deiseanna gairme in institiúide an AE

Employer Insights Getting the job I set up my own workshop in 1997. I am continually upgrading the workshop and developing work and teaching programmes. Glenn LucasWoodturner It was advertised in a job section on newspaper. I went for a formal interview and received a letter stating my success in getting the position. Within the HSE, a panel of successful applicants is formed after the interviews and this panel usually remains ‘active’ for a year in that there is a chance you may be offered a position within that timeframe. Mary Ita HeffernanSocial Worker 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) I had been an External Relations assistant at the 2016 Space Studies Program helping to promote the exciting day to day activities of it, and with it being held in Ireland in 2017 I managed to join the host organisation team at the Cork Institute of Technology to bring my social media and communications expertise to the team. Jonathan FaullSpace Social Media and Communications I sent my C.V. and a cover letter to the school. Paul GalvanResource Teacher I was offered the job by the director of the company and promoted in house. I did not actively seek my current position. I had always been involved and had opinions on the direction the company should take with regard to Health & safety, and became safety rep as a result.

As Duty manager and later Deputy GM, recruitment and selection was part of my role. As the company grew to 4 hotels, there was a need for HR department, and I was offered the position of HR manager & H&S co-ordinator the group RCOI. Laura DevlinHR Manager - Hotel I 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

I was working in the Energy Sector for another organisation and recruitment agency contacted me about a role working at Fidelity International. At the time I had never considered working in Financial Services so I had to do quite a bit of research to work out how the role would be different from my current role and how I could address that in an interview. I attended four interviews, with my potential manager, her manager and also with people I would be working with.

There was also a personality questionnaire and an aptitude test. It sounds daunting but everyone was really nice and friendly, it also made me realise that working in Financial Services wasn't going to be all that different from working in the Energy sector! There were more similarities than differences.

Kathryn ReevesLearning and Development Lead I was offered this job when the previous incumbent moved on. By coincidence, I was looking for a change from the job I had at that time so it was opportune. Karen O'FlahertyScience Communicator

I worked in the child law area in the private sector for many years and then an opportunity came up to work in Tusla.

Diego GallagherSenior Solicitor There is a new JET Coordinator selected each year, and an email is usually sent out to current Irish JETs in Japan, so when I had made my decision to move back home again I decided to apply for the position that year. As I was still in Japan when I was applying, I had my interviews for the position over Skype. I found out I was successful for the position in May, finished up on the JET programme and returned to Ireland in August and began working at the Embassy at the beginning of September. Edel CarletonJET Coordinator - Japanese Embassy 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 My current job was a leap of faith as I switched to the sell side after 18 years on the buy side. It is a challenge to set up a new business line from scratch, but also a learning opportunity. But of course, the first challenge was to convince my new boss and my new company to hire me and provide me with resources to set up inflation trading. Luckily our visions were similar, and I convinced them. I'm happy that we beat our targets three years in a row now. Semin Soher PowerSenior Inflation Trader I was lucky enough to win a scholarship and attend the International Space University (ISU)’s summer “Space Studies Program” (SSP17) as a participant. My current boss was also attending SSP17 and got a job following that course. Sam FranklinEarth Observation Specialist I originally applied for an electrical apprenticeship with my company and through the years progressed from this to a Quantity Surveyor. Eileen FahertyElectrician / Quantity Surveyor 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 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 Luckily I made my way up through the ranks within my company since I finished college. I completed my work experience with the company and they asked me to return once I completed the course. Aidan MaherSite Manager - Grad Entry Firstly I served my time as an electrician, then I applied for a job with Johnson & Johnson in the DePuy facility in Ringaskiddy during which I became interested in the whole area of energy and I went on from there to become an Automation/Energy engineer. Donal Og CusackAutomation/Energy Engineer It was a career I was always interested in. I submitted a written application form which I was then selected from and called for interview. On completion of this interview I was then selected and called for a second interview, psychometric testing, medicals and a fitness test. The offer arrived the same day as the CAO offers. David FlemingSub Lieutenant - Navy Main challenges The challenges for me are dealing with suppliers. I am used to controlling what I do and having a strict goal, and when dealing with third parties who have their own challenges and company goals, it can become difficult to work as a team. Elaine KellyMechanical Design Engineer To try to accommodate all walks of people, as the products I work on could potentially be in every home. Liam McCaulR&D Engineer The main challenges are:

Getting the curriculum covered in a short day.
Meeting the high expectations of parents.
The constant changing of textbooks/methods of teaching. Brian CadiganPrimary School Teacher The sourcing and supply of fish is a daily challenge.  We are helped in this by other people in the industry and constant contact with the market. Nicola O'HigginsFishmonger Working in a fast-paced environment can also be challenging at times. It is an environment that demands high productivity at high standards.  Laura FinneganProcess Development Engineer Each child is different and has his or her own difficulties. In a class of nine their may be as many as nine dramatically different levels of reading/ writing/ spelling ability. Knowing at what level to pitch a lesson can be challenging. This is why we practice a lot of group work/ games and learning activities in this school to meet the needs of the children, and ensure they are working within their own abilities while still being challenged and motivated Padraig ParleTeacher - Special Needs As the people I work with face challenges with communication, learning what their needs are can be a challenge, this encourages you to think creatively and develop problem solving skills. It also develops good communication among the staff team. Deirdre LavelleCare Assistant In a modern Ireland drink and drugs provide us with a huge challenge. Situations can and do turn very violent when people consume excess alcohol or drugs. It makes communicating with these people extremely difficult as they are impaired and their thought process is different. Peter CliffordProbationer Garda At present managing properties when there has been a number of store closures due to Covid 19 has been challenging, our tenants turnover has naturally been impacted so we are closely liaising with them to assist where possible but also having our investors interest and keep rent collections as high as possible. Jenny DonnellyAsset Manager 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 Meeting deadlines for orders. Ray PowerPotter Ensuring any parts designed is produced to a high standard and changes are properly conducted after inspection. As a Design Engineer, my role has a great deal of responsibility in the entire process of the project. Kevin O'HaganDesign Engineer Dealing with things that don’t work is the main challenge. You are doing research into a new area, so many things work, but many things do not work. It is not a series of great discoveries, but a series of non-discoveries and hopefully one discovery over a period of years. Cecilia FenechEnvironmental Scientist

Akin to the housing crisis, it is a challenge to find places for all the separated children entering the country to live. However, the team manages it every time. This is an exhausting part of the work and I’m impressed daily as to how they achieve this. Aside from this, time management will always be a challenge, but over the years I have developed strategies to learn how to prioritise my responsibilities.

Jonathan O’ReillyPrincipal Social Worker Time management & Self accountability Barry McEnteeChartered Physiotherapist The main challenge is to meet demanding targets, both financially and time wise, with multiple competing projects often involving the same few personnel. Jonathan PugsleyEnergy Manager Cost / Time constraints. Sourcing correctly skilled and knowledgeable labour. Donal KanePlumber / Construction Super. The insurance industry is a very fast paced environment and my biggest challenge is that there are never enough hours in the day. Sarah TenantyFinance Operations AIB is quite new back to the market in the Graduate Space – Playing catch up but we are very fast to do so. Ross O'BrienGraduate Recruitment Team Lead Debugging code- your own mistakes are always the hardest to spot… but then again that’s a necessary part of any job in Software Development! Claire PurcellSoftware Engineer Typical day I manage on behalf of the Bank the lending requests from various businesses. Providing finance to SMEs for various projects to help grow their businesses. Projects such as business acquisition, capital investment in equipment and premises, property acquisition, etc.This can be very rewarding when you see business grow and become more successfully with your help. Madonna DalyBusiness Manager 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 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 Work starts at 7:30am starting with a morning meeting with all my team, telling them the targets for the day and how many bookings we have in etc and what everyones duties for the day are. Client 1 comes to the spa at 8am and treatments begin. I spend my day checking in guests, ensuring they have a 5 star service , dealing with all accounts and daily reports etc.

1 hour for lunch time and 1 hour for dinner time. The spa closes at 7pm and I can let my hair down, enjoy time in the crew pool or crew areas or even go watch a show in the theatre, On my days off, I have the opportunity to get off the ship and explore whatever place we are in. Kate WalshBeauty Therapist

I have a huge variety in my daily schedule, and for me there is no such thing as a typical day. We have sales world wide, ranging from The United States, Europe, Israel, The Far East, and even Australia. And because of this my day can start and finish at any hour of the day. Sometimes the day can start with a conference call with customer’s in the Far East, followed by another meeting with a European based customer around mid day, and finally an evening call with a customer in for example California.

The variety is huge, and really keeps me on my toes! Activities are constantly being re-scheduled to meet our customer’s requirements, and because we support the customer’s applications, this may oftern require our immediate attention. Sometimes the issue is relatively straight forward and I can answer by a return email. Other times it might involve some laboratory work, and occasionally it is not possible to resolve the issue without travelling to the customer’s location. If this is the case, then we co-ordinate with the customer to arrange flights, transfers, hotel accommodation etc.

I am also responsible for International regulatory issues on our products. These are the requirements for selling electronic goods in some international markets, especially into medical applications. Often this requires co-ordinating with the various international bodies to ensure our product meets the required standards, and includes quarterly visits to our manufacturing facilities in Eastern Europe and the Far East.

In my current role I also am responsible for updating the senior management team on aspects of the groups work. We get together once a month to discuss all aspects of the business, both engineering and commercial. This usually takes place at the start of every month, so some of my time is spent collaborating reports for these meetings. As the electronics industry continues to change, larger companies over the years have reduced their in house power supply experts. Because of this we see a lot of customers who do not understand the intricacies of using a power supply. So some of my time is spent either writing papers for customers or putting together some training material to help them understand the issues as they may arise.

Shane CallananElectronic Engineer There is a lot of diversity working with J&J and there isn’t any set routine. I like to rise early - in a previous life I used to do a lot of training. With this job, some days I’m working offsite, some days I’m working in different countries or with people in different time zones so there are no two days the same. I generally finish about six in the evening. Donal Og CusackAutomation/Energy Engineer My day in the office typically starts at about 08.30 and ends about 18.00 The activities of the day generally fall into one of 3 categories
(i) Planning
(ii) Reporting and
(iii) Problem solving.

Typically the day involves lots of meetings - these can range from meetings with other members of the management team, to meeting with investors, existing and potential customers, lawyers, accountants and bank managers.

Generally speaking these meetings revolve around getting and providing updates on the progress of the Company compared against the objectives set out in the Company's business plan. Often times these meetings will inform the next iteration of the business plan itself and the strategies the Company must employ to achieve these objectives.

During busy periods I would often take work home in the evening and at weekends - but as I said earlier I am getting better at achieving a proper work/life balance. Brian KellyScience Entrepreneur

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 would involve preparing any variations that are due on a project. Most construction projects are fast moving and clients require costs turned around in a quick manner so this is always our focus.

I would then work on any weekly reports due such as labour spends reports or project cost projections. This would involve working with Project Managers and Contracts Mangers to get the various elements of information required to produce the report.

As with all construction professionals a lot of time is spent answering emails on various cost queries from clients, PQS and our Accounts and Purchasing. If a project is coming to an end a large amount of time will be spent preparing the Final Account and agreeing it with the relevant parties. It is always good to close off a project and get the final account signed, particularly on a large or lengthy project. Eileen FahertyElectrician / Quantity Surveyor 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 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 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

08:00	I arrive at school to get ready for the day ahead. Day commences at 08:40
08:40 - 09:00	Assembly period when children come into class to get ready
09:00 - 10:30	Formal instruction begins
10:30 - 10:40	Children leave for small break
10:40 - 12:10	Teaching time
12:00 - 12:40	Children go to yard for big break
12:40 - 14:20	Teaching time
14:20 - 15:45	Usually hurling training after school
16:00	Leave school.
After School	Spend one-two hours at home preparing for next days lessons and correcting assignments

Brian CadiganPrimary School Teacher 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 Luckily, on this contract we had no day duties which meant that unless we had rehearsals for the shows we were completely free during the day. For that reason when we docked in a city I was free to get off the ship and explore which was really incredible. I knew that straight away after this contract I was going to be choreographing a musical back home though so some days I needed to spend time during the day preparing for that too so that I had it all choreographed and ready to go.

Sometimes in the afternoons we would have rehearsals for the shows just to clean up any problems or change things if one of the dancers was injured. Then I would go back to my cabin and start my make-up for the show. We always warmed up together as a group before the show to make sure we could give it 100%. After the show we would prepare all of our costumes for the next day and see if anything needed fixing, cool down and go to bed to do it all again the next day. Megan McEvoyDancer I usually arrive in school about 8:15. Classes don’t start until 9:00 but I like to get some corrections and preparation done first. I would usually have between 6 and 9 class periods each day. Each class lasts 40 minutes.

On a typical day I would teach a variety of different classes and age groups, ranging from first year through to Leaving Cert. At 11:00 there is a ten minute break. Some days I would be required to supervise the corridors at this time.

After break there are two more classes before lunch at 12:25. Lunch is a good chance to catch up with colleagues in the staff room. At 1:25 class starts again. There are 4 classes in the afternoon with school finishing at 4pm.

I coach the school soccer team so I might have a training session for an hour and a half after school. Other days I might have to supervise in-school study for 2 hours. If I’m not doing extra curricular activities or study I usually stay in school and do some corrections, photocopying and preparations.

There is quite an amount of paperwork involved for a resource teacher as daily logs of student’s progress and activities must be kept. I might also use this time to update a student’s individual education plan (I.E.P) and make changes based on my assessment of their progress this week. Paul GalvanResource Teacher Every day starts the same…I look at two things: 1. Bloomberg’s “5 things you need to know to start your day” and 2. my “to-do” list in Excel. Everything in my to-do list is colour-coded, depending on how urgent it is. I have a plan for every day but I rarely complete the tasks I had intended to as you’ll get an “urgent” email / call / Teams message from a colleague or client that interrupts your plan and it goes from there! I find prioritising is a major part of every day, with the most “urgent” task on my list changing as the day goes on.

My day-to-day work entails preparing meeting papers for upcoming client meetings, progressing actions from previous client meetings and responding to emails. People management consumes a chunk of my time – with a growing client base and a few people moving internally within Mercer, hiring is also a feature of my role.

I find my days busy and I have to be flexible and willing to adapt when unexpected issues arise during the day. While sometimes, I do crave 2 uninterrupted hours to focus on a particular task, I really enjoy regularly interacting with colleagues and clients alike. If I have a client meeting on a particular day, I’ll set aside some time to prep for that. Deadlines are a key feature of every day. You need lots of energy to stay on top of everything, monitor deadlines and ensure tasks are progressing well. Orla AherneInvestment Consultant

I’ve worked in a wide range of areas over my four years at Wavebob, from mechanical design to data analysis – but most recently a lot of my work has been related to tank testing. We use large wave tanks to test scaled models of our [ocean energy] device, to see how it reacts to different wave conditions, and we use this data to feed in to the design and manufacture of the full size machine.

As Wavebob are a wave energy technology developer, we are constantly learning and innovating. We are inventing a new way of doing things and that presents certain challenges, but it is also very exciting. It’s very important to keep in touch with what’s happening in the industry and associated academic research – this means attending conferences, reading research papers and even keeping up to date with related technologies.

Elva BannonMechatronic Engineer The first task is usually to reply to emails that have come in since the end of the previous working day. Sometimes I can do this on my phone on my way into work on the luas if short responses are required. I may also have a number of calls scheduled with clients or barristers throughout the day. I may have to read documents or emails in advance in preparation for the calls.

I might also have to attend meetings with clients to discuss the progress of their court cases or get information from them on their case. Sometimes barristers would also attend these meetings to advice on strategy for the litigation. I would also have to spend time on preparing letters of advice to clients or letters on behalf of our clients to other solicitors who act for parties involved in legal disputes with our clients.

I might also have to research a particular legal issue or look up case law or precedent on a particular point that might help our client's case. [Irish lawyers can be barristers or solicitors. Barristers specialise in courtroom advocacy and litigation but they are not instructed directly by clients. Solicitors deal with clients and prepare the case with the client and then engage a barrister to present the case to Court and advocate in front of the Judge.

Most solicitors are employed by a law firm or company as an in-house solicitor. As an employee, solicitors are likely to have job security with a regular income, whereas barristers tend to be self-employed. Being self-employed can lead to uncertainty regarding income particularly at the beginning of their careers. This is less of an issue as barristers become more established in their careers and more experienced. Niamh CacciatoSolicitor Each working day is very different and that keeps the role interesting and challenging.
8 30 am: Arrive to the office and catch up on any emails I may have received the previous evening.
9 30 am – 10 30 am: Conference call with our legal director and Pernod Ricard USA on the US tax consequences of a new project.
10 30 - 11 am: Assist the financial accountant with the tax accounting for a group company’s financial statements.
11 am – Midday: Meeting with Financial Controller and CFO on the liquidation of a group company and the tax implications.
Midday – 1pm: Call with our professional VAT advisers in preparation for an upcoming VAT audit.
2 pm – 4 pm: Working on Corporate Tax computations and researching a VAT query I received from a colleague in the marketing department.
4 – 5 pm: Call with the Paris tax team on the Irish Tax implications of a group restructuring project and prepare slides for the next morning’s month end meeting.
So you see the day varies between desk based work / research and calls, meetings etc. Lorcan KellyTax Consultant Further training... Besides inservice in both PE and Geography which I have taken and plan to do in the future I have no plans for further training at present. Mary JoyceSecondary School Teacher 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) There is always something new to learn. At this time, I’m interested in learning how to evaluate outreach activities in a meaningful way. Karen O'FlahertyScience Communicator 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. Yes - I am always looking for new opportunities to study or attend training courses to further my personal and professional development! Shane SargeantDepartment of Foreign Affairs I am continually learning from master turners and learning excellence in teaching and instruction from practitioners. Glenn LucasWoodturner Yes, I do ongoing training – I dedicate about 5% of my time to training. Des LalorWind Engineer Not at present but may look into doing a Masters.  Ross O'BrienGraduate Recruitment Team Lead I am always open to upskilling; I regularly attend webinars so that I am up to date on current matters. Jenny DonnellyAsset Manager I have done courses on Special Education, Learning Difficulties inc. Autism, Asbergers. Deirdre SayersPrimary School Teacher I think continuous upskilling is very important as the industry is constantly changing and you need to adapt. Elaine KellyMechanical Design Engineer Currently working with a Business Psychologist, Johanna Fullerton on Leadership Development. Richard KinsellaManaging Director Engineering Course - 3 week basic course. This gives you the essentials. Alan O'NeillFisherman Continuing professional development is an important part of my job. This includes attending courses that are organised to train new assessment and therapy skills. I have had the chance to attend several courses over the past year and a half since I began working. It also involves keeping up to date with new research and evidence for the therapy techniques that we use and also undertaking research.

On a day to day basis all the therapists share new ideas and information with each other and it is very useful to discuss clients with more experienced therapists to get extra ideas. It is also possible to further your formal education by undertaking a masters or a higher level diploma course. There are several of these available in the area of speech and language therapy. Lisa KellySpeech and Language Yes, I would like to get an Anaesthetic Fellowship, Pain Diploma, MBA Health Care Management and maybe a diploma in computer networking & database control. Dr Jan SteinerAnaesthetist I would like to study something more about business as it’s a rapidly expanding sector within the global space economy and it would be really useful to have. Jonathan FaullSpace Social Media and Communications As above I’m currently doing the FCII and a degree in International Finance & Banking. I’m also participating in a number of internal Aon courses. Karl CurranAssociate Director Yes I plan to go back this year and finish off my engineering exams for the class one engineer. Brendan CavanaghShips Engineer I have received training on the use of the interactive whiteboard as a tool for teaching. 

Inservice days on new (1999) primary school curriculum. 

I have participated in many courses on Gaelic Games run by the local G.A.A. Club 'Kilmacud Crokes'.

Currently I am studying in U.C.D. on a Masters in Education programme. Brian CadiganPrimary School Teacher

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 Advice if considering this job Learn about the Naval Service – look at the website, visit a ship alongside a port when they are open to the public, talk to any friends/family in the Naval Service, ring the Recruiting Office. David FlemingSub Lieutenant - Navy If you work hard and produce excellent quality work you will never be quiet. Fergal FeehelyApprentice Painter Decorator Go for it!  But realise that its not going to be easy and things take time and there are LOTS of sacrifices to make. Also make sure you learn from your mistakes - because you will make them. It is really only a mistake if you don't learn from it. Brian KellyScience Entrepreneur Know what you like and dislike, and what you are good at and not so good at so you study or do an apprenticeship in something that you will love so that work is a job as well as a hobby. Choose a more general degree eg science or engineering where you do a lot of subjects in first year then specialize. If you don’t get the course you want you can still do a similar one as the fundamentals are the same. Niamh YatesValidation Engineer

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

Tom TooherLieutenant - Army Take every opportunity available, don't be afraid to do voluntary work and get involved in communities. Aishling ButlerGarda Trainee Written interview unavailable... Mary McCaugheyHead of Communications

• Have a passion for where you work – Selling AIB as a great place to work is a huge part of the job so you have to believe in it. 
• People person
• Good organisation

Ross O'BrienGraduate Recruitment Team Lead 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 You do need to be naturally good at maths and problem solving. If you enjoy that type of work, then try to get as much on-the-job experience as you can early on either as a part-time job or through internships. If you want to work in an industry that is heavily involved in manufacturing try to get internships on a shop floor to give you the fundamental understanding of the manufacturing processes. Studying is incredibly important but experience will give you an edge over your peers. Elaine KellyMechanical Design Engineer 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) Some may think that you can go untrained into fishing. The best advice I would give people considering fishing as a profession is to get training. Fishing is an all encompassing career - when you need to go fishing, the rest of your life goes on hold unfortunately. It is very unpredictabe because you could be fishing non stop for three weeks and tied up for two. Alan O'NeillFisherman

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 Being a self-employed artist is probably the most difficult job really. You need to be highly motivated in the tasks you set for yourself. You need to be able to work on your inspirations and be totally focused on your targets. If your painting does not work first time you need to be able to learn from your experience and use what worked in another piece. Your ability to have confidence in your journey exploring your choice of subjects in paint is important. As regards doing workshops, bringing fun into the entire effort is the most important element to achieve. Your audiences will learn in a more sustainable way and produce drawings to be proud of. Deirdre KelleghanAmateur Astronomer 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 Only enter the Defence Forces if you are willing to commit to it 100% as it is a long tough road which can be extremely rewarding if you fully engage it. Like everything in this life, you get out what you put in. Keith LynchPrivate (Line) I’d start watching every video and reading every book on space that you can find, that will help you figure out what area of space you are most interested in. Having a solid education can’t hurt but don’t worry if you’re not a straight A student, I’ve managed to work myself into the career somehow! Jonathan FaullSpace Social Media and Communications The best bit of advice I could give anyone thinking about going into dairy farming is to go out and get experience first hand on a farm. This way you will know if you enjoy it and have a passion to do it first hand. If you do then studying agriculture in school and then onto an ag college is a great foundation to get the required knowledge you will need in the future. Bryan DanielsFarmer - Dairy Read a lot – it’s a great way to find new ways to express ideas. Write a lot, even if just for yourself, so that you get used to communicating your ideas on paper. Develop your time management skills – that is crucial when working in an area that has very tight deadlines. Learn more languages – it’s very helpful to have an insight into how people express themselves in different languages. Karen O'FlahertyScience Communicator The lifestyle Working as JET Coordinator can be quite hectic as I have to visit lots of different universities and often have to get up early or don't get home until late, but it's nice to still be in a Japanese work environment after coming back from Japan - a great way to ease myself back into Irish society without as much reverse culture shock being home. Edel CarletonJET Coordinator - Japanese Embassy Initially as a young free person, the hours in hospitality were varied and I liked that. I could be on or off any given day. The variety suited me. If I needed a night off or to go out on the town over the weekend, I requested it and got it.

As life changed, marriage and children came along, I found working with a family run organisation helped – they were very understanding and accommodating if time was needed to facilitate family time.

Being off mid-week when my partner worked was good in a sense as it cut down on childcare costs – he was there at the weekend when I was working.

As work in the hospitality industry can be very varied, there is potential to change the direction of career, rather than operations, I am now 9-5 Monday – Thursday in my HR capacity which suits life with a young family of school age.

Laura DevlinHR Manager - Hotel 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 Being honest, to a degree yes, but not fully. The nature and reality of private practice is that we are busiest outside of everyone else's 9-5 schedule. This means early mornings, which are great, and I enjoy. Late evenings however impact on family life, social life, and sporting endeavours.

I haven't been as involved in my chosen sport of Gaelic football as I'd like to have been this past few years as its quite the challenge to juggle work and making training, especially when GAA fixtures change so frequently and at such short notice.

I have a comfortable lifestyle thanks to putting in long hours and working hard, this is something that I enjoy so it's never an issue for me aside from the aforementioned clash with my own sporting interests. Barry McEnteeChartered Physiotherapist 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 it does, I am lucky that my career choice heavily overlaps with my personal interests so I guess I am lucky in that sense, there is also a lot of opportunities to travel. Jonathan FaullSpace Social Media and Communications Absolutely. I earn a good salary and maintain relatively social hours. Whereas there have been times where I have needed to prioritise the needs of a child or the service over evening plans, these occasions have been exceptional rather than the norm. I have always worked with incredible colleagues, and consequently, we would always look out for one another, and assist to minimise life interruptions. Furthermore, I have always been offered flexibility in my job to take any accrued hours back at times to suit my own lifestyle. Jonathan O’ReillyPrincipal Social Worker At the moment I have free time on Sunday and Monday, so that is great as I can spend time with my two small children. Having just started a new business that is the best I can get at the moment. Nicola O'HigginsFishmonger Yes. I have a very active life style. I like running climbing, hiking and travelling. Unlike other professions, I work six days then have four days off.

This allows me to go on a small camping trip or to take a long hike somewhere down the countryside. Our annual flexible leave system is also very flexible as it allows me to arrange my holidays well in advance. Nan Hu Garda With hard work always comes rewards and I feel my current role allows me to have a good lifestyle. Although my days at work can be quite long and demanding, I have every weekend free to spend with my family and friends. I have sociable working hours and my commute to the office is less than ten minutes. In my current role, I have also had the opportunity to travel to countries such as Switzerland, Germany & the UK. Working for a large multi-national like Zurich gives me great job security along with an excellent benefits package. Sarah TenantyFinance Operations Yes, absolutely. As a Third Secretary I can expect to spend large parts of my career working at Irish embassies abroad which is a prospect I find very exciting. At the same time I will spend time based at Headquarters in Ireland which means I will always retain that strong connection with home. I am currently based at Ireland's Permanent Representation to the EU which is Ireland's largest diplomatic mission abroad. Shane SargeantDepartment of Foreign Affairs Yes, I usually work a five day week, times can be flexible when required. Hugh Heraghty Fish Farm Manager In Revenue, you have flexible working hours which are managed through an electronic time and attendance recording system. You can start work at any time between 8 and 10 o’clock and you can finish your working day any time from 4 o’clock. This allows great flexibility and ensures that you can organise your day in such a way as to create a balance between career and personal life. Edel ButlerAdministrative Officer Yes Brendan WhiteFish Filleter 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 Work expands to fill all time available. You decide your lifestyle, depending upon your time management capabilities. I make time to play a team sport, go out with friends and even take regular holidays to go home. Yet you still need to work hard. The project is like your baby: you live through it for a couple of years, yet you need to make time for yourself. Cecilia FenechEnvironmental Scientist My job through the years has allowed me to progress with time and I feel that while it is hard work you can earn a good living from it which allows a good lifestyle. Eileen FahertyElectrician / Quantity Surveyor In work, we are actively encouraged to ensure that we achieve a good career and personal life balance. I just try to ensure that I work as efficiently as I can when I am in the office which enables me to do activities in the evenings and weekends. I am a member of a number of clubs which also helps me to get a good balance. Sinead LewSenior Tax 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 I'm paid well enough. As regards to whether I'm happy; it's like being paid to do your hobby, to go and have fun. It's like boys toys: space, the final frontier, Star Trek. I grew up with Star Trek, so for me every day is fun. I set up the company in 2010, so I created the job myself, effectively. Rory Fitzpatrick CEO of the National Space Centre Whats cool I like the fact that my job gets me involved with all aspects of the business - planning, purchasing, finance, engineering, human resources etc. It is this diversity of contacts which ensures that each day is different and interesting. I also like the pressure in my job. I'm never short of something to do. Fergus O'ConnellQuality Officer Living in Brussels - It’s a similar size to Dublin so it wasn’t a big disruption to move here. I like living on the continent because it makes travel so much easier when you can just get in your car and drive to another country. I also like the multi-national environment because it’s permanently stimulating. Catherine DaySecretary General It’s quite cool to be working on the most advanced manufacturing process in the world. The first time you walk into the fab is like going to a different world. Darryl DayIQ Engineer Getting problems solved and corrective actions implemented so I am confident I will never see the issue again. Managing a group of people and seeing the group succeed in achieving its objective Michael BohaneQA Manager The holidays!! My colleague says “the education of our future generations”!!, that too, of course. Mary JoyceSecondary School Teacher I am very much a people person and love the opportunities which this job provides. Steven KilgannonGarda Trainee I love the fact that we have created something on our farm to ensure its preservation and continuity for future generations. I have been chosen as the only female Shepherd in Ireland to participate in a year long arts project following the life of four female Shepherds in England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales.

The project was launched at the Tate Museum Liverpool in Nov. 2019 and is being managed by Dr. Patricia McKinnon Day, St. John Moore’s University and Artscape Management, London. I am especially proud that our business supports the local community and is fast becoming an internationally recognised visitor attraction on the Wild Atlantic Way! Catherine O'Grady PowersOwner Gleenkeen Farms 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 What I really like about my job is the whole essence of being able to serve my community and gaining their trust. Rasaq FaladeGarda Reserve 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 The thing I like most about this job is the travel aspect of it. Johnson & Johnson are a multinational company so I get to see a lot of different places around the world. Donal Og CusackAutomation/Energy Engineer Being your own boss a lot of the time, making your own decisions, being able to step out of my back door every morning and stepping into my 1,000 acre office. Kieran MageeFarm Manager - Dry Stock

Variety of the role- couple of months is marketing strategy.

Being a brand ambassador for the bank.

Ross O'BrienGraduate Recruitment Team Lead

Anything with a bit of adrenalin attached is cool. Whether it is boarding a trawler in very bad weather, a gunnery shoot, exercising ships gunners. Approaching a port with a large concentration of traffic, anything that is challenging really.

Also the opportunity to travel the world, though my career to date I have been lucky enough to have been to many different places, from Singapore to L.A. Argentina, Hong Kong, India and Egypt.

David FlemingSub Lieutenant - Navy The opportunity to travel is one of the aspects definitely favoured. I also work with a group of really great people who rise to the challenge on a constant basis. Lynsey GarganManufacturing Engineer You will get to know all the latest book releases and may have opportunities to meet a visiting author. Librarians will have an input in creating and organising library events.

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

It can be very satisfying to successfully assist people find what they want, whether this may be on, (for example), building a garden shed or screen writing. Each morning I look forward to my days work, that to me is cool. Jonathan SmythLibrary Assistant Teamwork, I’ve always liked working as part of a team. I’ve found that working with others has always been far more beneficial. Listening to other people’s perspectives helps us see things in another light and thus helps broaden our approach and for me this improves our attitudes to work. Kevin MoranInsurance Administrator Creating programmes to support people to reach their potential is really exciting. I've devised programmes to support grads, interns, people with disabilities, women returning from maternity leave. A lot of new HR technology is available now so you can do really cool things to understand colleagues and their preferences the way we try to understand our customers. Oonagh KellyHead of HR It is always varied so the work can be stimulating, interesting and exciting. It can also be stressful, pressurised and tiring particularly when a court case is at hearing but even when it is the diversity and adrenalin rush makes the long hours tolerable! Its often nice to escape the office and go to court for the day for a change of environment! Niamh CacciatoSolicitor I love people management and I love building a rapport with my busiest clients who I’m in frequent contact with. The ability to build strong relationships with clients is important in this job and it’s something I enjoy. Orla AherneInvestment Consultant Not so cool Occasionally there can be an important deadline to meet that requires extra hours in the office but this is the exception rather than the norm. Anna Holohan Tax Manager I really can't think of anything off the top of my head! Shane SargeantDepartment of Foreign Affairs Budget control. In the pharmaceutical industry the financial aspect of running the dept is very important and all spend has to be controlled.  Budget compliance is reviewed monthly with the finance group and this can be quite tiring having to justify spend to non-science people whose sole focus is bottom line (which they need to be of course). Michael BohaneQA Manager Unfortunately not everyone understands the role of an Occupational Therapist and this can be frustrating at times. As OTs work in many different areas and with a diverse range of service users the role of an OT can be very different from one setting to another. This can lead to confusion for staff and service users as to when to contact the OT Dept. Tomas FlanaganOccupational Therapist

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 It can be dirty sometimes. Fergal FeehelyApprentice Painter Decorator Some exercises can be very long and demanding. Sometimes you can be wet, hungry and tired and you just feel sorry for yourself.  But when it is all over I look back on it and realise the laugh that I had. Louise Mc DonaldPrivate (Line) Tearing the net and mending it. Getting no fish and therefore getting no money. Alan O'NeillFisherman 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 Nothing really as every job comes with its own hazard. Rasaq FaladeGarda Reserve I really don’t like going to a scene that involves casualties or serious injuries. I don’t like bringing bad news to a family. It can be very upsetting for a number of days. Nan Hu Garda Meetings, although necessary to get the job done, can sometimes be boring. The Internet bubble: means the stock price doesn't rocket up like it used to. Jason RuaneComputer Programmer There’s always room to improve administration and processes - some of the activity is non-value add to our customers and consumes a lot of our time each day. Sarah TenantyFinance Operations There is very little I do not like about my job but if I had to select one it would have to be the the lack of control I have over my day-to-day activities as my day is timetabled by others. However generally I find this a minor annoyance. Keith LynchPrivate (Line) 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 Doing my VAT returns! Glenn LucasWoodturner Although you have the excitement and action of responding to calls the reality is when you arrive you have to deal with some horrific things, you will sometimes see people in great distress and suffering. On a positive note though once you get to do your job and use your skills you normally improve things. Keith HayesAmbulance / Paramedic Nothing so far. Liam McCaulR&D Engineer The pay at the moment. Coming from a full time job it was very hard to adapt to the allowance paid during training. Mark Spain Garda Trainee