staff at Imperial, but also those based at the jet Propulsion Laboratory, part of NASA in California. Because they are 8 hours behind us in California, that means I have to stay late one night a week to have a mission planning teleconference with them.

So when I'm in London, a typical day is research, some teaching, and the occasional teleconference. I then attend international conferences a few times a year where I present my work, so I have to prepare talks or posters for these. I also give talks at schools, local astronomy clubs etc.

Caitriona JackmanPlanetary Scientist

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 Arriving on site early, planning what trades are required and where. I would be ordering materials and tracking work progression across the site to see if deadlines will be met. Colin ButterlySite Manager - Trade Entry 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 My role is very varied, ranging from working with the Board and advising the executive leaders, to helping people leaders with resources, people challenges, recruitment and retention. I am very focused on Talent / Development / Inclusion and diversity and lastly in any HR role there is always routine work to be done in reviewing reports, updates and so on. Timing wise it can be pressurised when the unexpected crops up! We try to plan in advance as much as possible, but you also have to expect the unexpected. Oonagh KellyHead of HR We have class from 9am - 5pm every day where we have very practical classes learning the legal aspect as well as the practical policy elements. There is also a high emphasis on physical fitness for duty. Mark Spain Garda Trainee After being paraded by my supervisor at 7 am I would usually head out on the mountain bike patrolling around the district. I would inspect shops, post offices, off licences, and public houses and interact with the public and local community dealing with any issues they may have.

I would investigate crimes, taking statements and collecting CCTV footages. I would respond to calls such as public misconduct and theft incidents.

During my meal break sometimes I would go to the gym in my station to keep fit. After the meal break I would patrol the district again. At the end of the tour I would record the incidents which I responded to on our computer system. I would do a report in relation to any issues highlighted by the community. Nan Hu Garda 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

My husband goes to the market very early to get the fish and I bring the children to school and creche and go to the shop for 9.15am. Then I set up the counter with the fresh fish. It is hard to be creative and also set up as quickly as you can.

The day starts. I serve customers and fill in details of the fish for traceability. The customers are the biggest bonus to my day. You keep the counter looking good with your product topped up with ice and make sure everything is super clean. You can never have any bad smell in such a small shop. So hygiene is a big thing.

Nicola O'HigginsFishmonger A typical day consists of lectures both classroom and theatre based. Breaks during the day consists of fun with colleagues such as table tennis or just general banter.

Evening times consist of activities such as gym /indoor soccer/ swimming table tennis and much more. All in all a very enjoyable day. Steven KilgannonGarda Trainee

Let me start by saying that no two days are the same. The role of Operations Manager in the National Project Office was a complete change in direction for me personally as prior to this most of my career was spent within the hospital setting.

If office based, I usually check in with all Team Leaders and their staff to see how "everybody is" on the one hand and to see how their particular national campaigns are running. At this stage if any difficulties come to the fore we might try to figure out the difficulty there and then, or else set out a particular time with the necessary people to make sure the process runs smoothly.

After this I would usually be in communication with my immediate manager to see what new pieces of national work needs the attention of the office and work out the logistics for this as well. As the title suggests the National Project Office has a national role in that it provides for recruitment and strategic policy development for a variety of different services throughout the country. This subsequently can involve time away from base on a regular basis.

All staff try to limit their time away by holding as many meetings via teleconference when possible, as the work back at base also needs to be completed. I'm very fortunate as Operations Manager to work with a great team of people who are very diligent, efficient, and most professional in their work practices. For this reason any new projects although challenging, are met with enthusiasm and are progressed without too much difficulty.

Frank MorrisonRecruitment Manager

Everyday is completely different in the world of a Process Engineer in Intel. As part of the worlds largest Computer Chip manufacturer it is my responsibility that the machines that I take care of as part of making a computer chip, are able to maintain this status of excellence on a 24 hour 7 day a week basis.

The machines which I am responsible for are located in what we call ' A Cleanroom'. We are clothed from head to toe in white suits that we call 'Bunny Suits' as the environment is 10000 times cleaner than a hospital theatre. First thing each morning we analyse the previous 24 hours performance from a productivity, performance and maintenance point of view.

All machines status and plans for any maintenance or experiments are planned for the next 24hrs. All plans need to be carefully communicated to all those involved. There are weekly/monthly goals and challenges that are set for each machine and when we achieve these targets there is usually a recognition or reward received which is always a great motivator.

Within this area it is my job to sustain and improve equipment performance for the manufacturing process on my machines. It is important to ensure that my machine operates in a safe manner, and to ensure that operationally the machine is available for production and has the capability to produce great computer chips with minimal defects. Equipment issues continuously arise that need disposition and this aspect of problem solving is part of my job which motivates me and I really enjoy. Cost analysis as well as training are also an integral part of my daily job.

Kerrie HoranEngineer - Process Further training... Yes, I am undertaking level 8 Business Studies with Dublin Business School. Mary Jo SheridanTourism Manager - Dublinia Yes, I am planning to take the CFA Certificate in ESG Investing, wish me luck! Amy O’DwyerAssociate Sustainability Advisor 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 I am continually learning from master turners and learning excellence in teaching and instruction from practitioners. Glenn LucasWoodturner 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.

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 I have just begun the Green Belt in Lean Supply Chain Management, which will definitely help me in my current role, this is a programme Musgrave offer jointly with UCC. I have also begun a 4-week Project Management course to understand the basics of this. Later on, I would like to go back and do a Masters to help me with my future roles, but that will be another few years down the line. Denise HarringtonSupply Chain Analyst

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 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 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

In the Air Corps, training is on going. We are involved in courses on a regular basis. These courses vary from flying courses to computer courses to activity/adventure training courses.

As we have a range of aircraft in the Air Corps, pilots will be trained on a number of different aircraft throughout their careers. As a result further training within the Air Corps is inevitable!

Oisin McGrathLieutenant - Pilot - Air Corp I have taken various courses and certifications to learn more and improve my skills, and I plan to continue training in areas relevant to me. Megan WalshMechanical Engineer I qualified as a Chartered Tax Adviser (CTA). It really appealed to me that it is such a well-recognised qualification and I thought that it would give me a really good base from which to build by skills and ultimately my career. Sinead LewSenior Tax Manager 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 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 On the Northern Trust partner portal there are ample courses added to your own personal plan which I complete whenever I have free time enabling me to be the best at my job as I can be. It gives me a better understanding as to what my role entails as well as a better understanding of the role of Northern Trust and other partners. Jack BarryAnalyst, Transfer Agency One of the main features of my job is constant improvement and training. I will, throughout my career in the Defense Forces, take part in many training courses and development programmes including; Snipers Course, Mowag Driving Course, Potential NCO's Course and RECCE Course. Keith LynchPrivate (Line) In the Garda College I have completed a suicide intervention course which has proved to be a very worthwhile course.

In the future I hope that I can further my education and build on the degree that I will attain at the end of the training. I think that furthering education will be crucial if I want to progress my career in years to come. Peter CliffordProbationer Garda I always look to do some level of new training every year and this year I will do training through Barclays to keep me moving forward. Brian DelahuntyHead of Corporate Banking Oisín:
I plan to progress on to train as a foreman and beyond.
Oisin MurphyApprentice Carpenter Advice if considering this job Written interview unavailable... Mary McCaugheyHead of Communications If it is possible to get some work experience during the summer holidays or weekends, it would be great. Find out if there are any positions (voluntary or otherwise) available in your local IT or University. Get involved in a hobby such as model making, this would be very helpful as it would help with dexterity & impart an understanding of the ways in which different materials interact when assembled together. Sinead KennyDesign Engineer

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

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 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 Someone considering this job I feel should work well under pressure as we can get very busy at times and you'll have a lot of tasks to complete. I think it's very beneficial to be social and outgoing as we all work very closely together as a team and its very helpful to have good relationships with your team when you need a helping hand in completing tasks. Abbie RiceAssociate Accountant/IFS Apprentice 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 advice I would give is firstly talk to someone you may know that is already in the trade and ask them any questions that you may have or ask them about some of there first hand experiences.

Another good piece of advice would be to go onto YouTube and search some basic electrics, keep in mind that these are the kind of things that you will face when you go to the college phases of your apprenticeship . There are books and e-books that can be purchased to get an understanding. Mark MaguireApprentice Electrician Go for it – it’s a great job. Des LalorWind Engineer

Ask loads of questions and be curious. There are many different areas of law and just because one area is popular does not mean you will like it. You may find that another less known area of law might be right up your alley! Child law is a niche area but I like it.

Diego GallagherSenior Solicitor 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 It helps to have a logical mind and to be fond of puzzles and problem solving. I spend a lot of time trouble shooting and this can be a stressful task if you are not motivated by challenges. Neil MurreyAerothermodynamics and Propulsion Design Engineer I would advise anyone starting out to get in touch with people in the industry. Ask plenty of questions and get a part-time job in the field you are interested in. Kevin O'HaganDesign Engineer I would strongly recommend a career in tax to any students who are considering it. Tax professionals are in high demand from employers and can add real value to any business. It is a challenging and rewarding career which can place you at the heart of business decision making. It can also be an excellent springboard to other careers in finance.

Just recently a new Chief Financial Officer was appointed to Irish Distillers who was formerly the Pernod Ricard Group tax director! Also do your research about the Chartered Tax Adviser (CTA) qualification – from my own experience, the course is very practical and relevant to my day to day job. It provides a structured framework for achieving the knowledge of tax law and skills required to be a Chartered Tax Adviser (CTA). Lorcan KellyTax Consultant Be prepared for hard work.
Be a team player.
Have a good sense of humour.
Learn from your mistakes. Frank MorrisonRecruitment Manager 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

I found having education in a number of different areas of engineering to be beneficial to the work I am doing.

There is a whole world of possibilities out there for engineers, and it is difficult to know what subjects are necessary for the industry you will end up in. I was always interested in robotics and environmental issues, but it was not until my Masters that I really knew what I wanted to do.

General entry courses are quite useful, as you get a taste for a few different areas before you have to specialise, a lot of companies offer on the job training, and there is also the possibility of further study.

An engineering qualification teaches you so much more than just the technical subjects, but a way of looking at the world and solving problems in a logical and systematic way.

Engineers are sought after for these skills as much as the technical ones, and it opens up incredible opportunities. Engineering is not an easy route through college, but it is incredibly rewarding.

Elva BannonMechatronic Engineer If you are considering full-time scientific research, try to get a work placement in a university department so you can see first hand what it’s like. It’s a relatively relaxed, flexible environment, but there is a certain degree of self-motivation needed. 

So I would say you need to be able to push  yourself and be proactive in terms of setting up collaborations with other scientists etc. Caitriona JackmanPlanetary Scientist

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 lifestyle

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 When I was younger, one of the most important factors for me was to earn a really good salary as I wanted to be comfortable (my parents struggled financially so I didn't want to have the same struggles). However, I realised in my late twenties that although I wanted a good salary to be financially comfortable it was equally important for me to be as happy in my professional life as I was in my personal life.

I was working as a tax consultant and my job was well paid with great benefits. I was getting bored and frustrated with the lack of excitement. Overtime, I transitioned to work for myself in the food industry using all the knowledge and key skills I gained in all my previous jobs e.g. I've financial and tax awareness from my previous job. Fiona UyemaChef 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 Yes Mark MaguireApprentice Electrician Aviva offers a great work/ life balance. They understand the importance of family life and wellbeing of their employees. Within Aviva there is a number of communities and wellbeing events also that you can benefit from. Jenny DonnellyAsset Manager I believe it does, my manager always promotes a healthy work-life balance and helps with managing workload and expectations. Ross McKeoghMusgrave Retail Graduate Programme Definitely. My job is very flexible which is fantastic. If there is deadline you are expected to work overtime, however it is never a problem as the work is so enjoyable that you want to see it succeed. Elaine KellyMechanical Design Engineer

There are many opportunities in Ireland in the medical device arena as Ireland could be described as the “silicone valley” of medical devices in Europe. A majority of the large multinationals are located here which means that there are a lot of people with the skills specifically required for the industry.

Most of these multinationals are located in North America, hence we are often required to travel to the US. I have travelled to a number of different countries both during my postgrad & with my job. Also, because people are living longer & have certain lifestyle expectations, there will almost certainly always be a need for new medical devices. Unlike a lot of other industries, this would suggest that there will always be funding available to develop products for new areas. Also as a result of human DNA mapping, more & more diseases will become manageable, possibly through the help of medical devices

Sinead KennyDesign Engineer Oisín:
Yes, occasional overtime at short notice but my social life is not greatly affected.

Oisin MurphyApprentice Carpenter On a day-to-day basis, my job has more flexibility than most. The quality and quantity of your research is what matters – not how long you spend in the office. Saying that, it can be easy to spend a lot of time working, particularly when you are close to finally solving a problem, or if you have a deadline approaching.While the job security of an early-career academic researcher is not great (academics generally spend several years on short-term contracts before finding a permanent job), this is somewhat compensated for by the ability to work on problems you find interesting and with the best minds in the world. Nuala CaffreyResearch Fellow in Computational Physics 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 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 My job is very flexible time-wise, which is good as I would definitely not describe myself as a morning person! It is also quite self-directed.

When I have deadlines, or when I’m feeling extra inspired/motivated, I work long hours, some evenings and weekends. In contrast, there are quieter periods where the working hours are not so rigid.

The travel to international conferences is also a great perk. I feel very lucky to do my job. Caitriona JackmanPlanetary Scientist Yes, definitely. The flexible working hours in BD allow me to start my job early and finish early. This is really valuable to me as it allows me to spend more time in the evening with my 14-month-old child. In BD, we are always encouraged to continue learning new skills which is very important for the R&D medical device industry. Xiaona HouProduct Engineer Absolutely. I really enjoy what I do and I also wanted to progress. I knew this would cost hours, so I set terms that would work and that I was comfortable with. Richard KinsellaManaging Director 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 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 The hours are good, you still have enough time in the evening to follow pursuits which interest you. In the last number of years, I got married abroad, in fact, in Cyprus and my wife and I bought our new home in 2005.

The house has a study/ writing room, to which I go in the evening time. I'm not big on excessive luxuries but we do have a car and like to go on family holidays, usually somewhere hot like Spain. I also have my series of dvd collections, for example 007 movies and cult t.v. shows like 'The Prisoner', which I regularly add to. We also have a lovely garden where the children can play and I can relax, if only!. Jonathan SmythLibrary Assistant It does. Always room for improvement! Owen HughesManufacturing Technician My job allows for great flexibility so that I have a degree of control over my time. I am able to manage my work-life balance effectively as a result. My role has increased in responsibility since joining in 2016, which is very rewarding. Michael McDermottAssociate Director, International Corporate Banking Whats cool 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 Intel provide you with a very clear career development path and do their best to ensure that every employee is constantly improving. We also have a very relaxed atmosphere helped greatly by the casual dress code. It makes a 12 hour day a lot more comfortable! Rebecca TigheProcess Engineer There is a great team feeling in the Defense Forces and this is seen best in the sports activities that we engage in regularly including Gaelic, Soccer Orienteering and Golf. The fact that we regularly get to spend time in the open air doing physical activities as opposed to being stuck in an office block or call centre is one of the main reasons that I love my job. Time off is also very important and can be taken at your own desired time once requested. This is an aspect of my job that I find cool. Keith LynchPrivate (Line) What I really like about my job is that it's very social. I did not expect that coming into an office environment. There's a very friendly atmosphere in here, which makes any stressful day a lot easier. We also do a lot of events and meet ups outside of work too, which is great for team building. Another thing I must include is the free tea, coffee and on-site lunches. It saves so much time in the mornings! Laura GlendonMultilingual Software Support SAP Right now, artificial intelligence and robotics. But I’m biased! Sinead O'Sullivan CEO of Fusion Space Technologies

• Getting to fly a huge range of missions in a military helicopter everyday..
• Lots of free time for training/sport activities.  
• Loads of annual leave.
• A solid and very well paid job

Oisin McGrathLieutenant - Pilot - Air Corp Team support and support from colleagues is a pivotal factor in sustaining oneself in this job. Also knowing that there are very few people I know who could undertake this work which in itself is an indicator of the skills unique skills and abilities required for this role. Mary Ita HeffernanSocial Worker My friends think that it is exciting and cool that I fire weapons and carry out war games in the mountains etc.  I also find it exciting and really enjoyable. My friends also think it is cool that we get to travel over seas for long periods of time. I like the fact that I get to meet a lot of different people and make many friends. Louise Mc DonaldPrivate (Line)

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 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 I love the variety that comes with this job, not knowing who you are going to meet or what you may come across. I also love that more often than not I get to work outdoors and meet so many different characters. Niamh BriggsGarda Primary school teaching is very rewarding - e.g: to see a child improve in a certain area and to observe a child producing work of a high quality under your instruction.

School holidays - great to have them but they are essential for both teachers and students. Brian CadiganPrimary School Teacher Everything that I make goes into space, it's nice to know your own contribution to every launch is so valuable. Developing a new manufacturing process is pretty cool too. Owen HughesManufacturing Technician My favourite part of the job is the problem-solving nature of it all. My job is very numbers based which sometimes can lead to tricky equations to be worked out but is very satisfying once completed Abbie RiceAssociate Accountant/IFS Apprentice 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 There are lots of cool things about this job. One of my favourite is the brilliant facilities for teaching in the Business School. I have a lot of fun with them!

There are big screens which my power-point slides are projected onto, and I can use them to show videos or DVD's. I can even link to the internet to show things during class.

Coming a close second is getting to travel abroad to present my research at conferences. I was subsidised to do this as a student too, but now it's funded by DCU because making a research contribution is part of my role.

Another major benefit is the flexibility and autonomy associated with the job. While I work hard, I do so in my own office, organise my own time, and am free to do so once I do my job well.

I also have huge flexibility around my working hours and some flexibility to work on my research at home, if I'm not teaching or meeting students. While I don't get summer-long holidays, it's really wonderful to have block of time over the summer to develop my research. Essentially having research time is being paid to explore ideas and issues that I have an interest in.

I really value having a job where I have the freedom to choose the direction of my work - and to change it if I want. At the moment I don't see myself moving away from conducting research in healthcare service-delivery - this is a really rewarding growth area - but it is great to have the choice. Aoife Mc DermottLecturer Space exploration and generally the whole space sector is very cool and exciting! I love the sort of work I get to do with my job. Also, I love the freedom and creativity involved in doing scientific work, which really reminds me of doing art a lot of the time. Michaela MusilovaMission Control Space Services From a very young age I loved animals and guess that being able to have a career working with them was always a dream.  In a modern "cyber" world I  feel really lucky to be able to spend time outdoors and lead a healthier lifestyle.  Also I get to do a lot of traveling with the horses which is great. Luke DreaEvent Rider The job is exceptionally rewarding. The Irish citizen lies at the heart of all we do and that makes the work important. The opportunity to travel to and live in so many different cities around the world is also one of the most appealing aspects of the job for me! Shane SargeantDepartment of Foreign Affairs

I’m part of a team inventing something new that has the potential to provide clean renewable energy.

It is incredible to think that the work we are doing can really make a difference. As it is completely new, there are no instructions to follow. We have to develop new methods for much of what we do, or adapt methods used by other industries.

Some of the tank tests we have carried out are a great breakthrough. I have also been able to contribute to large international projects and international standards for wave energy. To view a video: click here

Elva BannonMechatronic Engineer Not so cool Not having enough resources to run all the great outreach activities that we could do. Karen O'FlahertyScience Communicator It can be a very demanding job at times. Donal KanePlumber / Construction Super. The unpredictable nature of the job has its benefits but on occasions can affect pre-made plans with family or friends. Niamh BriggsGarda 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 Time management! It is a busy job and I don't always have time to do as good a job as I want to on some tasks because other things are more important or urgent. For example, sometimes you want to spend more time working on a piece of research but you can't because you need to respect a deadline given to you by a publisher. Dr. Patrick CadwellLecturer 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 When you don’t perform well it’s not a nice feeling. Ian McKinleyRugby Player Currently, working from home every day is not too enjoyable, I enjoy some variety in terms of office/home/on site work. Shane O'SheaSuperValu Regional Support Manager 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

Grievance & Disciplinary issues, both staff and guest. It’s never easy dealing with someone who isn’t happy.

It awful having to pull a staff member aside and tell them they’ve done something wrong. Mostly everyone tries hard – telling someone it’s not working out is never easy! Laura DevlinHR Manager - Hotel Sometimes the paperwork can be time consuming, but necessary to do the job. Madonna DalyBusiness Manager Sometimes tight deadlines mean that it can be very fast paced and challenging, but working as part of a team really helps here! Sinead LewSenior Tax Manager Burying animals or having to put them down. Being so busy some days that you don't have time to eat - starving in the evenings. Not getting home as often as maybe I should. Kieran MageeFarm Manager - Dry Stock The hours are quite long and you’re also not close to your family. Kevin KearyParliamentary Assistant If material is returned to the library in a damaged state, I will have to ask for the cost of the item in order to replace it. This is not always popular with members but you must persist firmly when pursuing such a matter.

Sometimes, collecting overdue fines can be a point of contention, again staying calm but acting firmly is required. In essence we are providing a service and must be seen to do so effectively. Jonathan SmythLibrary Assistant Lots of challenges come with working with big data. Performance and scaling problems can be tough, and finding bugs can be frustrating at times, but it is very rewarding when all of the work finally comes together. Catherine AhearnData Scientist Because we work in such a regulated industry there is a lot of paperwork required. This involves validation of the design & all the various processes used to make the product. This represents the uncool aspect of the job but is extremely important as it reduces the potential that a patient will be injured or die as a result of a poor design. Sinead KennyDesign Engineer The countless emails to trawl through on a daily basis. Darryl DayIQ Engineer A school is run on tight budgets and limited supports and this makes management difficult at times. Paul MeanySchool Principal 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