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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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

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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

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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

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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
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Todays market is particularly challenging for solicitors with the recently qualified faced the decision of how to move forward in their careers. Many are chosing to return to college, others moving abroad, whilst others are using their transferable skills to find alternative employment. It is worth contacting the law society to get more advice. They have a career specialist who has specifically been employed to work with recently qualifieds.

Enclosed are some uselful links, recommended agencies in both Ireland and the UK and lists of the main law firms in Ireland in the UK

http://www.careermentors.ie , Career Coaching & Outplacement Specialists

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Networking is a crucial element of job hunting because many jobs are never advertised. Employers prefer to interview and hire people referred to them by friends, family, or current employees. In a job market where employers have limited budgets to advertise roles, they are more actively using their networks to identify potential recruits.

I came across this article on networking for jobsearching – think it’s well worth a read.

http://www.johnleescareers.com/Documents/Networking.pdf

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

“Jobseekers Ireland” is a new, Group here on LinkedIn that has 110 members in 48 hours! It provides a platform for Jobseekers, Business Management, HR, Recruiters & Career Advisors to share experiences and informed advice in areas such as…….

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Facebook  - Some good news for Dublin!!

Mary Coughlan, Taniste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment officially opened the EMEA HQ of Facebook based out of Dublin. Facebook currently employs 70 staff with the expectation that this will double as the operation continues to expand into Europe

Facebook’s HQ has been in operation a year in Dublin. With the expectation that it will double in size, there is finally some good news out there for jobseekers. Key roles that Facebook will be hiring include User Operations, Online Operations, Advertising Sales, Advert Campaign Delivery, Finance & Engineering.

All facebook jobs in Ireland can be found at http://www.facebook.com/jobs

National Recruitment Federation

Q. Will I definitely get a response to my CV when I send it into a Recruitment Agency?

A. It is good business practice for an agency to respond to all CV’s they receive. However, given the vast volume of CV’s received by some agencies and shortage of time, we recommend that job-seekers should follow up themselves if they have not received an acknowledgement.

Q. Will I be interviewed by the agency?
A. If the agency feels that your skills/experience are suited to particular positions available then you should be called for interview.

Q. How should I treat the interview with the agency?
A. Job-seekers should treat the interview with the agency as their first interview as the agency will shortlist candidates to be put forward to employers for interview based on their CV and interview with the agency.

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