Career Mentors

Great Place to Work 2010 results

List of Best Workplaces – 2010 Best Workplaces in Ireland

Large (Over 250 Employees)
1 Microsoft
2 Telefonica O2 Ireland
3 PepsiCo Ireland
4 EMC Ireland
5 McDonald’s Restaurants of Ireland
6 Unicarepharmacy
7 Diageo Ireland
8 Quintiles Ireland Limited
9 Topaz Energy Ltd
10 Medtronic
11 Deloitte
12 Boots Retail (Ireland) Ltd.
13 PM Group
14 EirGrid plc
15 Boston Scientific Cork
16 Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
17 3
18 EBS Building Society
19 Abbott Diagnostics Division Longford
20 BNY Mellon

SME (50 to 250 Employees)
1 Euro Car Parks
2 Abbott Ireland, Commercial
3 Mars Ireland
4 Jones Lang LaSalle ltd.
5 Bright Horizons Family Solutions

Mairead Griffin, Career Coach & Outplacement Specialist http://www.careermentors.ie

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Continue reading 2010 Best Places To Work Results

Reference checking is the 2nd last stage in the job hunting process, with the final stage being package and contract delivery.  Below are a few tips

• It is better to put “referees available on request” on your CV. This will allow you the time to give your referees  advance notice to expect a call. It will work in your favour if your referee is prepared .
•  If you have had a good relationship with your referee, you should give them an overview of the role you are applying for – they may tailor their responses if they know what the organisation is looking for
•  When selecting your referees always ensure you select someone who is forthcoming and communicative. Alot of referees give one word answers which will not always reflect well on you
• Nowadays alot of organisations will not provide formal references. If at all possible, try see if you can get an “off the record” reference if this is the case

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Continue reading Reference Check Tips

Competency Based Interviews are also known as “Structured Interviews” or “Behavioural Interviews”. An interviewer will be looking to assess how capable you are in the competencies that have been identified as part of the job. It is common for Competency Based Interviews to be combined with CV led interviews

What exactly is a competency?
It’s a skill, knowledge or behaviour eg Teamwork, Detail Orientation, Analytical

Why use a competency based interview?
It is a fair, consistent and objective way of assessing candidates. Everyone is asked the same questions, and rated in the same way. It removes room for human error

What type of organisations use competency based interviews?
Generally large blue-chip multinationals, graduate recruitment days, semi states & public sector. Small to Medium sizedenterprises are using competency based interviews more and more. Iin the UK this type of interview is standard. Irrespective of whether or not an interview is competency based or not, the preparation required will really help you think on your feet at a CV led interview

What approach should be used for these interviews?
Always use the 1st person and the STAR interview Technique. We will discuss this in more detail under “STAR Interview Techniques”

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Continue reading Competency Based Interviews…….the facts!

What is……

- Your ideal job specification.
- What type of people would you like to work with?
- What hours and what location would you like to work?
- How do you want to be managed?
- How much responsibility do you want to have?
- What type of career prospects do you need to have?
- Is it possible to get there? Are there financial or dependent restrictions?
- What is realistic? What is achievable? What is essential and what is a “nice to have”?
- How could I overcome any obstacles?
- How important is job security?
- Do I need an important sounding title?
- Would I prefer to work in a large or small business?
- How much am I worth? What is the absolute lowest base salary will I consider?
- Would I relocate for the right role? If not, what is a feasible commute?
- Am I looking for a job with a social life as well?
- What do I not enjoy doing?
- Is further education worth it?
- Will I consider contract?

Mairead Griffin, Career Coach & Outplacement Specialist, http://www.careermentors.ie 01-2160880

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Continue reading Questions to ask yourself when deciding your career direction

1. Is the role Permanent / Full time / Contract
2. Reason for the vacancy
3. Background to the organisation – Location, Size, Culture, Key Clients, Recent Announcements
4. Who are their main competitors?
5. What distinguishes them from their competitors?
6. Structure of the department
7. Who the role reports into?
8. Is there any people management
9. What are the 5 main key responsibilities
10. What is the breakdown of the role e.g 20% Recruitment, 80% Employee Relations

Continue reading 35 things you should research in advance of an interview

What is needed?
Total dedication
Time
Help and support of your family and friends

What are the benefits?
You are your own boss and you have control over your own decisions
You will gain a broad understanding of business which will stand to you forever
Flexibility

What are the cons?
You need to be working to be earning
Getting time off can be difficult
You will have total responsibility for success or failure

Mairead Griffin, Career Coach, Career Mentors, http://www.careermentors.ie

Continue reading Are you considering setting up your own business?

With the earthquake in Haiti and the pleas for help, it made me realise how much support jobseekers could provide to non-profit organisations locally here in Ireland. Charities revenues are down 30%. No matter what your career to date has been, it is likely that your skills would add value to any non-profit.

Why do voluntary work?

- It’s an opportunity to help a cause that is close to your heart. Most charities welcome volunteers with open arms. There are over 600 charities in Ireland ( check out http://www.thewheel.ie ) most of whom would welcome the contribution of experienced, motivated individuals.

- Volunteering can develop your transferable skills as the work can be very varied ranging from care work to meals on wheels to fundraising to retail work

- Keeps you active and out there interacting with people. When you are between jobs, it’s important that you develop a routine and interests outside of job searching!!

More……………..

Mairead Griffin, Career Coach, Career Mentors http://www.careermentors.ie

Continue reading Why should you work for a non-profit while job searching

Is a redundancy lump sum payment taxable?
A statutory redundancy lump sum, which under the law must be paid, is entirely tax-free. Only a payment above and beyond the statutory payment (an ex-gratia payment) is taxable –and only when it goes over a certain limit. For information on this, contact the Telephone Information Office of the Revenue Commissioners at 1890 60 50 90.

What is the situation regarding workers on what is called “fixed-purpose” contracts?
The Redundancy Payments Act 2003 safeguards the right to redundancy of a worker employed under a “fixed-purpose” contract i.e. where the exact duration of the contract was incapable of being determined at the beginning. If the contract is not renewed following the fulfilling of the purpose, with the fixed-purpose contract therefore ceasing, a redundancy situation can arise. There is already provision under Section 9(1)(b) of the Redundancy Payments Act, 1967 regarding fixed-term contracts under which a redundancy situation exists where a fixed-term of employment expires without being renewed under the same or a similar contract.

What is the position regarding the redundancy rights of Part-Time Workers?
The Redundancy Payments Act 2003 has secured the rights of part-time workers to a statutory redundancy payment through amending insurability requirements for redundancy to bring them into line with the Social Welfare Acts and the Protection of Employees (Part-Time Work) Act 2001. This is in line with the provision of the 2001 Act that part-time employees cannot be treated in a less favourable manner than comparable full-time employees in relation to conditions of employment. In particular, there is recognition for the rights of workers to statutory redundancy in the following cases – (a) casual employment, (b) subsidiary employment (where a person depends on another employment for his/her livelihood) and (c) employment of inconsiderable extent i.e. very low wage.

Mairead Griffin, Career Coach & Outplacement Specialist, Career Mentors -

Phone 01-2160880 Email mairead@careermentors.ie

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Continue reading Redundancy – Frequently Asked Questions

IDA Investment Highlights

- A total of 125 foreign direct investments won
- New companies investing in Ireland for the first time up 11% on 2008
- Investments in Research, Development & Innovation (RD&I) in excess of €500m
- 49% of investments were RD&I
- 69% of investments from existing companies
- Over 4,500 new jobs were created in 2009
- Exports from IDA client companies increased to €110bn

Companies who have announced jobs include……..
Trend Micro
Gala Inc
Alps Electric
Gerson Lehrman Group
Computershare (CGS)
Intel Ireland Ltd.
Hewlett Packard Ireland Ltd.
PayPal Europe Services Limited Helsinn Holding S.A.,
Big Fish Games, Inc
CIRS
Cerner Corporation

www.careermentors.ie , Mairead Griffin, Career Coach & Outplacement Specialist, Phone 01-2160880

Read on for more companies investing in Ireland
Continue reading Companies that announced new jobs in Ireland in 2009

Company Figures
More than 350 million active users
50% of our active users log on to Facebook in any given day
More than 35 million users update their status each day
More than 55 million status updates posted each day
More than 2.5 billion photos uploaded to the site each month
More than 3.5 billion pieces of content (web links, news stories, blog posts, notes, photo albums, etc.) shared each week
More than 3.5 million events created each month
More than 1.6 million active Pages on Facebook
More than 700,000 local businesses have active Pages on Facebook Pages have created more than 5.3 billion fans

Averages
Average User Figures Average user has 130 friends on the site
Average user sends 8 friend requests per month
Average user spends more than 55 minutes per day on Facebook
Average user clicks the Like button on 9 pieces of content each month
Average user writes 25 comments on Facebook content each month
Average user becomes a fan of 2 Pages each month
Average user is invited to 3 events per month
Average user is a member of 12 groups

http://www.careermentors.ie  Mairead Griffin, Career Coach & Outplacement Specialist

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Continue reading Facebook Statistics – remember these stats when job searching!