What was your first graduate job and how did you secure it?
I secured my first graduate job straight away after finishing my final exams. I did this by applying for many many jobs on recruitment websites! After applying, I was called for a few interviews in the funds/stock broking industries. I interviewed for the job that most appealed to me and was successful in my application. This job was in funds. I spent under two years with the Company, during which time I gained a lot of experience of different types of funds. I also spent three months on the Island of Guernsey, which was great fun!

How did you secure your current position?
Because of the experience gained in my first role, I was able to choose which company I wanted to work for. I picked the company where I thought I would have the best career progression. I have been with my present company now for over four years, during which time I have built a good career. I started as a senior associate and worked my way up to manager after two years years. My current role is as senior manager on a large client.

What are the responsibilities of your job and the typical tasks you are required to undertake?
Responsibilities include the day-to-day running of a team of staff (>15 people), reviewing and monitoring work prepared by staff and generally keeping our client happy!

What you enjoy most about your role:
The funds industry can be very varied, and no two days are the same. I like working on many different types of issues, and its very rare that’s it boring. Its also very enjoyable working with a large team of people and the job can be very sociable.

Most challenging aspects?
The most challenging aspect can sometimes be long hours. Over the years I have had to work late a lot. However, I would say that this extra effort definitely help me to progress my career quicker

How has your career path developed since graduating?
As above, my career path has progressed rapidly since graduating. At each stage, I set myself realistic goals to reach the next stage of promotion. I found that being pro-active in seeking out new roles and tasks worked well to help achieve this. Its also important to recognise your own skills and flaws and figuring out how best to work with them

How would you like to progress further in your career and do you see that there are opportunities for this?
I intend to be in funds for the long-term. There are opportunities available to me both in my own company and elsewhere. There is room for moving up and/or moving into a different section of funds.

How have you applied your degree or post grad in the workplace?
Some of the finance, accounting and management subjects have been useful. It is important to note that the funds industry is ever-changing so a lot of learning is done in the workplace. Note its not necessary to have experience in all the above to apply for a job in funds.

What advice would you give to students doing the same degree as you?
Pay good attention to your finance/accountancy/economics subjects, as they can give you a good insight into the industry. Research different jobs offers that are out there so you know what part of funds you find most interesting e.g. accounting, shareholder services, compliance, client services etc. All these roles require graduates from a business related course.

What were your career ideas when you were doing your degree?
I wasn’t actually sure what career I wanted to follow when I was completing my degree, and I definitely didn’t know too much about funds. By applying to many different jobs and the researching these jobs, I got a good idea of what I found most interesting. Also, going to different interviews can give you an idea of what different jobs will be about.

Did you end up following this career and if not, why not?
Yes!

What, if anything, would you have done differently during your time at NUI Galway to help you better prepare for your career upon graduation?
Availed of more career advice/mentor programme/extra-curricular activities?
I would have spent more time prior to graduating looking at different careers. I think I made my job decision very hastily after graduating, and although I am happy with it, I would have been better informed had I done some career research during my studies

Do you have any further comments you would like to share?
Yes. The fund industry can be a great opportunity for someone who is looking for a good career. If you are ambitious and hard working, you can find yourself in a very good job after a few years. My company is constantly looking for graduates and experienced people, and jobseekers can move from company to company seeking better roles quite easily. The funds industry is largely concentrated around Dublin.

Barney Callaghan, Chief Executive, Gaisce The President's Award

What have you studied?
1978 B. Comm. – UCG - Sorry NUIG is still UCG to me.
1987 Diploma in Youth Studies NUI Maynooth
1989 Diploma in Outdoor Education College of Marketing & Design, Dublin
2000 Postgraduate Diploma in Business Research University of Brighton, UK
2001 Masters Degree in Change Management University of Brighton, UK
2002 Higher Diploma in Quality in Healthcare Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland
2005 Top Managers Programme (TMP) Kings Fund, UK
In addition, a carer in the Military produced an eclectic array of professional courses focusing on the knowledge, skills attitudes and behaviours required for that profession.

What was your first graduate job and how did you secure it?
Commissioned Officer in the Defence Forces; secured by open public competition

How did you secure your current position?
By open public competition.

What are the responsibilities of your job and the typical tasks you are required to undertake?
I discharge a full range of corporate responsibilities including, Strategy, Human Resource Management, Finance, Operations, and Training and development. The ultimate focus of these functions is to contribute to the development of young people.

What you enjoy most about your role?
In Gaisce we have a clear and rich vision for the future and a focus on what business we are in. Working with young people. Working with a high functioning and motivated Board of Management and work colleagues.Having the President of Ireland as our Patron.

Most challenging aspects?
The speed at which our world is changing and ensuring that the work we do remains relevant to the young people we serve and to our society in general.

How has your career path developed since graduating?
I served in the Defence Forces and subsequently took up a senior management position with the then Mid-Western Health Board, now the HSE.
I took up the position of Chief Executive with Gaisce in 2006. I have maintained over the years a life in the voluntary sector in youth services, adventure sports and working with Rotary.

How have you applied your degree or post grad in the workplace?
Virtually all of my qualifications gave been concerned with leadership, management and the development of people and I have employed them with a focus on delivering high quality services to what ever constituency I happened to be serving at the time.
I have always taken the approach of developing capacity in people i.e. a mentoring approach, in the expectation that they would develop as people, as servants of others and that they might replicate the mentoring behaviour. This approach has been effective in the workplace and in many years of service in the voluntary sector.

What advice would you give to students doing the same degree as you?
Have some idea where you want to end up – a Goal. If you are fortunate enough to have a Goal it is of little value without a plan and the will to execute that plan.
Focus on developing as a person as well as the scheduled studies.
Try and learn something new every day.
Keep yourself in reasonably good physical and mental condition.
Take time to enjoy the experience.
Remember that people are the most important thing.

What were your career ideas when you were doing your degree?
My career option had been chosen by joining the Defence Forces. My motivation was always to be of use and to add value where ever I was and in whatever I was doing. I wanted to be working with people.

What, if anything, would you have done differently during your time at NUI Galway to help you better prepare for your career upon graduation?
It would have been great to have a mentor but I probably would not have paid too much attention to their wisdom in any event; C’est la vie. With the benefit of much hindsight I would have worked towards a good honours degree. I would have tried to find out more about myself i.e. my learning style, leadership style and something about my personality and makeup.

Do you have any further comments you would like to share?
There is no substitute for having a focus, being enthusiastic and persistence.
Learning new things at all stages in life is a great joy and worthy of pursuit.

Brendan Culligan, Senior Consultant,Soft Computing, Paris

What have you studied?
UCG: BSc Honours, Experimental Physics, 1985-1989
INSEAD (France & Singapore): Executive MBA, 2005-2006.

What was your first graduate job and how did you secure it?
Software Development Engineer, Logical Industry & Energy Ltd, London; large UK based IT services company.
Graduate recruitment campaign by company

How did you secure your current position?
Via a partner contact from precedent position.

What are the responsibilities of your job and the typical tasks you are required to undertake?
Project &Program Management, Organisation & Planning, Pre-sales proposals. People management (within project & day to day contexts).

What you enjoy most about your role?
Multiple players involved. Dynamic environment. Opportunity to discover several sectors / industries. Multi-cultural /international assignments.

Most challenging aspects?
Keeping work life balance as sector & clientele are demanding.
Combining operational & technical know-how with business development & commercial skills / results.

How has your career path developed since graduating?
Having commenced in a purely technical (IT development) role, both the UK initially with Logica & later in France with France Telecom, I gradually built up more sales, support & customer oriented skills as a Consultant & Project Manager. My English-French bilingual profile has meant that I have worked in international assignments for my customers on a very regular basis. More recent roles have allowed me to try my hand at line management (having responsibility for 3-5 more junior Consultants). Finally, I recently completed an executive MBA at INSEAD in France & Singapore to strengthen my business knowledge & general management skills.

How would you like to progress further in your career and do you see that there are opportunities for this?
Potentially start up my own business in the Consulting sector. Leverage the recent eMBA program to move to a more senior management position.
Get involved part-time in board of management roles. Become a more active member of selected professional associations.

How have you applied your degree or post grad in the workplace?
Have not done so in a direct manner as direct openings were very difficult to come by when I graduated in 1989 & many had still to emigrate to find a job (sometimes in other sectors – particularly in IT) – as was my case.

What advice would you give to students doing the same degree as you?
Stick to what pleases you in terms of subject mater – physics, chemistry, biology.....; that’s where you will excel. Becoming a specialist may mean pursuing a research oriented career – I’d only advise it if you’re really passionate about your discipline.

What were your career ideas when you were doing your degree?
Very vague to be quite honest. Was passionate about science, physics & maths but unsure of how to take them forward into working world. Realised in 4th & final year that I did not want to pursue an academic career.

Did you end up following this career and if not, why not?
Take and make it as it came along while following a base line desire to become more business oriented rather than technical / specialist

What, if anything, would you have done differently during your time at NUI Galway to help you better prepare for your career upon graduation?
Get out there & talk to people working in the real world! Do more internship / placement jobs in summer in areas / sectors that you want to try out (we used to go the US on summer jobs).
Do not hesitate to change paths along the way if you’re convinced that you have really embarked upon the wrong journey (science / arts, …).

Do you have any further comments you would like to share?
Try practicing a balanced lifestyle between work/study & fun at college. It’s a perfect training ground for the years to come when you’ll have work, leisure & probably family commitments to put in the balance too.
Do not forget that sports & associations are great ways to make friends & lifelong lasting relationships – that will serve you down the road.

Graduate Town Planner, McInally Associates Ltd, Glasgow

What have you studied?
B.A. (Hons) Legal Science and Geography 2005
National University of Ireland, Galway
MSc. Environmental Planning 2006
Queens University, Belfast

What was your first graduate job and how did you secure it?
My present position is my first graduate job. After graduation I was finding it difficult to find a suitable position in the Ireland due to the high competition for suitable jobs, the number of applicants and the shortage of positions. I therefore decided to apply for position in Scotland as there were far more opportunities – I emailed out my CV to a number of private planning consultants and subsequently began in my current position in November 2006. I am gaining valuable experience here, that will stand to me in the future if I decide to move back to Ireland.

How did you secure your current position?
As above - Emailed a number of Consultants in Glasgow – got a call for an interview and got the job

What are the responsibilities of your job and the typical tasks you are required to undertake?
I am current working as a Graduate Planner with a private planning consultancy in Glasgow City Centre. I am involved in a wide variety of planning duties including:

Submission of a variety of different planning applications packages for our clients (both minor and major applications) and all associated works; Submission of appeal packages and all associated works; Local plan analysis and submissions; Development plan monitoring;
Involvement in masterplanning; Writing and Co-ordination of Environmental Impact ; Statements; Attending meetings with a variety of clients and colleagues; Various types of report writing and computer skills; Day-to-day duties such as recording of time sheet and writing fee proposals and fee notes.

I am gaining a vast array of planning experience and knowledge, and am in close contact with my colleagues in the office. I am currently a licentiate member of the RTPI, as from December 2006, and am working towards full corporate membership. I am completing my APC training and keeping a diary of all work completed, and I am in close contact with my mentor. I attend various training events and conferences.

What you enjoy most about your role?
I enjoy the various different types of work that I am involved in, every day is different. I enjoy co-ordinating applications, and learning about new areas of planning. The projects I am involved in are really interesting, and I get to work with different people within the company on various projects. There is also the opportunity to attend site visits and meetings which also gives variety working day to day.

Most challenging aspects?
I am in contact with a number of different people within the construction and planning industry, including clients and planning officers, and sometimes it is difficult to keep everyone happy. We act as mediators, and have to negotiate to find the best solution for all. Also when a planning application has been refused it is difficult to have to contact the client and give them this news. There is also a lot of pressure in regard to time and getting applications submitted, and also I have to balance a number of projects at the same time.

How has your career path developed since graduating?
I decided on the B.A. when I finished school, as I didn’t know what I wanted to do. I then went on to study Legal Science which I really enjoyed, and picked Geography as I didn’t know what else to do in second year. I really enjoyed Geography, and wanted to go on further in my career with it. I decided on Planning as I had done a module in Geography and enjoyed it, and I researched it further myself. I then applied for the MSc Environmental Planning in Belfast and was accepted. I did the one-year masters here and it was a really tough year, but great all the same. The most challenging part was the completion of a thesis in Summer 2006. I submitted this in September 2006 and started in the present post in November 2006.

How have you applied your degree or post grad in the workplace?
My B.A. was a very general degree, but very useful and it helped me to decide what I wanted to specialise in. I applied both of the subjects in different ways to studying Planning. Both are vital to my current profession.

What advice would you give to students doing the same degree as you?
Enjoy it! Arts is a great way to find out what you want to do. Chose you subjects wisely in first year, and do one that you hadn’t considered. In second year do you’re very best, as this mark counts for third year. Always hand in assignments on time. Balance you two subjects wisely, don’t focus on one and neglect the other as this will lead to a poor degree mark. In terms of Legal Science, don’t leave studying to the last minute – there is a lot to learn! Do the assignments, and go to the tutorials, they are vital. Finally in terms of Geography – Attend all lectures, do the assignments, talk to the lecturers. Choose your dissertation title wisely, it is very important.

What were your career ideas when you were doing your degree?
I originally wanted to go on and do the LLB after doing my Legal Science degree. Then I gained a huge interest Geography and in second year began to think about Planning and went on to research it as a career choice. I then decided it was what I wanted to do and applied for the masters course.

What, if anything, would you have done differently during your time at NUI Galway to help you better prepare for your career upon graduation?
Go to career services and research all of your options thoroughly – also there are a lot of go internet sites that can help. I didn’t use career services enough and I regret this. I signed up for the mentoring programme in first year but that was about it. Before I did my masters programme I was fortunate to meet a guy who had done the same course a few years previously and he gave me a lot of vital advice about it. It is extremely helpful to speak to someone who has done the course before you. Throughout my masters I stayed in contact with him and he helped me out and gave me lots of advice on a variety of things. I would also advice that, if possible, you get some work experience in your chosen field at summer holidays etc. This will help out so much, for example when applying for a master’s programme to aid your application and when applying for jobs as a graduate.

Do you have any further comments you would like to share?
If anyone wants to contact me about Legal Science and Geography and my experiences of the B.A. programme, and especially to anyone who is considering Planning as a career option, and are considering the MSc. Environmnetal Planning Course in Queens University – feel free to contact me – I am happy to give any advice that I can.

Con Quigley, Corporate Finance & Managing Partner, Horwath Bastow Charleton Limerick

What have you studied?
Bachelor of Commerce graduate from NUIG 1984. Chartered Accountant . Association of the Irish Taxation Institute qualified. Also a member of the Marketing Institute.

What was your first graduate job and how did you secure it?
Trainee in Dublin with Stokes Kennedy Crowley (now KPMG), applied to their graduate training programme when in my final year at UCG.

How did you secure your current position?
Having returned to Limerick after a period with KPMG in Dublin & the USA, I joined another firm to become partner-in-charge of Corporate Finance. After a successful 10 year period in that firm, I left that partnership along with three other partners in order to create a new firm in Limerick based on a shared vision and business strategy. Our start-up firm was invited to become a member of the Horwath International association – as a separate firm to but under the same brand as Bastow Charleton, a long-established Dublin firm already a member of Horwath International.

What are the responsibilities of your job and the typical tasks you are required to undertake?
As Corporate Finance partner I supervise a team of 12 accountants working on a wide range of projects. I also advise a number of major private Irish companies in a variety of sectors including hotels and hospitality, construction, financial services, environmental and all kinds of professional service firms. I handle acquisitions, admission of new owners and new capital, new project appraisal and funding, development of management teams. Together with our taxation department I co-ordinate tax-based and consortia investments – especially in property and tourism. I also work on devising and re-organising ownership structures (including financial restructuring) to achieve a balance of risk, tax and motivational factors. I am experienced in both financial engineering and conflict resolution. I am also engaged by banks, state bodies, legal advisors and investors to provide an independent view on financial, business and tourism issues. As managing partner I am also responsible for the overall running and direction of the firm, in consultation with my partners. This includes developing our recruitment policy, marketing strategy, business plan, company objectives, new business lines. I am also the contact point for Horwath International and attend the association’s international meetings, work to strengthen links with fellow firms and participate in research projects.

What you enjoy most about your role?
It is highly challenging, varied and rewarding. Being involved in deal-making is an energising activity and gives one a great sense of achievement when the deal is done. I am also in a position to direct the growth of this firm and see first hand what a difference my efforts and those of my partners and colleagues makes.

Most challenging aspects?
Having a staff of 60 plus, a firm that’s growing and multiple projects to work on, and twenty four hours in a day.

How has your career path developed since graduating?
After graduating I trained for 3 years to become a Chartered Accountant. I stayed with KPMG for 10 years, a number of which were spent in Philadelphia, where I progressed to Manager. I returned to Limerick with KPMG and left to become corporate finance partner with BDO Simpson Xavier. Then in 2003 I established my own firm with 3 fellow partners and 14 colleagues – Horwath Bastow Charleton Limerick. Since inception our firm has done extremely well with turnover increasing year on year and our staff has now grown to 65.

How have you applied your degree or post grad in the workplace?
My B Comm was the perfect starting point for my career. Building knowledge is an incremental process and for anyone who wants to take a lead role in any business there is no aspect of the B Comm programme that does not have something to offer. The B Comm was an ideal entry into my training in accountancy. Accountancy remains one of the best foundations for an individual interested in a career in business, whether you wish to remain in practice or enter the corporate world. It affords you the necessary skills to analyse businesses, make real projections, devise business plans, proffer advice, develop strategies, and work on investment and M&A projects. My experience and knowledge of auditing and taxation mean I can advise on a wide range of deals and projects for my clients and broaden my understanding. As such it is multi-faceted with many specialties and opportunities for motivated graduates. You do work hard but it is very well remunerated.

What advice would you give to students doing the same degree as you?
To work hard but also participate fully in college life. You may never again be in a space where you can interact so freely with people with diverse, stimulating and intellectually challenging interests and views. Don’t let your choice of options become overly influenced by hunting for exemptions for professional exams or by someone else’s idea of what makes you more marketable. Choose options which interest you, for which you have a flair and in which you are stimulated by your tutor or lecturer. Most (but unfortunately not all) intelligent recruiters can see beyond your chosen options and your range of exemptions and will recognise that good people come from different academic backgrounds. Most jobs involve teamwork and while a person’s results are very important we also look for motivated graduates who will integrate well, represent us professionally to our clients, and have the ambition to succeed. I would also recommend investigating options such as taxation as an alternative path to the standard Big-4 training ground for students who may not wish to undertake an audit-oriented accountancy training contract but still wish to gain exposure to business. Taxation is a high growth area and very transferable and lucrative for skilled consultants – and unlike many other specialisms, there are opportunities country-wide to reach the top of the profession. The top end of the profession is very challenging and rewards creativity. It is particularly suited to those who can combine strong communication skills with the strong intellectual ability to (i) interpret legislation and (ii) analyse and present financial information.

What were your career ideas when you were doing your degree?
I was interested in accountancy because I found business attractive and because I enjoyed the numeric aspect. I really only made a final decision towards the end of my time in NUIG and I was attracted by the ambition and focus on talent demonstrated by the firms that were recruiting at the time. I was also interested in travelling as part of my career. One thing led to another after that.

What, if anything, would you have done differently during your time at NUI Galway to help you better prepare for your career upon graduation?
Nothing, really.

Other Information
I feel I participated pretty actively in college life, I passionately believe that college societies were tremendously beneficial to my personal growth while I was in college. I hope that NUIG continues to cherish a more liberal-arts oriented approach to under-graduate education. I think it is a little disappointing that so much focus at undergraduate level in many universities is now on narrow funnelling of young people into safe career options at the expense of a broader development and challenging of their outlook – with a little subversion thrown in! On a practical note, the careers service is a very valuable resource and I would urge students to utilise it while they can.

J.J. Killian, Managing Director, Flancare (Clonmel) Distribution Ltd.

What have you studied? Trainer – Adult Education – Maynooth University - 2005; MBA – Open University – 2001 / 2004; Diploma in HRM – University of Limerick – 1987 / 1990; Command & Staff Course – Military College – 1983 / 1984; Standard Infantry Course – Military College – 1975 / 1976; Cadet Course – Military College – 1967 / 1969; Various management courses – I.M.I.

What was your first graduate job and how did you secure it?
Army Officer: 1969 – 1989
General Manager, Bolger Transport: 1989 – 1993
Managing Director, Flancare: 1993 to date

How did you secure your current position?
Founded Flancare in July 1993

What are the responsibilities of your job and the typical tasks you are required to undertake?
Decide on company strategy and policies ; Act as member of Board ; Involvement in management ; Quality ethos ; HRM ; Training programmes

What you enjoy most about your role?
Being able to bring concepts to fruition / being able to help people to develop themselves

Most challenging aspects?
Fighting our corner in a very competitive marketplace / providing a consistently high level of service

How has your career path developed since graduating?
As above – Army career / Business career – always in positions of responsibility and general management

How would you like to progress further in your career and do you see that there are opportunities for this?
I’m almost at the end of my career! Would like to do some more lecturing and to involve myself in some consultancy

How have you applied your degree or post grad in the workplace?
By using all further skills I have acquired in various areas such as strategy, HR, general management, etc

What advice would you give to students doing the same degree as you?
Huge opportunities in logistics now – try to fit in some practical work during academic time – too many graduates have to be “re-educated” when they come into the workplace, due to total lack of any practical applications.

What were your career ideas when you were doing your degree?
It’s so long ago now, I cannot remember! But I have always believed in giving something its best shot – it still applies.

Did you end up following this career and if not, why not?
I had a great military career but wanted to test myself against different standards – one should forget the “career for life” concept and try different paths to discover different talents.

Olivia Forde, Project Manager, Abbott Ireland

What have you studied?
B.Comm 1993-1996 ; H.Dip Systems Analysis 1996-1997 ; MBS in Information Technology by Research

What was your first graduate job and how did you secure it?
Information Technology Consultant(Graduate Program) UIG Milk Round

How did you secure your current position?
Interview

What are the responsibilities of your job and the typical tasks you are required to undertake?
Project Management; Requirements Gathering and Analysis; Staff Training; System Support

What you enjoy most about your role?
Planning New Projects; Working with staff from all areas of the business on site and internationally;

Most challenging aspects?
Time scaling of projects

How has your career path developed since graduating?
Started as an IT Consultant and work with 2 firms one in Dublin and one in Galway. I was made redundant when Galway firm closed so I did some contract testing for a few weeks . Then I spent 12 months as a substitute primary school teacher teaching the infant classes. After that I spent 2 years working for myself as an IT Consultant in Galway , then I started my current job on a contract basis which led to a permanent position.

How have you applied your degree or post grad in the workplace?
I have used a number of skills that I gained in college such as MS Access, software testing techniques, management skills and time management.

What advice would you give to students doing the same degree as you?
Make your subject choices carefully, try to pick subjects that interest you as that will make it easier to study them.

What were your career ideas when you were doing your degree?
I wanted to either work in IT or teach.

What, if anything, would you have done differently during your time at NUI Galway to help you better prepare for your career upon graduation?
Would have like to see what graduates actually worked at and have spoken to them.

Do you have any further comments you would like to share?
Many degrees can lead you to the same job so do not worry if you think you have made an incorrect choice initially.

Peter Williams, Consultant Grade, Deloitte

What have you studied?
Commerce degree (2001 – 2004) inclusive (3 years); Master of Business Studies in Corporate Strategy and People Management (2004 – 2005 )

What was your first graduate job and how did you secure it?
Deloitte – Business Analayst (Graduate intake) in Management Consultancy dept. Applied to grad programme and was successful after interviews/assessment centre etc.

How did you secure your current position?
Applied to grad programme and was successful after interviews/assessment centre etc.

What are the responsibilities of your job and the typical tasks you are required to undertake?
I am assigned to consulting projects as a consultant in a larger deloitte team. Projects take anything from 2 weeks to 2/3 years.

What you enjoy most about your role?
The number of different projects I’ve worked on in different places in different industries with different people each time – a great mix of work.

Most challenging aspects?
Having to get up to speed on different industries in a short space of time – very steep learning curve.

How has your career path developed since graduating?
Ive been promoted to Consultant from Business analyst after 18 months

How have you applied your degree or post grad in the workplace?
Not really at all actually apart from having a broad business knowledge going into the job

Monica O’Mullane, PhD candidate and part-time lecturer with University College Cork

What have you studied? BSc. Government & Public Policy , UCC, 2004, MA health promotion, NUIG, 2005

What was your first graduate job and how did you secure it?
Part-time lecturer; got the job as I was pursuing my PhD in the same Department and I knew jobs were available.

How did you secure your current position?
For the duration of my PhD (finishing 2008) I’ll be involved in part-time teaching. It’s part of my postgraduate work in the Department.

What are the responsibilities of your job and the typical tasks you are required to undertake?
Preparing and delviering lectures; correcting essays and exams; field trips with classes

What you enjoy most about your role?
Interaction with students

Most challenging aspects?
Organisation of lectures

How has your career path developed since graduating?
Going well I feel. As a PhD student I’m kind of static, in the sense that until I graduate and get into a tax-paying job, I’m not really able to advacne too far in my career, if that makes sense!

How have you applied your degree or post grad in the workplace?
The MA in Health Promotion has helped tremendously. When I left in 2005 jobs were a little scarce in the area, which is one of the many reasons I decided to pursue further education. However, I use the Masters in all areas of teaching, and in my phd, which amalgamates the learning from my primary and secondary degrees.

what advice would you give to students doing the same degree as you?
Look at the jobs market and decide on a career plan early in your masters. Talk to the lecturers in the Department.

What were your career ideas when you were doing your degree?
When I did the Masters in Health Promotion I was eager to work in a HSE position as a health promotion officer. I wanted to earn money! However it became quite clear to me, at the time of studying in 2004/2005, that jobs in health promotion were a bit scarce, and pursuing further education was, for me, the best choice at the time. But doing the phd is the best decision I’ve made since finishing the masters. I love research and although there are a lot of bad days, I wouldn’t be doing anything else.

What, if anything, would you have done differently during your time at NUI galway to help you better prepare for your career upon graduation?
To be honest, looking back, I couldn’t have done more! It was a worthy but very intense year and I gave it my all. However, yes, I’d encourage students to engage in as many extra curricular activities as possible. It really stands to you in your CV.

Do you have any further comments you would like to share?
Students embarking on the masters should be sure of what they want to get out of it, and where they see themselves after the course. Get involved in as much voluntary and community work as possible, and enjoy your time at NUIG!

Brian O'Donovan, Program Director Centre for Advanced Studies and Advanced Collaboration Development, IBM Dublin Software Lab

What have you studied?
B.E. Electronic Engineering (1983)

What was your first graduate job and how did you secure it?
Product Engineer, Verbatim, Limerick

Present Position:
Program Director Centre for Advanced Studies and Advanced Collaboration

Career Path:
1994-present: Lotus/IBM - Snr. Development Mgr/Program Director CAS
1986-1994 Digital Equipment Corp., Galway Senior Software Engineer
1983-1986 Verbatim, Limerick Product Engineer
1982-1983 Cornell Univ. Medical Centre, New York Technician
1981-1981 Ericsson,Athlone, Student Engineer

Applying your degree:
Even though I do not work as an electronic engineer as such any more, thethings I learned during the time in NUIG were essential in all of my jobs since graduation.

Advice on entry to your profession:
You should use your time in university to learn some fundamental things so that you have a solid theoretical grounding no matter what area you go into after graduation. You should also seek to find out an area that you enjoy working in. In general you will only be motivated (and hence effective) when you are working in an area you enjoy.

What, if anything, would you have done differently during your time at NUI Galway to help you better prepare for your career upon graduation?:
When I attended NUIG I had a strong interest in computers, but there were no computing related courses available back then. Nevertheless my degree really helped

Other Information:
In the modern world technology keeps changing very quickly, so if you want to work in a high technology area you have to be constantly learning new things. You will be greatly mistaken if you believe that your education can end after graduation. In many ways, your education will only really be starting when you graduate.

John Kennedy, President, Pacific Investments Group, USA

What have you studied?
B.E. (Mechanical) 1990 to 1994 : M. Eng. Sc 1994 to 1996

What was your first graduate job and how did you secure it?
Manufacturing Development Engineer with a leading technology company. This role involved relocating to a US R&D site for 9-months to facilitate a technology transfer back to the Irish manufacturing site. I learned about this opportunity through the UCG Careers Office.

How did you secure your current position?
I started my own real estate development company

What are the responsibilities of your job and the typical tasks you are required to undertake?
Evaluate and negotiate acquisition of land and existing property. Manage consultants, sales and design teams. Coordinate development with government agencies and community groups. Secure financing through banking sources and investment partners. Manage execution of project and mitigate risks.

What you enjoy most about your role?
The opportunity to work with a diverse and creative group of people. Creating something positive and long lasting for a community. Travel and the challenge of managing complex projects and resolving problems. The flexibility to decide what I will work on and who with.

Most challenging aspects?
To date most of my projects required me to travel extensively, it can be a challenge when on the road and working remotely to make sure that progress continues to be made.

How has your career path developed since graduating?
I started in a very conventional engineering role and then moved to leading teams and projects. Over time my responsibilities involved less nuts and bolts technical work and more project management and more business focused efforts. In these roles I travelled extensively and eventually relocated to the US. During all this I saw many facets of a large corporation and eventually decided to look for an alternate role. I had been successful investing in real estate and decided to make this my full time career. Real estate development is essentially project management and requires all the same skills that managing a technical project requires; ability to manage, motivate and influence people, solve problems, budget and staff for success, understand your market and deliver a product that is needed. So while my job title may sound very different the skills are much the same, they are just being utilised in a different environment. In addition I have begun to utilise these skills to contribute to non-profit companies by assisting with strategic planning and assisting with putting the systems (budgeting and staffing plans) in place to ensure success.

How have you applied your degree or post grad in the workplace?
My degrees provided a foundation on which to build further focused knowledge. From the beginning I considered my degree a starting point; every company has proprietary knowledge that you need to learn to be successful in that industry.

What advice would you give to students doing the same degree as you?
Get an idea of what you want to do and then meet with people in those roles and talk to them about what they actually do. Gathering this information will allow you to understand if it’s what you really want to do. If it is then everything you learn through your degree will have much more meaning and context. If not, then you know early that you want to do something different and have the time to determine what that is. Once you have some clarity around what you want to do I would strongly recommend getting a part time job or intern role within the industry. Even if you are not getting paid the experience earned will move you through your career much more powerfully.

What were your career ideas when you were doing your degree?
To be honest mine were very vague and when I completed my degree there was no role that appealed to me. By the time I completed my M.Eng.Sc I was much clearer about what I wanted to do, I believe working with an engineering company while doing my masters gave me much more insight into what I wanted in my next role.

Availed of more career advice/mentor programme/extra-curricular activities?
I think that I came into university with a very fixed idea of what I wanted to do and didn’t really consider other options. Looking back a business degree would probably have been something that I would have enjoyed and benefited from. I think being more open minded in school and once I had started my degree would have helped with this. My biggest missed opportunity was not taking advantage of the network that was available to me through friends, family and the university. I could have used this information to gather information about what I wanted to do and would have been much clearer when talking to prospective employers.

Do you have any further comments you would like to share?
Take the time to determine what interests you and what you want to spend your time on. But once you have picked something there’s nothing wrong with changing to a different field or profession if that is what is of more interest to you. Talk to people from other industries as well as your own, a good idea in one field can often be applied to your own. Continue learning, even if your company will not pay for it, take courses on your own time and read books and journals. Always network. This is really about meeting people and building connections that you can use to help others and yourself. By connecting two people who benefit from that connection (referral, job search, technical assistance or whatever) you increase your value to your network and people will be eager to know and help you.

Brendan Murray, Senior Software Architect, IBM Ireland

What have you studied?
BSc 1978 (Major: Chemistry, Minor: Microbiology)

What was your first graduate job and how did you secure it?
Assistant Systems Engineer, International Computers Ltd.
Graduate recruitment campaign by ICL.

How did you secure your current position?
After working abroad for a number of years, I applied for a job in Lotus Development Ireland which was acquired by IBM in the mid-90’s.

What are the responsibilities of your job and the typical tasks you are required to undertake?
I analyse product proposals, and provide an architectural solution which is then used as the basis for developing the solution. In the process I also decide which technical directions should be taken, all the while working with the US teams to ensure that any decision I make maps onto the requirements of the market as a whole.

What you enjoy most about your role?
The variety of people with whom I interact, the challenging technical problems to solve, constantly learning new technologies and skills.

Most challenging aspects?
Trying to keep up to date with the innovations within the industry and applying these to my day-to-day work.

How has your career path developed since graduating?
1979-1981 : ICL, UK: Systems Engineer
1981-1988 : Kontor Automation, Denmark : Senior Systems Engineer
1988-1991 : CIM-Centret, Denmark: Senior Systems Engineer
1991-Present : Lotus Development/IBM : Senior Software Architect

How have you applied your degree or post grad in the workplace?
I haven’t used the knowledge directly.

What advice would you give to students doing the same degree as you?
Make sure that you enjoy what you’re doing – don’t pick subjects or courses just because you think they’ll help your career. If you don’t like what you’re doing, you won’t be successful at it.

What were your career ideas when you were doing your degree?
Very unclear: I didn’t have a good idea of what happened in the real world.

Do you have any further comments you would like to share?
Use mentoring help: it is the best way to get an understanding of what the workplace is really like.

Sinead Broderick, Primary School Teacher, Nobber N.S.

What have you studied?
2002 - 2005 Arts (English & Geography). Took a year out.
2007, Swansea (Wales) and studied Primary School Teaching.

What was your first graduate job and how did you secure it?
Primary Teacher, Nobber N.S.

How did you secure your current position?
Interview process.

What are the responsibilities of your job and the typical tasks you are required to undertake?
Teacher.

What you enjoy most about your role?
Seeing children progress.

Most challenging aspects?
Differentiation and covering all aspects of the Curriculum.

How have you applied your degree or post grad in the workplace?
Post grad, yes.

What advice would you give to students doing the same degree as you?
Don’t be afraid to go abroad.

Ronan O’ Sullivan, Operations Manager, Richmond Recruitment

What have you studied?
B.Comm 1995 NUIG
Higher Diploma in Systems Analysis and Business Systems Development 1998 NUIG
Masters in Business Studies (HRM and Industrial Relations) 2004 NUIG

What was your first graduate job and how did you secure it?
Walked in to a recruitment company looking for a job in IT and they hired me as a recruitment consultant

How did you secure your current position?
Headhunted by my current employer

What are the responsibilities of your job and the typical tasks you are required to undertake?
Manage a busy recruitment office with 5 staff reporting to me. Responsible for budgets, hiring, performance management of staff. Recruiting people for a large number of clients in the West. Meeting clients and candidates and selling our services.

What you enjoy most about your role?
The variety of each day. Anything can happen and usually does

Most challenging aspects?
Targets! Every month we need to perform to meet different targets. When it goes well it is great when it doesn’t it is stressful.

How has your career path developed since graduating?
Both by accident and design. I never set out to be in recruitment but when the opportunity came I grabbed it. Since then I have worked hard and moved up the ladder. In my last two roles I have been headhunted by competitors so the hard work is paying off.

How have you applied your degree or post grad in the workplace?
My Degree and Masters are in Human Resources so it is very relevant to recruitment and selection. My post Grad in Information Technology is useful as I personally deal with candidates and clients involved in IT. It’s a good mix

What advice would you give to students doing the same degree as you?
Study hard especially if you plan to look at a graduate recruitment programme. Most companies base the first part of their selection process on results.

What were your career ideas when you were doing your degree?
Career was the last thing on my mind!! I did the subjects I enjoyed. The most successful people I have met love what they are doing so I think it is important to enjoy what you are doing. A career and success will follow if you enjoy what you do.

Availed of more career advice/mentor programme/extra-curricular activities?
I think the mentor programme is one of the best initiatives I have seen from NUI Galway. If it had been available when I was studying I would have used it because they don’t teach ’experience’ at college.

Do you have any further comments you would like to share?
“A career is wonderful, but you can't curl up with it on a cold night.”
Marilyn Monroe 1926-1962

Padraig Sheridan, Formulation Team Leader, Beckman Coulter Ireland, Galway

What have you studied?
Degree in Biochemistry & Microbiology. National Certificate in Applied Biology. National Certificate in Fine Chemicals and Pharmaceuticals. National Diploma in First Line Management.

What was your first graduate job and how did you secure it?
Formulation Technician with Abbott Ireland. I secured the job by attending an open day for Abbott, at which I completed a preliminary interview and gave a copy of my CV. I was subsequently called for a second interview, after which I was offered the job. A big help in securing my first job was the Science related work experience I had completed in an Irish Country Meats factory laboratory and University College Hospital Laboratories Galway.

How did you secure your current position?
After 2 years working as a Formulation Technician at Abbott, I applied for a Unit Leader job on their Diagnostic filling lines. this job required that I had a Degree in a science or engineering field. I was successful in this application and started as the filling lines supervisor. In this role I was responsible for the direct supervision of 6 employees in the operation of 2 diagnostic reagent filling lines. The Unit Leader position was a development position and after 2 years in this position I received a promotion to a Manufacturing Team Leader under the same remit as the Unit Leader position.

What are the responsibilities of your job and the typical tasks you are required to undertake?
Duties include:

Supervision of the Formulation team (6 technicians) in the manufacture of bulk diagnostic reagents. Supervision of the Immochemistry Laboratory (3 technicians) in the manufacture of immunochemistry reagent kits. Liaising with all departments to schedule formulations to ensure timely manufacture and to maintain 4 filling lines. Completion of all product DR/CAPA on a timely fashion. Reduced formulation personnnel DR significantly through training and improvements. Presenting DR metrics on a quarterly basis to top line management. Completion of monthly reports and compiling of production cycle time metrics. Improving team moral and thus reducing absenteeism. Dealing with all personnnel issue within my area. Validation: Involved in and completed validations:

Homogeneity mixing validation
Produce change process validation
Mixer validation
New tank validation.

Involved in Continuous Process Improvements teams.

Documentation reduction team
Waste/Effluent management team
Area waste team
General Calibration team
Pipette Calibration team

Drafting and completing performance appraisals with all members of my teams. Interview for new hires.
Training of formulation employees. Preparation of area for all audits, FDA, ISO, NSAI + Internal. Dealing directly with auditors.
Writing, Reviewing, Approving and Updating area procedures and formulation documentation.

Improvements in Safety within the formulation area:

Introduction of a harness system for tank cleaning
Introduction of new respirators for weighing of chemicals
Introduction of new lifting equipment and repair of existing equipment
Introduction of new stainless steel tanks for safer mixing of a heated chemical.

Bringing the Formulation area up to a higher level of GMP by implementing process improvements such as:

Streamlining of some formulation procedures and reducing the number of non value added logs in the area.
Introduction of new equipment into the area, balances, tanks, ph meters, lifters.
Repair of tank/equipment defects.
Validation of mixers.

What do you enjoy most about your role?
The constant struggle to maintain the filling schedule, requiring optimised scheduling of the Compounding team and resources.

Most challenging aspects?
People management and conflict resolution within my working teams.

How has your career path developed since graduating?
Yes, as described above I started as a Formulation Technician and then progressed to a Unit Leader and then a Team Leader, which ultimately lead to my current role as the Formulation Team Leader at Beckman Coulter.

How have you applied your degree or post grad in the workplace?
The skills and knowledge I obtained when completing my degree came in very useful when I applied for my initial Formulation Technician role. They also were a great benefit in the day to day tasks in this Formulation role. To be honest, I did not use much from my degree in the Unit Leader or Team leader roles in Abbott as these roles were mainly supervisory and people management orientated. However, I could not have applied or obtained any of these positions without having my Degree.

What advice would you give to students doing the same degree as you?
If possible stay the course and complete an Honours Degree. Most companies today require people to have an Honours Degree as a prerequisite for promotion to Team Leader or Senior positions.

What were your career ideas when you were doing your degree?
To be honest I didn't have any. I wasn't sure what I wanted to do and it was only when I finished my degree that I decided what I could do with it.

Availed of more career advice/mentor programee/extra-curricular activities?
I would have participated in a mentoring programme like this or availed of some advice from a careers advisor to establish exactly what positions were out there for my skills set.

Maria Pilar Alderete Diez, Applied Language Teacher, NUI Galway

What have you studied?
BA English Philology (Spain)
MA Spanish – Translation Studies (N.U.I.G.)
Ph. Languages and Education – (Spain)

What was your first graduate job and how did you secure it?
Language Assistant in a University in Canada.
I was there for 3 years and then I got a contract at the same university as a full time lecturer for a year.

How did you secure your current position?
I was a language assistant here for 3 years before. I tried my best at the job and provided lots of service learning opportunities

What are the responsibilities of your job and the typical tasks you are required to undertake?
Teaching (BA, MA) ; Research ; Administration (first year coordinator and MA Advanced Language Skills coordinator)

What you enjoy most about your role?
I love teaching and learning in general and providing opportunities for students.

Most challenging aspects?
Student numbers and building spaces

How has your career path developed since graduating?
Progressing in the right direction

How have you applied your degree or post grad in the workplace?
Totally

What advice would you give to students doing the same degree as you?
To keep their options open and to be creative with their skills

What were your career ideas when you were doing your degree?
Teaching and travelling

Availed of more career advice/mentor programme/extra-curricular activities?
I did it. Lots of extra curricular activities and looking out for grants and awards.

Do you have any further comments you would like to share?
Contact me whenever you want

Career Development Centre
National University of Ireland, Galway, University Road, Galway, Ireland.
Phone: +353 (0)91 493589, Fax: +353 (0)91 494570
This page was last updated Tuesday, August 11, 2009