“No” can be a complete sentence, you know

Thu, Nov 12, 2020

Q: There is just too much to do. I have a full-time job, family and personal responsibilities. Work is spilling over into my weekends to meet deadlines and there seems to be nothing I can do about it. Please help (BC, email).

A: This is happening to many of us. Our 'to do' list never gets done. In fact, it keeps growing no matter how many items we cross off. We know it’s not a healthy situation, but to what extent are we responsible for it ourselves?, writes Ines Gonzalez, Career Coach, Sli Nua Careers.

The Top jobs to apply for this week!

Mon, Nov 09, 2020

Looking for a Change of Career? Despite the country moving on to Level 5, there are still several companies looking for new hires. Find our top job opportunities in the west of Ireland available this week on Advertiser Classifieds.

The Top jobs to apply for this week!

Mon, Nov 02, 2020

Looking for a Change of Career? Despite the country moving on to Level 5, there are still several companies looking for new hires. Find our top job opportunities in the west of Ireland available this week on Advertiser Classifieds.

How to become the unicorn candidate

Thu, Oct 29, 2020

Q: I’m searching for a new role. The very act of going through jobs advertised online is getting to me. The list of qualifications and requirements expected in many of them is simply unreal. I don’t think I can fulfil half of what they are seeking. In fact, I doubt anybody can. Should I apply anyway? (BC, email).

A: The short answer to your question is ‘yes, you should’, but in a smart way. Hiring managers are describing the perfect candidate on those role descriptions. But they are well aware the perfect candidate may not exist. This potential dream employee is dubbed a unicorn candidate, writes Ines Gonzalez, Career Coach, Sli Nua Careers.

Remote internship can bring future benefits

Thu, Oct 22, 2020

Q: I am a university student finishing my degree. The current situation is not allowing me to have a part-time job or any work experience, either related or unrelated to my course. I haven’t built a network of contacts yet and amn’t sure where to start? How can I build some knowledge of the real world in this remote setting? (BC, email).

A: It is really not easy for students or recent graduates at this time. But difficult times create opportunities and different ways of doing things. It is very positive that you want to build some experience and a network of contacts before finishing college. And a remote internship may be one way of doing it, writes Ines Gonzalez, Career Coach, Sli Nua Careers.

The Top jobs to apply for this week!

Wed, Oct 21, 2020

Looking for a Change of Career? Despite the country moving on to Level 5, there are still several companies looking for new hires. Find our top job opportunities in the west of Ireland available this week on Advertiser Classifieds.

The Top jobs to apply for this week!

Mon, Oct 12, 2020

Looking for a Change of Career? Despite the country moving on to Level 3, there are still several companies looking for new hires. Find our top job opportunities in the west of Ireland available this week on Advertiser Classifieds.

Home work is bringing me down

Thu, Jul 16, 2020

During Covid-19, I’ve been holding down a full-time job from home while looking after small children. I am too stretched to focus properly on my work. The quality has certainly diminished. I feel this will hurt my promotion prospects. My husband or male colleagues aren’t in the same situation. What can I do about this? (DF, email).

A: I have heard a lot about this in the last few months. It was always on the radar to a certain extent but Covid-19 has really brought it to the forefront, writes Ines Gonzalez, Career Coach, Sli Nua Careers.

5 Tips for online job interviews

Tue, Jul 07, 2020

Once the preserve of trendy start-ups and employers who had no option but to sift through potential employees via the medium because of the vast distances involved between themselves and said candidate, online job interviews have seen a major explosion in popularity due to the restrictions imposed on the world by the prevalence of Covid-19 and the rise of video services such as Zoom, FaceTime, and WhatsApp video.

Travel reduction could be just the job

Thu, Apr 09, 2020

Last week, in this new world we inhabit, albeit temporarily for now, I did a day’s work for a company. If that day’s work had taken place a month or two ago, it would have unfolded very differently. I have every reason to believe it acts as a precursor of things to come, writes Liam Horan, Career Coach, Sli Nua Careers.

Instead of leaving my home shortly after 6am to drive the 100 or so miles for our 8.40am start, I rambled into my office ten minutes beforehand. I had no problem with parking and I didn’t have the anxiety of wondering where exactly the meeting was taking place. Nobody else had problems with traffic or parking either.

Home work can be productive all round

Thu, Apr 02, 2020

One Christmas many moons ago (circa 12 year worth of moons) a friend gave me The Four Hour Work Week, by Tim Ferriss, and it set my head spinning, writes Liam Horan, Career Coach, Sli Nua Careers.

Time to keep your distance and hold your nerve

Thu, Mar 26, 2020

BY LIAM HORAN, sli nua careers
This week’s column is almost advice-free, given all that’s happened. It may be too soon for advice. People are still reeling from what has happened.

This week’s column is almost advice-free, given all that’s happened. It may be too soon for advice. People are still reeling from what has happened.

Online option is here to stay

Thu, Mar 26, 2020

Recently, a-few-weeks threatening came to pass with an email I sent to our people: “We are now working solely online, as I outlined in the WhatsApp a few minutes ago…”, writes Liam Horan, Career Coach, Sli Nua Careers.

Sporting prowess gives your career chance

Thu, Mar 12, 2020

Q: I play sport at a high level for a prominent inter-county GAA team. I am currently in the process of applying for a new job, and I fear the employer will think that I’ll be rushing away from the office every second evening for training, meetings and matches. That’s not actually the case – I am a very good manager of my time and in previous jobs, I always came in early in the morning or stayed late in the evening to make sure I got my work done. How should I transmit this in the interview? (FD, email).

Improve your CV to land a dream job

Thu, Feb 27, 2020

It is fair to say the weather so far in 2020 has been awful with February being particularly dreadful. Twenty-one consecutive days of rain plus three storms have left most of us huddling indoors trying to stay warm and dry.

Future proof can boost job interview

Thu, Feb 06, 2020

When going for a job interview, the tendency is to look to what you have done in the past – but you might only be telling half the story they need to hear, writes Liam Horan, Career Coach, Sli Nua Careers.

In my experience, candidates all too often look inwards when preparing for interview. They wonder if they have this or that and frequently bemoan something missing in their experience or education.

How minding my own business cost me at interview

Thu, Jan 23, 2020

Q: I run my own business but want a change. I went for a job interview last week. Despite my best efforts at convincing the panel that I will unplug myself from the business, I believe I failed to convince them. They kept coming back to how I would juggle both even though I made it clear I have a management structure in place that allows me to step away. And I am really keen to step away! Should I have told them I am selling the business, even though I am not? What do you think? (DC, email).

A: In interviews, as in so many other aspects of life, perception can be construed as reality. The battle you describe - namely that of convincing them that the business will not be a barrier in the new role – is one of the more difficult ones a self-employed person has to overcome in an interview, writes Liam Horan, Career Coach, Sli Nua Careers.

Securing a job in 2020

Thu, Jan 23, 2020

As we approach the end of January, it is most likely that your New Year, new me ideals and promises have sadly fallen by the wayside; it happens to us all.

Seven tips for a local authority interview

Thu, Jan 16, 2020

Q: I am going for an interview for a job in my local county council. I’m told I should know stuff about what the council does but, to be honest, I haven’t much of a clue. I’m not politically minded, more of a ‘live and let live’ type woman. Where do I even start? (ER, email).

A: Once upon a time, you nearly needed to know what the interviewer had for breakfast the morning of local authority interviews, but it’s nowhere near as onerous now, particularly for someone coming from the outside, writes Liam Horan, Career Coach, Sli Nua Careers.

How did you prepare for this interview?

Thu, Nov 21, 2019

Q: In a recent job interview, I was asked a very unusual question: ‘how did you prepare for this interview?’ I didn’t know what to say and muttered something about reading their website. In fact, I had put in a huge amount of preparation, including speaking to somebody who works there and doing two sessions with a career coach, but I wasn’t sure I should reveal all of that. Would it show that I was lacking something? (AC, email).

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