DID YOU SEE Dublin Airport’s tearjerker video of the O’Connor family earlier this week?
Carmel O’Connor topped her family’s airport surprise by telling them she wasn’t returning to Australia. She was staying at home – for good.
And she’s not alone. As opportunities begin to open up in Ireland again, more and more citizens are returning from the lands they fled to during the recession.
But the recruitment process – after being out of the employment landscape here for so long – can be daunting.
We sat down with recruitment specialists Noel Group to get some tips for those hoping to stay on the island in 2015.
The firm is planning a campaign around a ‘Bring Them Home’ theme.
Business Manager Jerry O’Sullivan explains, “We are working to create the awareness that Ireland is home and the jobs are here.
“We have seen a surge of vacancies in all our divisions so we need unskilled and skilled staff. We place all nationalities that have legal status to work in Ireland – but, as always, clients like to have Irish candidates as well.”
O’Sullivan shared these five tips with us for those returning home and looking for work.
1. KEEP IT SHORT
We hear this all the time – but it is true. Your CV should be short, snappy and concise. There should be no ‘fancy stuff’, meaning coloured ink or pictures.
2. EXPLAIN YOUR BREAKS
Many people coming back from abroad will have taken up work outside their ‘usual’ career – or not worked at all.
It is important to explain and not hide these experiences. They could have been because of travelling or visa restrictions.
Employers have no problem with breaks from careers but they just need to know. This is especially in some sectors which have to adhere to certain regulations, such as nursing.
3. POSITIVES OF TRAVEL
Even if you haven’t worked every day (or any day) of your time away, there could have been value in your experiences.
Employers want to know if you have self-financed the trip and what you have done along the way. But this can be kept for interviews – not your CV.
4. UP-TO-DATE REFERENCES
If you’ve been away a while, it’s understandable that your references will also be out of the country. Again, employers don’t mind.
But make sure they include up-to-date phone numbers and emails. Written references are acceptable but they will always be verified.
It is also helpful to include website links to the place of work because it might not be well-known to an Irish audience.
5. CONTRACT CAN BE KING
Some people shy away from temporary work or contracted work but it can offer some major positives. Nowadays, it often leads to full-time and permanent positions. It also gives the candidate time to assess if the company and role is actually for them. We’re hitting a time in the labour market now that jobseekers can be a little more choosy about where they end up – in both skilled and unskilled sectors.
Have you returned home? Do you have any other tips that could help someone in a similar situation? Let us know in the comments section.
Noel Group work with both candidates and clients and their consultants all work within the field the recruit for. They offer CV clinics and interview practice to all candidates. They won three awards at the National Recruitment Federation Awards in 2014, including the Best Large Agency and the Hospitality and Events Agency of the year.
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
have your say