If 50% of people are dissatisfied at work how on earth am I supposed to get a job that satisfies me?
This question haunted me throughout final year. After a 9 month internship that I hated, I was left wondering if anyone enjoyed their job or if that was just something professional athletes and celebrities enjoyed. I thought about investment banking, teaching, joining the army and then settled on surf instructing. My head was flooded with careers, but none spoke to me like Bord Bia’s Tom Tully. Tom hijacked a marketing lecture I was in and started to describe Bord Bia’s International Graduate Program. The course promised a masters, tax free money, international experience and a future of marketing food and drink. Everybody in the lecture was sold. We all took leaflets on how to apply, but most ended up in the bin within minutes. What seemed like a great opportunity to most people I spoke to quickly became effort. Actually my big four job will be grand (triggered!!). I didn’t want grand. To me grand, is like somebody describing me as lovely. If lovely is the first thing that comes to mind when you think of somebody, then they’re probably boring af.
I love my job. Would everyone? Absolutely not. I literally talk to people for a living. I know a lot of people who would despise this.
Am I here to tell you to apply? Definitely not, but I am here to tell you not to settle for a job that you don’t want. Don’t settle for a job that is grand. The only reason to take a job you don’t want is because A) You need the money or B) It will get you a job you want. Most people straight out of college convince themselves they are taking a job because it will help them get where they want to be, but if half of us are unsatisfied in are jobs then that means these jobs are not getting people where they want. Don’t fool yourself.
Let’s take a little look back at the title…How do I get a job I want straight out of college? Easy peasy, apply for Bord Bia’s International Graduate Program and BAMM. Happiness awaits you.
The serious answer to that question is explore. Explore the opportunities around you and explore yourself. What were your favourite subjects in school and college? If English was your favourite subject and you hate Maths then why are you doing Finance? There are so many opportunities out of college. Explore them all.
While you explore yourself let me tell you about the opportunity I chose. Bord Bia International Graduate Program.
Broadly speaking my job is to help Irish alcohol companies grow their exports. We do this through organising events around the world to help introduce these companies (our clients) to suitable distributors, importers and other relevant trade bodies. We also take up Irish stands at trade shows to help alleviate the high costs of these events on new companies. On top of all this we have massive amounts of data and research that we can provide to these companies. While all this is going on you learn ridiculous amounts about the drinks industry which means you become even more helpful and can provide insight to these companies yourself from reports you read, experts you’ve spoken with and events you’ve organised and attended. That is my job. It involves a lot speaking, listening and organising.
Day to day my job involves me checking up on my emails, answering phone calls, making phone calls, chasing clients for information, being chased by clients for information, organising shipping, organising designs, meeting clients in Bord Bia, meeting clients in their distilleries and breweries, providing research and whatever else is thrown at you.
There is a lot that excites me about my job. Getting to work with CEOs (sometimes taking notes in the corner) and people making genuine business decisions is incredibly insightful and exciting, but one of the things that excites me the most is when I am approached with new business opportunities for clients. This excites me probably because I am young and not yet cynical, but to me every time I am approached there is a little part of me that believes this could be a massive opportunity for one of my clients.
I love that what I do helps Ireland, the planet and genuinely provides incredible produce to the world. This is a job that satisfies me. This is a job that I believe in doing. This is a job that means something to me. This attitude flows throughout the office. The high morale and the passion of those who work in Bord Bia shows that I am not the only one here who believes in what we are doing. As an organisation Bord Bia is driven to deliver on its promises.
Not only am I passionate about helping these entrpreneurs risking it all to bring a product they believe in to the world, but I am incredibly lucky to be in an environment where I can learn. Every day is a school day and by god you better take notes.
Do both.
50% of my intake of 32 people were sent to work in overseas offices. For those of us left in Dublin there is still opportunity to travel. Over the next 6 months I will be travelling to Moscow, Paris, Milan, Dusseldorf, America, Cork (Huuu Raaaa) and hopefully Australia (still to be discussed with my manager..doubtful..).
Bord Bia International Graduate Program is an excellent opportunity and one that I had never heard of. Research your opportunities. Research this program. You can find more information here
If you would like to apply click here
If you would like advice on how to get the job keep reading.