Hi all! I’m Clodagh a graduate of BA Applied Languages from the University of Limerick. I’m a Paris based graduate working in the Bord Bia Smurfit International graduate programme. It's truly an amazing programme that allows you to gain industry experience and a masters from UCD Smurfit!
The last couple of months in university are usually filled with one daunting question, so what are you going to do next? While there are so many options I found myself torn between two: start my career or further my education? I quickly decided I wasn’t ready to compromise on either and began to look for opportunities which allowed me to do both.
Final year in college can be a stressful time when looking for jobs. There are so many to choose from and you still might not know what profession you want to get into. Having spent your whole education in one country, you might think it’s finally time for a change.
Every year, thousands of students graduate from third-level education here in Ireland and are faced with the harsh reality of life after college. Some Graduates will take a year to travel the world, some will begin jobs with companies they worked with during an internship, but for most, they will need to try and find a job they like, with a company that will hire them. In this blog we discuss some handy ways students can try and find a job they enjoy and that will benefit their future careers.
This year I will be graduating from University College Dublin, and while I had predicted most of the stressful elements of final year (exams, tight deadlines, late nights in the library), one headache I hadn’t anticipated was having to apply for jobs and graduate programmes. The pressure of finding a job I would enjoy was daunting and it certainly wasn’t aided by friends and family asking me, “ So, what are your plans for next year?”, at every available opportunity.
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Choosing a graduate programme can be daunting. The application process can be extremely time consuming and can also require a lot of effort. Because of this, it is important to be strategic in your approach and to apply only to those which you would be happy to accept an offer from.
That’s great, but what if you are not exactly sure of what it is you want to do once you have walked across the stage and collected that coveted piece of paper? I was in the exact same position last year, and it was not easy.