5% UCD C R1R GUID · 9 Your roadmap to success 10 Building a positive online presence with LinkedIn 11 Plan your next steps 12 Let your experience work for you 14 Internships: A stepping

5% UCDC@R1R GUID%2014/15

INSID% THIS GUID%: Vacancies and internshipswith recruiters seeking UCD graduates

Opportunities in Ireland and beyond

How to succeed inapplications and interviews

What you need to knowabout graduate study

www.ucd.ie/careers

Submit your CV and cover letter via sig.com

facebook.com/ucdcareers @UCDCareers www.ucd.ie/careers

Welcome

THE UCD CAREER GUIDE 2014/15 1

Produced byGTI Ireland, 14–16 Lord

Edward Street, Dublin 2. T: + 353 (0) 1 645 1500gradireland.com

Editors Sophie Carey Editorial Ruairi KavanaghSeries editor Andie WarrenDesign Thomas Gray

AdvertisingGavan O’Brien, sales productchampion; the gradireland andTARGETjobs sales teams; thecampaign management teamMarketingSinead Foy, Aisling CarrollSeries designerNick Winchester

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ISSN: 2045-3000ISBN: 1 84318 853 8

Printer Headley Brothers,Ashford

Welcome to the fifth edition of the UCD Career Guide, a publication written specifically for thestudents of UCD.

Using student feedback each year, the UCD Career Guide has been developed and enhanced asan effective online and hard-copy resource for students. Feedback also demonstrates that theCareer Guide enables students to accomplish a range of career-related goals. Making good use ofthis guide will allow you to:

• Consider your career options;• Explore what UCD graduates have gone on to do;• Access information on graduate study and funding;• Identify and enhance a range of skills employers look for often called transferable or

employability skills;• Develop a winning CV that will get you to interview and understand how to deliver an interview

performance.

UCD Career Development Centre is committed to helping students prepare for life beyonduniversity. We seek to help you identify, develop and present your academic achievement andemployability skills effectively to employers, understand how best to engage the labour marketand uncover the hidden jobs market.

Whether you have a clear vision of where your career will take you, or are just beginning to lookat your options, we can be of help. Visit our centre, check out our website – www.ucd.ie/careers,like us on facebook (facebook.com/ucdcareers) and follow us on twitter (@UCDCareers).

We look forward to meeting you.

DavidDr David Foster, Director

START HERETO GET YOUR

FUTURESORTED

Contact us

Belfield Campus Monday to Friday: 9.00 am – 5.00 pm

Blackrock CampusMonday to Friday: 9.30 am-5.00 pm

UCD Career Development Centre, Library BuildingUniversity College DublinBelfield, Dublin 4 Tel: 00 353 (0) 1 716 7574Email: [email protected]: www.ucd.ie/careersAlso search for UCD CareerDevelopment Centre onFacebook and Twitter.

UCD Michael Smurfit Graduate Business SchoolCarysfort AvenueBlackrockCo. DublinEmail: [email protected]: 00 353 (0) 1 716 8934

Opening times

www.ucd.ie/careers facebook.com/ucdcareers @UCDCareers2 THE UCD CAREER GUIDE 2014/15

4 Leading employers recruit at UCD

6 The UCD Career Development Centre

7 Connecting students to future careers

8 What we can do for you

9 Your roadmap to success

10 Building a positive online presence withLinkedIn

11 Plan your next steps

12 Let your experience work for you

14 Internships: A stepping stone to securingthe graduate job you want

16 Going Global

18 Studying abroad:the next step

20 Student competitions: Networking forsuccess

21 Think! Business start-up

23 Cv's that hit the mark

25 Anatomy of a covering letter that works

26 Be smart with your application

27 Assessment centres

28 Interviews

00 Impress at interviews

29 Carry on studying:options for everyone

UCD students are in demand

Exploring your career options

Finding a job

Applying for jobs

Carry on studying: Options for everyone

INSIDE THIS GUIDE

Top tips on winninginterview

techniquesp. 28

facebook.com/ucdcareers @UCDCareers www.ucd.ie/careers THE UCD CAREER GUIDE 2014/15 3

33 Leading employers who want to hear from you

Employers

www.ucd.ie/careers

EmployersAldi ..............................................IBC, 35BAE Systems ..........................(34), 35BDO ..........................................35, (36)The Boston Consulting Group ..........35CHP Consulting..................................37Crowe Horwath..................................37Deloitte ..............................................39Irish Distillers

Pernod Ricard ......................(38), 39Kerry Group........................................39KPMG ..................................................39Lidl ..................................................(32)M&G Investments ............................41Mott MacDonald ................................41PwC ............................................OBC, 41Susquehanna....................................IFCSwiss Re ............................................41

IFC = inside front cover OBC = outside back cover IBC = inside back cover ( ) = Display advertising

Tools to kick-start

your careerp. 7

And don’t forget–Go to gradireland.com for...• featured jobs and immediate vacancies• database of employers from all sectors • your personal gradireland careers report• news on the jobs market in Ireland.

The UCD Career Development Centre website

Go to www.ucd.ie/careers for a range ofresources and information to help you planand manage your career, including:• Applications and interviews: Learn how to

make an effective application for graduatestudy and/or employment and succeed atinterview.

• Career opportunities: Use our electronicinformation, resource room and careersconnect (our internship and graduatevacancies database) to move your careerforward.

• Vault: An interactive, educational resourceto help you plan and manage your career.

• Profiling for success: Explore youraptitudes (verbal, numerical and spatialreasoning) and personality type in relationto your career. Complete practice aptitudetests and personality questionnaires andreceive feedback.

• Going global: provides country-specificemployment information.

• Internships USA: provides information andresources to students seeking internshipsin the US.

UCD STUDENTS

ARE IN DEMANDLEADING

EMPLOYERSRECRUIT AT UCD

selection processes. Employers get to meetwith interested students and have theopportunity to sell the benefits of workingwith their organisation.

For the 2013/14 academic year therewere five recruitment fairs held on theBelfield campus representing manydifferent disciplines. (See page 20 for a listof this years’ recruitment fairs includingthose held in the UCD Michael SmurfitGraduate Business School). Recruitmentfairs have always been very popular withUCD students and last year we had anattendance of nearly 4,000 students(representing an increase of 10% on the

previous year’s attendance).Furthermore, there were

approximately 100 employerpresentations and workshops

held on the Belfield campus,with many additionalpresentations held in theUCD Michael SmurfitGraduate Business School.

Our advice: Keep an eyeon our website throughoutthe year for a list ofparticipating organisations

and think about whichemployers you want to meet

and what specifically youwant to ask when you do meet

them! Come prepared withintelligent questions and a CV

highlighting your key skills andexperience (see page 23 for further advice).

Use the UCD Career DevelopmentCentre to find a job that suits you.

E very year, the UCD CareerDevelopment Centre coordinatesa large number of recruitmentevents designed to put employers

directly into contact with UCD students,allowing students to access employerswho are of interest. Students gain anopportunity to ask questions of theemployer and to enquire about possibleemployment opportunities as well as

www.ucd.ie/careers facebook.com/ucdcareers @UCDCareers


4 THE UCD CAREER GUIDE 2014/15

Ata glance – our top tips for career success

Employability – Develop skills that will transfer to the work environment byundertaking internships orwork experience or one ofthe programmes run by the UCD Career DevelopmentCentre.Academic – Aim for minimum 2:1

Check out ourrecruitmentevents on page 20.

Engage – Employers recruit students who make a difference – why not try outfor Class Rep, or become aPeer Mentor or CampusAmbassador.Connect – Use opportunitiesto build your network andmeet employers at thevarious campus events.




RECRUITER VIEWThe IBEC Export

Orientation Programmegreatly value applications

from graduates of alldisciplines including Arts,

Agricultural Science, Businessand Engineering. We match our

graduates with sponsor companiessuch as Apple, Glanbia and Tourism

Ireland, who provide structured placementswith training opportunities in Ireland and abroad, as well as the

opportunity to gain further qualifications. Our participatingsponsor companies look for graduate qualities such as

adaptability, enthusiasm and good communicationskills. A bit of ‘cop on’ goes a long way too!

David Broderick, EOP Manager, IBEC

RECRUITER VIEWOne of our key

success factors at KerryGroup is hiring graduates that

will be our next generation ofglobal leaders. Our Graduate

Programme provides anaccelerated path to leadership

roles whilst working in aninnovative, dynamic, energetic

and global environment..

Laura Hamm, Graduate Recruitment Advisor

Kerry EMEA

RECRUITER VIEWCiti hires UCD

graduates into both ourinternships and full

time roles . Based onour experience we havefound the graduates tobe work-ready as thecourses are practical

and relevant to industry .

Colin Moreland – TTS HeadIreland & Treasurer Citibank

Europe Plc




THE UCD CAREER

DEVELOPMENTCENTRE IS THEGATEWAY TO A

BRIGHT FUTURE Ata glance

Attend employerpresentations on campus –this is another valuablenetworking opportunity.Presentations are whereemployers seek to connectwith students who areinterested in their company.

Whatever you want to dowith your future career,engage and work with us– we can help you toidentify steps andtechniques to get thatfirst job!

Don’t miss our Career Fairs –make contacts and followthem up. Picking up literatureis all part of the process butgetting an insight into thebusiness through engagingwith company representativeswill reap dividends.

The Class of 2013In employmentIn further study or trainingSeeking employmentNot available for employment or study

60%29%

8%

3%

Options & opportunities for UCD students and graduates

The UCD Career DevelopmentCentre provides opportunities forstudents to make contact with awide range of graduate employers.

Last year, almost 300 employersparticipated in a UCD on-campusrecruitment event (from RecruitmentFairs to Employer Presentations).Thousands of graduate level vacancieswere advertised through the UCD CareerDevelopment Centre website as well asthrough our partner sites –www.gradireland.com &www.prospects.ac.uk. UCD remains apopular university with employers whoare constantly seeking high-calibrestudents and graduates for bothinternship and graduate positions withintheir organisations.

With a high level of competition forjobs, graduates must ensure thatthey are aware of relevantopportunities.

By ‘liking’ Facebook on our website andsigning up to Twitter, graduates willreceive instant information on events andvacancies. Approaching employersdirectly is another way to accessopportunities and enhance your network.For advice on any aspect of graduate jobseeking, make an appointment with aCareer & Skills Consultant viaCareersConnect on our websitewww.ucd.ie/careers

The graph below presents recentdestinations statistics for the graduatingclass of 2013. This reveals that of thegraduates surveyed 9 months aftergraduation (73% response rate), 60% arein employment, 29% are in further studyand 8% are seeking employment (with3% not available for employment orstudy). This compares favourably to thestandardised unemployment rate of11.5% (July 2014) and theunemployment rate for under 25s whichwas 15.3% in July 2014.




CONNECTINGSTUDENTS TO FUTURE CAREERS

Career tools at your finger-tips!

There’s now a massive amount ofcareer information online – somegreat, and some not so great. We’rehere to point you towards the best

and most reliable resources to help youplan your career, research employers andindustry information, and find a job orinternship.

You can find links to all these resourceson our website at www.ucd.ie/careers.

VaultA comprehensive online career resource designed tohelp you look into potential careers, research topemployers and find out about trends in your industry.

Going GlobalGoing Global provides country-specific careerand employment information, includingworldwide internship and job postings andcareer resources.

Career Focus

Careers ConnectUCD students automatically have an account on ourCareers Connect portal, and if you’ve graduated fromUCD you can register for an alumni account. Search ourvacancy database, which has new jobs and internshipsbeing posted by employers every day, and sign up foralerts based on your preferences. You can also book forour recruitment fairs and employer presentations, soyou can meet the people you want to work for!

Internships USAProvided by CEI Internships, a company that offersindividually verified information and resources tostudents seeking internships in the US. There are twooptions: Internships for undergraduates; andInternships for law students.

Psychometric testsThese are very useful in career planning,helping you to understand more about yourstrengths and how these might shape yourcareer and personal choices. There arepersonality, learning styles and careerinterests tests; as well as abstract,numerical and verbal reasoning tests, whichare often used by employers.




HOW CAN THE CAREER DEVELOPMENT CENTRE HELP YOU?

The UCD Career Development Centrehas given me invaluable help and advicewith preparation of my CV, covering lettersand scholarship applications. With theirguidance, I won three Agricultural Sciencescholarships, which funded my workplacement in New Zealand. I also won anInternational Women in Aviation scholarshipthis year, which included a fully paid trip toFlorida, to attend an aviation conference. It’sa fantastic service, free to all students and Icannot thank them enough for their help.

Final year Bachelor of Agricultural Science (2014)

After my very first engagement with the Career Development Centre, I immediately had a more focusedunderstanding of the options open to me. I would highly recommend to any student toengage with the centre early on in their timein University, as ultimately it was throughtheir advice, guidance and connections that I was successful in securing what hasbecome my dream job.

Graduate, MSc in InternationalManagement (2013)

The Career Development Centrewas a huge help in securing my mastersplace. I was able to meet with theirconsultants and go through the entireprocess step-by-step: from picking theright programme for me, to nailing myapplication, to scholarships and funding.With their help, I was able to secure aplace and funding with my top choicemasters programme..

Final year student, BSc Economics & Finance (2014)

STUDENT FEEDBACK

Getting Connected

CDCResource

Library

CDCOnline

Facebook/Twitter/Web

Modules in Personal andProfessional Development

Interactive Corporateand Commercial StudyVisits to City of London

One-to-one careeradvice and career

coaching

Employer presentations oninternship and graduate jobs

Skills for 'working life'

Professional Recognition Award

Skills workshops/lectures

RecruitmentFairs

Career Interests

Aptitude Tests

Type Dynamic Indicators

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Explore your career options


BUILDING APOSITIVE ONLINEPRESENCE WITH

LINKEDIN

Students and recent collegegraduates are LinkedIn's fastest-growing demographic

Building a presence on LinkedInand knowing how to use it tosecure your first job can give youa fantastic advantage in making

the process as easy as possible. DarainFaraz, Corporate CommunicationsManager with LinkedIn in London,shares his top ten tips for students andrecent graduates.

1. Make your LinkedIn profile as complete as possible• Completed profiles are seven times more likely

to be viewed with a photo on their profile. Notonly will a complete profile make it easy foremployers to see that you are the type ofperson they are looking for, but it also looksmore trustworthy. The same goes for adding aprofile picture – it is easier to relate tosomeone when you can put a face to thename...just keep it professional.

2. Make your experience work for you• If you’re looking for your first job, chances are

you’ve little to no experience that is directlyrelevant; but that does not make the experienceyou do have invalid. Chances are you’ve usedskills, such as time management, organisation,team work and flexibility, in other areas – sohighlight when you’ve used these ‘transferableskills’ under past part-time jobs, volunteering oreven extra-curricular activities.

3. Make the most of headlines• Your headline gives you the opportunity not

just to sum up who you are but what you want,for e.g. ‘a mathematics undergraduate seekinga financial advisory internship for the summer’

is more relevant to an employer than simply‘Currently studying for a Fashion BA at XYZ’,and makes you more likely to be found throughsearches of the site.

4. Make it easy for them to find you• You need to think about how someone is likely

to come across your profile – consider whatrecruiters are likely to search, and fit this intoyour profile. Look through job descriptions ofroles you want to pick up on the kind oflanguage and any words that they use, andpepper them throughout your profile; it willimprove your visibility, not to mention makeyou look like a great fit.

• Additionally, recommendations are a great wayfor students to showcase their skills andqualities to prospective employers.

5. Show you’re REALLY interested • LinkedIn offers ‘Content Channels’

for different industries. Following a Channel(e.g. My First Job, Online Advertising) will bothshow you have a genuine interest and helpkeep you updated on any news and hot topicswithin the industry. Likewise, most companieshave ‘Pages’ on LinkedIn that they update withany news or links to articles concerning theirindustry. Follow companies in your industry,particularly ones you’d like to work for.

6. Build your network • It’s an unwritten rule that 50 is the minimum

number of contacts needed for a successfulLinkedIn profile – but that’s no reason to give upif you fall below the mark. Send requests toeveryone you know on LinkedIn (includingfamily, friends, past teachers etc.) and include alink to your LinkedIn page in your e-mail signatureso people you are talking to can find you. Hold onto any business cards you are given – maybe at acareers fair – and try and find these contacts too.When requesting to connect, keep it personalinstead of the standard message LinkedIn cansend – it helps forge a relationship.

7. And use it• Once connected, begin building relationships

with contacts by beginning a conversation. Agreat way to do this is always to ask questions

– how they got involved in their field orsomething specific about their profile or a pastproject - most people like talking aboutthemselves and are flattered when asked foradvice. It is also worth messaging contactsexplaining what you are looking for, asking ifthey may know anyone relevant they couldintroduce you to or just for general advice.

8. Get involved in groups• The more involved you are, the more your

visibility improves. A great feature of LinkedInis ‘Groups’. Anyone can start a group, and inmost cases anyone can join. They exist on allnumber of things including industry specific,entry-level specific, job-type specific etc. Lookfor ones in your preferred industry, (to gain agreater insight into it), and groups designed forrecent graduates and students. Somecompanies post opportunities on these and itis a great place to ask for advice.

9. Look out for opportunities • When looking at any job posts on LinkedIn,

whether it is by searching through official jobposts or by following company pages andgroups, remember to see if you have anyconnections with the company or connectionsin common. It is always worth sending them amessage if you are thinking of applying, askingfor advice or even an introduction to someoneelse within the company. Just make sure you’vedone your research first, and ask insightfulquestions – not ones you could easily google.

10. Research, research, research• LinkedIn provides you with a unique opportunity

to research as much as you can about the peoplein a company before your interview. You caneven look for your interviewer. If nothing else, theinterview could be far less daunting if you knowwhat the interviewer looks like before you go in.Weird, but true.

In a nutshell... be proactive, and be brave. As with any job search, you have to put yourselfout there to get the most out of LinkedIn.Remember, it is designed to be a professionalnetworking tool – so no one will criticize youfor using it as such.

UCD students visit LinkedIn Dublin, March 2014




PLAN YOUR NEXT STEPS

Know your optionsWhat to do: Find out what graduates in your

subject do Research company job descriptions

and information; explore job sectors Investigate graduate study opportunities.

Resources to help Use the bank of job profiles and

information in our resource room at theUCD Career Development Centre

Online job profiles at gradireland.com,www.prospects.ac.uk, targetjobs.co.ukand www.ucd.ie/careers/goingglobal orvideos on www.careerplayer.com

UCD Library electronic databases e.g. Marketline and FAME

On-campus events and presentationsby employers and graduateprogrammes. Details are posted atwww.ucd.ie/careers/events.

Know yourselfWhat to do:Assess your: skills: what you are good at interests: what you enjoy doing values: what motivates you and would

give meaning to your work personality type: your characteristics educational qualifications and work

experience.

Resources to help:Online self-assessment tools:

Profiling for success (psychometric tests)www.ucd.ie/careersgradireland careers reportgradireland.com/careers-reportProspect planner www.prospects.ac.uk.

Make decisionsWhat to do: Think about how you make your best

decisions: gut instinct alone, involvingothers or methodically weighing up prosand cons

Identify ways to narrow your choices andfinalise your preferencesAttend a Career Planning workshop at theUCD Career Development Centre. Seewww.ucd.ie/careers/events forscheduling information.

Resources to help Discuss and evaluate your choices with

a Career & Skills ConsultantBook an appointment online atcareersconnect.ucd.ie.

Implement your decisions

What to do: Create an action plan with clear goals

and timelines Learn how to market yourself Get help with job applications, CV

design, and how to do well atinterviews and assessment centres

Get jobseeking advice.

Resources to help: Careers workshops on topics such as

CVs, covering letters and interviewtechniques – these are held oncampus regularly

Books on CVs and covering letters inthe UCD Career Development Centre resource room

Career insiderwww.ucd.ie/careers/careerinsider.

Maybe you’re not sure what you should do after you leave college. Don’t panic – many students find themselves in this situation. Here’s a simple framework to helpyou figure out what you want to do and what to do next.




LET YOUREXPERIENCE

WORK FOR YOU NAME Aoife BuckleyDEGREE & STAGE BA Economics (2012) & MSc Management Consultancy (2014)EXPERIENCE Team leader for Enactus2011/12 & 2013/14

Enactus is a non-profit organisation thatbrings together student, academic andbusiness leaders who are committed to usingthe power of entrepreneurial action toimprove the quality of life and standard ofliving for people in need. I got involved inEnactus UCD in 2012 when completing anelective on a project called ‘Innovation Africa’in partnership with the Community EconomicDevelopment Fund and I represented UCD inthe national Irish competition in 2012 with theproject.

In September 2013 I returned to UCD tocomplete a masters in managementconsultancy and once again got involved inEnactus. The experience of being involved inEnactus has been fantastic. I took up the roleof team leader/project manager for our Project‘Generation Accommodation’. By beinginvolved in Enactus I have developed myskills as a team leader and as a team member,I have also greatly improved my organisationalskills, communication skills and made somevaluable contacts in the business world.

HighlightsThere have been many highlights of beingactively involved in Enactus. First, I havemade contacts with very passionate anddedicated business people from ourbusiness advisory board and networkingevents organised by Enactus Ireland. Thesebusiness leaders come from a range ofdifferent businesses such as KPMG,Enterprise Rent a Car, AIG, KBC, IFG, Unilever,Arthur Cox, and many more.

I have also met some very like-mindedstudents who are interested in making achange in the world and helping people inneed. Enactus teaches us to use the skills wehave been taught in UCD and to apply them toreal-life situations, impacting as many peopleas we can. Developing a social businessinitiative gives your CV that extra edge, and it’salso a brilliant topic to discuss at interview.

Advice for studentsMy advice to students would be to find whatyou are passionate about and get involvedin that society / club / team in UCD. Thereare a wide range of opportunities in UCD inareas of sport, music, arts and academia. Itis never too late to get involved and it mayjust make you that well-rounded applicantthat the HR departments are looking to hirewhen you graduate.

TEAM

WORK

Clubs & societiesJoin a club or society and do somethingthat you enjoy. Remember it’s not justabout joining a club or society but aboutyour contribution. If, you join, be anactive member and get involved. This maydemonstrate your commitment anddedication and can be a good way todemonstrate skills such as leadership orteamworking. Check out the website forinformation on UCD clubs and societies.http://www.ucd.ie/studentcentre/studentexperience/

Part-time workWorking and studying demonstrates theability to multitask and manage thedemands of your course as well as thedemands of your job. It’s a way to earnmoney, and typical student jobs in retailand hospitality can help you developskills in time management, teamwork andcustomer service.

Internships – see our more detailed piece oninternships on pages 14 & 15

Work shadowingObserving someone’s typical working

day can be a good way to find outwhat a job entails and get experience

in a ‘popular’ area of work e.g.marketing/advertising, whereopportunities can be hard to findwithout experience. Why not tryand organise one yourself? It willdemonstrate to future employersthat you have initiative and havea real interest in that career field.Start by deciding who you want to

target, and use any contacts youhave and make your approach e.g. by

drafting a letter explaining theobjective of the work shadowing. Come

into the Career Development Centre formore advice and help.

In hindsight,completing an internship beforemy final year was one of the best

decisions I made during university. Itstrengthened my CV with corporate work

experience, but more significantly, it gave me adifferent outlook on what I wanted to achieve during

my final year. I returned to university feelingconfident that I was choosing the right career path.

In addition, I got to select modules that wouldstand to me in my career and was able to excel in

them by using skills I learned during myinternship.

Ryan McErlane, UCD University Action Team Lead, Accenture

Get involved & let yourexperience work for you!

University life is not all aboutstudy – it’s also about gettinginvolved, whether that is byjoining clubs and societies:

giving your time to volunteer on and offcampus; keeping up with a part-time job,working during the holidays/undertakingan internship; taking time to study abroadand more.

All of these are opportunities to showemployers that you are a well-roundedindividual AND have developed a range ofadditional skills. What’s more, these arethings that you can easily do and will enjoydoing. So take the time during university toget involved and participate in activities,exchanges or work experiences andwhatever you do, make it work for you.

VolunteeringVolunteering is a great way to gain workexperience and develop your skills whileat the same time make a meaningfulcontribution to a charitable organisationor in a capacity that’s important to you.Have a look at UCD Volunteer Overseaswww.ucdvo.org or UCD St Vincent dePaul Society http://www.ucd.ie/svdp/o/ ifyou are interested in volunteering.

UCD team to represent Ireland at 2014Enactus World Cup Final with socialentrepreneurship project.




Working overseasThere are endless opportunities to workabroad which provide opportunities todevelop language skills and demonstratematurity and adaptability.

Certificate in skills for working lifeThe UCD Career Development Centreoffers the opportunity for students at alllevels to develop the skills sought bygraduate employers through participationin our Skills for Working Life series.Students receive a certificate (non-creditbearing) upon completion of theprogramme.

NAME Kate O’DonnellDEGREE & STAGE BA International History andPolitics (3rd year). Currently on Erasmus in Lund, Sweden

During my first year in UCD, I became involved inUCD Volunteers Overseas (UCDVO), UCD StVincent De Paul (SVP) and Relay for Life UCD. Iwas a volunteer on the 2012 and 2013 TanzaniaUCDVO projects and I was a volunteer for UCD SVPin a homeless shelter, in youth clubs and as UCDSVP Activities Officer. I have always beeninterested in the area of global development andlocal community development and byvolunteering with these organisations I got thechance to learn about this field at first hand.

BenefitsMy experience has taught me a lot about the needfor organisational skills and about the importance

of sustainability in developing countries. This hasbeen a valuable lesson to learn and will influencemy future decisions around my career choices.One of the most important things anyone learnsfrom volunteering is the importance of teamworkand communications. You meet a wide range ofpeople and learn to effectively set goals and workto achieve them. Volunteer organisations are veryopen to new ideas, so it can be a great way to getinvolved in a campaign or a project that interests you.

My adviceIf you have an interest in a particular field or justwant to push yourself outside your comfortzone, there is a wide range of volunteeringopportunities inside and outside UCD. Volunteeringis a great way to try to do something whichmakes a difference, and to learn about what yourown strengths and weaknesses are. UCD SVP,UCDVO and Relay for Life are always looking fornew volunteers; it will no doubt improve yourUCD experience and influence your future careerchoices and opportunities.

VOLU

NTEERING

How you can develop your skills Find out more about volunteering:

http://www.ucd.ie/careers/http://www.activelink.ie/http://www.volunteer.ie/http://www.ucdvo.org/http://camaraireland.ie/http://www.depaulireland.org/https://www.focusireland.ie/http://aiesec.ie/https://www.svp.ie/http://www.bodywhys.ie/http://www.niteline.ie/

Develop the skills that employers want to seeby getting involved in extra-curricularactivities, getting work experience and activelyparticipating in your programme!

LeadershipChairing a student society or a committeeCaptaining a sports teamTaking responsibility for organising an eventBeing a team leader at work

InitiativeWriting your own blogFinding creative ways to raise funds as avolunteerParticipating in a student competition

Adaptability & FlexibilityCombining study and part-time workTravelling or studying abroad independentlyManaging multiple extra-curricular activities

TeamworkActively participating in student projectsCommitment to a team-based sportingactivityAbility to work with others successfully inyour part-time job

Planning & organisingArranging travel itinerariesManaging competing demands on your time – studies, part-time work and othercommitmentsOrganising fundraising or other events

Problem solvingOvercoming obstacles to achieve a personal goalFinding creative solutions to workplaceproblemsParticipating in student problem-solvingcompetitions

Commercial awarenessKeeping up to date with business papers and magazines Joining relevant student societies e.g.Investors & Entrepreneurs SocietyLearning about the business in your part-time job

Oral CommunicationGiving presentations as part of your courseBecoming a Peer Mentor Running a meeting or eventDealing with customers via your part-time work

NAME Brian ListonDEGREE BSc Economics & Finance (3rd year)INTERNSHIP Skype, Luxembourg (10 months)

I’ve always had a strong interest in theSkype product, so I jumped at theopportunity to work alongside the team thatdeveloped it, when I saw the positionadvertised in the Lochlann Quinn School ofBusiness. I believe that my passion andeagerness for both the company andindustry came across in my interview in away that made it clear that I would be wellsuited for the role.

Over the course of the internship, I wasgiven the chance to work with various teamson a range of projects, which highlightedmany aspects of the business. This end-to-end exposure enabled me to see how my ownrole fitted into the larger picture. Experienceworking in other areas was a great way toexpand my network and open my eyes to newopportunities.

Highlights:The internship was hugely beneficial inbridging the gap between academicunderstanding and the work I’ll be doing inthe future. The projects I worked on made itclear how the subjects I study transfer intothe business world. It was an eye-openingexperience that pushed me to become asknowledgeable as possible in my area ofstudy.

The level of responsibility I was givenmeant that from early on, I was able to leadseveral of my own initiatives. I had to quicklydevelop strong leadership, teamwork andtime management skills to efficiently andeffectively produce the desired results.

Brian’s top tips for students:Apply to what you truly are interested in. Doyour research, know the industry, and bespecific in your application. I was involved inthe recruitment of my replacement, and itbecame clear to me how many people usethe same covering letter for many differentapplications – don’t, instead make sure yourapplications are targeted and bespoke.

The UCD Career Development Centre isthere to ensure that students are given asmuch support as possible in applying topotential internship programmes. I wouldrecommend making best use of this resourceby attending skills workshops, variouscompany recruitment presentations, andRecruitment Fairs to network and connectwith people from industry and commerce.

VARI

ETY & TRAVEL




INTERNSHIPS: A STEPPING STONETO SECURING THE

GRADUATE JOB YOU WANT

At Deloitte, weencourage applicationsfrom all degree disciplines and offerover 120 opportunities each yearthrough our summer internshipprogramme or university workplacement programmes. We look forwell-rounded individuals who arepassionate about making an impactevery day through meaningful value-added work. We see an abundance ofthe key skills and qualities that welook for at Deloitte in UCD students,such as leadership, creativity,problem-solving, commercialawareness and much more!

Rose Mary Hogan, Resourcing Manager, Deloitte

school before making contact with anycompanies; there may be specificprogramme requirements relating tointernships that you need to know about.

The UCD Career Development Centrecan help you to identify companies thatyou are interested in applying for andprovide assistance with your applications.

What opportunities are there on campusto meet with companies or organisations?• Skills Workshops/Internship

Recruitment Presentations – Hundredsof companies are on campus duringthe year. Use the opportunity to learnabout the company first hand, tonetwork and to ask about internshippossibilities. Register with the CareerDevelopment Centre to receive noticesof visits and events in advance byvisiting our website and login withyour UCD Connect details and followus on Facebook & Twitter.

• Volunteering & Internships Fair. Eachyear in February, the UCD Career

A key factor in achieving yourcareer ambitions is gainingexperience through an internship,so when will you start looking?

Is there a difference between a workplacement and an internship?Not really. Work placements andinternships are effectively the same thing.The terms are loosely applied to anyformal, structured work experience. Acompany will sometimes offer internshipsspecifically for students, and there may beseparate internship programmes forgraduates. The company may usedifferent terms to describe these, so checkany information provided before applyingor making contact.

Why do an Internship?Doing an internship is a great opportunityto enhance your CV and make you ‘standout from the crowd’ when it comes togetting your graduate-level job.

Some students have an opportunity toundertake an internship as part of theirprogramme of study to complement theirstudies and enable them to developrelevant skills.

It’s also a great way to try somethingout before making a longer termcommitment to a specific career area, aswell as an opportunity to develop yournetwork, which can prove invaluablewhen job-hunting.

Finding your internshipIf you don’t already have the option topursue an internship via yourprogramme, you can • apply for advertised internships (for

example via graduate job search sitesor university notice boards) or

• make speculative applications, i.e.send a tailored CV and cover letter, tocompanies that you are interested in. Many students have been successful in

securing internships by approachingcompanies directly.

If undertaking an internship as part ofyour programme of study, talk to your

NAME Jonathan Towers DEGREE BE Civil Engineering (2014)INTERNSHIP hydrophil iC, Vienna, Austria (9 weeks) as part of the IAESTE (TheInternational Association for the Exchange ofStudents for Technical Experience) Programme

I first came across IAESTE at the annual Science,Engineering and Technology Careers Fairorganised by the UCD Career DevelopmentCentre. From engaging with representatives atthe fair, and through follow-up research, Idecided to apply for a position on theprogramme as it provided an excellentopportunity to live abroad whilst gainingvaluable work experience in my chosen field.

Highlights:During my traineeship, I got a great insight intothe working environment within an engineeringconsultancy firm and provided support to theconsultants across a variety of projects, rangingfrom hydropower plants in Uganda, to waterdevelopment projects in Vietnam.

A further highlight of undertaking an IAESTEtraineeship is the opportunity to travel atweekends. The fact that I was based in CentralEurope meant I could easily travel to neighbouringcountries and take part in a number of theorganised IAESTE weekends, which took me tocities such as Berlin, Budapest and Zurich.

One of the best things about IAESTE is thepeople you meet from all over the world. I waslucky enough to make some close friends fromplaces as far afield as USA, India, Lebanon andAustralia.

I enhanced my self-confidence and self-reliance as well as developing mycommunication, teamwork and problem-solvingskills. The experience of an internship,particularly overseas, really helps enhance a CVand is a real talking point at job interviews.

Jonathan’s top tips:I thoroughly enjoyed all aspects of my IAESTEplacement and would highly recommendeveryone to undertake an internship if at allpossible. So if you love travelling, meeting newpeople and wish to enhance your CV by gainingrelevant international work experience then gofor it, whether through IAESTE or anotherprovider. The staff at the UCD CareerDevelopment Centre can help you plan yourtime and access internship opportunities.

Attend events organised by the UCD CareerDevelopment Centre and use career advisoryservices for any applications you may beundertaking – be it internships, graduate jobsor even part-time work. The Career & SkillsConsultants really know what they are talkingabout and provide extremely insightfulfeedback on CVs, covering letters andapplication forms, which help you stand outfrom the crowd and gain the attention of yourdesired employer.

GAIN

IN

G INSIGHTS




Development Centre hosts aVolunteering and Internships Fair. Awide range of organisations fromacross a variety of sectors take part.This is a great opportunity to find outmore about the exciting opportunitieson offer and to network withemployers.

Top tips for finding an internship• Start early – competition can be fierce

so you should start looking insemester 1.

• Do your research – use all of theresources available to you to identifymajor employers in your area ofinterest. You have nothing to lose bymaking an application, so don’t beafraid to think big.

• Be persistent – you may need tosubmit many applications before youare successful.

• Use your network – do you have anycontacts who might be able to helpyou in your search? Can you find outif there are any current or former

students who work or have worked insome of your target companies?

How do I get the most from my internship?• Be clear about what you want to getfrom your internship• Be flexible and seek out opportunities

to do new things• Have realistic expectations• Don’t be afraid to ask questions• Get feedback• Follow up.

Volunteering &Internships FairEvery year in February, the UCD CareerDevelopment Centre hosts a Volunteeringand Internships Fair.A wide range oforganisations fromacross a variety ofsectors take part.This is a greatopportunity to findout about theexcitingopportunities onoffer and networkwith employers.

Useful websites

www.leargas.ie/iaeste(international internshipopportunities for science andengineering students)www.aiesec.ie (internationalstudent society providing a widerange of internship opportunities)www.europeanmovement.ie(european internshipopportunities)

www.idaireland.com(useful company searchfunction for identifyingorganisations in a particularsector)www.prospects.ac.uk(internship opportunities atmajor UK and multinationalorganisations)

careersconnect.ucd.ie(UCD Career DevelopmentCentre online vacanciesportal)www.gradireland.com(internship opportunities atmajor Irish and multinationalorganisations)

Recruiters have confirmedthat a record 37% of this year’s entry-level positions are expected to be filledby graduates who have alreadyworked for their organisations – eitherthrough paid internships, industrialplacements or vacation work – andtherefore are not open to otherstudents from the ‘Class of 2014’.

The Graduate Market in 2014, High Fliers Research

experience, employers will welcome an internationaldimension to your CV. You’ll gain a newperspective, demonstrate independence andadaptability, develop your language skills andincrease your self-confidence!

If you are thinking about aninternational career, experienceof volunteering, studyingor working abroadwill help you standout from thecrowd.


Finding a job


INTERNATIONALISEYOUR CV

GOING GLOBAL

Going Global UCD students can now have access to Going Global,www.ucd.ie/careers/goinglobal, which provides country-specific career and employment information, includingworldwide internship and job postings and careerresources. Access to Going Global is restricted to UCDstudents and graduates and is password protected.Please email [email protected] with your name andstudent number requesting the login details.

CAREERS IN THE EUAn EU career offers the

chance to work in one of theworld’s most vibrant multilingualenvironments and play a role in

designing policies that affect the lives ofmore than 500 million citizens. UCD graduatesare highly sought after in Brussels, particularly those

with language skills. In fact, the most senior officialwithin the EU, Secretary General of the EuropeanCommission, Catherine Day, is a UCD graduate.

If you'd like to follow in her footsteps, why not speakto UCD Career Development Centre or get in touch

directly with my Department's EU Jobs team byemailing [email protected].

Paschal Donohoe, TD, FormerMinister for European Affairs.

Get international experience bystudying and working abroad orpursue international opportunitieswhen you graduate.

W hatever programme you arepursuing in college, there areopportunities for you to gaininternational experience either

as part of your course or by taking timeout.

What do employers think?As long as you make the most of yourtime abroad by gaining relevant skills and

Ata glance

Check ucd.ie/careers website for details ofopportunities targeting UCDstudents and graduates.Stay up to date with graduatevacancies and applicationdeadlines by following us onTwitter and Facebook.

gradireland.com is also worth checking out for the latest news on graduateopportunitiesSpeak to an adviser to find outmore about overseas graduateopportunities.For overseas opportunities –access Going Global on our website

International Office: TheInternational Office in UCDprovides lots of information forstudents on working andstudying abroad via volunteeringand exchange opportunities bothwithin Europe (Erasmus) andoutside of Europe. See thewebsite for more informationwww.ucd.ie/international/going-abroad-with-ucd/

NAME Donal Finegan DEGREE & STAGE BE, Chemical, BioprocessEngineering (2013). Currently a PhDstudent in Chemical Engineering atUniversity College London

In Stage 3 of Chemical and BioprocessEngineering , supported by the Pat McAdamscholarship, I spent the summer of 2011taking part in a research experience forundergraduates program (REU) at theColorado School of Mines, Golden, Colorado.Thereafter, I continued to spend stage 3 of mydegree at the University of California, SantaBarbara (UCSB). The academic and socialaspects of both the Colorado School of Minesand UCSB were immensely different fromanything experienced in UCD. For example,the location of the UCSB campus was entirelyunique; on one side, the campus wassurrounded by white sandy beaches, and onthe other were mountains along the SanAndreas Fault. The combination of world-classacademics and the adventure beckoninglandscape gave rise to a unique studentlifestyle composed of an enjoyable mix ofadventure and study.

After finishing in UCSB, I continued tospend summer of 2012 working for Merck, apharmaceutical company based in NewJersey. Here I got to use some of the coreskills learned during the Chemical andBioprocess Engineering degree. The mix ofindustrial and research experience abroadproved invaluable when I started my finalyear research and design thesies in UCD.

Highlight:Experiencing life as a student in other parts ofthe world was a fantastic experience. I have nodoubt that my time spent abroad has shapedmy current and future career. I got a taste ofseveral different potential career paths whichshaped my career decisions during my finalyear. I decided to pursue a research career andstarted a PhD in University College London(UCL) soon after I graduated.

Advice for students:The opportunities are there for everyone and I strongly encourage anyone to avail of theseand set in motion their own life-changingexperience. The UCD Career DevelopmentCentre and the International Office are thereto help and guide students and these areperfect places to start asking questions.

STUD

YI

NG & WORKING IN THEUS

NAME Gillian Bryan DEGREE & STAGE BComm and Chinese(2014). Two semesters - Renmin Universityand Peking University in Beijing, China(2012–2013)

Studied intensive Mandarin Chinese for onesemester. Studied Commerce in the secondsemester, choosing which modules I wantedto take. Class hours were relatively short,leaving time for extra study and travelling.

During my time in Beijing I gained a greaterunderstanding of Chinese culture, and madefriends (and future business contacts!) withstudents from many countries. I had the chanceto improve my language skills every single day.

HighlightsRaving on the Great Wall at David Guetta’sconcert, and meeting my favourite Chinesesinger there! My Mandarin level dramaticallyimproved after my year abroad, more than Iimagined possible.

Advice for other students:Searching for accommodation can be difficult.Have a precise list of everything you need inChinese when viewing apartments. You’ll beshown the good, the bad and the ugly. Stickyour neck out and make Chinese friends. It’seasy to hang out with the other internationalstudents, but try not to do that all the time.Before going, ask Chinese friends and yourChinese teachers about products which won’tbe available in China. For example, I couldn’tfind sun block to suit my pale skin.

A year abroad is a once in a lifetimeexperience that I would recommend toeveryone. It looks wonderful on a CV.Employers are always looking for candidateswho’ve travelled extensively and have aknowledge of foreign cultures.

Make use of the Career Development Centrefrom your first year in UCD. Start preparingyour CV and looking into internships andsummer work experiences. Don’t wait until thefinal year panic sets in before contacting them.I’d also recommend the Skills for Working Lifemodule offered by the Career DevelopmentCentre. The advice provided is practical andpresentations are done by industryprofessionals from companies such as Deloitte.

SEM

ESTERS IN BEIJING


Finding a job


International GraduateProgrammes For graduates looking for experience in Europeor further afield who have a second language,there are great opportunities with Irishbusinesses involved in export or businessoverseas, through direct employmentopportunities or more structured graduateprogrammes. Many of these organisations areeager to meet students on-campus andregularly deliver informative workshops ontheir application process and the internationaldimension to their business.

Enterprise Ireland’s two-year InternationalGraduate Programme offers graduates theopportunity to start their career with a fast-track international perspective. Checkoutwww.enterprise-ireland.com and the IBECExport Orientation Programme (EOP) whichlinks exporting companies to recentgraduates. Go to www.ibec.ie and go to AboutUs to access the Career Opportunitiessection for details of the programme.

For those graduates with fluency in Irish ora second European language, opportunitiesare available with various Europeaninstitutions at www.europa.eu/epso.

Useful websites

Overseas www.iaeste.orgwww.gradmalaysia.comwww.gradsingapore.comwww.eujobs.iewww.jetprogramme.orgwww.epik.go.krwww.lawcareers.netwww.ibec.iewww.enterprise-ireland.comwww.linkedin.comwww.aiesec.ie

UKgradireland.comwww.nijobs.iewww.targetjobs.co.ukwww.prospects.ac.uk

PhD studentswww.jobs.ac.ukwww.phdjobs.com


Finding a job


WORKING ABROAD

Two UCD graduate students talk about their experiences workingabroad and offer some advice to current students.

NAME Aine KinsellaDEGREE & STAGE MSc in ManagementConsultancy 2010, Michael Smurfit GraduateSchool of Business Bachelor of Commerce2009, UCD

I have been based in South-East Asia for 3 yearswith Enterprise Ireland (EI), living in both KualaLumpur and Singapore during this time. I workwith EI companies to increase their exports byentering into new markets and growing existingbusiness in the Association of South-East AsianNations (ASEAN).

I frequently travel to countries likeIndonesia, Vietnam and Malaysia. It is brilliantto work across so many markets as each is so different and I have learned to alter my wayof doing business to suit the country I amselling into.

This is a fantastic graduate programme, noday is the same as the next, which I love. Mydaily job is made up of business development,marketing, account management, advisory,event management and project management.

Advice for current students:Internationalise your CV – it can be extremelycompetitive to get into international programmesso apply for the erasmus programmes, studyanother language, secure internships ininternational companies. The more experienceand international exposure you have inuniversity, the more of a competitive advantageyou will have when applying for jobs.

Get involved – volunteer in societies, charitiesand mix with international students to learnabout different cultures. When I was in UCD I volunteered in the International BuddyProgramme which allowed me to meet studentsfrom across the world and build a great networkof international friends. Being able to network isessential in today’s business and employers lookat your proven ability to make contacts, so bearthis in mind when working on projects.

Visit relevant trade shows. Speak withcompanies showcasing at trade shows as theywill be able to give you information about theircompany, advise you on the industry, and couldbecome valuable contacts when applying forjobs.

Don’t just focus on the typical markets likeAmerican and Europe - Asia is one of the mostexciting places to work in right now. The growth,development and opportunities out here areincredible.

NAME Sarah HendersonDEGREE BCL (International) Law, UCD 2009Legal Practice Course at BPP Law School,Manchester 2011

I work as a solicitor for the UK Department ofTransport. I knew I wanted to move into achallenging career that made a real difference to the lives of everyday people. At university I enjoyed studying public law, human rights, EU and international law and through my careerresearch, it became apparent that working as asolicitor for the government suited me betterthan private general practice, or working for oneof the larger commercial and corporate firms in

the City. Through research and networking, itbecame apparent that the Government LegalService (GLS) had a reputation for providing workthat is intellectually challenging and givestrainees responsibility from the start. Whencombined with the importance of having a goodwork-life balance, my career decision was made.

With around 2,000 lawyers working in legalteams across 30 UK Departments of State,regulatory bodies and other governmentorganisations, GLS lawyers advise ministers andofficials of their powers and responsibilities,litigate on their behalf and ensure that officialdecisions comply with the law. To date, workingwith the Department, I have been involved in:assisting in a coroner’s inquest into a fatal airaccident, advising on the use of armed guards onUK ships and matters relating to piracy off thecoast of Somalia, qualifying as a solicitor in theDriver and Roads Agency where I provide adviceon the transposition of EU law and theDepartment’s response to EU infraction cases. Allin all, my working life is diverse, interesting andmeaningful.

Top tips• Always make good use of the Career

Development Centre – staff are experts whowill help you manage your career.

• Consider you career options early and getexperience, for example a summerplacement at the Government Legal Service.

• Get involved in opportunities which will buildthe skills and competencies recruiters arelooking for, for example through probonowork or getting involved in the running ofclubs or societies at university.

• Attend the Law Recruitment Fair on 8October 2014 having done your research inadvance and ask as many questions as youcan – don’t just pick up the brochures! Builda network of contacts who may help youwhen it comes to preparing for interviewsand making the move away from home.

Finding a job

NETWORKING FOR SUCCESS

Make the most of opportunities to meet with employers

T he UCD Career DevelopmentCentre organises and hosts a widerange of recruitment fairs andemployer presentations

throughout the academic year, which arebeneficial to students at all stages of theirstudies. These events are an excellentopportunity to meet and develop linkswith potential employers. The key tomaking the most of these opportunities isto be proactive and network withpotential employers.

However, effective networking isabout developing relationships withothers for mutual advantage. In your casethis may lead to you securingemployment or an internship, and for anemployer these events enable them tosecure graduate talent to add value totheir workplace.

By taking advantage of on-campusrecruitment events from the first year ofacademic studies, students can build amore extensive network of contacts,make informed decisions about the careerpathway they would like to follow, andcapitalise on opportunities that arepresented. So, how can students use theseevents effectively?

Top tips for successful networking at recruitment fairs and employerpresentations:• Do your research in advance

Prior to the event, research thecompanies taking part to find outmore about their business and thesector in which they operate. Doingyour homework on companiesattending will enable you to targetthose that are of particular interest toyou. Be realistic, highlight roles youare aware of that fit with yourqualifications, skills and experiencebut remain flexible and showwillingness to consider other rolesthat the recruiter may think are agood match for you.

facebook.com/ucdcareers @UCDCareers www.ucd.ie/careers THE UCD CAREER GUIDE 2014/15 19

• Dress for successPresent yourself effectively bydemonstrating self-confidence andenthusiasm.

• Speak up!This is your opportunity to speakdirectly to graduate recruiters.Networking for success is about youtaking the initiative. Be open, friendly,and prepared to talk about what youhave to offer. Bring some copies ofyour CV with you, as a recruiter mayask you for it.

• Build relationships and follow upCollect the business cards of theemployers that you meet. Afterwards,email them and thank them for theirtime. From time to time, you maywish to contact them for updates onthe business, positions available and

www.activelink.iewww.gradireland.comwww.irishjobs.iewww.irishtimes.com/www.jobs.iewww.linkedin.comwww.recruitireland.comwww.ucd.ie/careers

Job Search Websites in Ireland

Dates for your diary

The calendar on the next pagehighlights some of the key recruitment

events in semester 1 and 2, specifically therecruitment fairs organised by the UCD Career

Development Centre. This is not an exhaustive listof events. There will be numerous other recruitment

presentations and networking events taking place onand off campus. For up-to-date information on what’son, keep a regular eye on the ‘Events’ section of our

website; www.ucd.ie/careers. You can also ‘like’us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter to

receive regular updates on recruitmentevents that are taking place.

for advice when making applicationsand preparing for interview, but becareful not to contact them too muchas this may work against you.


Finding a job


Key recruitment events in 2014/15

Event Target audience Date

Professional Services – Audit, Tax & Consulting

Blackrock Campus students only

Tuesday 7 October 2014Main FoyerBlackrock Campus

Business, Finance & Management Recruitment Fair

Students from any disciplineinterested in a career in business, finance or consulting

Tuesday 30 September 2014O'Reilly HallBelfield Campus

Science, Engineering & Technology Recruitment Fair

Students from science, engineering and computer science

Wednesday 1 October 2014O'Reilly HallBelfield Campus

General Business,Management & Finance

Blackrock Campus students only

Friday 10 October 2014RestaurantBlackrock Campus

Law Recruitment Fair Students from any discipline interested in a legal career

Wednesday 8 October 2014Astra Hall, Student CentreBelfield Campus

Internships & VolunteeringRecruitment Fair

All students Tuesday 3 February 2015Astra Hall, Student Centre Belfield campus

London Study Visits There are many events organised by the UCDCareer Development Centre including theCorporate Finance and Consulting London Study Visit & the Corporate and Commercial LawLondon Study Visit, typically for pre-final yearstudents.

Students get the opportunity to network withrecruiters and employees in large firms in theCity of London – to experience the work of Cityfinancial institutions, investment banksconsultancies and legal firms first hand. Theweek-long trip provides engaging learning andnetworking opportunities for students, who learnabout application processes and how to preparefor interviews and assessment centres, as wellas a chance to experience what it’s like to work ina large City firm.

In March 2014, the Corporate Finance andConsulting trip included visits to meetrepresentatives from Morgan Stanley, ICAP andBlackrock Investments. The Corporate andCommercial Law trip included visits to Allen &Overy, Clyde & Co, and Slaughter and May.

One of themost important aspects of the

trip was the opportunity fornetworking with some of the top people in

the respective firms, an opportunity I wouldnever have got otherwise. It was such a greatexperience to listen to top professionals talk

about their day-to-day jobs and their background.It was fantastic to see former

UCD students like ourselves, who had gone toLondon and managed to be very successful insome of the biggest companies in the world.

Economics and Finance student, 2014

The tripreally helped me make decisions

concerning my career. It was great toget to see the firms from the inside rather

than just scrolling through their respectivewebsites. Seeing the work they do and speaking

to various people who work there was a greatopportunity to understand the culture of the firmsand I really get a feel as to whether or not I could

imagine myself working there. It also gave mea better understanding of what the firmslook for in relation to applications.

Law student, 2014


Finding a job


THINK! BUSINESS START-UP

ambitious about whowe targeted. I neverdirectly targeted the‘star’ as such, but Ialways approached

someone who was closeto them, for example a

publicist or a stylist. It’sserendipity – it’s spontaneous

enough… you never know if yourproduct is going to land, but if it does it’sbrilliant. The One Direction guys weregreat. I was down with Niall Horan in hishouse in Mullingar when he was home atChristmas.

He tweeted out to 17 million people:"Cheers to @DonalMcSharry & @fabmolfrom @Xmasjumpers, for coming downand kitting us out #FeelingFestive” whichwas fantastic for our business.

Q: Is there any advice you would give topeople starting out or wanting to set uptheir own business?D: Take a risk in some ways. If you have ageneral hunch and you think there’ssomething you enjoy, I would say to try itfor 6 months. If it doesn’t work out, youcan always apply for graduate programmesor a graduate job the following year.

Where to start Learn about what’s available. For aspiringentrepreneurs, there is a wealth of helpfulresources just a few clicks away:• NovaUCD:

https://www.ucd.ie/innovation/• Erasmus for Young Entrepreneurs:

www.erasmus-entrepreneurs.eu• Business Access to State Information

and Services: www.basis.ie• Enterprise Ireland: www.enterprise-

ireland.com• Inter Trade Ireland:

www.intertradeireland.com• J4b (information on grants/funding

available for business and start-ups:www.j4bgrants.ie

• Irish Investment Network:www.irishinvestmentnetwork.ie

• For more information onentrepreneurship check out yourbank’s business start-up web pages,

Do you have a great idea or have you spotted a gap in the market butare not quite sure how to get it off the ground? We talk to DonalMcSharry, whose fun business concept, Funky Christmas Jumpers, hasbeen a huge success to date.

Did you know that there are lotsof supports available to helpbudding entrepreneurs? So, takethat first step and start looking

at how you can set up your own business. Before you start, be inspired by

Donal McSharry’s story. Donal is a 2011 UCD graduate (MSc MarketingPractice, Michael Smurfit GraduateSchool of Business) who started abusiness whilst still a student in DIT.Donal founded his festive businessventure, Funky Christmas Jumpers withhis business partner, over five years ago.His funky jumpers have been spotted oncelebrities such as Rita Ora, RoryMcIlroy (pictured right) and Niall Horanfrom One Direction and Ryan Tubridy onthe Late Late Toy Show. Donal answeredsome of our questions on what it is to bea young entrepreneur.

Q: How did you come up with the idea?D: Myself and a friend went along to aChristmas-themed party without theobligatory Christmas jumpers and wethought there was a definite gap in themarket for a specialist Christmas jumpercompany once we saw how much funpeople wearing jumpers were having. Thefollowing season we decided to trial theidea and all our jumpers sold out. Sincethen Funky Christmas Jumpers hasgrown bigger and bigger every year.Fast forward to the present day and weship to 55 countries internationally.We’ve three different online saleschannels which are:www.funkychristmasjumpers.com,www.funkychristmasjumpers.co.uk forthe UK market and www.funkychristmasjumpers.com for the US market. In 2013,we had two wholesale contracts withArnotts and Avoca. We opened twodifferent pop-up stores in Dublin CityCentre as well.

Q: What do you think are the key skillsand attributes that you possess whichhave contributed to your success as anentrepreneur?D: Being ambitious, and a risk-taker. I’vealways read autobiographies about

entrepreneurs. I’ve been inspired by peoplewho started off with nothing, or startedoff with a small idea and decided to goagainst the conventional 9-5 way of life.

Q: What is it like being your own boss?D: I enjoy the freedom to be my own boss,to make my own decisions, to learn frommy own mistakes, and I enjoy being ableto work around my own schedule. Beingyoung and being a student allowed me totravel a lot with my business. As mybusiness is seasonal, I also have a part-time job to keep me in the off-season.

Q: What would you say are thechallenges (if any) you have had?D: The general management of financeswas a challenge but I just adapted andread up on it. I developed that skillmyself. Also, when this whole socialmedia craze appeared in 2009/2010 wehad to learn and adapt and we had anopportunity to capitalise on that. Weactually won two awards last year. Theywere ‘Best SME in Ireland using Digital’and ‘Best Online PR Campaign’ at theBord Gais Energy Awards. I would haveloved to have capitalised on this earlierbut we have made up for lost time now.

Q: How did you get celebrities to wearyour product?D: We thought that celebrityendorsements were really key to thesuccess of our product so we were

www.ucd.ie/careers facebook.com/ucdcareers @UCDCareers22 THE UCD CAREER GUIDE 2014/15

which are good for advice.• Another useful site

is https://www.smallbusinesscan.com/,a community for small businesses andentrepreneurs.

• Irish Student Entrepreneurship Forum:www.isef.ie

• www.erasmus-entrepreneurs.eu/• Check out your local area

partnerships, and for premises, localEnterprise Centres, which are excellentfor networking opportunities andsupports

Contact your local Enterprise Board:Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown CountyEnterprise Board (DLRCEB) is your‘local’ enterprise board if you are a UCDstudent. The Board works with aspiringentrepreneurs and providescomplimentary supports which can helpyou to acquire new skills, access specialistadvice and receive training. See moreinformation at www.drlceb.ie.

Enter a studentcompetition: Agreat way todevelop skills andstand out from thecrowd!Graduateemployers seek out‘top talent’ byorganisingcompetitions whichengage students inprojects andprovide anopportunity toshowcase skills andabilities. Student competitions can alsohelp you to enhance your CV, developand demonstrate your skills to a potentialfuture employer, allow you to perform a‘test run’ in an assessment centre andprovide opportunities to network withemployers or to win a prize or aninternship.

There are many annual competitionsparticularly popular with students whichinclude: • gradireland National Student

Challenge

• Deloitte’s Top Technology TalentCompetition

• EY Entrepreneurs of the FutureKeep yourself informed on upcomingcompetitions by visiting our onlineblog/newsletter:http://ucdblogs.org/careers/

UCD student Ciara Browne tells usabout her experience of the gradirelandNational Student Challenge(www.challenge.gradireland.com) below.Ciara came in third place overall (for thesecond year running!) and is pictured onthe left hand side along with the otherwinners.

NAME Ciara Browne JOB BAFS (Bachelor of Actuarial and Financial Studies) (3rd year)

My experience I heard about the gradireland National StudentChallenge from a friend. I enjoy problem-solvingand puzzles so I thought it was worth giving ita go. To qualify, you must complete onlineexercises which require processinginformation both accurately and quickly.Similar exercises are being used by employersto assess candidates, so completing an entrygives an insight into what employers look for. Iqualified for the final by placing in the top sixtystudents who took the online challenge.

The final day was a lot more hands-on andtook place in the Quinn School here in UCD.Students from colleges all around Ireland tookpart and we were randomly assigned to teamsof ten. As a team we tackled a variety of

challenges which simulated real-life problemsfrom the business world. Each challenge wasoverseen by a major employer. We had to plana delivery route for Lidl, assess investmentoptions for PWC and design a product launchfor Jameson. Creativity was tested in theinventing task set by SAP, boardroom debatingwas the challenge from EY and BostonScientific’s challenge involved efficiency andquality control on a mock production line.

Networking opportunitiesAfter six challenges, everyone was mentallyand physically drained and we proceeded tohave a few well deserved nibbles at thenetworking session. This was an informalchance to chat to the employers and fellowparticipants, gaining more insight into thevarious professions represented and theopportunities available at each firm. This partof the day was just as valuable as thecompetitive sessions in that I got to speak topeople who already work in the areas I wouldlike to get into after college.

AssessmentIn each task we were assessed on teamwork,communication and business acumen -interpersonal traits and skills which can’t bequantified using regular exams or assignments. I think this kind of event is a good way to proveyour ‘soft skills’ in front of real employers. Even ifyou were not interested in working with one ofthe employers directly involved in thecompetition, having this on your CV certainlygives you an edge in future job applications.

My adviceMy advice for anyone competing next year would beto be yourself and don’t be shy about expressingyour ideas. Use the opportunity to network and getcontacts within the companies you are interestedin. Remember you will be introduced to theemployers as one of the top sixty brightest studentsin Ireland, so they should want to talk to you.

Taking part in a student competition is a greatway to develop and showcase such skills outsidethe exam hall. I really enjoyed my experience atthe National Student Challenge and going homewith the third place prize was a wonderful bonusat the end of a rewarding day.

GRADIR

ELAN

DNATIONAL STUDENT CHALLENGE

UCD’s Ciara Browne (left), who finished in third place at the 2014gradireland National Student Challenge.

Finding a job


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CVs THAT HIT THE MARK

(AND ONE THATDOESN’T)

USE YOUR CV TO MARKET

YOURSELF EFFECTIVELY AND

MAXIMISE YOURCHANCES OF

SUCCESS

W hen applying for a job youneed to connect youreducation, skills andexperiences to the employer’s

requirements. Employers use differentmethods of application. Some have onlineapplication forms while others will askyou to submit a CV and cover letter.Make sure that you comply with theirpreferred method, and whatever theformat, market yourself effectively. Ifyour application doesn’t hit the mark youwill not get an interview, so you need toarticulate why you are the best person forthe job and what makes you stand outfrom other candidates. In yourapplication you will need to presentspecific information about yourself thatillustrates how you match up to theemployer’s criteria.

In Ireland, most employers accept aCV and cover letter in response to anadvertised position or as a speculativeapplication. Getting your CV into shapeis a key task if you are planning to applyfor graduate jobs, internships, or evenpart-time work. In this section you willfind information on how to structureyour CV and what sort of information toput into it.

At a glanceThere are a number of other resourcesavailable to you, for example:• Attend a CV workshop run by the

UCD Career Development Centre.

Check out www.ucd.ie/careers• Have your draft CV reviewed by

a Career & Skills Consultant.• Online resources can be

found at:– www.ucd.ie/careers– www.gradireland.com– www.prospects.ac.uk– www.targetjobs.co.uk

Wha

t for

mat should I use for my CV?

There can be conflictingadvice on how a CV should look and

the truth is there is no one format orapproach that will work for all applications.

While the most common format is the traditionalchronological CV, there are other kinds, such as theskills-based and academic CV, which may be more

suitable depending on your experience or chosen careerpathway. Accepted formats also differ from country tocountry. By researching the company, making use of

your contacts and consulting a Career & SkillsConsultant, you can find out what the optimal format

is for your application. The key to writing a strongCV is being aware of your unique selling points

and communicating them effectively, sousing a CV template is not a good

idea.


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And here's how not to do it...

JOSEPHINE BLOGGS

PERSONAL DETAILS

Address: 32 Glenomena Student Residences, UCD, Belfield, Dublin 4

DOB: 12/01/1993

Gender: FemaleMarital status: Single

Telephone: 086 8875412

Email address: [email protected]

Career Objective I am a hard-working, dedicated, enthusiastic, ambitious and driven Science student. I am seeking a challenging career

in a stimulating industry. I would be a huge asset to any company I join as I have a lot to offer personally and

professionally. I know I can change your organisation for the better.

Education University College Dublin

2011-2014Bachelor of Science

Ballymahon Community School, Trim, Co. Meath 2004-2011

Leaving Certificate: Higher Level – English (B3), Irish (B1), French (B1), Maths (A2), Physics (B3) Ordinary Level –

Chemistry (A1)

Junior Certificate: Higher Level – English (A), Maths (B), French (A), History (C), Geography (C), Business studies (B),

Science (A), Spanish (C)

Employment History

Little Rascals Playschool, Trim, Co. Meath Assistant Summer 2011

• Involved in day to day running of playschool

• Administrative tasks

• Excellent multi-tasking skills developed

• I <3 children and I really enjoyed this job! Lol

TechLabs, Clondalkin, Dublin 16 Summer Intern

May – Sept 2012• Working in the lab

• Assisting supervisor with clinical tests

• Doing research

• Data entry of results 4 d lab team

Key Skills Profile • Communication

• Teamwork• Problem solving

• Emotional Intelligence

• IT• Planning & Organising

Interests & Achievements

• Secretary of Scientific Society

– Took minutes– Helped to organise the ‘Weird Science’ drinkfest 2013

• UCD ladies hockey team

• Won several matches

• St Vincent de Paul

• Watching TV • Walking my god

• Making new friends

References available on request

Unfortunately people get it wrong often and employers see allkinds of CV blunders. Making a silly mistake or writingsomething inappropriate is the quickest way to get your CVthrown in the bin. Josephine Bloggs has not been having muchsuccess with her graduate job applications and when you look ather CV you can see why…

When it comes to font the best option is to keep it simple. UseTimes New Roman, Arial or similar. Avoid ‘Word Art’, colouredfonts and decorative effects – you want the recruiter to focuson the content of your CV, not be distracted by the formatting.

The personal details section ofyour CV should contain contactdetails only. You do not need toinclude details of gender, date ofbirth or marital status.

Josephine has left out a lot of relevantinformation about her degree. Shecould include relevant modules, hergrades, or her expected grade atgraduation and details of any thesis orgroup projects that she has completed.

In the education section you only need to go back asfar as your Leaving Certificate (or equivalent).

Make sure you use spell check!Many recruiters will throw a CV inthe bin if they spot spellingmistakes or grammatical errors.Avoid text speak

at all costs!Emplyrs h8 it!

Employment history should be in reverse chronological order, i.e.the most recent job should come first.

A tailored key skills profile can be great way of highlighting theskills that you would bring to the job. However, it is not enough tosimply list skills – you need to provide evidence for each, i.e. howyou have developed that particular skill.

If you have held a position of responsibility in acampus club or society, make sure you highlightthis in your CV. The recruiter may not know whatthe role involved so you need to state this clearly,making reference to key achievements and theskills that you developed. Be strategic in theachievements that you highlight and how youdescribe them. It might be advisable to excludemention of the ‘drinkfest’.

Avoid listing intereststhat are very genericas they say littleabout you as anindividual.

Make sure you use aprofessional-sounding emailaddress. An employeris unlikely to hire a‘drunken munkey’!

Writing 'Curriculum Vitae' at thetop of your CV in unnecessary.Your name should be the title.

This description ofresponsibilities andskills developed isvery vague and tellsthe employer littleabout what Josephineactually did andlearned in this role. Itis not enough to saythat you developedexcellent multi-tasking skills. Youneed to state howthese skills weredeveloped ordemonstrated, i.e.provide evidence.

Remember that spellcheck doesn’t catcheverything! You needto proofread severaltimes, and ideally asksomebody else toproofread, to ensurethere are no typos.

Curriculum Vitae

Career objectives canbe helpful but it canbe quite difficult towrite a good one. Thisexample manages tobe both vague andarrogant and is likelyto irritate rather thanenthuse a potentialemployer. You mayfind that yourcovering letter is abetter vehicle forhighlighting your keystrengths relative tothe role.


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ANATOMY OF ACOVERING LETTER

THAT WORKS

How can you create a cover letter that complements your CV?

Many people overlook thecovering letter and onlyinclude a CV in theirapplication. This is a lost

opportunity, as a well-written coveringletter can greatly enhance your abilityto market your skills and attributeseffectively. Two common mistakes thatpeople make when writing coverletters are to produce something thatis little more than a cover note ortaking it to the opposite extreme byreproducing the entire content of theirCV in letter format. Neither of theseapproaches will go down well withrecruiters. It is essential that your CVand cover letter support andcomplement each other. Take a lookat the example covering letter below:we have drawn your attention to keyfeatures and highlighted theinformation that should be included.

2 River RoadClontarf

Dublin 3

17 March 2015Mr. T. CollinsHead of HRGreenfoods44 Main Street

Dublin 1

Dear Mr. Collins,

I would like to apply for the position of trainee commercial manager as advertised on the UCD CareerDevelopment Centre website. I am a final year student of French at University College Dublin and expectto complete my studies in May 2015 with a 2:1 honours degree. I enclose a copy of my CV for yourattention.

I have researched your website and your graduate management scheme and feel that I am a strongcandidate for your commercial manager programme. My experience of working part time at Marks &Spencer introduced me to work in a commercial environment where teamwork and customer care werevital in meeting sales targets. I was an active member of my team and found working to targetsmotivating, challenging and enjoyable. I was also successful in securing a summer internship at Tesco where I had the opportunity to undertakeprojects such as allocation of floor space to new displays and supervising staff at tills and on the shopfloor. I had to use my skills in leadership, teamwork and, at times, persuasion to get all the workcompleted on time with limited resources. My ability to influence and communicate effectively wassuccessful when I received permission from my manager to introduce a promotion of fair trade productswhich had not been as successful as expected. Seeing my ideas take form on the shop floor was veryrewarding and I knew I had made a difference to the success of the store when we recorded a 20 percent increase in sales. I am particularly drawn to your company because of your stated commitment tosourcing local, ethically produced products on as many product lines as possible.I have been an active member of the UCD Student French Society and have organised a range of eventsand activities such as fundraising for charity and organising a careers event for language students inpartnership with the UCD Career Development Centre.I hope that I have demonstrated the drive, commitment and enthusiasm for this challenging programme.I have direct retail and business experience which will help me make an effective contribution toGreenfoods upon appointment.

I look forward to hearing from you. Please note that my final-year exams take place in the first twoweeks of May 2015.

Yours sincerely,

Sarah Murphy

Sarah Murphy

You should always try to addressyour letter to a specific person. Thissounds a lot better than “to whom itmay concern” or “Dear Sir/Madam”.You can often find a contact name onthe organisation’s website or byphoning their HR department.

You should always try to addressyour letter to a specific person. Thissounds a lot better than ‘to whom itmay concern’ or ‘Dear Sir/Madam’.You can often find a contact name onthe organisation’s website or byphoning their HR department.

The first paragraph should cover who you are and whyyou are writing. You need to clearly state the job thatyou are applying for and draw attention to the fact thatyou have attached your CV.

It is important that youdo your research. In yourcover letter you need todemonstrate to theemployer that you havegone to the trouble offinding about who theyare, what they do andwhat it is like to work forthem. The company’swebsite is a usefulresource but you shouldalso try to attendrecruitmentpresentations/openevenings, visit theirstand at the careers fairand talk to employees.

You need to ‘sell’ yourself effectively,highlighting how your skills, experienceand attributes that make you the rightperson for the job. Provide tangibleexamples and evidence – don’t just list aseries of qualities.

Explain why you want to work for theemployer – what is it that attracts you tothem? Again, this is an opportunity to showthat you have done your research.

You can draw attention toextra-curricular activitiesand achievements if youfeel they provide evidencefor relevant skills.

Synthesise your key points andsign off politely. If you have examscoming up and will not be availablefor interview during this period youcan mention the exam dates.


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BE SMART WITH YOUR

APPLICATION

Avoid basic errorsThis applies to whatever form yourapplication is taking, whether it’s anonline application or the moreconventional CV and covering letter.Whatever you’re submitting, ensure youget it proofread and checked by someoneelse before you submit it. Basic thingssuch as company names spelled wronglyand other spelling and punctuation errorsare spotted immediately by recruiters andwill ensure your CV makes the fast-trackto the rejection pile.

Knock-out questions If you’re filling in an online applicationform, you may come across a questionthat is designed to eliminate a certainamount of applicants. For example: dothey have a 2:1 degree or higher. If youanswer ‘no’ to this and the jobdescription requires a 2:1, then you willbe automatically eliminated from theselection process.

Show your knowledgeEssay questions on application forms area great way of showing your knowledgeof the industry and the role and what’sinvolved. If a question asks ‘what do youthink is the most exciting development inyour discipline in the last 12 months?’,you will need to have done your research,so make sure you submit a thoughtfuland concise answer that will give you theopportunity to stand out.

Ask for advice As I’ve said before, attention to detail ishugely important and cannot beoverstated. Again, use the adviceavailable online, make an appointmentwith the Career & Skills Consultant inthe UCD Careers Development Centreand talk to others who have successfullygone through the process. Advice is freeand listening to advice and putting asmuch thought and research into theapplication process as possible is the keyto your job hunt being a successful one.

Don’t forget that your CV is yourfirst impression, make sure it is

accurate and interesting. There isplenty of support, but be asprepared as you can be.

UCD Graduate, Sarah Murphy, Lidl Graduate Management Development ProgrammeTara Kleebaur, Talent Acquisition

& Employer Brand Manager at Lidl,gives some insider advice on pitfallsto avoid and practices to observe tomake sure your application issuccessful.

As the economy continues to recover,competition remains high for graduatesseeking to land a place on a graduateprogramme or to secure that all-important first job. As recruiters continueto implement procedures to filter the CVsthey receive, the challenges for graduateshave increased. If you don’t set about theapplication process correctly, and putplenty of thought into it, there is a realchance that your application won’t evenbe considered. So this makes a difficultjob more difficult! However, if you knowwhat the recruiter is looking for and whatto expect, you can give yourself the bestchance of succeeding.

If you’re submitting an applicationonline, write the answers into a worddocument first and take plenty of time toread over them. This will give you time toconsider your answers before puttingthem on to the online system. Also, usethe available help, and talk to the UCDCareer Development Centre about howthey can help you and what to watch outfor.


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ASSESSMENTCENTRES

Employers use a variety of methodsto select the best graduates atassessment centres, which canrange from a half day to two days

in length. Knowing what to expect andbeing well prepared will help you toperform well. Find out what the format isand research the role well, and pay closeattention to the skills and attributesoutlined in the job description - this is whatyou are being assessed on!

Any of the following may form part ofyour assessment:• Psychometric tests• Team exercises or group work• Case studies• In-tray exercises• Presentations• Individual or group interviews• Social activities

Psychometric testsThis can be numerical, verbal or abstractreasoning tests. The best way to prepareis practice and you can do this bycompleting the ‘Test yourself’ section ofProfiling for Success on www.ucd.ie/careers.

Group workThis may take the form of a groupproblem-solving exercise, for example.The thing to remember is that you arebeing assessed on how you work withothers, how you persuade and influence.Assessors will look at how you interactwith others and if you think logicallyaround a problem, so don’t be toodomineering but don’t be too shy either.The key thing is to get involved and try torelax and be yourself.

Case studiesThis usually involves a writtenscenario about a company or aclient where you (on your own orin a group) must analyseinformation/identify root causesto a problem and then proposesolutions or recommendations.Read the questions first so youknow where you have to get to,

think about the context of thecompany, and have realistic and

straightforward answers withpractical solutions.

In-tray exercisesThis task is designed to see how youwould prioritise work. You will be givena laptop and, under time pressure, you

HOW WE CAN HELPThe UCD Career Development

Centre offers regular workshops oninterview preparation tips and techniques.

Check our events pagewww.ucd.ie/careers/events for schedule details

and book your place athttps://careersconnect.ucd.ie/.

You can also find lots of useful hints on ourwebsite and www.gradireland.com or pop into

the UCD Career Development Centre forhard-copy information or some one-

to-one advice from a Career &Skills Consultant.

are asked to deal with many incomingemails and asked how you would actionor prioritise these. The key is to remaincalm, and take a logical approach. There may not be a correct answer inmany cases, but you must ensure you canexplain the reasons for your decisions.

PresentationsPrepare well if you know in advancewhat you are being asked, practice whatyou want to say, keep to the time limit(do not go over!) and be calm andconfident. Aim for a clear logicalstructure, speak at a steady pace and lookat your audience, smile and connect withthem. Be ready to be asked questions atthe end.

Social activitiesMany assessment centres also includesocial activities/meals out where,although you won’t be formally assessed,you should use the opportunity to meet asmany representatives and recentgraduates as you can. Be yourself, engagein conversation and resist the temptationto drink too much. This is also youropportunity to find out all you can aboutthe organisations, so ask questions and beenthusiastic!


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INTERVIEWS

NAME Elizabeth McDougallDEGREE & STAGE BAgrSc, Food &Agribusiness Management (2013)

After graduating in September 2013, I joinedAccenture at the end of October, havinginterned already with them for 3 months in2012. As an intern, I fast-tracked through to thefinal round of the interview process for agraduate position. When I started, I spent twoweeks training in Ireland and a further twoweeks training in Bangalore (India) and someof the other graduates went to Chicago! Ireturned from India at the end of November andwas put on a project with a utilities companywhere I spend time capturing how processesare carried out on the retail side of the businessand mapping these processes to developtraining materials . The other 10 graduates whojoined in the same week as me are all on verydifferent projects in different industries.

While we work hard, there are numerousclubs and societies (such as golf, surfingetc...) and social events throughout the yearsuch as weekends away, company-wideparties and project nights out. Accenture alsoprovide a generous starting salary, trainingabroad, a company laptop, private healthinsurance and fast-paced career development.

The recruitment process – My adviceThe first interview stage consists of threesections: understanding of our business andthe role, competency-based questions and ashort case study. The case study aims toassess your problem solving and logic skillsand is based on a typical Accenture client.

I would recommend that you have specificreasons for why you would like to work forAccenture, understand what Accenture do,our sectors and services, our clients and casestudies. It is also important to understand therole of an analyst and how Accenture usestechnology. All this information can be foundon our website.

The final interview stage involves aninterview with a senior manager, a fact-findingcase study and an interview with a managingdirector. The interviews will be similar to thefirst round in the sense that they will assessyour core competencies and your interest inconsulting and Accenture.

The fact-finding case study is conducted byHR and the interviewer will provide you with ashort overview of a consultancy/client problem.The objective will be to seek out the informationyou need to enable you to make decisionsregarding the project. It aims to assess youranalytical and problem-solving ability.

For this round, try to be relaxed, butconfident! Know your competencies and yourreasons for choosing Accenture and consulting.

IN

TERVIEW TIPS

NAME Sheila BoylanDEGREE & STAGE BBL (2013)

In the July 2010 I began the 20 month IBECExport Orientation Programme with sponsorcompany Bord Bia. For the first 6 months, I wasbased in Dublin in the CorporateCommunications Department. I was thenrelocated to the Amsterdam office, where Iassumed the position of Marketing Assistantfor the remainder of the programme. While Ihadn’t given much thought to the idea ofworking abroad, I was open-minded about mycareer path.

One of the most rewarding components ofthe EOP programme was the exposure I wasgiven to international business: contributing tothe ongoing strategic development andpositioning of Irish food and drink, providingassistance to client companies wishing toexpand their export reach, building marketintelligence capabilities and developing theorganisations market growth and promotionalplans. This, coupled with the schooling Ireceived during my degree, particularly whileon professional work placement, hasundoubtedly increased my career prospects.

Upon completion of the programme Isecured a position with Shannon Meats, aDutch importer of Irish beef predominantlysupplying foodservice and retail sectors in theNetherlands. Although based in Ireland asQuality Assurance Manager and working withkey suppliers, I now realise the distinctadvantage of having a second language and Iam learning Dutch part-time. However, it wasnot a prerequisite of the programme and didnot deter my application.

There are many routes to take when youleave college. For me, the IBEC EOP programmewas the break I needed to establish myself inan international business environment whilesimultaneously furthering my education andsuccessfully completing a postgraduatediploma in international business development(which is part of the programme).

GRAD

UATE PROGRAMME

INTERVIEWSAn interview can be a nerve-wrackingexperience but remember, it is as muchabout you finding out if you want to workwith the employer as for them to find out ifyou are a good ‘fit’ with their organisation.Research the job and the organisationthoroughly and prepare well so that youare confident and knowledgeable.

What to expectThe most common type of interviews are:

Telephone interviewsUsually occur early on in the selectionprocess. Prepare well as you would with a standard interview and you might evenwant to have some summary notes pinnedto the wall. Find a quiet room where youwon’t be disturbed, and make sure tolisten carefully and speak slowly as youand your interviewer will have no visualcues to help you.

First round interviewsUsually conducted face to face butsometimes are done via telephone, Skypeor even automated interview (check outsonru.com for more tips). Prepare well bydoing extensive research about thecompany and the role, know what youwant to say and have good examplesready that will demonstrate how youmeet the requirements of the job. Theinterviewer also wants to see that you areenthusiastic, capable and motivated somake sure this comes across!

Second round interviewsUsually involve two or more senioremployees, one of whom may be yourdirect manager should you be successful.They are interested in how well you willfit into their team and the widerdepartment. As always, preparation is soimportant.

Panel interviewsPanel interviews may consist of three ormore interviewers. You should make eyecontact with all the panel members.Initially look at the person asking you thequestion, but be sure to glance around the


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table at all the interviewers to engage andconnect with them. They will all have setquestions to ask so be aware of this anddon’t spend too long giving detailedanswers but be clear, concise and to thepoint. Greet everyone with a smile and ahandshake on the way in and thankeveryone individually on your way out.

Interview QuestionsThe interviewers will want to know aboutyou, your motivation, your education andexperience, your competencies and skillsand they will expect you to understandthe job, and be knowledgeable about theirorganisation and the context in which itoperates.

Therefore you can prepare for manykey questions that you are likely to beasked such as:• Why do you want this job/why did

you apply?• Tell me about yourself? (give a 90

second overview of your CVemphasising key information –practice to get it right!)

• Why did you choose your course?• What are your strengths and

development areas? (turn any‘weaknesses’ into positives bydemonstrating self-awareness, andwhat you have done to improve anyweakness to date so that your exampleends on a positive note)

• What do you know about ourorganisation?

• You may also be asked Competency-Based Questions. These are questionswhere the employer is looking forevidence that you have demonstratedcertain competencies (e.g. Teamwork,Leadership, Problem-solving,Initiative, Working under pressure etc.)in the past. The premise is that if youhave done so before you will do soagain. For example you may be askedquestions such as:

Carol Hunt (IngredientsRecruitment Manager withKerry Group) shares her topinterview tips

Before the interviewGet the Job spec – or if not available – asmuch information as possible about the role– including what the daily activities include!Contact HR or the Hiring Manager for this –they will be impressed with your pro-activeapproach. Evaluate which competencies and skills arerequired to competently perform the role –more than likely your interviewer will look toassess your competence in these areas – soprepare some sample scenarios which youcan use at interview.Spend some time researching the companyonline – avoid memorising facts and figuresfrom the website and instead look at theirmost recent company accounts and reviewmarkets and opportunities that arehighlighted for the year ahead. You will needto demonstrate a keen interest in thecompany and the sector in general.Prepare a 1-2 min overview of your CV which you can use as your introduction.Do you know anyone working in thecompany? Contact them and look foradvice/tips – most people are reallyaccommodating – e.g. sending a quickmessage to someone via LinkedIn can bereally effective!Check with UCD Career Development Centre – have the company been on campus anddelivered any presentations? These willusually contain content on how to preparefor interviews.Try to arrange a mock interview with a Career& Skills Consultant – bringing as muchinformation as possible on the role alongwith you.

During the interviewMake a good first impression by offering aconfident handshake, smiling, making goodeye contact and dressing smartly. Listen carefully to what you are being asked,and if necessary pause to compose yourthoughts or ask for clarification. Provide a thorough answer to the questionyou are being asked and be prepared to begrilled on the detail – your preparationcomes in here (remember STAR)Avoid giving irrelevant information or goingoff on a tangent – also do not be afraid ofsilence!Maintain good posture – don’t slouch or foldyour arms. If you are asked about your weaknesses, usean example that you turned into a strengthand explain how you achieved this. If you are asked something unexpected, staycalm, compose your thoughts and thinkabout how you can relate your answer towhat they may be looking for.Have one or two questions prepared – youcould ask about the structure of team,induction training, typical duties and nextsteps.Thank the interviewers and try to close offby saying how much YOU WANT THE JOB!

After the interviewReflect on your performance - what wentwell and what didn’t go so well.Note down what you were asked as you willbe surprised by how quickly you forget this,but it may help for the next time – particularlyif there were questions which were unexpected.If you were unsuccessful, ask for feedbackso you can improve or learn from any mistakes.

The STAR Methodof answering acompetency-based questionS – SituationPaint a picture of the example you aregoing to use.

T – TaskDescribe your objective or goal (andmention any consequences of notachieving it).

A – ActionsThis is the crux of the answer. It isimperative that you explain how youformed the actions, and focus on what youpersonally did, avoiding ‘we’.

R – ResultBriefly describe the positive outcomes/result of your actions.

Describe a situation where you haveworked effectively as part of a team?Give an example of when you haveworked to a tight deadline?Describe a recent problem you have hadto solve and how you went about this?

A great way to answer these questionsand provide the evidence that theinterviewers are looking for is to use theSTAR method. The STAR method givesyou a great structure for your answersand ensures you provide complete anddetailed information that the interviewerwants.


Carry on studying: options for everyone


For some courses, applications willbased on your second year or penultimateyear results, so if you know that you wantto enter a profession where further studyis required, it’s advisable to focus on yourgrades from the first year!

Study internationallyThis can be an interesting addition toany CV, but applying for graduate studyoverseas can be time-consuming. Forexample, studying in the USA usuallytakes around 18 months to set up. TheUCD Career Development Centre has arange of resources for you to use whenresearching graduate study and fundingoptions. Fees for universities in someEuropean countries are low and in some(e.g. Germany, the Netherlands, Swedenand Finland) there is a drive to attractstudents from elsewhere throughEnglish-speaking courses andscholarships for foreign students. Moreinformation can be found onwww.findamasters.com or onwww.eunicas.ie (however there is a feeinvolved).

Paying your way & funding your postgraduate studiesFurther studies can mean significantfinancial investment and it’s worthwhilechecking out if you are eligible for any

CARRY ONSTUDYING:

OPTIONS FOREVERYONEGRADUATE

STUDY COULDBE YOUR NEXT

STEP

Graduate programmes can betaught or research-based and canrange from a one-yearpostgraduate diploma or masters

to a PhD taking three years or more.Conversion courses are generally one-yeartaught postgraduate courses that allowgraduates to ‘convert’ to a new discipline.

Students undertake postgraduate studiesfor many reasons, usually because study:• may be essential for entry to

professions such as teaching, medicine,accountancy;

• allows students to train for a newcareer, for example, undertakingconversion courses in computer sciencewhere there is a strong job market.

Is graduate study foryou? – consider thefollowing

What is your motivation for graduatestudy?Are you genuinely interested in thesubject you’re thinking about studying?Will completing graduate study help youachieve your career goals?What are the employment prospects forgraduates of the programme?How will you fund your studies?

funding support, scholarship or universityaward. We have compiled a list of usefulwebsites which offer information onfunding available. Make contact directlywith the university and enquire whetherthere are any other sources of fundingavailable. Ensure you check deadlines forapplications and leave enough time todraft a winning submission!

How we can help Career & Skills Consultants can helpstudents to decide which type of graduatestudy is best suited to them, provideaccess to information on funding optionsand offer in-depth support to students onwriting personal statements – critical ifyou are to maximise the success of yourapplications. There is an extensive rangeof reference literature at the UCD CareerDevelopment Centre to support yourplans to study locally, nationally andinternationally.


Carry on studying: options for everyone


Graduate study at UCDUCD is a good place to start your courseresearch. The university’s seven graduateschools provide Ireland’s widest range oftaught and research courses. Visitwww.ucd.ie/graduatestudies for moreinformation or contact:[email protected]: +353 (0)1 716 4043.

Your

forw

ard

plan

ning

, s

tep by step

12–18 months aheadResearch your area of interestand the courses available.

Identify all online/offline materialabout course and possiblefunding sources.

Attend open days wherepossible, building up knowledge.

Talk to industry professionalsand previous students.

9–12 months aheadRefine your course choices in order of preference.

Put your application together: thismay involve personal statements,academic references and transcripts,so give yourself enough time toprepare these documents.

Investigate any sources of fundingsupport.

Use the expertise of the UCD CareerDevelopment Centre: ask a consultantto cast a final look over documents.

6 months aheadFocus on final exams and projects:ensuring you put your efforts intoachieving the best possible finalgrade will enhance your likelihood ofsecuring a place on the course of yourchoice.

If you have been offered a place atthis point, return any formalacceptance documentation that maybe required. Breathe a sigh of relief!

Where can I explorecourses?Some websites to help you find a graduatecourse in your area of interest: postgradireland.com Official course

directory for Ireland and Northern Ireland www.prospects.ac.uk UK-based careers

and courses website www.targetpostgrad.com Course

directory for the UK www.internationalgraduate.net

International course directory www.eunicas.ie Application support

service for European universities.

NAME Alison CookeDEGREE & STAGE BA in Psychology, 2013;Masters in Psychological Science, 2014

I chose to apply for postgraduate study becauseso many jobs now require a postgraduatequalification. Having a Masters degree is alsoviewed favourably when applying for ClinicalPsychology, which I intend to do in the future.

I applied for the Masters in PsychologicalScience because I wanted to continue studyingpsychology. I wanted a one-year taughtMasters with an applied focus, so this coursesuited me perfectly.

The course is very different to myundergraduate degree. There is a strong focuson skills for professional practice and group-based learning. I am also gaining practicalexperience through my role as ResearchAssistant with the psychology team in the IrishPrison Service.

Application tips for students:I was able to take a module in my final year‘Career Development in Psychology’, run by theCareer Development Centre. If this is notavailable to you, organise a meeting with theCentre where they can review your CV andpersonal statement before you use them inapplications.

Advice on writing a personal statement:Make your personal statement original – ensureit stands out from the crowd and avoid clichés.

Many people applying for the course willhave similar grades to you, so what sets youapart from your peers? Universities want‘rounded’ individuals, so focus on relevant workexperience, voluntary work, extra-curricularactivities and part-time jobs. Focus on whatskills you gained from these rather than justlisting them off.

Make your personal statement prospectiveand not just retrospective - how does thiscourse fit with your future career plan?

Do not use a ‘one size fits all’ approach.Mention specific modules, the research areasof staff, the University etc.

FURT

HER STUDY

The Lidl Graduate Programme is a feast of experiences and opportunities. Discover a new world of professional learning and early responsibility. Find out what happens backstage in a renowned global retailer and learn about us, the business and about yourself. Eighteen

you’ll be able to say ‘I was there’.

jobs.lidl.ie • jobs.lidl-ni.co.uk

Takethe

stage

Choose to live a little

Th e LidlGraduate

Programme

Th eperformance

of yourlife


Welcome


Leading employers and courseproviders with thousands ofvacancies who want to hear fromyou, plus sources of help aboutspecific careers.

O ne of the ways you might wantto focus your career planning isthrough deciding upon a broadcareer sector and looking at

what opportunities lie within. Thefollowing pages detail some of theopportunities available from largerrecruiters in traditional graduate careersectors. The Career Development Centrehosts Graduate and Placement careersfairs in the Autumn and Spring term andin April you can go to the SpringboardFair, which hosts companies fromalternative careers areas – see our websitefor specific dates. If you need further helpwith getting a job in these sectors talk toemployers at our Employer Presentationsand Skills Sessions advertised on ourwebsite. We can also help if your interestslie in other areas. Use the CareerDevelopment Centre and the informationresources on our website to researchsectors, investigate specific roles andcareers and search for vacancies. Forinformation and advice on further studyopportunities, again, our website is agreat starting point.

JOBS ANDCOURSE

PROVIDERS

WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR?

Apply now and tell

employers whereyou saw them

first

At BAE Systems, we serve the needs of our customers by delivering advanced defence, aerospace and security solutions that provide a technological and performance edge. With some 84,600 employees in six continents, our story is about talented people who are relentlessly committed to creating solutions that protect and strengthen nations, commerce, communities, and people. That’s work that inspires us. That’s BAE Systems.

To do that, we’re constantly innovating and looking out for people who can add real value to our business. That’s why we offer exciting and challenging career opportunities to enthusiastic, driven graduates and undergraduates.

If you’re aspiring to develop professional excellence, you can join our Graduate Development Framework in a business or engineering role, ranging from human resources to naval architecture. For those who want to be part of a team that builds solutions of the future there’s Applied Intelligence, with roles ranging from cyber security to software engineering. For individuals with the capability and determination to take up a senior finance role in the future, there’s the Finance Leader Development Programme. Or, there’s the Sigma Leadership Programme designed to develop those with the highest leadership potential in to a business or engineering leader of the future. We also welcome undergraduates with bold ambitions to take up an Industrial Placement or Summer Internship.

If you’re ready to work on projects that make a real difference, visit baesystems.com/graduates

HOW DO YOU SEE YOUR CAREER LIGHTING UP?WELCOME TOSUCCESS IN THE REAL WORLD.

THE UCD CAREER GUIDE 2014/15 35facebook.com/ucdcareers @UCDCareers www.ucd.ie/careers

Area Management Recruitment

Aldi Stores (Ireland) LimitedLimerick Road, Mitchelstown, Co. Cork.

TEL +353 (0)25 52933EMAIL [email protected] www.aldi.ie

MAIN LOCATIONS OR REGIONS Throughout Republic of Ireland

AREAS OF ACTIVITY & JOB FUNCTION(S)Our Area Manager Graduate Training Programme offers fantastic careerprospects for graduates seeking to challenge themselves. Rewarding talentand ability, it provides graduates the unique opportunity to run their ownmulti-million euro business within a year, the potential to work abroad or toprogress to a Director position within five years

GRADUATES SOUGHT 2:1 Any discipline

STARTING SALARY €61,000 rising to €92,000 after four years, a fullyexpensed Audi A4, a pension scheme, private healthcare

PATTERN OF RECRUITMENT/CLOSING DATE Continuous

FORM OF APPLICATION Complete an online application form available at aldi.ieor send your CV together with a covering letter illustrating your leadershippotential

APPROX ANNUAL INTAKE Continuous

BAE SystemsWEB www.baesystems.com/graduatesSOCIAL MEDIA @BAESGraduates BAE Systems Early Careers

MAIN LOCATIONS OR REGIONS Multiple across the UK

AREAS OF ACTIVITY & JOB FUNCTION(S)Real world. Real work. Real challenges.

Join us as a graduate and you’ll quickly become involved in developing someof the most technologically advanced defence, security and aerospacesystems, and receive tailored development to advance your career!

About Us

We work together with local partners to develop, engineer, manufacture, andsupport the innovations that sustain economies, increase defence sovereigntyand safeguard commercial interests. With some 84,600 employees in sixcontinents, our story is about talented people who are relentlessly committedto creating solutions that protect and strengthen nations. That’s work thatinspires us. That’s BAE Systems.

What you can expect

As one of the world’s most innovative companies, we can offer you an excitingand challenging career. Whether it’s our Graduate Development Framework(GDF), Applied Intelligence graduate roles, Finance Leader DevelopmentProgramme (FLDP), Sigma Leadership Programme (Sigma), all combine formallearning with real world challenges.

GRADUATES SOUGHT Any discipline

STARTING SALARY £25,000 minimum

PATTERN OF RECRUITMENT/CLOSING DATE Ongoing

FORM OF APPLICATION Online

APPROX ANNUAL INTAKE 200 graduates, 50 industrial placements

VACATION WORK/COURSES Yes

Human ResourcesBDOBeaux Lane House, Mercer Street Lower, Dublin 2

TEL + 353 (0)1 470 0335EMAIL [email protected] www.bdo.ieSOCIAL MEDIA www.linkedin.com/company/bdo-ireland/careers

MAIN LOCATIONS OR REGIONS Dublin, Limerick

AREAS OF ACTIVITY & JOB FUNCTION(S)BDO is the Irish member firm of BDO International, the number one European-led global accountancy network, a network with over 1,000 member firmoffices worldwide. In a marketplace that typically provides two types ofaccounting firms – the large scale global provider, or the smaller relationship-driven local firm, BDO provides a real and sensible alternative. BDO providesthe best of both worlds with the reach and resources of a global player and alocal relationship that matters.

At BDO, you won’t be just another graduate trainee. Smaller client serviceteams and an excellent partner-to-staff ratio contribute to an environmentwhere our trainees’ work is noticed - by peers, partners and clients. We arelooking for enthusiastic graduates to train as Accountants or Tax Consultants inour Audit, Tax and Advisory Departments.

GRADUATES SOUGHT Any discipline – Minimum 2.1 honours degree

STARTING SALARY Competitive with comprehensive study package

PATTERN OF RECRUITMENT/CLOSING DATE Annual / closing date: Wednesday29 October 2014

FORM OF APPLICATION Online application only

APPROX ANNUAL INTAKE 25

VACATION WORK/COURSES Yes – apply before April 2015

Recruiting Co-ordinatorThe Boston Consulting Group20 Manchester SquareLondonW1U 3ANUnited KingdomTEL 020 7753 5353EMAIL [email protected] www.bcg.com

MAIN LOCATIONS OR REGIONS London and 80 other offices worldwide

AREAS OF ACTIVITY & JOB FUNCTION(S)The Boston Consulting Group (BCG) is a global management consulting firmand the world’s leading advisor on business strategy. We partner with clientsin all sectors and regions to identify their highest-value opportunities, addresstheir most critical challenges, and transform their businesses. Our customisedapproach combines deep insight into the dynamics of companies and marketswith close collaboration at all levels of the client organisation. This ensuresthat our clients achieve sustainable competitive advantage, build more capableorganisations, and secure lasting results.


STARTING SALARY Highly competitive

PATTERN OF RECRUITMENT/CLOSING DATE From 15th September until 1st November 2014

FORM OF APPLICATION Online via apply.bcg.com/ukuniversity

APPROX ANNUAL INTAKE No set number


FOR VACATION WORK APPLY BY from 1st to 31st January 2015

Application ProcessApply through our website at www.bdo.ie/graduates and complete our online application form.

Closing date for applications: Wednesday 29 October 2014 at 5:30pm

For more information contact us by email at [email protected] or phone 01 470 0335

CHOOSE THE RIGHT PLATFORM FOR YOUR CAREER IN ACCOUNTING AND TAXBDO Graduate Careers


Gillian BrayCHP Consulting20 Gresham StreetLondonEC2V 7JETEL 020 7588 1800EMAIL [email protected] www.chp.co.uk/careers

MAIN LOCATIONS OR REGIONS Based in London with operations in the US,Australia, New Zealand and Europe.

AREAS OF ACTIVITY & JOB FUNCTION(S)CHP Consulting helps asset finance companies improve their businessperformance by implementing our software - ALFA Systems - and applying ourwide-ranging experience of the industry. Blue-chip clients such as Bank ofAmerica, Barclays, Deutsche Bank, Société Générale and Toyota FinancialServices have reaped the benefits of CHP’s finest assets: our people.

You will begin your career either on a client site or based in the office and yourfirst role will typically be software development. As you gain more knowledgeof the business and technology, you will have increased responsibility in ourbusiness change implementation projects.

We only recruit people who we think will get on with each other, so theatmosphere is friendly and inclusive.


STARTING SALARY £40,000 plus £5,000 sign-on bonus

PATTERN OF RECRUITMENT/CLOSING DATE Continuous


APPROX ANNUAL INTAKE 15–20

VACATION WORK/COURSES No

Crowe HorwathMarine HouseClanwilliam CourtDublin 2TEL +353 (0)1 448 2200EMAIL [email protected] www.crowehorwath.ie

MAIN LOCATIONS OR REGIONS Dublin

AREAS OF ACTIVITY & JOB FUNCTION(S)Crowe Horwath, one of the leading Chartered Accountancy and BusinessAdvisory practices in Ireland, is the representative firm of Crowe HorwathInternational, a worldwide group of independent accountancy firms.

We are looking to recruit graduates who want to train as charteredaccountants. We look for graduates, like you, who are dedicated, who work wellunder pressure and are prepared to rise to a challenge. You will be thorough inyour approach to work, a good team player but also able to work well on yourown initiative, and above all, you will be eager and willing to learn.

Trainees will have the opportunity to gain experience in a number of serviceareas throughout their training contract.

GRADUATES SOUGHT All degree disciplines

STARTING SALARY Competitive

PATTERN OF RECRUITMENT/CLOSING DATE Annual – closing date 31 October2014

FORM OF APPLICATION Online at www.crowehorwath.ie


VACATION WORK/COURSES No

Super geek, people person or business brain? CHP employs graduates and professionals from many disciplines. Do you have what it takes to be a top Java programmer? Do you make managing complex projects look easy? Could your ideas make leading companies more profitable? CHP is established in the UK, US, Asia-Pacific and throughout Europe. You will be based in our London City office and go on to work in a variety of roles on projects with some of the world’s leading leasing and asset finance companies.

There are six glasses in a row. The three on the left are full. The three on the right are empty.By moving only one glass, can you make a row of alternating full and empty glasses?

We will train you so that you’re able to work on any part of our business change projects, building and implementing our industry-leading software. You will have an outstanding academic background including a 2:1 degree or better and a minimum of 320 UCAS points. You will be curious, have a logical mind, and be confident, ambitious and ready for a challenge. Starting salary is £35k and you will join one of our graduate intakes throughout the year. Find out more about opportunities with CHP Consulting at www.chp.co.uk/careers.

AN IT CONSULTANCY FOR PEOPLE WHO SEE THE WORLD DIFFERENTLY.

Be part of the Jameson global success story...

APPLY ONLINE TODAYwww.thevitalingredient.ie

Discover

THE VITALfor your careerINGREDIENT

Kickstart your career with theJameson Brand Ambassador Programme

or

Jameson Graduate Distiller Programme


Kerry Graduate Team

Kerry GroupWEB www.kerrygraduates.comSOCIAL MEDIA https://www.facebook.com/Kerry.Group.Graduate.Recruitment

MAIN LOCATIONS OR REGIONS Ireland & UK locations

AREAS OF ACTIVITY & JOB FUNCTION(S)Kerry, a world leader in food ingredients and a leading supplier of consumerfoods is recruiting for its Graduate Programme to start in July/August/September 2015. Kerry has the largest, most innovative portfolio of Taste &Nutrition Systems and Functional Ingredients & Actives for the global food,beverage and pharmaceutical markets. Kerry Foods is a leading producer ofchilled consumer foods with top brands such as Cheestrings, Low Low andMattessons.Our newly designed Global Graduate Programme provides an accelerated pathto leadership roles whilst working in an innovative, energetic and globalenvironment. Our intensive two year programme offers: Early access to seniorleaders, Global secondments and assignments, Residential off-site trainingand Innovative project work and presentations to senior leaders. At Kerry,graduates are offered real roles with real responsibility. We recognise potentialand reward great performance with world class development and unlimitedopportunities for career growth. We are now recruiting for our next generationof global leaders. Our best in class Graduate Programme provides anaccelerated path to leadership whilst working in an innovative, energetic andglobal environment.Kerry Group has around 100 vacancies in Accounting andFinance, R&D, Engineering, ICT, Operations, Procurement, Supply chain,Quality, Sales Marketing and Category management and HR.GRADUATES SOUGHT Any disciplineSTARTING SALARY Competitive packagePATTERN OF RECRUITMENT/CLOSING DATE Please apply by 31/01/15FORM OF APPLICATION Online – www.kerrygraduates.comAPPROX ANNUAL INTAKE 100

Alice KennedyKPMG1 Stokes Place, St. Stephen’s Green, Dublin 2TEL +353 (0)1 410 1248EMAIL [email protected] www.kpmg.ie/careers

MAIN LOCATIONS OR REGIONS Dublin, Cork, Galway, Belfast

AREAS OF ACTIVITY & JOB FUNCTION(S)KPMG brings together business advisors from many different disciplines –working together to provide our clients with the cutting edge business advicethey need for their continued success. With 78 partners and more than 1,900people in offices in Dublin, Cork, Galway and Belfast, our firm is a leadingprovider of professional services in Ireland. We work with clients in all sectorsof Irish business providing a range of Audit, Tax and Advisory services.

At KPMG, we are looking to recruit 280+ graduates with the drive anddetermination to succeed in a fast-moving business environment. All of ourtrainees pursue the ACA qualification while training in our Audit, Tax, andAdvisory practices. Regardless of your degree subject, if you have an interestin a career in business then we would be happy to hear from you.

GRADUATES SOUGHT All degree disciplines


PATTERN OF RECRUITMENT/CLOSING DATE Wednesday 22 October 2014


APPROX ANNUAL INTAKE 280+

VACATION WORK/COURSES Summer Internships

FOR VACATION WORK APPLY BY N/A

Graduate Recruitment TeamDeloitteEarlsfort TerraceDublin 2

TEL + 353 (0) 1 417 8578EMAIL [email protected] www.deloitte.com/ie/graduateSOCIAL MEDIA Twitter: @DeloitteLifeIrl, Facebook: Your Future at Deloitte (Ireland)

MAIN LOCATIONS OR REGIONS Dublin, Cork, Limerick.

AREAS OF ACTIVITY & JOB FUNCTION(S)As the worldwide leader in professional services and consulting, with 200,000people in 150 locations and 1,350 in Ireland, our future is shaped by ourunique culture and distinctive talent experience.

We have over 200 graduate opportunities in Professional Services (Audit,Internal Audit, Tax, Corporate Finance, SME Services), Consulting (Strategy andOperations, Human Capital and Finance Transformation) and Technology(Technology Consulting, Analytics, Cyber Security and Forensics, TechnologyRisk). Applications are encouraged from diverse disciplines for all of our careerpaths, including Accounting, Business, Science, Computer Science,Engineering, Maths, Arts, Law, amongst others

GRADUATES SOUGHT All disciplines

STARTING SALARY Competitive package

PATTERN OF RECRUITMENT/CLOSING DATE Annual – closing date forapplications is 5pm, Wednesday 22 October 2014 (Autumn 2015/16 start)


APPROX ANNUAL INTAKE Over 200 opportunities annually


FOR VACATION WORK APPLY BY Discover more: www.deloitte.com/ie/graduate

Sinéad D’ArcyIrish Distillers Pernod RicardSimmonscourt House, Simmonscourt Road, Ballsbridge, Sublin 4

TEL 01 212 9000EMAIL [email protected] www.thevitalingredient.ieSOCIAL MEDIA www.facebook.com/jamesongraduateprogramme,www.youtube.com/jamesongraduateprog, www.twitter.com/jamesongradprog

MAIN LOCATIONS OR REGIONS Head Office, Ballsbridge, Dublin; Bottling, Fox &Geese, Clondalkin, Dublin; Midleton Distillery, CorkAREAS OF ACTIVITY & JOB FUNCTION(S)Irish Distillers is part of Groupe Pernod Ricard and oversee the production,marketing and distribution of a number of Pernod Ricard brands includingJameson.Jameson, Irish Distillers flagship brand, is experiencing phenomenalinternational growth. With Jameson achieving sales of 4 million cases in 2012and the investment of €200 million in a Distillery expansion and new SatelliteMaturation site there has never been a more exciting time to join the team. TheVital Ingredient is the Jameson Graduate Programme recruitment campaign.Through two graduate programme offerings the company seeks to recruit,train and develop Ireland’s top business, language and science graduates towork as part of the Jameson team. The Jameson International BrandAmbassador Programme offers graduates an excellent opportunity to kickstart a career in sales and marketing working as Brand Ambassadors in aninternational market. The Jameson Graduate Distiller Programme for FoodScience and Process or Chemical Engineering graduates offers the opportunityto gain experience in the craft of making Jameson Irish Whiskey. GRADUATES SOUGHT Languages, Marketing, Business, Food Science & Processor Chemical EngineeringSTARTING SALARY €28,000PATTERN OF RECRUITMENT/CLOSING DATE AnnualFORM OF APPLICATION Online application plus 2-minute video applicationAPPROX ANNUAL INTAKE 10–15

MOREthan a

boardRegister for job alerts and more

Go to gradireland.com/registration

leading

insigh

t

fairs

2.1Jobsban

king

work

tips

Marketing

QS

careers fairs

jobs

internships

graduate schemes

employee reviewscareers advice

careers fairs

CVs


Graduate Recruitment TeamM&G InvestmentsLaurence Pountney HillLondonEC4R 0HH

WEB www.mandg.co.uk

MAIN LOCATIONS OR REGIONS City of London

With approximately £248bn* under management and a record of investmentexcellence stretching back over more than 80 years, M&G, the UK andEuropean investment arm of the Prudential group, is one of the UK’s leadingand most respected fund management groups.

We’re not your average financial services firm and our unique culture is justone aspect that makes us stand out from the crowd. We offer a supportiveenvironment that encourages innovation and creativity whilst maintaining ahealthy work/life balance.

Recruiting and retaining talent is vital to our continued success. Investing inyour development is just the beginning.

*as at 31 March 2014



PATTERN OF RECRUITMENT/CLOSING DATE Annual

FORM OF APPLICATION online

APPROX ANNUAL INTAKE 25 grads & 35 interns

VACATION WORK/COURSES Insights Day

Melissa HopperMott MacDonald Mott MacDonald House8–10 Sydenham Road Croydon CR0 2EE United Kingdom TEL 020 8774 2176EMAIL [email protected] www.mottmac.com/careers/graduateSOCIAL MEDIA Twitter: @MottMacGraduate,www.facebook.com/mottmacdonaldgroup

MAIN LOCATIONS OR REGIONS Our head office is based in Croydon and we havearound 30 offices throughout the UK.

AREAS OF ACTIVITY & JOB FUNCTION(S)Mott MacDonald is an employee owned global management, engineering anddevelopment consultancy employing more than 16,000 staff, working in 140countries and with an annual turnover of more than £1.2 billion. We delivertechnical expertise across 12 core sectors: buildings; communications;education; environment; health; industry; international development; oil andgas; power; transport; urban development and water.

We recruit graduates from engineering backgrounds as well as a number ofother disciplines and in return you will have a place on our award winninggraduate programme.

GRADUATES SOUGHT Engineering and other

STARTING SALARY £24,000–£28,000

PATTERN OF RECRUITMENT/CLOSING DATE We are open in October and recruitcontinually but early applications are encouraged.




FOR VACATION WORK APPLY BY December

Graduate Recruitment Team

PwCOne Spencer Dock, North Wall Quay, Dublin 1, Ireland

TEL +353 (0)1 792 8550EMAIL [email protected] www.pwc.ie/graduateSOCIAL MEDIA www.twitter.com/pwcirl_careerswww.facebook.com/pwcirelandcareerswww.youtube.com/pwcireland www.linkedin.com/company/pwc-ireland

MAIN LOCATIONS OR REGIONSBy choosing a career with PwC, you’ll become part of the leading professionalservices firm in Ireland with 2000 people across our offices in Dublin, Cork,Limerick, Galway, Kilkenny, Waterford and Wexford. You’ll also join a globalnetwork covering 158 countries and employing over 180,000 peopleworldwide. AREAS OF ACTIVITY & JOB FUNCTION(S)Whichever area you choose to join, you’ll learn, discover and develop throughthe work you do and the experiences you have. We offer a wide variety ofcareer opportunities so you’re bound to discover something that fits youperfectly. We have graduate opportunities available in Assurance, Tax, RiskAssurance Solutions (RAS) and Consulting. GRADUATES SOUGHT Any disciplineSTARTING SALARY CompetitivePATTERN OF RECRUITMENT/CLOSING DATEConsulting applications – 5pm Friday 17 October 2014.All other applications – 5pm Wednesday 22 October 2014.FORM OF APPLICATION Online application formAPPROX ANNUAL INTAKE 250VACATION WORK/COURSES Yes

FOR VACATION WORK APPLY BY Please see website for details

Stefanie Weigelt, University Marketing Swiss Reinsurance Company LtdMythenquai 50/60, 8022 Zurich, Switzerland

TEL +41 (0)43 285 97 99EMAIL [email protected] www.swissre.com/careersSOCIAL MEDIA Linkedin, Twitter, Youtube

MAIN LOCATIONS OR REGIONS Headquartered in Zurich, Switzerland, Swiss Re has67 office locations in more than 20 countries in Americas, EMEA and Asia Pacific.

AREAS OF ACTIVITY & JOB FUNCTION(S)Founded in 1863 Swiss Re Group is one of the world’s leading wholesaleproviders of reinsurance, insurance and other innovative forms of insurancebased risk transfer. Our business at Swiss Re is about understanding andanalysing the major risks that concern the world − from natural catastrophesto climate change, from ageing populations to cybercrime. We combineexperience with expertise and innovative thinking to create new opportunitiesand solutions for our clients. And we enable the risk-taking essential toenterprise and progress. This is only possible with around 11,500 trulyexceptional Swiss Re people across our group worldwide.Our goal is to attract talented people from a broad range of disciplines andbackgrounds and offer them a place to succeed. As a knowledge-basedcompany, we consider four areas to be particularly important for this: wefoster diversity and inclusion; we provide excellent development and trainingopportunities; we work to maintain favourable employee relations; and we offercompetitive compensation and benefits. GRADUATES SOUGHT All disciplinesSTARTING SALARY CompetitivePATTERN OF RECRUITMENT/CLOSING DATE AnnualFORM OF APPLICATION Online application, interview, assessment dayAPPROX ANNUAL INTAKE 50 worldwideVACATION WORK/COURSES No

JOBS AND COURSE

PROVIDERS

Com

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42 THE UCD CAREER GUIDE 2014/15 www.ucd.ie/careers facebook.com/ucdcareers @UCDCareers

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34 35 BAE Systems www.baesystems.com/graduates • 36 35 BDO www.bdo.ie – 35 The Boston Consulting Group www.bcg.com 37 37 CHP Consulting www.chp.co.uk/careers • – 37 Crowe Horwath www.crowehorwath.ie – 39 Deloitte www.deloitte.com/ie/graduate •

– 39 Kerry Group www.kerrygraduates.com • – 39 KPMG www.kpmg.ie/careers – 41 M&G Investments www.mandg.co.uk • – 41 Mott MacDonald www.mottmac.com/careers/graduate • • • OBC 41 PwC www.pwc.ie/graduate – 41 Swiss Re www.swissre.com/careers •

IBC 35 Aldi Stores (Ireland) Limited www.aldi.ie

DON’T FORGET TOMENTION THE

ULTIMATE CAREERSGUIDE: UCD WHEN

CONTACTINGEMPLOYERS OR

COURSE PROVIDERS

OTHER ADVERTISERS: Lidl, page 32; Susquehana International Group, IFCIFC = inside front coverIBC = inside back coverOBC = outside back cover

38 39 Irish Distillers Pernod Ricard www.thevitalingredient.ie


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Graduate opportunities 2015Your career is just that. Yours. You choose it. You live it. You make it happen. To get the best from it, you need the best opportunities. That’s why opportunities are at the heart of a career with us. Opportunities to grow as an individual, to build lasting relationships and make an impact in a place where people, quality and value mean everything. For Diarmuid, that’s meant working with large Irish and global organisations on a range of projects allowing him to gain a broad perspective and global view of business.

Join PwC – we’re focused on giving you the opportunities to reach your full potential.

www.pwc.ie/graduatewww.facebook.com/pwcirelandcareersTwitter: @pwcirl_careers

You could work in: Assurance Consulting Risk Assurance Solutions (RAS)Tax

Any degree discipline

The opportunity of a lifetime

Sector awards accountancy/professional services

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Documents

5% UCD C R1R GUID · 9 Your roadmap to success 10 Building a positive online presence with LinkedIn 11 Plan your next steps 12 Let your experience work for you 14 Internships: A stepping