Marketing Yourself to Irish Employers
Tips for success
- Know how your qualifications are comparable to Irish qualifications, e.g. Irish Leaving Certificate or an undergraduate or postgraduate degree. See the National Qualifications Authority of Ireland to check equivalence of qualifications.
- On your CV or resume, consider indicating your eligibility to work to a prospective employer e.g. “Eligible to work under Third Level Graduate Scheme, with possibility of extension.”
- Be realistic and check if the employer is willing to accept applications from graduates requiring a work permit.
- Think about your employment experiences (paid and unpaid) and emphasise what you have learned. Think about your skills and how these apply to the role you are applying for. These skills could have been developed during your studies e.g. from group coursework or from voluntary work/hobbies.
Know your strengths
- Language skills could be useful when working with overseas colleagues and potentially open up new markets for your employer abroad.
- Specialist or technical skills may give your application an extra edge.
- You may have a creative approach to solving work problems.
- You may have experience of working with or knowledge of foreign business practices.
- Your decision to study and work in Ireland shows motivation, enthusiasm and drive, all skills highly valued by employers.
- You have knowledge and experience of different cultures.
Issues to consider
- The employer may have a lack of knowledge about employment schemes for international graduates. Be aware of the different work schemes available and try to provide website details and/or leaflets which you can recommend to the employer.
- The employer may have a concern about your English language skills. Explain how you completed your qualification through English and if applicable that you passed an internationally recognised proficiency level in order to study in Trinity.
Further Information
- CAS section on identifying your skills.
