deiseanna gairme in institiúide an AE

Employer Insights Getting the job I took over my fathers business in 2008, the worst possible time for those in the construction business. We originally had a staff of eight men which was cut back to two, we now have four men employed and we can see further prospects for employment in the near future. Fergal FeehelyApprentice Painter Decorator I answered an advertisement in a national newspaper. I applied in writing and sent off my CV.  I then went through a number of interviews carried out by a selected panel of advisers.  Finally I was brought to my bosses office and told the good news by himself. Kieran MageeFarm Manager - Dry Stock

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 Community Policing was an area that always interested me and when a vacancy came up, I applied through my Sergeant and my application was accepted. Niamh BriggsGarda 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 I applied through publicjobs.ie and was guided through the process. Mark Spain Garda Trainee When I was looking to become a Paramedic I had to check the appointment section of the national news papers for the position to be advertised. Now the positions are advertised through different methods such as national papers and websites.

When you apply for the position you go through various selection procedures, beginning with responding to the advertisement and completing the application form. After this you have to pass an aptitude test which is followed by a panel interview and medical.

On successful completion of these stages in which you would be awarded scores/ points based on your performance, you would be placed on a panel reflecting the amount of points you’ve obtained. This means the better your performance and competencies the more points you gain, and the more points you gain the higher on the panel you get.

Once selected from the panel you may be offered a place as a student Paramedic and sent to college for training. From there you must demonstrate that you have the ability and competency to become an operational Paramedic by passing the college exams and assignments as well as the State exams to secure a place on the State register*.

*State register; to practice as a Paramedic or Advanced Paramedic in the Republic of Ireland you must successfully complete the exams and secure a place on the statuary register outlined by the Pre-hospital Emergency Care Council (PHECC). Keith HayesAmbulance / Paramedic I started in Intel as a graduate process engineer. My manager asked me during my regular one-on-one meetings, where I envision myself in the group for the upcoming new technology. It was here that I was able to express my interest in the ‘tool install’ area.

It wasn’t until many months later, after I had completed an assignment in the US, that I was asked to move to the Install-Qual group. It was great to evidence the personal interest that my manager had in my career progression to encourage this opportunity and this seems to be a value that Intel actively encourages in management. Darryl DayIQ Engineer My husband saw a gap in the market for selling fish in Wicklow and after two years of looking for premises, we finally found one and just went for it! Nicola O'HigginsFishmonger In the answer to question #3, I partially explained how I got to my current job. I was offered the position of Senior Research Advisor at both SOSA and MCSS before I even finished my PhD. I ended up moving to Slovakia to pursue the job at SOSA, while performing my work for MCSS remotely. In January 2016, I was elected vice chair of SOSA, so I have even more duties and responsibilities (described in section #8 below). Generally speaking, however, I got to my current job by going after my passion and childhood dreams: to study space and astrobiology, hoping that one-day I could work for NASA and/or ESA; even to become an astronaut! I have worked very hard so far pursuing these dreams. First of all, I funded all of my studies at UCL, CalTech, University of Bristol (UoB) and the International Space University’s Space Studies Program (ISU SSP) only through numerous scholarships, awards, part-time work and even charity funding (as my parents could not afford to finance my education). Moreover, I used the possibilities, offered by my studies, to the maximum to gain research experience in space exploration. For example, I volunteered to work on an extracurricular project on extra-solar planets at the University of London Observatory; I was awarded a Nuffield Foundation grant for a joint NASA/UK Space Agency MoonLite project, simulating planetary surfaces; I became a teaching assistant in astrobiology and astronomy for Bachelor’s degree classes at UCL, UoB and numerous schools in London; at CalTech I proposed research projects of my own, working with leading scientists in astrobiology, including Mars Curiosity Rover’s chief scientist, Professor John Grotzinger; I was awarded a research fellowship to work at NASA JPL; and my research projects and myself were selected for a Martian simulation mission to the Mars Desert Research Station (MDRS), USA. All of the awards and job offers that I received were the result of all of these self-driven activities, as well as the quality of my research results. Michaela MusilovaMission Control Space Services 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 A friend working within the company. Donal KanePlumber / Construction Super. 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 was contacted by a recruitment consultant who described the role and enquired if I was interested. I expressed an interest and an interview was arranged. I was interviewed by HR and my current boss. It was a general interview exploring pharmaceutical experience to date, general interests etc.

I was invited to attend for a second interview, again with HR and my current boss. This was a more specific interview based on the star interview model (situation, task, action taken, result). I was presented with a number of situations (20-30) to describe what was the action I had taken and the outcome. Th recruitment consultant then arranged a medical test and reference check.and I was informed in a number of days that I had been successful and the company would like to make an offer. The company contacted me directly and made an offer. I had some extra requests and these were met. I accepted the role. The entire process took about two months.

Michael BohaneQA Manager

As I have previously mentioned, the year I graduated was a great one for electronic engineering students. All of my graduating class had at least two offers before we had sat our final exams. At the time I had the offer of either taking up a Process Engineering, Software, Test or Hardware Design Engineering position with four different companies.

I picked hardware because that was what I most interested after completing my Electronics degree. I chose a multi-national company, and my advice to any graduate would be to start your career with an international company. Many of these companies will have formal graduate training programs in place, with pre defined career opportunities in place. Learning in a well established, and well structured environment will be crucial to any engineer entering the workforce for the first time.

After 12 months I left this company to work as a test engineer. At the time I didn’t want to commit my career to hardware design. I left on very good terms with the promise that if it didn’t work out I should make contact again. After 12 months I decided that my initial choice was what I wanted to pursue, and I was soon working again at my first company. I was promoted to team leader for a small engineering team, and the opportunity presented itself to pursue a career in management, but I wanted to stick with an engineering role. Eventually I was promoted to a senior design engineering position where I continued to design power supplies up until 2006. This was a very exciting time for me, and professionally my career really advanced.

In 2006 an opportunity arose to join a small Irish company that was moving its headquarters from Dublin to Cork. This company was Excelsys Technologies. The role was to head up the Applications Engineering group. I met with the Managing Director, who had previously headed up European Operations for the first company I had worked for. I also knew some of the other staff, again having previously worked with them. We now have a concentrated group of very experienced engineers, designing some of the highest power density power supplies in our chosen market.

Shane CallananElectronic Engineer

I was a science and maths teacher in my school for a number of years. I took a study leave year which allowed me to go back to university to train to be a Guidance Counsellor.

Having completed the training, a full time position came available in my school. Having already been involved in guidance in the school informally it seemed a logical progression to move into the formal role of Guidance Counsellor.

Brian HowardGuidance Counsellor I applied for my job the usual way. I had worked with the company for two summers as a student so I knew exactly what I was letting myself in for and what would be expected of me. I went through the normal interview process and was successful. Lynsey GarganManufacturing Engineer 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 I applied for my current job through a recruitment agency. I had two interviews as well as a psychometric test. The interviews focused on my skills background, as well as some technical knowledge. The psychometric test was focused on numeric and analytical skills and was conducted by a third party. Lorcan KellyTax Consultant The Public Appointments Service run competitions periodically for the position of Third Secretary. There are various stages involved from submitting an application to sitting psychometric tests and attending an assessment centre before the interview stages begin. I would be recommend anyone interested to sign up job alerts on www.publicjobs.ie. Shane SargeantDepartment of Foreign Affairs Main challenges The main challenge is having to deal with different managers who have different managerial styles and each department has different needs. There is also a challenge to ensure that each ward has sufficient staff, particularly when staff are out sick. Ejiro O'Hare StrattonClinical Nurse Manager 2 Training and riding horses is extremely time consuming and it is the clock that I guess I feel the most pressure from. Particularly in the winter when the weather and the dark evenings make the days very short. Horses don't wear watches and there is no substitute for time and patience when training them. Trying to allocate time equally to all the horses I have to ride can be difficult. Luke DreaEvent Rider I used to really dislike writing, but as I have developed in my career it has become easier, and sometimes even enjoyable. My biggest challenge is presenting to large audiences; I don’t like this. But it is unavoidable and usually once I begin talking it’s fine, however, I hate the nervous feeling before speaking.  Damien HaberlinEcologist (Post-Doctoral Researcher) Husband is in full time education and I am the only earner. Staying focused and keeping it going through very tough times. Staying positive. Liz ChristyTextile Design/Handweaver A huge challenge for me at the start was speaking German to native Germans on the phone. It was quite daunting at the start, but you get used to it after a while. Another challenge of mine was presenting in team meetings. Again, it's one of those things that become second nature to you the more you do. You need to remember that everyone is in the same boat when doing these things! Laura GlendonMultilingual Software Support SAP 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 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 My main challenge is juggling many tasks to making sure that we meet deadlines. Karen O'FlahertyScience Communicator Writing. The idea of making it scientific, concise and understandable at the same time are relatively challenging for me (especially coming from a person whose country is not a native English-speaking country). That’s why I have to read more journals than others so that I can grasp a solid and coherent way to write my paper Kelvin E Lau HowPHD Student RCSI Its not without its challenges in terms of the changes that are happening globally and in every industry but even more so in a regulated environment that comes with additional challenges but I’m up for it. Sabrina StauntonDesign & Strategy Development Manager AIB 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 ones that effect society as a whole today, poverty, homelessness and trying to police the increasing rate of crime. Niamh BriggsGarda The most difficult part of my job is Managing my managers! This is especially difficult in the Public Sector where one can feel that as much or even more time is spent on ensuring that we can be SEEN, in time, to have done the right thing over and above the time taken to actually do it. This is to bolster ourselves for future questionning (e.g. in a Public Accounts Committee hearing) wherein it is easy to criticise.

Also, the VERY Risk Averse nature of things means that sometimes a large capital expenditure approval might take 1 or 2 years when in a private sector environment it might take months. This is due to the number of government agencies things must go through, often with each one getting their own independent consultants to review matters. As for Technical Challenges, in the light of the above, no matter how difficult they are, they're easy! Ciaran MacSamhrainEngineer - Transport Infrastructure Ireland Shift work can be tough – our group works an alternating pattern of days and nights.  Also coming into a department that had only ever had Chemical Engineers working in my role was daunting, but it provides a great opportunity to learn, and to help others learn. Rachel BennettIndustrial Pharmacist Out at sea everyday is different so each new day has it's own challenges! Brendan CavanaghShips Engineer The main challenges are keeping to a deadline when issues arise or when a sub-contractor or supplier can’t meet the demands. Colin ButterlySite Manager - Trade Entry Meeting deadlines for conferences and speaking in front of large groups of senior scientists about new work can be daunting at times, but it gets easier with practice!

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

There is not necessarily a "right answer" that you can check your calculations against, so you do sometimes have to stick your neck out and come up with a theory. Someone else can then come along and say that they think you're wrong and you have to defend yourself, hopefully based on sound scientific principles! Caitriona JackmanPlanetary Scientist It was certainly a challenge to balance studying for a professional qualification and work full time, however, the Chartered Tax Adviser (CTA) programme offered by the Irish Tax Institute caters for this challenge by providing weekend lectures and electronic access to materials. In particular, the professional skills workshop offered the opportunity to discuss and solve real-life tax problems that I could then apply in my day to day work. Caroline AustinSenior Associate Solicitor

Maintaining the attention of a playful and curious little child for the purpose of psychological assessment is certainly a challenge! Understanding the speech of a person with communication difficulties also sometimes stretches my powers of listening and interpretation.

Working with staff groups who are struggling to understand and meet the needs of their service users sometimes really draws upon my abilities to motivate and explain psychological interventions in clear terms.

Organising and responding to referrals tests my capacity to gather information and prioritise effectively. The hugely varied nature of human behaviour, psychological difficulties, and the constant research activity means that I need to keep up to speed with developments in the field by reading psychological journals, attending special interest groups, and conferences.

Elaine MacDonaldPsychologist - Clinical We have a lot of projects at once, so juggling all them at the same time can be a challenge. Megan WalshMechanical Engineer Typical day I begin my day meeting the various contractors responsible for the design and construction of the new Fab 14 building. We discuss the construction schedule, milestones and any current or potential roadblocks. Although the various trades are highly skilled in their areas of design and construction, they have never designed a ‘next technology’ Intel fab! Therefore, experienced Intel tool owner input is extremely valuable here; from advice about fab layouts to details on a specific valve on a facility line.

A visit to the design “cave” is next up, where I problem solve any issues with the 3D modellers and can look real-time at the status of any 3D tool design. Before lunch, it’s either into the sub-fab construction zone or the new cleanroom to witness the current days’ work; which could be anything from area surveying to cleanroom readiness to tool pedestal move-in.

It’s a very dynamic environment at this time! After the busy mornings, the majority of the day is taken up with design reviews of the latest 2D and 3D models and any design meetings that have been scheduled for that day. Darryl DayIQ Engineer 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 day starts at 8:30am. I am part of the System Admin team. We are responsible for providing robust cloud infrastructure to engineering teams, automating processes, configuring hardware and troubleshooting infrastructure related issues. During my day, I assign myself tasks from our backlog. The highest priority tasks are issues and I would troubleshoot these issues first. In the afternoon, my team meets for our scrum call and we provide an update on our tasks and discuss any open items. My day ends at 5:30pm. Lynda O'LearySystems Engineer I start at 8.45 a.m sharp. I put on my uniform which entails boots, overalls, hairnet, gloves and apron. I then prepare my area of work - I wash the work top, table, etc., I then sharpen my knife, get the fish into the factory floor, fillet from bin and then put the fillets into a tray. From there the fish are weighed. Brendan WhiteFish Filleter 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 Normally I have meetings and presentations throughout the day with my team where we work through analysis and draw conclusions from the data that is provided. I will then reply to any emails in between these meetings. Denise HarringtonSupply Chain Analyst Back to back meetings, most of which have decision points. It can feel sometimes like I'm not making much headway, but when you stand back, each of those decisions is a step on the broader plan. Richard KinsellaManaging Director

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 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 A day of a CEO in a start-up company is anything but typical. I could be talking to customers, making financial models, discussing stock options with my legal team, hiring new engineers or brainstorming on our algorithms with the technical team. All of which are fascinating and I am learning a lot, every single day. Sinead O'Sullivan CEO of Fusion Space Technologies The department I work in is called Partner Service Delivery. We are there to support the SAP partners through their lifecycle with as a SAP PartnerEdge Partner, through various difference services, from the recruitment of partners to registering their deals and providing general helpline support where and when it's needed. Our partners are based all over the world, so we have 6 different office locations globally to support them, with Galway being the main one. As you can imagine, there's a lot of diversity between the different regions we support. With this, it is important for our team to understand the cultural differences of each. You learn so much every day about the different partners and how their needs may vary from another. Laura GlendonMultilingual Software Support SAP 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

Arrive in and check my inbox for any major issues which demand instant attention. Usually there are no surprises but the plant runs 24 hours a day so sometimes issues can crop up at 3am and they would be queued there for me in the morning.

The priorities are set at a number of levels (weekly, and quarterly for example) so I have a reasonably good idea of what to expect for the upcoming day however if issues arise they may become the highest priority and take over for that day. My calendar for the day will contain my day's scheduled meetings so I can see where I am committed to being at certain times (handily synchronised with my mobile phone so I don't miss any of them).

 A sample project that I might be working on in a given day may be a programming project for a middleware application. As part of a larger group my efforts will be in concert with the other programmers so there may be a meeting with these peers. Currently I am working in union with a group of programmers in Israel (where we have another campus) and they are 2 hours ahead of GMT so am more likely to have a voice conference at my desk early in the day with them to discuss the issues of the day (such as requirements definitions or the specifics of a program. Then it might be a period of programming or testing from my cubicle before lunch. Lunch would be at the partially subsidised canteen where there is a broad selection available.

After lunch I may be involved with the installation or configuration of a computer attached to a factory tool so that may require visiting the factory floor for a while. (I work in an area which is not in the bunny-suit arena, so I wouldn't normally don those layers of clothes). At the tool we may install or test out a new suite of software and possible debug issues arising from that. In the evening I may be involved in a meeting with the US teams (who are 8 hours behind GMT) so that would only really start at 4pm. Such a meeting may be to synchronise with that team to confirm that we are running the factory in exactly the same way or discuss future changes) For the programming tasks, the timescales are longer (of the order of 6 months), but the day-to-day sustaining of the Ireland factory is on much shorter timescales and as such priorities can change quicker.

Jason RuaneComputer Programmer

A normal day in the army starts at 08:25. You would be on parade at that time where an NCO would inspect your uniform and make sure everybody is there and then do some foot drill with us. From 09:00 until 11:00 we are tasked with jobs that come from our superiors which can be anything from cleaning, weapons, training or lectures. We then have a tea break. Then physical training would be organised for us.

After lunch we have another parade followed by more tasks. On a normal day we would finish at 16:30, however you are expected to prepare everything for the next day e.g. clean and iron your uniform and prepare what equipment is needed for the next day.

Louise Mc DonaldPrivate (Line)

As a Child Protection and Welfare Social Worker no day is really the same, all the families that I work with present with various complexities. I will attempt to explain a typical Monday morning, I usually have my morning coffee while at home while I read my emails and listen to any voicemails received over the weekend. I try to keep Monday’s diary free as it is usually a day where I will be completing various unannounced visits and follow up with any referrals or concerns highlighted over the weekend. My day can change really quickly depending on what comes up, I try my best to meet with the children and parents that I work with as often as possible to build a meaningful relationship to ensure that they can talk to me about any worries and concerns that they may have.

Fiona O'SullivanChild Protection and Welfare Social Worker The best thing about the job is there is no typical day. This was probably the biggest draw for me to the job. I love the unpredictable nature of it and that we can get called to any incident at any time.

Some days when it is extremely busy I find we are very reactive due to the high volume of calls. Other days when it is a bit quieter we can be more proactive and we can get out and prevent incidents from happening before they unfold. Peter CliffordProbationer Garda No day is ever the same. Tasks vary (preparing policy documents, speeches, giving input to meetings). Deadlines can be very short. One has to learn to cut corners, be resourceful and smile. Fergal DonnellyEuropean Commission A typical day would be similar enough to any other company following the Agile way of working; stand ups in the morning to track everyone’s progress and give/receive support if needed, perhaps sprint planning or backlog grooming meetings (depending on what day of the sprint it is), and other than that I’d be spending my time coding and working on whatever project or task I’m doing at the time. I liaise with colleagues who may be working on a particular task or project with me throughout the day aswell, it’s an open plan office so this is quite easy to do quickly and efficiently. Claire PurcellSoftware Engineer 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 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 Further training... I only plan to keep up with developments in International Standards relating to trams. Ciaran MacSamhrainEngineer - Transport Infrastructure Ireland Yes, I do ongoing training – I dedicate about 5% of my time to training. Des LalorWind Engineer I always try to keep my knowledge current by constantly doing a variety of courses such as those on languages or IT. It’s very important to keep life- long learning going all the time. Kevin KearyParliamentary Assistant One of the best things I like about my job is that every day I learn something new. As engineers we are continuously having our skill set ‘upgraded’, so ongoing training is almost a requirement. When I was employed by a multi-national corporation we had many engineers world wide who were experts in various fields, and we used in-house training sessions to improve our knowledge. Over the years I have also attended numerous international seminars, and industry gatherings. Each project that we work on always involves a research stage where we have to acquire a new piece of knowledge as we continue to develop cutting edge products. Shane CallananElectronic Engineer I have partaken in a number of training programmes since taking on my current job including Performance Management, Conflict resolution, Lead Auditing, Internal auditing among others.

I am currently studying a Masters in Pharmaceutical Technology in Trinity College Dublin. Fergus O'ConnellQuality Officer

Training and upskilling is always part of working within the HSE. Numerous courses are available within the HSE and I will certainly start a new course in the near future. However I don't think I will take on something as big as the Masters for another few years (family time is prime time!).

Frank MorrisonRecruitment Manager For now, I'm planning on finishing the course with NCI and hopefully progressing my career with NT Abbie RiceAssociate Accountant/IFS Apprentice I continue to avail of all of the wonderful training workshops and online courses made available to us by Failte Ireland and the LEO Offices. We are extremely lucky in this country for all of the supports and resources available to businesses. Catherine O'Grady PowersOwner Gleenkeen Farms I would like to develop more into software programming and networking to further enhance my skills. Liam McCaulR&D Engineer Training is always an ongoing agenda item - we even have it listed as a default priority item in our official schedule here. It may be of the form of online classes, or classes in-house where the company brings in professional trainers/lecturers to give classes and information talks; or it may involve traveling to attend a class specifically tuned to your next objective. For example, my next class is a two day session about digital electronics, which will be pertinent to my current programming project. On average training in some form or other occurs about 3 or 4 times a year. Jason RuaneComputer Programmer 1. IT training 2. Languages Fergal DonnellyEuropean Commission Not at present but may look into doing a Masters.  Ross O'BrienGraduate Recruitment Team Lead I'm always learning. I would really like to study something in relation to digital leadership & transformation next! Oonagh KellyHead of HR I would like to take an MA in Local History and I'm currently investigating my options. Jonathan SmythLibrary Assistant I intend to sit my Sergeant Exams this year. Niamh BriggsGarda Currently working with a Business Psychologist, Johanna Fullerton on Leadership Development. Richard KinsellaManaging Director At the moment I’m still training into a new career in Intel, so currently I am busy getting up to standard with the in s and outs of running the process. I hope to advance on to do my masters and PhD in future years and know that Intel will help me to do this. Rebecca TigheProcess Engineer I have undertaken further training as part of my career.  In the last year I have participated in a FETAC Level 5 Course and I hope to do the courses on Activities of Living and Care Skills and any other courses that are provided by the Health Service. Lydia PeppardCare Assistant I took the postgraduate diploma in statistics and the PhD after my undergraduate course. For the next year I'm planning to focus on settling in here and learning as much as I can from my teaching experience.

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

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

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

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

Kerrie HoranEngineer - Process Work hard, it is important to have a good work ethic and to always be open to facing new challenges. An open mind is very important as the financial services industry is one that has undergone and will continue to undergo many changes. An appetite for learning is also very important as the need to broaden ones knowledge is paramount. Kevin MoranInsurance Administrator Take the time to get your head around the subjects. Sometimes it can be tempting to just learn off methods and exam questions to get a good degree but at the end of the day that won’t help you in industry. You may find then that you’re back at square one having to learn how to code for yourself when there’s no examples to copy and paste, and no friendly classmate to give you their code. The best thing I do for my own learning in college is take the time to really understand what’s going on in assignments and exam questions, because once you get it using it becomes so much easier. Claire PurcellSoftware Engineer

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

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

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

Paul MeanySchool Principal Work hard, push your boundaries, have belief in your abilities, set personal goals and seek feedback. For those who have not completed a college degree or third level education – seek a career path that will give you the opportunity to further your education and learning. Sarah TenantyFinance Operations Anything is possible. Take chances. Don’t be afraid of failure. Lynda O'LearySystems Engineer

If you like working with others, and like problem solving then its definitely worth considering. Do you ever look at a bridge/skyscraper etc. and wonder how they did that? Or better still, are you looking at the way the road at home is laid out and thinking if they had of done something differently it would have been better.

Engineering is not a career people think about and say its helping people, but in many ways it is rewarding and just as much about helping people. Engineers design things used everyday that help people get to work, provide clean water, provide sewerage systems, care for the environment....

Maria O'NeillCivil Engineer Try and get as much practical experience before entering the job as possible. Dr Jan SteinerAnaesthetist

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

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 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 To prepare your work place first thing in the morning would be the most important part of my job. Brendan WhiteFish Filleter It's extremely important to be enthusiastic and excited about the JET Programme, but the JET Coordinator also needs to be very organised. Edel CarletonJET Coordinator - Japanese Embassy Work experience is always a great way to figure out what aspect of property you are most interested in, a number of companies offer a summer internship which are helpful and often lead to a job after college! Jenny DonnellyAsset Manager It is a very rewarding but also extremely challenging job. It requires a lot of resilience, mental strength, patience and compassion. It means seeing people at their worst in the most difficult circumstances.

It involves making difficult decisions, which will have life changing consequences for the offenders. If you think you have the ability to handle all that, it is a truly great job with amazing opportunities. Emilia GilroyGarda While I find my career extremely rewarding there are some aspects of it that I hadn't been prepared for. It's a very harsh industry and you need to have thick skin. You could go to 10 auditions and get a no before you get a yes and this process can be quite draining. For that reason it requires not only extreme dedication but also a lot of passion as without the love for dance sometimes it could all seem too much.

I would say to anyone hoping to dance professionally to get into as many technical dance classes as they can now as they'll help you greatly in your training. Pay attention in business studies as soon you'll be promoting yourself as a business be it as a teacher, choreographer or performer. Confidence is key in this career and while that is individual to each person, in general, the more experience and knowledge you have the more confident you're going to be so watch videos, read books and most importantly go to see performances to get a feel for what's involved. Megan McEvoyDancer Don't just go into teaching because you are looking for long holidays. To teach everyday you need to like children, be very patient and understanding. However I feel it is one of the most rewarding jobs out there. Brian CadiganPrimary School Teacher

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

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

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

Jonathan PugsleyEnergy Manager 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 lifestyle My job does allow me a lifestyle that I am happy with. I drop the children off to school in the morning and start work at 9.30 am. I finish work in the afternoon and I am home the same time as the kids. I spend quality time with them every afternoon and I am there for the homework. I am also there to bring them to other activities outside school that they want to be involved in. There is enough time too for myself and family life as a whole. Ejiro O'Hare StrattonClinical Nurse Manager 2 Yes, because of the fact that I am into sport, teaching allows me the time to ensure I can attend training sessions and games all the time. In relation to progression there is always plenty of areas that you can explore from a background in education. It is a very secure job. However, It would be impossible for me at the moment to buy a house in Dublin on my salary. Brian CadiganPrimary School Teacher

My current role allows me to maintain a healthy work / life balance. I have a family with four children which takes up a large amount of time. I am active in a number of sports especially rugby and triathlon, also time consuming. I have progressed in my career satisfactorily so far but I would still have ambitions to progress further.

The company I currently work with encourages such ambition and allows people to seek responsibility and develop. It is important for a company to reward good / excellent performance and I am fortunate to work for such a company. Financial reward, while not being the most important aspect, is still important. My current role within the pharmaceutical industry pays well especially since I gained the Qualified Person qualification in 2001.

Michael BohaneQA Manager Working with horses involves long tiring hours of very hard work especially during the busy competition season. This, in my opinion is a non-negotiable part of the hands-on side of an equestrian career and people should bear this in mind.

In my situation I take advantage of our crap Irish winter and try to make up some time for myself when the weather is bad and the days are dark either by getting down time at home or by getting away in the winter when things are quiet. Luke DreaEvent Rider I enjoy my work and I’m very happy with my decision to join An Garda Síochána.  Emilia GilroyGarda 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 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 Yes, definitely! Contrary to popular belief, I have great work-life balance at RCSI, mainly because their PhD structural programme allows students to be more independent and flexible with their time. They do organize various exciting activities that you can attend while waiting for your experiment to finish. All in all, good time management is important to keep a balanced lifestyle no matter what job/ career you have in life Kelvin E Lau HowPHD Student RCSI

I am passionate about helping people to bring their whole selves to work, and having their real needs met. I am a mother of three daughters, and am a huge advocate for women returning to work from maternity leave, having seen the barriers that exist in the workplace. That has made me even more committed to progressing diversity and inclusion in the workplace. Working in HR has helped me to also have access to resources in work that I can apply outside work and help in community and volunteering organisations, as well as with my family. HR is not just about filling forms and checking boxes – it’s about solving problems, helping people to maximse their potential and I find this hugely fulfilling.

I have been very deliberate in choosing HR roles where I don’t have to travel as my children have grown up – I did a lot of travel when I had babies and made a conscious choice to step back from that because I wanted a different balance and HR is a very portable career where you can do that.

Oonagh KellyHead of HR

My current job is nine to five, Monday to Friday with around 5 weeks annual leave per year so it allows plenty of time for leisure activities, family, friends etc. Other hospitals I have worked in had a weekend/on-call rota but it was easy enough to organise my social life around this. The job comes with a decent salary and I am pretty much able to take holidays and treat myself to the odd shopping trip or whatever as I please (within reason)!  I am very happy with the lifestyle working as a hospital pharmacist allows me to have.

There are opportunities for career progression as a hospital pharmacist although compared to the NHS the HSE has some catching up to do. Hopefully the role will develop in the coming years as it has in the NHS where pharmacists are becoming highly specialised, have prescribing rights and are integrated more fully into the healthcare team. From my experience of the HSE there isn't really a structured training/career path after registration that all pharmacists follow but there are plenty of opportunities if you go out and look for them.

Rachel BerryPharmacist One of the undisputed benifits of primary teaching are the hours! It allows you spend a lot of time with family.Without wishing to sound sexist it is an ideal job for somebody with small children as your hours and holidays coincide with theirs.It is also a secure job and has a very attractive pension.The downside is it doesn't have great progression opportunities especially in small schools. Deirdre SayersPrimary School Teacher Yes absolutely, I enjoy my work and this has a positive knock on effect on my personal life. I believe if you are happy in your professional environment that has a positive knock on effect on your personal life.

My job is such that it does not impede on my personal life and I have time to do the things I enjoy. Kevin MoranInsurance Administrator Yes, there is a great work/life balance. I can work flexible hours and also work from home. This is very important as you can come in late if you have an appointment or work remotely if you cannot make it into the office. There is also a sports and social club that organize events onsite, such as BBQs, gym classes, running events and walking outings. Lynda O'LearySystems Engineer Yes, I always loved having a routine mid-week. The job has ideal hours of 09:00am – 17:15pm Monday to Friday giving me plenty of free time in the evening for leisure activities such as the gym and sport and with weekends off it enable me plenty of time for socialising, relaxing and spending time with family. Furthermore, the opportunities available within Northern Trust to progress within the company and develop me as a professional keeps me motivated which I feel is very important to a successful career and feeling fulfilled and happy within myself. Jack BarryAnalyst, Transfer Agency Yes, the majority of the time. Donal KanePlumber / Construction Super. Working with Intel does allow me to maintain a good work/life balance. My boss is quite understanding of my life priorities and allows me to maintain a healthy balance between work and home. Deborah CaffreyElectronic Engineer My job is very demanding whilst I'm present but generally I only need to be there for the standard 9 to 5, Monday to Friday. There is also flexibility when required due to a good relationship with my manager and his recognition of my commitment generally. Ciaran MacSamhrainEngineer - Transport Infrastructure Ireland My profession is a “caring” profession – I am involved in protecting people’s health at work. I guess that’s one of the reasons I chose it. It certainly has been very good to me on the earning front. And while it has taken a few years to save up for life’s “luxuries”, I am certainly in a very healthy position to take great vacations, have a nice house and spend a significant portion of my earnings on my hobby. Dave McDonaldAstronomer It is reasonably paid. I'm lucky to have a secure job as I am in a permanent post. It is very much a family friendly role in that there is a lot of flexibility for those people who are parents and have childminding responsibilities etc.

There is scope to vary your working hours around such commitments e.g. part time, parental leave etc. Also the hours are 9-5, Monday to Friday which allows you free weekends etc to pursue other interests etc. Mary Ita HeffernanSocial Worker I get to travel a lot which is fantastic and also my days are not always structed the same which I like. Ian McKinleyRugby Player Whats cool The job itself is very rewarding to look back after you have put a high standard of workmanship into it and seeing where it came from and where it is at now.

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

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

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

I’ve always strived to add value in whatever I do and my main objectives are always align to my personal values and I want to work for a company where that is embraced. Some of the work I’m doing is in relation to our workforce strategies and how we can make an impact to the life’s of our people it’s a really great opportunity to bring change and I am passionate about.

Sabrina StauntonDesign & Strategy Development Manager AIB A good catch, especially when you catch more than a boat thats bigger than yours! When you’re able to fix a possibly life threatening problem out at sea, and continue fishing and you always have plenty of opportunities to do so. Fishing is continuously a test of one’s abilities, so when you are tested and come out successful, it’s good/cool. Liz O'TooleSkipper The holidays!! My colleague says “the education of our future generations”!!, that too, of course. Mary JoyceSecondary School Teacher I really like the different activities and duties I engage everyday and I like helping people on daily basis. For example I could be working in the public office or patrolling the district in a patrol car or be on foot patrol and doing my personal favourite; mountain bike patrol. Nan Hu Garda The comradery with my classmates. We all bonded very quickly and there is a good atmosphere in class all the time. Mark Spain Garda Trainee I love getting to sing beautiful music! That makes me so happy. And it's an amazing perk of the job to get to dress up as other people and see the world through their eyes. I also love the achievement of working really hard at something that is technically difficult, and then coming together with other people to make something really beautiful that lots of people can enjoy, as well as the storytelling element that we singers get to use very directly, because of having text to communicate to an audience. Sharon CartyOpera Singer Working from home, in the yard beside my home in the country. Being recognised for my skill – by my peers in particular Glenn LucasWoodturner I am very much a people person and love the opportunities which this job provides. Steven KilgannonGarda Trainee The opportunity to make a difference in the lives of over 400 teenagers each year. Paul MeanySchool Principal 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 Knowing that what I do every day is seeking innovative solutions which strive to improve healthcare products. Xiaona HouProduct Engineer The coolest thing is working with such a fantastic, hard-working, enthusiastic, energetic and intelligent team. We are a small company, based in Ireland and we are performing truly world-class research which will have a significant positive impact on the bottom line of many of the major pharmaceutical companies who we list as our customers.

Another cool thing is the nature of the work we do constantly changes in that we are always working on new projects with new customers which keep us challenged and excited. Brian KellyScience Entrepreneur I enjoy working on new and exciting products that have not yet been used by customers. Patricia ClearySenior Systems Verification & Validation Scientist 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 I love the variety the job offers. It sounds like a cliché but no two days are the same. I also like the satisfaction of knowing I am helping people.

People sometimes see the Gardaí as disciplinarians but in a lot of situations we help people who are very emotional and vulnerable such as victims of crime. Peter CliffordProbationer Garda My job gives me new things to learn: new techniques to master, new knowledge to know, new challenges to face, and a new horizon of research to explore. Often, I feel a sense of accomplishment when I managed to troubleshoot and solve scientific questions. Kelvin E Lau HowPHD Student RCSI There is no shortage of interesting work to get involved in and there is excellent support with someone always available to answer any queries or concerns I have. I also really like the atmosphere of a large firm. Anna Holohan Tax Manager Some of the new materials we get to use. Observing animal trials & seeing our devices being used. Observing procedures at the hospital & getting feedback from surgeons. The coolest thing of all however is to hear that the device has worked & the quality of life of many patients has improved. Sinead KennyDesign Engineer 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 Not so cool 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 There are repetitive aspects to my job that are very necessary but not necessarily enjoyable. There can be a lot of data entry tasks which nobody really enjoys but which is a crucial part of how we get to the end product. Lynsey GarganManufacturing Engineer

It can be stressful at times, in particular I struggle with the thresholds, sometimes it feels like we know that the children are not living in the best environment, but we have to wait until the incident happens before we have enough evidence to apply for a Care Order.

Fiona O'SullivanChild Protection and Welfare Social Worker

The long working hours - some weeks you can work as much as 100 hours although the average is nearer to 60 hours per week.

Dr Jan SteinerAnaesthetist The work involved in preparing for class i.e. preparing lessons and resources 'behind the scenes'. Brian CadiganPrimary School Teacher The unpredictable nature of the job has its benefits but on occasions can affect pre-made plans with family or friends. Niamh BriggsGarda Similar to many industries, different types of technology are constantly being introduced in the field of engineering. This means that it is necessary to attend training and spend time getting used to the various types of software.Only recently, I attended a training course on the essentials of seismic engineering. Earthquake design is not applicable to buildings in Ireland; however, it is a necessary requirement in other parts of the world. As Arup works on global projects, it is brilliant that I get the chance to attend this type of training, as I can apply what I have learned when I work on international projects. Shauna HurleyStructural Engineer

The things I like least in my job would be:

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

Naoise PyeSocial Care Worker People management. I hate it, it's one of the things that I despise doing, but it's a key part of the job, something I have to do and it's something I'm not good at, i'ts not my natural instinct. Rory Fitzpatrick CEO of the National Space Centre People complaining about the free food! Laura GlendonMultilingual Software Support SAP The clean up after my events (TV cooking slots, cookery demonstrations etc). Yes I do a lot of the cleaning, packing up and carrying luggage. Fiona UyemaChef 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) I enjoy all the aspects of the job even the more stressful ones like meeting particular targets. Donal Og CusackAutomation/Energy Engineer 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 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 Chasing payments from customers. Ray PowerPotter The downside would be when you get bad, wet days, and you have still got to get on with the job. You have to keep it moving, you've got to get out there in all weathers. Also, when suppliers let you down with late deliveries, and you have staff hanging around, waiting for deliveries with consequent loss of productivity. It doesn't happen that often, there is normally plenty to do on the sites before deliveries get there but it can hold you up. When you're running a business, you have to do the bookwork as well as the things you enjoy doing, you have to do the nitty gritty things. Tax returns, VAT, PRSI, PAYE, etc. It's not all the glamour stuff like planting or designing new gardens! You have got to be a Multi Tasker. Paul DowlingHorticulturist The countless emails to trawl through on a daily basis. Darryl DayIQ Engineer I would not say that there is really anything I don’t like about my job. If had to mention something, I would say I am not very fond of operational tasks in any job, which is, fortunately, only a very tiny part of my job. Madhuvratha VasudevanSenior Investment Analyst People constantly asking if you can get them cheaper car insurance! Karl CurranAssociate Director