Blogs by tag - job seeking

The Internship – From Clueless Wannabe To Landing A Job

Internships are hugely popular in Ireland yet many people are still sceptical of them due to the bad reputation they get – “interns are taken advantage of as free labour” seems to be a very common opinion nationwide however, speaking as someone who undertook a 3 month unpaid internship and secured a full-time paid position at the end, I can only speak highly of the experience I had. Looking back, the reason I undertook an internship was to test the water. I wasn’t 100% sure of my abilities or what career direction I wanted to take and my internship with Sigmar Recruitment gave me the opportunity to try out the business world. I was also in the typical young person seeking job scenario where each job advertisement I saw featured that sentence ‘1-2 years’ experience required’, something I didn’t have. An internship was an opportunity for me to gain this experience and it also gave me a chance to prove myself for a position that I would not have qualified for, had the role been advertised. Now I’m not going to lie, an internship is not easy. I wasn’t getting paid and to top matters off I wasn’t working close to home, in fact I was travelling from Kilkenny to Dublin each day. But in saying that, the on-the-job experience I gained was invaluable. Yes there were times I was stuck doing monotonous tasks but there were also times I was involved in fascinating projects. Being completely honest I didn’t know exactly what I was doing half the time but that’s the purpose of an internship: to learn!! So how did I go from clueless wannabe to landing a job I love? Here’s how: Take it serious The best way to describe an internship is that it’s an extended job interview so adjust your attitude accordingly. No matter how small a task you’re asked to do, do it well. Never act as though a task is too pointless or tedious, it’s all experience that you can add to your CV at the end of the day. And once you’re seen to be competent with the smaller tasks you’ll gradually be given more and more important tasks. Work hard Might seem like an obvious one but genuinely work you socks off. When given a deadline – try and beat it. When given a project – go above and beyond. Exceed expectations wherever possible and leave your manager with a positive impression of you as a worker. Take on as much as you can It’s simple the more you do, the more you have to show for your internship. If at points you find yourself idle, don’t just sit there and wait for your manager to give you tasks, ask for them. Also if you hear of projects taking place that you are interested in, ask if you can help out. Ask Questions Finally don’t be afraid of asking questions! You’re new to the working world and you’re not expected to know everything. If you’re unsure of how to do something, ask for help – how else will you learn?

There Are Plenty Of Reasons To Relocate To Munster!

To relocate or not to relocate – that is the question! Whether you are currently living in a European country and thinking of relocating to Ireland, or whether you are living in Dublin, the North, the West or elsewhere and thinking of relocating to Munster, either to move closer to home or to seek a new challenge – it is a tough decision! However, Munster is a fantastic location in which to have the perfect work/life balance. Whether it is Cork, Waterford, Kerry, Limerick, Clare, or Tipperary that you wish to move to, each county has huge multinational companies that are currently looking for you! It is certainly overwhelming when you research each location to realise the amount of companies that are in operation in Munster and we have seen a huge increase in the amount of professionals that our clients are currently recruiting. Regardless of your industry or profession: IT, Sales, Accountancy, Technical or Multilingual, we have a lot of excellent positions that could be the next step that you need to take to develop your career and enhance your skills! To help you decide what part of Munster you would like to relocate to, please see the brief overview of each county in Munster: Cork: A multicultural city that boasts a wide range of activities from the museums, opera and theatre, it is well known for its Jazz Festival during the October Bank holiday weekend. It also has excellent transportation services with its airport, train and bus stations. Waterford: Home to the Tall Ships Festival and the SPRAOI annual festival during the August Bank Holiday weekend. There are plenty of attractions such as the Waterford Crystal Visitor Centre and seaside resorts such as Tramore and Dunmore East for the warm summer days! Lots of water activities such as surfing, kayaking and sailing can be enjoyed here. The cost of living in Waterford is cheaper than the larger cities and it also has an airport. Kerry: The sightseeing capital of Ireland. Whether you wish to cycle the Ring the Kerry, take a boat trip to visit Fungi the Dingle bay dolphin or pony trek to the Lakes of Killarney – you will not be short of things to do. Kerry hosts the world famous Rose of Tralee festival in August. Kerry also has excellent transport links which includes its own airport. Limerick: Built on the river Shannon and most famous for being the home of Munster rugby! There are few better ways to spend a Saturday or Sunday at a rugby match in Thomand Park stadium, soaking up the atmosphere! The University of Limerick is a very impressive Third Level institution in Munster and Limerick is very proud to be home to Mr World Kamal Ibrahim. Clare: An historic county with many world famous sites to visit such as the Cliffs of Moher and The Burren. Shannon Airport is also situated in Clare. The annual Lisdoonavara match making festival runs in September and it is well worth a visit to see if Cupid’s arrow strikes! Tipperary: “The crossroads of Munster”! It has many famous sites to visit such as the Rock of Cashel, Cahir Castle and the Galtee mountains. It is home to Coolmore Stud and has three race courses with regular race meetings for you to enjoy! We have helped a lot of people relocate to Munster over the past few years and we are here to help you! So for the first step in getting the lifestyle you want or the next step in your career – get in contact with one of the Recruitment Team in Sigmar on (01) 4744600.