JobsFair.ie

Our Career Surgeon, Caragh Burns-Sharma, receives hundreds of emails every day about work and jobseeking issues.

"Make the most of yourself. For that is all there is of you". Emerson

Caragh Burns-Sharma is a Director of New Approach, an innovative training and coaching company dedicated to helping professionals make positive changes and improvements in the way they work and communicate.

Caragh is passionate about developing people and helping them to unlock their potential. A Business & Personal Coach, Caragh holds a degree in Business and German.

People have been at the core of her career and as such, she has devoted herself to people-centric roles in Training, HR, Recruitment and Coaching in the both Ireland and the UK.

If you have a career or work-related question for our Career Surgeon, you can email Caragh at editorial@loadzajobs.ie

Question: Career change from Law to Banking

Hi Caragh,

I have just recently completed a LLB (Bachelor of Law) at NUI Galway. I am currently searching for employment in Galway. I would ideally love to have a career in banking or insurance fraud. I have sent numerous CV’s to banks and insurance companies but to no avail. I constantly search for vacancies online also. Have you any tips on how best to get in to this area of work?

Thanking you,

Ciara

Answer:

Hi Ciara,

Thank you for your email and congratulations on your recent graduation!

It’s great that you have pin pointed the field you would like to work in, location wise Galway seems to be your preference?

You say you have applied to several banks and insurance companies- does your cv really highlight all your achievements and is your cover letter making you stand out from the crowd?

Do you know anyone who is doing the type of role you are pursuing? It’s time to get networking, who do you know that can help you, if you don’t know anyone ask for introductions, perhaps some of your alumni can help.

Try calling the HR departments of organisations you are interested in and ask them to please advise you on any steps you can take or any extra courses you can do to put yourself in the best possible position to work for them. Be very well prepared for these phone calls- consider them a mini- sales pitch and great learning opportunity.

If you are temping while you search for a full time role make sure agencies know you’d love to try a job with a bank or insurer- getting your foot in the door at any level is an opportunity to impress and network.

Ciara, I am wondering if you would consider job roles outside of Galway- the major institutions with the type of roles you are interested in may well have vacancies in Dublin or London?

It’s great that you know where you are going, now consider what you are willing to do to get there.

Any more questions please let me know.

Good luck!

Caragh

Question: Jobs in Drug Research

Hi Carragh,

I am working as an anaesthetists. I want to work in area of research in drugs. What are the career prospects in Ireland/Usa?

Thanks,

Praveen

Answer:

Hi Praveen,

The latest reports seem to suggest that the pharmaceutical and medical areas are doing quite well. According to the IPHA (Irish Pharmaceutical Healthcare Association) R&D in Ireland is growing 10% year on year.

According to the bureau of labour statistics in the USA "Biotechnology and nanotechnology will continue to attract research funding and generate employment growth, but increases in productivity and international competition should dampen growth." however the good news they give is that "Opportunities for scientists and engineers should be best for those who have doctoral degrees; competition for basic and applied research funding is expected to be keen."

I would suggest that there are two main routes open to you.

Firstly consider checking out universities and the type of research projects they are working on - they will all have websites and many advertise for research fellows. Secondly if you would prefer to work in industry you should look at all the major companies websites.

Upskill if necessary- investing in yourself is always a good idea.
Make sure your cv is in excellent shape- tailor it to suit each opportunity you are applying for to highlight your most relevant experience.

Good luck!

Question: Working as a PA

Hi Caragh

I feel I’m stuck in a rut, I moved over to Ireland 14months ago from England, and straight away got offered a job as a ‘Personal Assistant’. The job has gone on, and on and I would love to take a new step in a different direction. I really enjoy the workplace and people but the job has turned into an accounts roll now, and where I don’t mind doing some accounts work the PA role has slowly decided to change and all I seem to do is just the same menial tasks like filing! Would you recommend any courses that could expand my choice of job decisions?

I have my Exec PA Diploma and my college qualification of GNVQ Business 3. I would love to go into fulltime education again, but nowadays I have a mortgage to pay and feel it would be a step in the wrong direction for me to do this. I would like to do a distance learning or a night course but to be honest I don’t really know where to start! Any help would be greatly appreciated. 

Kind regards

Ange

Answer:

Hi Ange,

Upskilling on a part-time basis is a great idea.

There is a huge amount of part-time and distance learning courses available.If you would like to get a flavour of what’s out there from a part-time study point of view check out www.qualifax.ie under Adult Guidance click on courses and you’ll find a list of what’s available in your area and the different attendance options (evenings, day release, distance learning etc.), www.nightcourses.ie may be of interest to you too.

Ange, do you have a goal in mind? Is this extra study part of a plan to take you on a different career path or up the ladder in your area? I didn’t get a sense of the type of course you’d like to do, if you want to let me know I will help you further.

Good luck!

Caragh