DCU Graduate Careers Fairs Quiet Hour - Information for Students

• At the Career Fair each employer will have their own table where they will speak to students. Behind each table there is generally a promotional stand displaying the company’s name, logo and sometimes some information about the graduate programme or company in general.
• You will be given a map of the Helix showing where each company will be located in the Helix on the day. You can visit different tables, ask questions, and learn more about what the companies have to offer.
• Employers, HR specialists, graduates and alumni in different disciplines will be available to answer your specific career questions.
• You will receive a Digital Pass ahead of the event. Please have this ready to show staff at the “Here to Help” desk when you enter the Helix.
• If you need assistance, the support team (in pink T-shirts) will be available throughout the venue to assist (names and info on page 4).
• Here is the quiet room (360 photo). Follow the signs or ask a support team member to direct you. You do not need to register in advance to use this room.

Graduate Programmes are typically run by large and Multinational companies who hire a multiple number of graduates each year. The word 'programme' can make you believe that it is a college course but that is NOT the case!  To facilitate graduates becoming productive as quickly as possible, a structured learning and development programme is rolled out by the company. Hence the use of the phrase ‘graduate programme’.

The term Graduate Programme in this context refers to paid employment opportunities. Contract duration can vary depending on the programme.  For example, for a career in audit or tax, contracts are usually 3.5 years in duration and for other types of graduate programmes, it is typically a one or two-year contract.  

Graduate Programmes are structured roles designed typically for graduates up to 3 years post-graduation.  Employers sometimes also offer a buddy or mentor system whereby graduates can learn from more experienced professionals in the business and have additional support.

Are There Any Career Skills Sessions to Help Me Prepare for the Graduate Career Fairs?

In advance of the Graduate Careers Fairs, there will be skills sessions to help you prepare to attend the fair and for your upcoming applications.

Sessions will be listed here closer to the time and advertised on MyCareer.dcu.ie

For tips and guidance on how to update your CV and other application and interview advice, go to our Careers Service page on Loop

Click here  to access a guide that includes getting the most from the fair, checklists and tips for conversing with employers.

Before the Fair

• Find the list of attending companies, and information about disciplines they are interested in (page 7). Do some research into these companies before coming to the fair.
• Consider who you want to talk to, is it an employer, HR professional / recruiter or a recent graduate? Make a plan and create a list of people to whom you wish to speak.
• Check vacancies listed in the Jobs section of MyCareer to learn about each employer’s current jobs which will guide your in person conversations.
• Don’t assume that companies are ONLY looking for students within their discipline area. Plan to speak to a diverse range of companies.

During the Fair

• Employers will be located on the ground, first and second floors of the Helix. There are elevators to bring you upstairs.
• Dress code is smart / casual.
• Take a notepad with you, you can take notes during conversations with employers you are interested in.
• Introducing Yourself to Employers
  • Introduce yourself to the employer and state your interest area.
  • Use the question list below as a guide for more questions.
  • Ask about their application processes and reasonable adjustments (if applicable). Use this opportunity to ask about your own specific employment needs.
  • Get their contact details / LinkedIn details if you want to follow up with them or have further questions that you’d like to ask them later.
  • Thank them for their time.

Specialisterne Ireland

Specialisterne Ireland is a consulting agency and support service for neurodivergent people. They will be located at Stand 1 to answer any questions you have throughout the hour and for the remainder of the fair. You can ask Specialisterne questions about disclosure, reasonable accommodations, workplace etiquette or any workplace concerns.

AHEAD Ireland

AHEAD provides information to students and graduates with disabilities, teachers, guidance counsellors and parents on disability issues in education. They undertake national research relating to the inclusion of students with disabilities, contribute to national policy forums and provide professional development opportunities to develop the capacity of staff in FET and higher education to be more inclusive.

They will be located at Stand 2 to answer any questions you have.

AHEAD works with graduates and employers through the GET AHEAD Graduate Forum and the WAM Mentored Work Placement Programme.

AsIAm

AsIAm is Ireland’s National Autism Charity, working to remove barriers and empower autistic people across life — including meaningful employment. For students and jobseekers, AsIAm runs practical supports such as 1:1 career clinics, employment groups, seminars and training to build CVs, interview skills and job-search confidence. 

For employers, AsIAm offers education and partnership programmes, workplace training and an Autism-Friendly Training & Accreditation pathway; it also partners on initiatives like the Autism Accessible Employer Charter to embed inclusive recruitment and support across the employee lifecycle. 

Read more about how AsIAm can help employers make hiring and workplaces more autism-inclusive on the AsIAm website

WAM Programme

• For students to join the WAMWorks database: Join the WAMWorks Database for job and event alerts! - AHEAD
• What WAM is & the relevant employers: WAM - AHEAD
• Current opportunities: Current WAM Opportunities - AHEAD

Science, Technology, Engineering Graduate Careers Fair (Tuesday 29th September)

List will be under the event on MyCareer.dcu.ie

Business, Accounting, Finance Law Graduate Careers Fair (Wednesday 30th September)

List will be under the event on MyCareer.dcu.ie

Employers are always excited to answer questions from students and we encourage you to prepare some questions in advance. Employers will have table signs (pictured below) that they will fill in with prompts to help you get started!

You can also ask representatives from Specialisterne and AHEAD any of the questions below and they will be able to answer from the perspective of the employers they work with.

Here’s a list of questions you might wish to ask. We encourage you to come up with your own as well.

• What types of graduate roles are available?
• How many stages does a candidate go through for interviews?
• Do you have a policy around accessible interviews? eg, questions in advance, a quiet room to wait for the interview, online video interview.
• How do I request reasonable accommodations for the interview?
• How do I request reasonable accommodation for the online tests? Are these confidential?
• What accommodations are provided for psychometric/online testing?
• Can questions be provided ahead of my interview?
• Do I need to disclose at my interview?
• What kind of reasonable accommodations have you seen be implemented in the workplace? Or during the recruitment process?
• How can I access reasonable accommodations in the workplace?
• How can I go about disclosing my diagnosis in the workplace?
• Can I disclose any time?
• Is the office open plan?
• Is it possible to reserve a “desk space”?
• Is there a WFH policy?
• What would the social interaction aspects of the role be?
• What skills or experiences are essential, and what is (only) desirable?
• How many graduates are hired each year and how are they dispersed?
• Will I have a mentor upon starting in the organisation?
• What training will I receive when I start the job?
• Is there a networking option for neurodivergent staff members, e.g. a monthly meet-up?
• What is the dress code for the office?
• Does your organisation provide autism/neurodivergent awareness training?

Avoid presumptions and assumptions! Take the opportunity to research companies with an open mind to the various opportunities. This will mean you won't miss application deadlines or be disappointed. And if you don't see what you are looking for...it might just help you identify more clearly what is a better career direction for you.  A win-win approach!

I want to work for a small company/start-up - Are they at the Graduate Careers Fairs?

Small companies and startups hire differently and generally hire for an immediate start.  These Graduate Careers Fairs are an opportunity for generally larger organisations who have the capacity to plan their recruitment up to 12 months in advance. Sign up for alerts and keep connected to our jobs board on mycareer.dcu.ie for opportunities with a diverse range of companies/organisations. Remember you can sign up to our jobs board as a graduate for two years!

I want to work in the NGO/Charity Sector - Graduate Careers Fairs?

NGO’s and Charities will be attending the Careers Fairs.  List to follow closer to the time.

Top Tip: Subscribe to the Wednesday Newsletter at https://www.dochas.ie/ for details of vacancies and volunteering opportunities and visit activelink.ie for vacancies. This will help familiarise you with the names of organisations and what roles they hire for. 

There are no companies of interest or relevance to me - what should I do?

This is totally normal. The Graduate Careers Fairs can connect you to companies that are ready to engage with final year students - it is not representative of all of the opportunities that will be available to you as a Graduate.  However, we still recommend that you register and attend the Careers Fairs to build your awareness of what companies (in general) are looking for and to keep an open mind as you never know what opportunities await.  

I am a Humanities student, what's in it for me/why should I attend?

• It is estimated that approximately 40% of graduate employers recruit from all disciplines (GradIreland, 2023). While some graduate roles will require a specific qualification, many require a certain set of skills and these are skills that graduates from Humanities and Social Sciences have. For example, critical thinking, analytical thinking, problem solving and more.
• You could have more in common with companies attending than you previously thought! Research their products and services, read up on their culture and values. Think about how your skills can benefit their company and be ready to explain this to the recruiters when you meet them.
• Even though the company may be from an area that is different to your degree, some of these companies may still want to recruit students from your background for a variety of roles within their organisation. For example, they may have in-house opportunities available in areas such as communications, operations, advertising, marketing, PR, Media or HR. It is therefore important to do your research on the company to determine if these opportunities are available.

Top tip: If you are thinking about pursuing a career outside of your degree discipline area, it’s important to think about your career motivation NOW so that you can emphasise this to recruiters at the fair and demonstrate your interest in not only the company but the industry. Think about WHY you wish to pursue a career in your chosen area and make sure you can get this across to recruiters both in conversation and at application stage!

DCU Careers Service

DCU Autism Friendly

DCU Access